Montgomery Co. deputies search for suspects allegedly using fake money

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department hopes you can help identify some people accused of passing bogus bucks. In a Facebook post, the agency said the people in these pictures are using counterfeit $100 bills to pay for items. The cash appears to be legitimate using a counterfeit-detecting marker. However, the ink will smear as soon…

Tupelo man charged in fatal stabbing of woman on Wednesday

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo man was charged with killing a woman in the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday. Tupelo police investigators believe Ricky Shumpert stabbed the victim, 43-year-old Tyronza Heavens, to death. Officers responded to reports of the stabbing on North Church Street. That’s where they found Heavens with multiple wounds. She was taken to the North…

SROs protect schools, provide positive influence for students

Lee County Sheriff's Office partners with the school district to provide SROs on campuses

GUNTOWN, Miss. (WCBI) – As we celebrate National Police Week, it’s an opportunity to highlight those who protect and serve. Those officers on school campuses are protecting our most valuable asset, our children. Whether he is sitting with students during lunch, walking the halls, or helping with cafeteria cleanup, Lee County Deputy Matthew Williams is right at home on the Guntown…

Job fair helps connect employers with potential employees

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi’s unemployment rate is at a historic low. However, there are still people looking for jobs and companies needing workers. “There can be a fit for anyone,” said Erin Bragg from the CPI Group. Hundreds of people walked through the Lyceum at Lee, searching for their new or next opportunity. Bragg said finding jobs are not…

Noxubee County leaders help find new ways of transportation

Pedaling towards better health is the goal for leaders in Noxubee County

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Pedaling towards better health is the goal for leaders in Noxubee County. The people with Mississippi State University’s AIM for Change program were researching a transportation plan for Noxubee County. That’s when they found another problem they said needed to be addressed. “That’s how we got the results that transportation was needed in Noxubee County…

Columbus Boys, Girls Club unveils finished renovation project

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Leaders and members of the Columbus Boys and Girls Club are showing off their new look. A renovation project at the club recently wrapped up and the public could come inside to see the changes. The project included new flooring throughout the building along with updates to the kitchen and restroom areas. Club members also now…

Workforce advice: What makes applicants stand out to employers

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – In this competitive job market, some employers look for employees that stand out from the usual crowd of applicants. Steel Dust Recycling out of Milport, Alabama, employs nearly 40% of Lowndes County residents and is looking to add to it. Human Resources Manager Joe Fleming offers tips to anyone entering the job force. “We look…

Majority of Mississippi students excel on state reading exams

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – A majority of Mississippi continues to excel on its state reading exam. The Mississippi Department of Education reported that over 76% of third graders passed the state reading assessment during the spring semester. That’s over 31,000 students. That’s more than the 2021-2022 school year and the 2018-2019 school year before the COVID pandemic. For students who didn’t…

Lowndes County court term ends with 2 men going to prison

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Another week of the Lowndes County court term ended with two men going to prison. We first told you about the conviction of Davonta Wells on Wednesday night. He was ordered to serve 16 years in prison after being found guilty of shooting into a dwelling and felon in possession of a handgun. He was…

State education board makes future plans to choose interim superintendent

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Conversations on who should be Mississippi’s next education leader are gearing up. The State Board of Education will hold a special session on June 15 to consider who will take the interim state superintendent job this summer. The person selected will officially take the job on July 1. The next interim superintendent will also have the opportunity…

Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office honors fallen officers at annual memorial

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is remembering officers who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. The department held its annual “Fallen Officers Memorial” Thursday morning. During the ceremony, deputies laid a wreath on a monument dedicated to officers who’ve died in the line of duty. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins spoke about the importance of remembering officers who took…

Neshoba County woman indicted for fraudulently receiving SNAP benefits

NESHOBA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Neshoba County woman was accused of swindling more than $46,000 in SNAP benefits. The Mississippi Department of Human Services said April Long was indicted on the charge. She was accused of not reporting household income accurately to MDHS. The investigations division of MDHS collected the evidence and turned it over to the local district…

National Police Week observed with memorial in Tupelo

Veteran officers and cadets at NMLETC honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It is National Police Week, a time to remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving. For Houston Police Chief Adam Harmon, the Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Memorial has special meaning. He knows many of the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, among them, his brother…

Franklin Academy modernizes its methods of energy consumption

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Franklin Academy began as a one-room school building over two centuries. Now the elementary school has almost 400 students and is modernizing its methods of energy consumption. The Tennessee Valley Authority award the school a $200,000 grant for energy-saving innovations. This includes LED lighting, enhancements to the school’s ventilation and filtration system, and strategic energy management…

WCBI visits West Oktibbeha County Elementary for Career Day Event

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – WCBI paid a visit to West Oktibbeha County Elementary School for the school’s Career Day Event. Young students got to learn what it means to be a TV news journalist and a meteorologist from our very own Winston Reed and Isaac Williams. Kids were curious about the day-to-day life at our station and even the…