Tempers flare at Columbus City Council Work Session

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – City and county governments usually hold work sessions to work out issues and develop consensus before a regular meeting. Sometimes, however, they expose bigger gaps among members. Temperatures were hot and so were tempers at a work session for the Columbus City Council, as issues that have been simmering for weeks came close to boiling over….

Local American Legion chapter aims to provide more veteran resources

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The United States Department of Veterans Affairs reports about 131,000 veterans are homeless, and 1.7 million face mental health needs. Behind the fun of Bingo and Karaoke nights, there is some serious business at American Legion Posts. The veterans’ organization helps those who have served connect the right dots to receive valuable services. WCBI met with…

Investigators find fetus in Booneville wastewater treatment facility

Police chief asks for public's help after water department employee makes shocking discovery

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – An investigation is underway after a body described by police as a fetus was found in Booneville. In all of his years in law enforcement, Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey said Wednesday morning’s call was a first. “The Booneville police received a call from the water and sewer department about a possible sighting of a fetus…

Trio of triplets set to graduate together from Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Students at Mississippi State are graduating this weekend. Some have been together all through their college years, and some are even crossing the stage with friends from high school, but a trio of triplets have done it all together. Rees, Brantley Kate, and Davis Newton are triplets from Frisco Texas. Growing up, the trio did everything together,…

Man accused of 2021 parking lot shooting found not guilty

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A man accused of shooting at three people, along with damaging vehicles and businesses was found not guilty. Demarcqueis Clark was facing aggravated assault, business, and malicious mischief charges. The charges stem from a December 2021 shooting in the parking lot of a shopping center behind the east Columbus McDonald’s. A Lowndes County jury deliberated the…

MSU graduation time has been pushed back to 10 am

MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. (WCBI) – Here is a graduation update from Mississippi State University. Storm patterns are pushing the ceremony back an hour and a half. So now, the morning graduation ceremony will start at 10 a.m. Friday, not 8:30. Leaders of the university are continuing to follow weather conditions for Friday and will provide updates when necessary. For 24/7…

MSU, Toyota Mississippi, Liquid Wire Inc. announce collaboration project

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State University, Toyota Mississippi, and Liquid Wire Inc. are teaming up to improve the workplace. The collaboration was announced Thursday at the MSU Athlete Engineering Summit as part of the project MSU’s interdisciplinary Athlete Engineering research group will work directly with the Northeast Mississippi auto-manufacturers to implement and assess Liquid Wire wearable technologies inside…

LCBS President speaks to community about county’s progress

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Overall, things are looking up in Lowndes County. That was the word from the president of the Board of Supervisors. Trip Hairston spoke to business and community leaders at Lion Hills Thursday afternoon about the county’s progress. The county has landed what is being touted as the state’s largest economic development deal with the agreement…

Lowndes Co. grand jury indicts Caledonia teen for killing mother’s fiancé

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Caledonia teen was indicted after being accused of killing his mother’s fiancé, just hours after graduating high school. Justin Robert Coggins was indicted for manslaughter by a Lowndes County grand jury. The shooting happened on Richards Lane in May 2022. 33-year-old Dustin Hoffpauir died at the scene of the shooting. No court date has…

Man arrested in Pickens County for child sex crime charges

PICKENS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An Alabama Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation landed a Pickens County man in jail. 59-year-old Roy Acker was charged with two counts of Facilitating Solicitation of Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Child. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Bureau of Investigation said this is an ongoing investigation. No details about the case were…

Former Gov. Phil Bryant wants to sue news group over ‘false’ statement

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Former Governor Phil Bryant gave notice he could sue a news organization. The former two-term Republican wanted an apology from Mississippi Today and some of its employees. Bryant claimed CEO Mary Margaret White made a “false” statement about him at a media conference back in February. The notice of intent letter also states an executive editor and…

Starkville woman arrested on animal cruelty charge

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Starkville woman was accused of drowning her cat. Inecia Looby was charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty. Oktibbeha County deputies were called to an apartment complex on Dawg Drive back on May 4. People that lived there found a cat wrapped in plastic in the breezeway of the complex. An autopsy was done…

Financial planner helps students go the distance with cross country clinics

Elite distance runner Jim Brown is hoping to pass his knowledge and joy of running to students

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Cross-country running is growing in popularity with all age groups, especially in middle and high school. That’s why a Tupelo businessman is taking time out from his day job to offer free workshops to help young runners get the edge. It’s late Monday afternoon and Jim Brown is leading young runners through a cross-country running clinic…

Two New Hope cheerleaders look to compete at the next level

NEW HOPE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s college signing season for many athletes across the viewing area. Some of those students will be continuing their athletic careers on the sidelines. Brileigh Glidewelll has been cheering since she was a little girl. She started in competitive cheer and then made her school’s squad. She said she knew once her high school career…

West Point police search for suspect involved in drive-by shooting

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – West Point police are looking for a suspect involved in a drive-by shooting that injured a teenager. Surveillance video captured what is believed to be the suspect’s vehicle over the weekend. Police said the suspect pulled up next to the victim’s car at the intersection of Airport Road and U.S. Highway 45 Alternate and opened…

UPDATE: TPD reports Kathryn Kennedy has been located safe

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – UPDATE: Tupelo Police Department reports Kathryn Kennedy has been located safe. (05/15/2023) Tupelo police are asking for your help to find a missing woman. 34-year-old Kathryn Nicole Kennedy was last seen a week ago, Friday, May 5 at 3400 McCullough Boulevard in Tupelo. She is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs around 155 pounds. She…

MSU hosts 2nd Athlete Engineering Summit at EMCC Communiversity

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State hosted its second Athlete Engineering Summit at the Communiversity on Wednesday. Experts addressed human performance issues across different areas such as sports, military, industries, and medical applications. The panel kicked off its first discussion on ways different industries can learn from each other to become more efficient. “Most industries have already solved these…

Oktibbeha County deputies investigate apartment shooting

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County deputies are investigating an early morning shooting. The gunfire happened at The Hangout apartments on Mary Lee Lane at about 1:50 a.m. Investigators told WCBI one person was injured. They have non-life-threatening wounds. Deputies believed there was a party at the complex and then an argument before the gunfire started. No arrest has…