Young artists display hard work at district wide art show in Lee County

Lee County Schools Impressions Art Show opens Thursday

SALTILLO, Miss. (WCBI) – Young artists from across Lee County have a chance to make an impression with their artwork. Fifth grader LeEllen Vinson looks forward to every art class at Saltillo Elementary. “I really like art, you can do whatever you want to, there’s no limit,” Vinson said. Vinson, who has been drawing for as long as she can…

Tupelo police report previously missing woman was found safe

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo woman reported throughout the week is found safe. Christina Johnson was last seen Sunday seen walking away from her Eckford Street home in Tupelo. Investigators said she was possibly en route to a relative’s home in Stewart, Miss. Tupelo thanked everyone on Facebook who played a part in Johnson’s safe return. For 24/7 news…

Oxford police arrest 4 men accused of check cashing scam

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Four men from across the country are facing charges in an Oxford check cashing scam. Officers were called to a bank on April 13. A tip helped OPD make a traffic stop and the arrests. Oxford police said Darion Jordan of Brookhaven, Georgia, and Trevon Vanyo of Kennesaw Georgia were arrested. Both men are charged with…

Amory businesses look to reopen almost a month after storms

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been almost a month since a tornado ripped through Amory, hitting people where they live and where they work. Several businesses were damaged or destroyed, putting a dent in the city’s economy. But business owners, like homeowners, are determined to rebuild. Bill’s Hamburgers has been a mainstay on the Amory restaurant scene since the 1920s,…

Mississippi governor signs bill authorizing tighter review on elections

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Governor Tate Reeves has signed House Bill 1310 which means all election procedures around the state will be tightly reviewed. House Bill 1310 authorizes the Secretary of State to audit election procedures across all counties, improves citizenship checks, requires the Secretary of State to create a post-election audit manual, and lays out a system by which voting…

Booneville man arrested, accused of child sex crimes

PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Booneville man was accused of child sex crimes. 29-year-old William Stacy was charged with sexual battery and molestation. The Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department said a person came to the office to report the alleged sexual abuse of a child. Affidavits were signed and Stacy was arrested. A hold was placed on Stacy by Drug…

Insurance losses from March tornadoes approach $100M

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Insurance losses from the late March tornado outbreak in Mississippi are approaching $100 million. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney expects uninsured losses to exceed that number. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said more than 380,000 cubic yards of debris have been cleared. Chaney said the insured and uninsured losses are expected to increase, only underscoring the daunting…

Some correctional facilities find mental health resources, availability limited

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a startling statistic. Prisons and jails are the largest providers of mental health services in the United States. One area sheriff said with the condition of his jail, providing basic services is tough, and providing treatment for inmates with mental health issues is nearly impossible. From day one, the Lee County Jail has been…

MDOT holds ceremony honoring fallen roadside workers

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Department of Transportation paid respect to the men and women who risk and even sacrifice their safety in work zones. MDOT held a ceremony at its headquarters in Jackson on Tuesday to recognize work zone employees who lost their lives trying to improve roads in the state. Families of fallen roadside members joined in…

MSU, EnChroma partnership launches initiative to help color blind students

MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State is partnering with a company to make the world a little brighter for some students. MSU has partnered with EnChroma to launch a new initiative to support their color-blind students through the EnChroma Color Accessibility Program. The company provides glasses that are engineered with special optical filters that help the color blind see…

Governor Reeves passes bill to give volunteer firefighters retirement pay

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Volunteer firefighters in Mississippi may have something to look forward to. Governor Tate Reeves has signed a Bill that will reward volunteer firefighters for their hard work. The word volunteer usually means you aren’t getting paid for your work, but volunteer firefighters in Mississippi may soon be putting away a few dollars for their service. And volunteer…

UPDATE: TPD reports Christine Johnson has been found safe

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – UPDATE: According to the Tupelo Police Department, Christine Johnson has been located and is safe. (04/19/2023 – 2:26 p.m.) A Tupelo woman hasn’t been seen since April 16. Now, her family and Tupelo Police are asking for your help to find her. Christina Johnson was last seen around 9:30 Sunday night, walking away from her home…

One person hospitalized after SUV, motorcycle collide in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A mid-afternoon crash sent one person to the hospital in Columbus. Police and emergency crews were called to Main Street near the entrance of the Palmer Home Thrift Store across from Propst Park around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. A motorcycle and an SUV collided. Both vehicles suffered major damage. The motorcyclist was taken to Baptist Golden…

Moving violation leads to drug trafficking arrest of Booneville man

PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A moving violation landed a Booneville man in jail accused of moving drugs. On Sunday, a Prentiss County Deputy pulled Jason Lee Hargett of Booneville over for a traffic stop on County Road 7301 near Jumpertown. Upon further investigation, the deputy arrested Hargett on a charge of Trafficking a Controlled Substance. Hargett was taken to…

Mississippi Governor signs bills aiming to retain medical professionals

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed three bills he said will help strengthen hospitals and increase the pipeline for much-needed medical professionals in the state. Reeves signed House Bill 271 and Senate Bill 2372. These bills both deal with the Mississippi Hospital Sustainability Grant Program. The $103 million fund will be handled by the Mississippi Department of Health….

Oxford police arrest man for aggravated stalking after complaint was filed

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – An Oxford man faces a serious charge after being accused of harassing someone. Late last week, someone went to the Oxford Police Department to file a complaint about being harassed. During the investigation, police identified 29-year-old Kevin Kassell as the suspect. Kassell was arrested. He is charged with Aggravated Stalking. A judge set Kassell’s bond at…

Tupelo man faces multiple counts of child sex crime charges

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo man is facing child sex crime charges. 38-year-old Travis Lamar Judon was charged with four counts of sexual battery of a victim under the age of 18 and one count of fondling. Tupelo police said Judon was in a position of authority but are not releasing specifics about that alleged relationship. Investigators did say…

Republican primary candidate forum for Lt. Governor

WEST POINT Miss. (WCBI) – Republican primary candidates came together in West Point to explain to the public why they should earn people’s vote for Lt. Governor come August and November. Current Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, Tiffany Longino, Senator Chris McDaniel, and Shane Quick discussed various topics during a candidate forum at The Ritz. During Monday’s event, tax cuts, debt,…

Candidates find ways to reach out to younger voters

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Party primaries for county and state offices are a little less than four months away, and candidates are trying to get their messages out in the hopes that voters will turn out for them. With the changes in how people get their information, many candidates are trying to figure out the best way to deliver those messages,…