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Shower Power team raises money to rent hotel rooms for homeless people during cold week in Jackson

Helping the homeless stay warm

By Chelsey Sellars | January 16, 2021 at 6:08 PM CST – Updated January 16 at 6:08 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A big blanket of snow flurries covered much of the metro.

The freezing temperatures made Teresa Renkenberger and Mary Ann Kirby worry.

“I passed by a local hospital and at the bus stop, I saw one of our ladies sitting at the bus stop. She looked like she was about to freeze. I circle back around and anyway – she was the reason,” said Rekenberger.

They took their concerns to Facebook, asking their followers to help raise funds to book hotel rooms in Jackson.

Thousands of dollars were collected within hours.

“Initially we had about 45 people that we bought three nights for each but then we saw the weather report that the temperatures were not going to really start to go back up until Thursday. So we circled back around and added additional nights,” said Kirby.

Renkenberger and Kirby have compassion for the homeless. They’re the dedicated minds behind Shower Power.

It’s a truck that helps homeless people have access to a hot shower and other supplies.

“I think people think about it all the time. They just don’t know what to do about it. And so what we’re successful in doing is actually implementing some procedures that will help with the situation and we were able to do that,” said Kirby.

One treated for smoke inhalation after trailer fire in Richland

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By WLBT Digital | January 16, 2021 at 3:15 PM CST – Updated January 16 at 3:15 PM

RICHLAND, Miss. (WLBT) – Firefighters are responding to a fire at a trailer park in Richland.

Officials said that the fire happened at 223 Southgate Drive.

One person was treated for smoke inhalation but everyone inside was able to get out safely.

This is a developing story.

27-year-old inmate dies at East Mississippi Correctional Facility

By WLBT Digital | January 16, 2021 at 1:00 PM CST – Updated January 16 at 1:03 PM

LAUDERDALE CO., Miss. (WLBT) – An inmate at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility died after being found unresponsive in his prison cell, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Cortez Wooten, 27, died around 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

It is reported that medical staff immediately administered CPR and paramedics arrived within minutes.

Wooten was serving a 35-year sentence for manslaughter and armed robbery in Grenada County. He was sentenced in January 2012.

An autopsy will determine the exact cause and manner of death.

COVID-19 in Mississippi: Over 2,600 new cases reported Saturday

Protecting Yourself from Coronavirus (May 2020)

By WLBT Digital | March 13, 2020 at 11:42 AM CDT – Updated January 16 at 10:15 AM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,680 new cases and 70 new deaths Saturday.

The number of presumed positive coronavirus cases in Mississippi is now at 250,869 as of January 15.

So far, 5,481 people have died from COVID-19 in Mississippi.

The number of tests administered in the state totals 1,969,970 as of January 10. This includes MSDH Public Health Laboratory tests and other providers.

An estimated 198,888 people have recovered from the virus.

Mississippi Department of Health has a hotline open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for any coronavirus-related questions: 877-978-6453.

Security guard injured in shooting at Vicksburg apartment complex

Overnight shooting in Vicksburg

By WLBT Digital | January 16, 2021 at 7:19 AM CST – Updated January 16 at 12:19 PM

VICKSBURG, Miss. (WLBT) – Vicksburg police are investigating a shooting that left a person injured late Friday night.

Police were called to a shooting at New Main Apartments on Alcorn Drive around 9:46 p.m.

Police said the apartment’s security guard was shot in his left leg after two suspects approached him demanding money.

A struggle ensued between the security guard and the suspects that ended in him being shot.

Police said the suspects fled with the security guard’s wallet and car keys.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Vicksburg Police Department at 601-636-2511 or Crime Stoppers at 800-355-8477 (800-355-TIPS).

Hazlehurst restaurant owner believes ‘grace of God’ protected him while being robbed at gunpoint

Restaurant owner robbed at gunpoint in Hazlehurst speaks out

By Chelsey Sellars | January 15, 2021 at 11:03 PM CST – Updated January 15 at 11:03 PM

“Just as I almost got to my truck, two guys came from this side and two guys came up from behind me,” said Hood.

Hood has owned Stark’s Family Restaurant for six years, but he bought surveillance cameras only three weeks ago that captured 4 men running out from the dark with guns to rob him.

“Well they said give me all you got. They of course grabbed and snatched my money bag out of my hand. The two guys over here, they took my wallet, they took my pocket knife,” said Hood.

Then they put him on the ground. “I laid on the ground for 4-5 minutes. I was just making sure they were gone,” said Hood.

Once they left, Hood went inside and called 9-1-1. Hazelhurst Police are now investigating what happened.

“It really felt like a bad dream. Like a nightmare. When they first came out, I thought someone was picking on me. Then I saw that it was serious. But just like slow motion, like a bad dream. I just closed my eyes and waited for the boom,” said Hood.

Hood believes God was on his side that night.

“I’m just glad they spared my life. And that’s only by the grace of- some people said ‘you was lucky.’ But it was the grace of God that was protecting me,” said Hood.

Fire breaks out at Rankin Co. apartment complex

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Fire breaks out in Rankin County

By WLBT Digital and Quentin Smith | January 15, 2021 at 4:26 PM CST – Updated January 16 at 10:06 AM

RANKIN CO., Miss. (WLBT) – A large fire broke out at a Rankin County apartment complex Friday afternoon.

The fire was sparked at a building at Lakeshore Pointe Apartments on the reservoir.

As of 4:30 p.m., firefighters continue to battle the flames.

WLBT crews are on the scene working to learn more.

Apartment fire

HAPPENING NOW: Fire at Lakeshore Pointe Apartments in Rankin County.

Posted by WLBT 3 On Your Side on Friday, January 15, 2021

Ceremonies across the local school district usher in new state flag

By Roslyn Anderson | January 15, 2021 at 9:01 PM CST – Updated January 15 at 9:01 PM

MADISON, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi’s children are seeing a new day as the new state flag waves above our Capitol, at our homes, businesses and schools.

A special ceremony was held in Madison where students say they now look at our state flag with pride.

“I think it’s going to say to the rest of the nation that we are ready for change,” said Mira Rayburn. “We are nothing like we used to be.”

The Madison Central AFJROTC Color Guard Commander had the duty of overseeing the raising of the new state flag at Rosa Scott High School. The senior thinks it the right direction for Mississippi.

“I was really hoping that we would change the flag during that whole process. I was watching it thoroughly- how they were having the votes on which flag,” said Rayburn. “I personally liked this one the best, and I was just glad that we were finally getting something that was different and not the old one.”

Friday the “In God We Trust” flag flew over the campus for the first time beneath the Stars and Stripes.

“We are on the precipice of history,” said House Speaker Phillip Gunn. “We have an opportunity here to write a brand new chapter for the State of Mississippi.”

Gunn and Flag Commission member T.J. Holmes were in attendance as students witnessed the flag raising. For this young generation, the change means they’ll be viewed differently by the nation.

“When I heard they were changing the flag I was really excited because, honestly, I’ve been thinking about the step myself for a while and thought the old flag was hateful,” said Rosa Scott SGA President Hollin Brewer. “I thought the history of it was not something we wanted to represent as a state.”

SGA Vice President Austin Brown said the new flag will make a difference in the country.

“I feel more included with this one because it shows how we’re more of a united country and how we’re more like… we’re progressing as a whole and the old one just did not represent that at all,” said Brown.

The new flag has been raised in ceremonies at schools across the district throughout the week.

114TH MP Company deploys to Washington, D.C. to provide security during Biden’s inauguration

By David Kenney | January 15, 2021 at 8:45 PM CST – Updated January 16 at 7:40 AM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A Mississippi National Guard unit has been activated to assist in providing security at next week’s presidential inauguration.

The local troops will be aiding with securing the U.S. Capitol building and grounds in Washington, D.C., which was overrun by armed protestors last week. The 114th military police company has seen its share of action.

They most recently were deployed to Kuwait.

This time they’re headed to the Nation’s Capitol to serve as security where, for the first time, the threat is domestic.

One-hundred members of the 114th military police company are arriving in D.C. Friday night where they will be part of a nationwide deployment of 20-thousand troops guarding the presidential inauguration activities.

Adjutant General Janson Boyles said, “Logistics support, of course there’s actually police work to do. There is freedom of movement to do where they’re controlling traffic, but there’s certainly a security mission and I suspect with the skill sets we’re sending that we are the type of unit you would use in a security situation.”

Boyles says the group is highly trained and has been in more dangerous scenarios overseas. Their day-to-day jobs also preparing them for this mission.

“So we have a lot of experience on this deployment. What really sort of resonates with me is that we got about 25 percent of this group are men and women who are deputy sheriffs, policeman in their communities. We got some highway patrolman. So we got great leadership going in addition to everyone else who’s trying to be a military police man in the army,” said Boyles.

It’s unclear how long the mission will last for these troops but they will likely remain in Washington until any credible threats are gone.

Mississippi prison begins seminary program for incarcerated women

By WLBT Digital | January 15, 2021 at 6:13 PM CST – Updated January 15 at 10:17 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Mississippi Department of Corrections has revealed a new seminary program for incarcerated women after launching a similar program for men over ten years ago.

The “Experiencing God” discipleship course is said to be designed to deepen the inmates’ understanding of God and their faith. It is also a requirement for the seminary program within the prison.

The women who complete the discipline course will join other inmates in the 29-member inaugural women’s class in a four-year fully accredited seminary program taught through the Leavell College of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Starting Tuesday, January 19, the seminarians will receive training to become inmate religious assistants to assist chaplains.

Mississippi’s seminary for women is one of only three of its kind in the nation with the others in Louisiana and Georgia.

The seminary program is entirely privately funded with no taxpayer funds being used. In addition to the New Orleans school, support also comes from the Mississippi Baptist Convention through donations and fundraising efforts.

People of all faith denominations are welcome and invited to participate in the seminary program.

To participate, inmates must have at least 10 years remaining on their sentence, be free of rule violations for at least one year, and have completed high school or have a G.E.D. They also must have completed the “Experiencing God” course and be recommended by a chaplain or spiritual leader.

After two years in the program, the participants will have earned Associate’s Degrees, and, after four years, they will have earned Bachelor’s degrees.

Dr. Beth Masters, director of the program at CMCF, said the program is already making a difference in the women’s lives through the work completed.

“Examples of the change we have seen include women who have undergone restoration and reconciliation with their families through talking about their faith and what they have learned,” Masters stated.

The launching of the women’s seminary program was said to be a high priority for Commissioner Burl Cain, who helped with the establishment of the seminary program at the Mississippi State Penitentiary while leading Louisiana’s state prison.

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