WCBI News at Ten - Saturday\, April 20th\, 2019

Some good news out of monroe county.

Good evening and thank you for joining us.

I'm rylie livingston.

A missing monroe county teen has been found safe.

Monroe county sheriff cecil cantrell says 13- year-old iiyana maleigh randle was found in gonzales, la.

According to aberdeen police chief henry randle, she was found with ronald latiolais at a home on meadow street.

Investigators pinged iiyana randles phone leading them to her locatation.

Law enforcement believed they met on the internet.

This is an ongoing investigation.

Two east mississippi counties hit hard by thursday night's storms now begin the long road to recovery.

The governor has now declared a state of emergency for neshoba and scott counties after they were hit.

I n neshoba county, 81-year- old ronald moreland of newton died when a tree fell on his car on highway 15 south.

Now many residents in the county are dealing with damage to their homes and trying to figure out what's next.

Ashleigh fortenberry reports.

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Cleaning up damage from thursday's storms / philadelphia the sky turned dark just after 4 o'clock in neshoba county thursday.

Within minutes, a storm of heavy rain and intense winds plowed through the county.

William arnold / philadelphia resident "it all happened pretty quick.

It was here and gone within a minute.

Really it just came on so fast, blowing through these trees here.

Then i see the oak tree topple down on my neighbor's house."

Philadelphia resident william arnold says he took shelter with another neighbor, immediately.

It wasn't long before he realized how powerful the storm was.

"it sounded like a train.

People say that, you know, but it sounded like a train."

Massive trees were not even a match for the storm, as winds snapped them, uprooted them and sent them crushing into people's homes and cars.

Nats some businesses suffered damage too.

The left wall of neshoba urgent care clinic was ripped out.

Hospital c-e-o lee mcall is no starnger to severe weather.

He says the storm felt all too familiar.

"its an eerie feeling, especially being through a tornado before.

So it definitely sounded similar to one.

You could hear the winds whipping through.

We were in the stairwell."

Mcall says he was very impressed with the way the community has come together in the aftermath, including the work of first responders and volunteers.

"my heart goes out to everyone, especially those who- you know the loss of life, it's a difficult time everyone goes through.

Just hang in there.

We'll continue to jeep them in our prayers and all i can say is keep praying, stay together and let us know if there is anything we can do."

National weather service has confirmed that an ef-1 tornado did tear through neshoba thursday night.

A boil water notice is in effect for parts of noxubee shuqualak- butler water association says this impacts residents who live on several roads.

This includes pinetucky road, highway 21 west of pinetucky road, jones, road, and highway 39.

The notice is because of a break in the water line.

The company is unsure when the line will be fixed and the notice lifted.

Columbus police responded to a one vehicle accident in front of waffle house last night.

An suv drove over the curb and into a ditch near the restaurant at around 7:30 friday evening.

It is unknown if anyone was injured.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Vo in monitor it was the school shooting that shocked the nation - before such attacks became seemingly routine.

12 students and a teacher were shot and killed at colorado's columbine high schools 20 years ago.

Remembering the painful day - a survivor and a swat officer.

Scott mclean spoke to them.

Nats on april 20, 1999, a high school in littleton, colorado was under attack.

A pair of students, armed with guns and even home-made bombs, walked onto campus and started shooting at their peers.

Nats in the moments that followed, live images of students running for their lives were broadcast nationwide.

Then 16-year-old samantha haviland was one of them -- she was in the cafeteria when the first shots were fired.

Samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "my friends had to pull me out of my chair to the ground."

Butted samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "i didn't understand.i had no concept of someone shooting at me, particularly in school."

Haviland narrowly escaped the danger, but her friend rachel scott did not - she was among the 13 people killed.

Grant whitus was the first swat officer to enter the building - he's the one seen here at the window to the cafeteria.

Grant whitus, former jefferson county sheriff's office swat leader: "we broke the window.

I went in right then fully expecting to be in a firefight."

But by the time police went inside 47 minutes after the initial gunfire, the shooters were already dead.

Grant whitus, former jefferson county sheriff's office swat leader: "and by the time we arrived, there was hundreds of cops there and,nobody had went in.

Twenty years ago, this is how business was done.

Uh, you know, patrol gets there, surrounds it, locks the scene down and waits for swat.

In hindsight, that was the biggest mistake."

It's a mistake he won't make twice -- since then, he's been teaching police to go straight to the sound of gunfire.

For ten years after the shooting, haviland spent her life on high alert - always looking for the exits, and looking out for danger.

Scott mclean reporting: "that sounds exhausting."

Samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "hyper-vigilance is extremely exhausting.

It takes up a lot of mental energy."

Haviland is now the head of counseling for all denver public schools, and sees that same hyper-vigilence in more and more students every year - even kids who have never experienced trauma themselves.

She says it's thanks to monthly active shooter drills, and graphic school shooting videos shared on social media.

Nats samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "i can't say it surprises me.

I can say it breaks my heart."

Today, columbine still attracts hollow threats and unwanted attention.

Last week a florida teenager who police say was infatuated with the shooting, took a one- way flight to colorado, and bought a gun - forcing the closure of schools across the region.

Samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "i feel for the students and the staff that are there because these children were not ... they weren't born even twenty years ago when it happened, but they're the targets."

A lot has changed since columbine's school shooting truly shocked the country - police tactics, gun laws, school security, and hundreds of lives - but some things maybe never will.

Samantha haviland, columbine survivor: "when i think back to high school, i don't think about the shooting.

I think about the volleyball tournaments, and the speech tournaments, my friends.

But, columbine to an outsider is referring to the shooting itself."

Voice of scott mclean reporting: "it only means one thing."

Voice of samantha haviland, columbine survivor: :it means only one thing.

" scott mclean, cnn, denver.

First look tonight: expect a clear, starry sky with winds calming down through the evening and overnight hours.

Today is april 20th, which is a day that many people associate with both recreational and medical marijuana.

Some are pushing to get medical marijuana legalized and hope to have it in next years ballot.

Our cash matlock had the opportunity to speak with several columbus resident's about the possibility of medical marijuana being legalized in the magnolia state.

Medical marijuana.

It's a topic that often sparks controversy among mississippians.

"i believe that it would be a good cause.

It would help a lot of people."

"absolutely for it."

"no, i vote no."

The group medical marijuana 2020 is one of the state's leading organizations that are trying to get the issue on a mississippi ballot in 2020 which would let the people decide on whether or not to legalize the plant for medicinal use.

"i think they should legalize it because i know people that have siezures and they have to take like 23 pills a day, ruin their liver, and if they had medical marijuana they'd only have to take 3 or 4.

Their liver would last a lot longer."

"i did a lot of research on it n school, and i found that it doesn't cause a lot of harm.

A lot of people can actually use it for help.

It helps out with glycoma, a lot of cancers and stuff."

"i don't know enough about it to really make a decision about the medical side, but i don't think it's good to have it legalized."

Many columbus residents have personal experiences that they say has influenced their opinion on the topic.

"i work in child care.

I'm not from mississippi.

I dealt with children who had siezures and other kinds of anxiety disorders and when prescribed this medication they were healed.

The medication they were on prior to that, they were like zombies in my classroom before starting the medical marijuana."

And some locals are even in support of marijuana being legalized for recreational use.

"i feel like it's kind of the se thing as alcohol.

It should have it's restrictions, and you should have an age limit of when to use and when not to use it.

Other than that, i'm for it."

"i think if anybody wants to do it in the privacy of their own home, it's up to them."

Medical marijuana 2020 has until september of this year to get over 86 thousand signatures on their petition in order for the issue to be on next year's ballot.

We spoke with an equal number of people who were against the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana; however, those people declined to be interviewed.

Today's beautiful weather is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

And several area kids did just that!

We'll tell you more about it after the break.

For several hours this morning more than 100 amory area children put away their cell phones and headed to lake mcalpine.

Chad groening was there getting in on the action to bring us the story.

Kids on the bank of a lake fishing poles in hand while their parents look on.

In times past this is a scene that could have been painted by norman rockwell, but we'll have to settle for high definition video.

These 15 and under childen took part in the fifth annual fishing rodeo hosted by the amory parks and recreation department.

Which allowed participants to keep their fish.

"we encourage everyone to keep fish, take them home, cook them.

There's something special about catching or harvesting what you eat at the house."

"honestly i never fished until started doing this fishing rodeo and now i love it.

I love it.

It's peaceful."

Sherry hazlewood is the state fishing rodeo coordinator with the mississippi department of wildlife, fisheries and parks.

"we've always had a fishing rodeo program, but now we have a structured one.

It's the catfish rodeo program.

We go all over the state.

And it's a big event.

We do 70-plus a year about 8-thousand registered kids.

And what we're trying to do is introduce the kids to the great outdoors.

It's something we've been blessed with all of our lives."

Unlike in times past young anglers of 21st century have to overcome a major distraction.

"the digital age has kind of cut down on the fishing a bit.

We're trying to get kids outside nowadays i think that's very important getting them out of the house and everything.

Seems that kids stay indoors a lot more."

"now technology takes over so it's good to get and enjoy the family get away from the games, you know techology itself.

It's just good to get out."

And hazlewood says once many young people first toss in that hook, they get hooked.

"one positive fish will change a child's life.

I have seen life changing experiences with the fishing.

I've seen big sullen teenagers, they catch the first fish and would start squealing and they were hooked for life."

And kids had their prize catches weighed hoping to snag the biggest of the rodeo.

Chad groening, wcbi news, amory.

And event organizers say they'll be plenty of fish remaining in the lake for anglers to try to catch in the coming days.

Maddie tosses to break tonight: expect a clear, starry sky with winds calming down through the evening and overnight hours.

Winds will gradually shift from the northwest to the south by morning.

Temperatures fall into the low 40s.

Easter sunday: south winds return helping to bring some warmer air in place.

We're anticipating temperatures at least into the upper 70s, with some low 80s likely.

Look for abundant sunshine during the day, perfect for easter egg hunts and sunday dinner outside!

Lows sunday night fall into the upper 40s and low 50s.

Monday - tuesday: highs climb into the low 80s both days with a mix of sun and clouds.

Some gulf moisture starts to creep back slowly with south winds, but we don't anticipate any ole miss with a top 25 match-up to auburn in oxford...highligh ts from the rubber match is next in sports ole miss hosting 23rd ranked auburn for a weekend series...and after a loss to the tigers on thursday the rebels picked up a win yesterday to tie the series up... and it all came down to game three in oxford this afternoon the rebels and the ranked tigers in a rubber match on this sunny saturday top 5th...auburn leading 3- 1...adams at the plate...brooks fuller on the mound...gets the strikeout for the first out of the inning tigers leading 3- 1... same inning...anthony servideo trying to get the offense rolling...shoots one through center...and the fielder's choice gets hall out at second...but servideo stays safe at first... and then grae kessinger sparks some life...that ball goes right over the wall...a 2 run home run for kessinger ties the game up at 3 in the 5th inning but the tigers come back to win the game just by a pinch...auburn comes out victorious with a 6-5 final over ole miss taking the series win... next, up the rebels play #6 mississippi state on tuesday and speaking of mississippi state....a very tough weekend for the diamond dawgs in fayetteville... in the three games played in the weekend series against arkansas state only held the lead for just one inning msu falls today in a shutout...10-2 the final against the hogs only 6 hits on the day...2 of those coming from tanner allen jt ginn in as the starting pitcher for the bulldogs...he had 4 k's in his 5 innings on the mound and like previously mentioned...next up for mississippi state is a rivalry match-up to ole miss in pearl ole miss softball in starkville...the rebels and the bulldogs with a rubber match earlier today top fo the 8th...brittany finney at the plate...williams on the mound...2 outs...and finney walked by williams to load the bases a little later...autumn gillespie with the deep double out to left field...cooper, puk, and allee all come into score for the rebels...and a crucial turning point in the game for a late ole miss lead kaylee horton up to bat...she pops one out to center field...and the diving catch by kat moore prevents any more ole miss runs mia davidson with a late comeback effort...does what she knows...knocks the ball out of nusz park...msu on the board for the first time that day... but ole miss too much and too late...msu falls to ole miss at home, with a 3-1 final in eight innings ole miss taking the series 2- 1...next up msu hosts missouri next weekend and ole miss heads back to oxford for a match-up to southern miss on wednesday high school team's around the area are giving it all they got to survive and advance...highlig hts from high school baseball playoffs are coming up after the break baseball playoffs kicking off in our area.

Charleston taking on houston.

Bottom 1st, 1 out 2 on base.

Kevin diaz launches one to left field.

That's gonna score 2 hilltoppers and give him a double.

Houston up 2-0.

Same inning 2 outs, bases loaded.

Jamie bassfield hits one to left for a base hit.

That'll score another run and houston is up 3-0 after 1 inning.

Then in the 2nd, the wind was definitely a factor as blaize gonn hits one to right field but it give the outfielder fits and drops.

Blaize will advance to 3rd.

And the hilltoppers dominate.

Final in this one houston 15 charleston 0.

Over in new hope where the fellas are hitting the "woah" as they take on gentry.

2nd inning, 9-0 trojans 2 outs runners at 2nd n 3rd.

David young smacks one up the middle for a base hit.

That'll score 2 trojans as they go up 11- 0.

Same inning, hays lumsden at bat.

Gets one by 3rd.

2 more trojans score and they now go up 13-0.

Then the emcc signee rye mcglothin hits a dribbler to left.

2 more trojans score as mcglothin goes to second.

15-0 new hope and they go onto win big.

The final in 3 innings new hope 17 gentry 0.

2 area teams facing off as noxapater takes on hamilton.

4th inning, hamilton up 6-0.

Landon bailey pitching.

And caleb hall hitting.

He hits a slap shot to no mans land in center for the base hit.

Next batter jamie dean atkins gets a single of his own to right field.

Lions have runners on the corners to start the 4th.

Then bailey gets called for a balk bringing home hall for the run putting them up 7-0 and hamilton goes onto win in 5 innings.

Final score hamilton 10 noxapater 0.

Lions also win game 2....final score 3 to 2.

Now down the road to caledonia as they take on corinth.

Bottom 1st corinth up 2-0, bo bates gets one by the 3rd baseman into left for a single.

Next batter, peyton mccollum follows suit and gets one to drop in shallow left center for a base hit.

Then after the runners advance bases and score off a wild pitch, this sac fly by cade stacy will score another run for the feds tying the game up at 2-2.

And caledonia goes onto get the win over corinth...just barely sneaking out of that one with a 10-9 final score pontotoc hosting arch rival new albany tonight at the holler bottom first no score the warriors senior hayden harris hits one to right field...the right fielder can't make the play and it was 1- nothing pontotoc... later with the score 2-nothing senior justin carter hits one deep....the sac- fly makes it 3- nothing..

They added two more runs then capped the scoring with this basehit by brice deaton 6-nothing after one... top 3rd same score...the bulldogs charlie lott rips one down the 1st base line for a hit and an rbi that cut it to 6-1 pontotoc..

Then drew vance hit one to second, he is safe and another run scores and it was 6-2... hernando in starkville....takin g on the yellowjackets for a 6a playoff game..

Hernando leading by 2....top 2nd...brianne locke on the mound...and the jackets get an easy out following that...it'd be another hit for hernando...but jaleeyah armstead quick for the grab...and another out ends the inning to get the jackets back on offense and the offense would get rolling in the bottom of the 2nd..a sac bunt from kimberlyn livingston...gets roniyah campbell into scoring position at third kyler reeves at the plate...she knocks one out...it gets campbell home and the jackets have its first run of the day but they couldn't keep that offense alive...hernando takes out starkville 15- 1...game two will take place at hernando tonight: expect a clear, starry sky with winds calming down through