New bill would put cameras outside school buses to catch stop sign violators

New bill would put cameras outside school buses to catch stop sign violators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In an effort to improve student safety, a Tennessee lawmaker is hoping a new law will catch school bus violators in action.

State representative Jason Hodges, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has sponsored a bill that would put cameras on the outside of buses to record drivers who pass buses when stop signs are deployed.

That video would go to law enforcement. Each school district would determine the number of cameras for each bus.

The bill has been assigned to the Safety & Funding Subcommittee.

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Lawsuit alleges Mississippi was man beaten by jail guards before death

JACKSON, Miss. — Relatives of a man who died in a Mississippi jail last May are suing, claiming witnesses saw jail guards beat the man before his death.

The suit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Jackson by Betty Hill, the mother of the late Harvey Hill.

Madison County Coroner Alex Breeland says he doesn’t know why Hill died. Breeland says the state medical examiner has yet to return final autopsy results for the 36year-old Hill.

Mississippi’s crime lab has a monthslong backlog because of a shortage of pathologists to complete autopsies.

Lawyers say Harvey Hill was beaten by guards while handcuffed, pepper sprayed and then returned to his cell in need of medical attention.

Madison County Sheriff’s spokesman Heath Hall is declining comment, saying lawyers haven’t seen the lawsuit.

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Chronic wasting disease spreading in throughout the Mid-South

PANOLA COUNTY, Miss. — Cases of debilitating deer disease have been confirmed in two more Mississippi counties, making it present in five counties.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks said Tuesday that tests confirm deer in Panola and Tallahatchie counties had chronic wasting disease. A total of 15 cases have been confirmed statewide, with others found in Benton, Issaquena, Marshall and Pontotoc counties. Four more cases await confirmation.

The contagious and fatal neurological disease causes deer to have tremors and other movement problems and lose weight.

Spokesman Warren Strain says the department is assessing restrictions on feeding wildlife and hog trapping in Panola, Tallahatchie and surrounding counties as part of its response program.

The disease is present in 25 other states. Tennessee has confirmed dozens of cases in counties bordering Mississippi. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission has been tracking chronic wasting disease in Arkansas since 2015.

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Another wet weekend in the forecast

LITTLE ROCK — Heavy rains are predicted throughout the weekend for much of the Mid-South. According to the National Weather Service, the eastern part of Arkansas and West Tennessee could see as much as 8 inches of total accumulation over the next several days. Brian Smith, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service said, “We are expecting continued river flooding… we could see some flash flooding issues in places as well.”

Flooding caused road and school closures in several areas last week.

Central Arkansas is predicted to receive up to 4 inches of precipitation over the course of the weekend. Rain is expected to begin late Thursday night and continue off and on through Sunday.