Starkville police make 3 arrests in Sunday night shooting at gas station

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville Police have arrested three suspects connected to a gas station shooting from Sunday night. 17-year-old Coby Jones of Starkville has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault. The incident happened at the Sprint Mart at the intersection of Highway 182 and Old Mayhew Road. A bullet grazed a woman associated with the involved parties…

Lowndes County leaders explore options for more public storm shelters

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County leaders are exploring options for emergency storm shelters in the western and southern areas of the county. Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Cindy Lawrence went before the Board of Supervisors with a proposal for 12 public storm shelters for Artesia, Crawford, and Plum Grove. Lawrence is considering applying to FEMA for funding for…

Noxubee County supervisors latest to pass ban on ZAZA

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Noxubee County is the latest county to ban ZAZA. The board of supervisors approved the ordinance to take effect immediately. The city of Macon is included in this ban. Tianeptine is the technical name for the drug, which is sold as a supplement in convenience stores. Noxubee County Sheriff Tommy Roby said deputies will deliver…

Transportable Temporary Housing Units available soon for tornado victims

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Transportable Temporary Housing Units will soon be available to some tornado victims. Governor Tate Reeves’ office said about 250 survivors are eligible. These would be people from the March 24 tornadoes in Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola, and Sharkey counties. FEMA is calling the qualified applicants to let them know the next steps moving forward. They can…

State school boards association assists CMSD with finding superintendent

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Municipal School District Board will now be receiving help from the Mississippi School Boards Association in finding a new superintendent for the district. The association notified over 5,000 people about the search. All completed applications were processed before the March 17 deadline. 10 people applied for the superintendent position. Of the ten applicants, there…

Retired WCBI News Director Robert Davidson has died

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Retired WCBI News Director Robert Davidson passed away Sunday morning in Tupelo. He ran the newsroom at WCBI from 2012 through 2021. Most of his professional career was spent in news, from photographer to producer to manager. He also worked in television in Jackson, Tennessee, and for years as News Director at WTVA in Tupelo. Robert…

The city of Aberdeen is mourning the loss of a beloved bus driver

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI)- The city of Aberdeen is mourning the loss of a beloved bus driver. 64-year-old Mary Louise Carothers McMillan of Prarie died on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at North Mississippi medical center from injuries after an accident on April 13th. We reported on April 13, 2023, that a school bus and 18-wheeler had collided on Highway 45 and…

Dozens hit the streets in Starkville to celebrate the annual pride parade

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Dozens of people hit the streets in Starkville to celebrate the annual pride parade. The Event kicked off with the art market featuring local and out-of-town vendors. The parade started at Fire Station Park and circled through downtown Starkville. There were food, music, and events throughout Starkville to help celebrate diversity and inclusion “The art market is…

Hundreds of homes in the Golden Triangle are free of hazardous waste

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Hundreds of homes in the Golden Triangle are now free of hazardous waste. More than 400 cars loaded with items like old appliances, oil, tires, paint, batteries, and other household waste drove through the Golden Triangle Landfill today for safe disposal of the products. The landfill hosts Waste Collection Day once a year. The 4-hour event…

Starkville Utility members urge customers not to fall victim to scammers

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Scammers are becoming even more clever as they look for more opportunities to take people’s hard-earned money. Starkville Utilities is urging customers to be aware of people posing as utility employees with the motive to rob or swindle them. People are pretending to be utility representatives to collect payments for electric bills by calling customers and pressuring…

Food market is helping to boost local economy

STARKVILLE, Miss (WCBI) – Spring is here and farmer’s markets are back selling fresh and local produce. “Not only we have so much foot traffic to downtown but the economic vitality that it provides for the community is paramount,” Watson said Paige Watson is the Director of the Starkville Main Street Association. She says the local economy benefits from the…

United Way host volunteer appreciation day

COLUMBUS, Miss (WCBI) – United Way wrapped up the 70th anniversary of the Columbus Lowndes County Airport by hosting a volunteer appreciation day. The day to give back came with free food, prizes, and fun activities for the kids. From face painting to jumpers for the kids, United Way hosted a fun-filled day at the Columbus Lowndes Airport to continue…

Winston, Noxubee Counties look forward to incoming funding

MACON, Miss. (WCBI) – With the 2023 legislative session, all wrapped up, money is set to flow into Winston and Noxubee Counties, among others. District 32 Senator Rod Hickman lobbied over $11 million to support his constituents. That $11.6 million is expected to support roads, buildings, and first responders. It’s a win-win for residents and the people who protect them….

Area airport celebrates big milestone with new name

Lt. Col. Alva Temple Terminal

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Lowndes County Airport continued its 70th Anniversary celebration, and the terminal was renamed in honor of Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Alva Temple. Often we hear about things coming back full circle. We learned not only was Lieutenant Colonel Alva Temple a long-time resident here in Columbus but he also owned land where the Columbus…

Local NFL draft prospect tells about his journey to the big stage

As a wide receiver, Brownlee helped lead West Point to two championships

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – The NFL Draft kicked off last night, and there were some big names called. Rounds two and three start Friday night with rounds four through seven Saturday. A local athlete is one of those waiting to hear his name called after years of hard work. From a young age, Jason Brownlee knew he wanted to…

Oxford kicks off 26th annual Double Decker Arts Festival

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a two-day celebration of music, food, and the arts in Oxford. The 26th annual Double Decker Arts Festival kicked off Friday morning downtown with exhibits. There will be a concert tonight starting at 6:15. The fun continues tomorrow with more music all day – plus dozens of food and art vendors. There will also be…

Magnolia Health looks to fill gap for Amory storm victims

AMORY, Miss (WCBI) – It’s been over a month since tornadoes swept through parts of North Mississippi. and help is still needed in some areas. One by one pallets were unloaded, filled with items for Amory storm victims. This came more than a month after a tornado hit the area. Jan Bryan is the North Mississippi Community Relations Representative for…