West Alabama teen faces rape charge in Pickens County

PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) – A west Alabama teen is facing a rape charge. 18-year-old Mathew Fields of Coker was charged with first-degree rape. 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin said the alleged crime happened in Pickens County. His office started the investigation last week. The alleged victim is under the age of 12. More charges are possible. Fields…

Tupelo Superintendent gives musical welcome for first day back to school

Dr. Rob Picou says he wants to set the stage for a positive, fun year

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The first day of school is a time of joy and anticipation, and it can also be stressful. That’s why Tupelo’s school superintendent hopped on a bus with a musical instrument to help get the school year started off on a positive note. As they boarded Bus 52 on the first day of school, students had…

City leaders in Starkville looking to increase pay for city workers

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – City leaders in Starkville are looking to pay their workers but it will cost home and property owners a little more. The city’s Ad-valorem tax is currently set at 30.3% and at the meeting city leaders decided to increase it by 1.87% which would increase the tax to 33%, even. No decision has been made yet…

Town of Artesia gears up to celebrate 25th annual Artesia Days

It is known as the small town that does big things.

ARTESIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Artesia Days is one of the largest small-town celebrations in the region. It is known as the small town that does big things. On a typical day, Artesia, Mississippi is a quiet town, but this week, organizers of Artesia Days are rolling out the red carpet to welcome visitors from near…

City leaders already include expansions in Red Cup District talks

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The discussions about a possible Red Cup District in the City of Columbus already include the idea of expansion. At a meeting of the committee that is working on guidelines for the proposed entertainment district, State Representative and former Columbus City Councilman Kabir Karriem broached the idea of creating a second Red Cup District in the…

Medical marijuana dispensary owner in Lee County arrested

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The owner of a Lee County medical marijuana dispensary is being accused of running afoul of the law. Mark Anthony Cash, the owner of the Green Guys Medical Cannabis Dispensary, was charged with three counts of sale of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Lee County Sheriff Jim…

Former Noxubee County sheriff’s deputy reaches plea deal

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A former Noxubee County sheriff’s deputy reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Vance Phillips has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge. He was indicted in November of last year. Phillips was one of the deputies sued in federal court over a Noxubee County jailhouse sex scandal involving a former inmate. A date…

New chief at Saltillo Fire Department is well known to community

Chief Chris Jenkins looks to add more volunteers and build on a solid foundation for citizens in the area

SALTILLO, Miss. (WCBI) – For Chris Jenkins, there was no learning curve on his first day on the job as Saltillo Fire Chief. In July, Jenkins was named chief of the Saltillo Fire Department after serving for a brief time as interim chief. Jenkins has been with the department for 14 years. Before that, he served with the Tupelo Fire…

Columbus, Lowndes County communities step up to take down crime

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A shooting near Baptist Memorial Hospital on Monday left four injured, and sources said they’re not cooperating with the police. In this case, and so many others, it’s up to the community to fill in the gaps of what really happened. Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said the community is stepping up to take down…

Noxubee County teen gains some horsepower in racing world

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – One Noxubee County teen is gaining some horsepower in the racing world. 17-year-old Zyler Maxwell found a niche for harness racing and this past weekend, he won 11 out of 21 races at the Neshoba County Fair. Typically called buggy racing, the sport involves a horse pulling a two-wheeled cart with a rider. If you’re…

Three men in Shannon arrested for allegedly robbing undercover informant

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Three men in Shannon were arrested for allegedly robbing an undercover informant. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said during an undercover operation by the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, the informant was robbed at gunpoint by Shon Grant, Dewitt Shelby, and Lemuel Scruggs. An agent quickly arrived on the scene shortly after the incident and arrested…

Lee County jury finds Tupelo man guilty of child sex crimes

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo man was found guilty of child sex crimes. A Lee County jury found 41-year-old Charles Gandy guilty of two counts of Sexual Battery and two counts of Fondling, involving a child. Gandy will serve 30 years in the Mississippi State Penitentiary and he is not eligible for parol or early release. The sentence…

Starkville police make arrest in connection with fatal June crash

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police made an arrest in connection with a deadly June car crash. 68-year-old Michael Mobley was charged with aggravated DUI and DUI 4th. The one-vehicle accident happened on June 30 at the intersection of Highway 12 and Bluefield Road. 71-year-old Ollice James Nichols of Starkville died at the scene. Mobley was flown to Tupelo for…

Thrasher man arrested for allegedly shooting his own son

PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Thrasher man is in jail accused of shooting his own son. On Monday, Prentiss County 911 took a report of a gunshot victim on County Road 1040 in the Thrasher community. When Prentiss County Deputies and the Highway Patrol got there, they found a man who had been assaulted and shot. The man’s father,…

Oktibbeha County deputies make sexual battery arrest

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County deputies made a sexual battery arrest. Bond for 34-year-old Bryant Dotson was set at $50,000. Investigators told WCBI a report was taken at OCH Regional Medical Center on July 29. The alleged incident happened in the Sunset Subdivision. The French Camp man was arrested Tuesday. The reported victim was under the age of…

State troopers investigate deadly crash in Lowndes County

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A west Alabama woman died in an early morning crash in Lowndes County. The crash happened on Highway 12, near Jack Wiggins Road, just before 8 a.m. The Mississippi Highway Patrol said a Dodge Durango left the road, hit a tree, and overturned. Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant said 54-year-old Marty Dollar of Vernon, Alabama…