Mississippi Governor’s School is in session on MUW campus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – School may be out for the summer, but dozens of students are in class this week at the Mississippi Governor’s School. The annual educational retreat brings high-potential learners from across the state to Mississippi University for Women’s campus. Some classes at the Mississippi Governor’s School have remotes for video games and others have old-fashioned pen and…

Mississippi State University unveils new WWII memorial exhibit

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – June 6 marks the 79th anniversary of D-Day, a major turning point in World War II. And two brothers are looking to honor their father’s legacy and military career with a memorial at Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library. Its purpose is to remember how three Mississippi natives and former bulldogs cleared the way to victory….

Area mental health service reminds people help is only phone call away

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Help is only a phone call away. That was one of the messages from Contact Helpline. Executive Director Katrina Sunivelle spoke to business and community leaders in Columbus. Contact Helpline has been providing mental health services in the Golden Triangle since 1975. Sunivelle and the specialists there have noticed an alarming trend in recent years: a…

Woman, her dog wanted after man was attacked in Winston County

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Winston County deputies are looking for a woman and her dog after a man was attacked. COURTESY: WINSTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK PAGE Stormy Arnold and her pet have been on the run since Friday. Sheriff Jason Pugh said the victim was taken to the hospital and later flown to Jackson for treatment. The attack…

Recent plane crashes put spotlight on airplane safety

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Crashes like the one in Tupelo Saturday morning and another near Washington D.C. Sunday are putting a spotlight on aircraft safety. Statistically speaking, Air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation, but there are risks. According to one news outlet, the odds of a plane going down are 1 in 5.4 million. Statistics show…

OCH Regional Medical Center to partner with new medical service provider

  OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Tensions ran high at today’s Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors meeting. This comes after OCH Regional Medical Center announced on social media it would be partnering with a new emergency medical service provider, Global Medical Response. The new contract would turn OCH’s ambulance services over to GMR or Medstat. The new contract is set…

Columbus city, Lowndes County leaders meet to discuss landscaping deal

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus may get some help improving the entrances to the city. Mayor Keith Gaskin went before the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors to ask if the county would consider sharing the cost of landscaping the exits along Highway 82 and the straightaway behind Leigh Mall. The city put the mowing duties out for bid earlier this…

Columbus officers make burglary arrest at convenience store

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A quick response led to a quick arrest in a Columbus convenience store burglary. CPD officers were alerted to an alarm at Union Stop in the 1200 block of Main Street shortly before 5 Sunday morning. When they arrived, they quickly located where the burglar entered the building. Officers found that a suspect was still inside…

Library displays Columbus photographer’s work from 1910s-1960s

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The work of photographer O.N. Pruitt of Columbus was on display at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library. The public library hosted an event displaying the work of Pruitt, a Columbus photographer from the 1910s to the 1960s. Pruitt is known for taking photographs of African-American people during the Jim Crow era, a time of racial segregation. Pruitt’s…

Argument turns into shooting injuring 1 person in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A man was injured in a weekend shooting in Columbus. A spokesperson for Columbus police said the shooting happened in the area of 21st Street and Sixth Avenue North. Officers were called to Baptist Golden Triangle about a gunshot victim, just before 9:30 Sunday evening. Investigators believed the victim was shot by someone he knows and…

LCBS votes to rename Lowndes County Soccer Complex after Roger Short

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Soccer Complex will now bear the name of the man who helped make it happen. At Monday’s meeting, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to rename the facility, the Roger Short Soccer Complex. Short was credited with recognizing the need for a top-notch soccer complex in the area. As director…

Investigation continues into fatal Tupelo plane crash

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The investigation into a deadly Tupelo plane crash over the weekend continues. The crash happened at the Tupelo Regional Airport on Saturday morning. Lee County Coroner Carolyn Green said it will be at least a week and a half before a positive, scientific identification is made of the victims. St. James Catholic Church in Tupelo identified…

A Starkville armed robber turns himself in to law enforcement

An arrest warrant was issued for Hunter on April 26th.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – On June 3, 20-year-old Tyler Hunter turned himself in to law enforcement after a search warrant was put out for him on April 26th. Hunter was wanted for allegedly robbing the Dollar General on Ruth Road on April 23rd. The charges Hunter is facing or his bond has not been released at this time. Categories: Local…

Barbeque contest in Fulton allows community to come together

Barbeque contests have long been a tradition in the City of Fulton.

FULTON, Miss. (WCBI) – Barbeque contests have long been a tradition in the City of Fulton. On June 3, the city held its first-ever “Barbaroke” in downtown Fulton which combines Barbeque and Karaoke. The Barbeque contestants were busy preparing for three different categories, “Chicken,” “Pork” and “Anything goes.” Contestants competed for cash prizes in the three categories and were able…

A social media dispute ends with gunfire in Columbus

A group of individuals that knew each other were having a dispute on Facebook, and one of those people decided to solve the situation by using their weapon.

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) –  Shots were fired last night in Columbus due to a social media dispute. June 2 at 6:45 p.m., Columbus police went to the 500th block of Catalpa Street in East Columbus for gunfire. After officers arrived on the scene, they discovered a resident in the area was struck twice during the shooting. Shortly after, Baptist Memorial-…

Plane crash in Tupelo kills 2 people

Two are dead after a plane crash at the Tupelo Regional Airport Saturday.

TUPELO, Miss (WCBI) – Two are dead after a plane crash at the Tupelo Regional Airport Saturday. The crash happened around 8 a.m. Two passengers were on board but have not been identified yet. Tupelo Police Chief John Quacka said it takes everyone working together to respond to a scene like this. “Originally police responses, the fire department responds, medical…

BREAKING: Emergency crews on-scene at plane crash at Tupelo Regional Airport

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Emergency crews responded to the Tupelo Regional Airport around 8:30 AM for a reported plane crash.  Details are few at this time, but eyewitnesses report that it appeared to be a twin turboprop, civilian aircraft.  At this time the identity of the pilot and the presence of passengers is unknown. WCBI’s Kealy Shields was able to…

Newest Habitat home is first of its kind for Tupelo and Mississippi

Tupelo's newest Habitat for Humanity home is built using the ICF construction method

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The dedication of a new Habitat for Humanity Home is always a special occasion, but the latest home built in Tupelo is a first for that city and the state. When Lena Ashby received the keys to her new house, it was the end of a four-year journey. “You have to put in 300 sweat equity…

Investigators say how communities can help solve cases

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – With recent shootings in the area, law enforcement is working within the community to piece together who is involved. Sometimes communication is lost between residents in the area and investigators. Investigators in Lousiville said that sometimes their biggest asset is the community because they are the eyes and ears of their area. Captain of Investigations, Mike…

Area pregnancy service provider wants to make resources accessible

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – There have been recent horrific events played out in Macon, Columbus, and Booneville, involving expecting mothers and their newborns. Some maternal service providers in our area believe if more people are aware of the support available, there would be fewer tragic outcomes. WCBI met with organizers of the Life Choices Pregnancy Care Centers to learn how…