COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus man facing several charges will now spend more than two decades in prison. Joseph Fenton pleaded guilty to possession of contraband in a correctional facility and trafficking meth. Both charges were as a habitual offender. He was ordered to serve 25 years for the charges. Fenton was arrested in Starkville in February 2022. He…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – With students back on campus, Mississippi State University police are driving home a message about safety. The MSU department teamed up with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office, and Starkville Police to educate students on the dangers of drinking and driving. Using special goggles to simulate the effects of being drunk, students tried to…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office office made an arrest in a motor vehicle investigation that includes Facebook Marketplace scams. Theodis Reese Junior allegedly was involved in a scam where he used a fake profile for Facebook Marketplace to set up transactions to purchase dirtbikes. The transaction would essentially reveal itself to be bogus when Reese…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus police made a quick arrest in an overnight shooting. Officers were called to 709 17th Street North on Monday night for the gunfire. A spokesman said there was a gathering of people when an argument broke out, which led to the shooting. The victim was shot one time and later flown out of the area…
OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Oxford police made a child sex crime arrest. 21-year-old Antavious Dukes was charged with molesting-touching a child for lustful purposes. In a press release, OPD said officers were called about an alleged incident on August 17. After the investigation, Dukes was arrested. No other details were released. Bond for Dukes was set at $35,000. For 24/7…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The extreme heat and absence of rain in the immediate forecast have prompted Starkville Fire Officials to take action. Until further notice, the City of Starkville is under a burn ban. That means no outside burning within the city limits. The Starkville Fire Department also advises extra caution when disposing of cigarettes and charcoal. For 24/7…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Weekends are usually seen as a relaxing and peaceful time to unwind; however, that wasn’t the case for some Starkville residents and law enforcement. Almost 30 cars were burglarized over the weekend mostly at one apartment complex. “Starkville has experienced 27 auto burglaries four stolen weapons on the street and as a result, we’ve made nine…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Temperatures are climbing and many people will be running the AC full blast, but staying cool may come at a higher price. 4-County Electric Power Association is looking to be proactive with its members by piloting a new program to help explain differences in their bills. Summer temperatures are on the rise and for many…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The old saying goes: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” And there’s been a lot of both around the Friendly City in the past few days. The fires are still under investigation, and it’s believed that at least some of them may have been intentionally set. Three fires in three days, two of those fires ignited in…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Golden Triangle man was indicted on child sex crimes. Ceforrest Hendrix was charged with child exploitation and human trafficking. He was arrested in March 2023 as part of a sting operation by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department. Prosecutors said he believed he was on his way to meet a child for sex. Nine others…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Lowndes County grand jury returned an indictment in a deadly shooting. Jonathan Slaughter is facing a manslaughter charge. No trial date has been set for the case. Amarcus McMillian was shot in May 2022 at a Waterworks Road apartment. Slaughter turned himself in to the police after the shooting. A woman was also injured…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus man is facing a slew of charges, including murder, related to two shootings. Tommy Lee Flowers Jr. was indicted by a Lowndes County grand jury for felony murder, directing a youth to commit a felony, shooting into a dwelling, possession of a stolen firearm, and three counts of aggravated assault. Prosecutors alleged the incidents…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – When the owner of Zachary’s found out about eight-year-old Kaptain Edge’s accident they knew they had to help. Kaptain Edge was hit by a car as he was leaving school on August 1. “This is second nature to us. This is something we have done for the community for quite a while and so once we…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County Emergency Management, area first responders, and other agencies laid their plans on the table. The agencies conducted a tabletop exercise to evaluate their plans, procedures, resources, and actions for responding to a tornado hitting the area. Each group shared its action plan, so that all agencies would be familiar with each other’s procedures,…
NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A heads up for some Noxubee County residents. If you get your water from the Town of Shuqualak, you need to take some extra precautions for a few days. A water line break on North Constantine Street has prompted a boil water notice. The leak has been fixed, but Shuqualak water customers need to boil…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An Oktibbeha County woman was accused of cutting her partner. Ariel Coleman was charged with aggravated assault and domestic violence. Investigators said the incident happened last night in the Sunset Subdivision. Deputies believed there was an argument before the victim was cut. They did require stitches and were released from the hospital. Bond has not…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The investigation into a deadly Lowndes County accident continues. Investigators believed the crash happened early Sunday morning on Sand Road. An off-duty Lowndes County deputy spotted the wreckage at about 6 a.m. 25-year-old Matthew Tyler Hall died at the scene. Coroner Greg Merchant said Hall’s car left the road and hit a tree. Hall was…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus hotel was heavily damaged by fire Monday morning. The blaze happened at the Economy Inn in the 2200 block of Main Street. Firefighters arrived to find a room engulfed in flames. No injuries were reported. We are told the two people that rented the room were not inside when the fire started. Fire Chief…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Walmart offered free screenings and affordable immunizations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19. Customers also received free glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, and blood pressure screenings as well as immunizations for flu, HPV, tetanus, hepatitis, and more. Pharmacy manager Patricia Lavender says this is a convenient way to stay on top of…
BALDWYN, Miss. (WCBI) – The town of Baldwyn held a block party to celebrate being named a Healthy Hometown. The Baldwyn Bearcats football season is drawing closer, and these young boys are hoping to be future Bearcats as they practice in an adjacent field in Latimer Park. Thanks to a 100-thousand-dollar grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of…
CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Choctaw residents will soon have their say on the county’s status as a dry county. Since prohibition, Choctaw County has remained a dry county despite other counties in Mississippi choosing to sell alcohol. Laura Carson organized a petition drive to get the issue to go to the Board of Supervisors for a vote. She believes…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Weekends offer most people the opportunity to have a little adventure. Some are taking their venture to the Columbus Lowndes Public Library, as the local history department is helping individuals learn more about themselves and the area. The Local History Department has original county records, probate records, and wills dating back to the 19 century available…
GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi is known as “The Hospitality State,” so it’s not uncommon to drive through any county in the Golden Triangle and find a Blessing Box. The Blessing Box charity effort has been spreading across the North Mississippi region lately, providing a lifeline to individuals and families in need. The Blessing Box in Amory is constantly…