MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The Food and Nutrition Service has approved a waiver allowing residents in select Mississippi counties to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits to buy hot foods. The waiver came after extended power outages and property damage from the March Tornadoes. SNAP recipients in Carroll, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Monroe, Montgomery, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington,…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Wednesday arrest in Lowndes County is shining a spotlight on a new challenge facing law enforcement officers: illegally modified handguns. DA’QUAVIOUS KEISHAWN ROBERTSON Wednesday afternoon deputies with the Lowndes County STING Unit spotted three men sitting in a car at the Airbase Texaco on Highway 45, just north of Columbus. When deputies approached, they…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County students were honored for their achievements in the classroom. The Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce held its annual education awards program Thursday morning. Students from each school with the highest GPA in high school were recognized. Corporate scholarships were also given to students. One outstanding senior was also recognized by the schools. Lisa Veazey,…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police are investigating an armed robbery at a Dollar General store. It happened Wednesday night at the Dollar General on Ruth Road. That’s in the Clayton Village area. According to reports, the armed suspect came into the store around 8 p.m. wearing a mask and demanded money. He left the store with the cash drawer….
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Area high schools are often known for their rivalries, but students at one school are doing what they can to help a district that was impacted by a recent tornado. Tupelo High School Director of Choirs Dr. Suzy Williams is making sure everything is pitch perfect as students in the a cappella group “High Tide” do…
LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Lamar County man is dead after a house fire. The blaze happened about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon on Harper Circle in Vernon. 39-year-old Isaiah Smith was found inside the house. Jason Clifton with the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s office says the cause of the fire remains under investigation. No other injuries were reported. Smith was…
CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An escaped convict was recently accused not only of breaking into a home but also of killing a motorist who tried to help him after a crash. Both of these crimes happened in relatively rural settings. There are still three inmates on the move. And they may be avoiding more high-profile areas, like cities and…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Lowndes County Airport is celebrating a milestone: its 70th anniversary. The three-day celebration includes a traveling exhibit that is open to the public. The Columbus Lowndes County airport is kicking off its celebration with a travel back in time. The Rise Above Traveling Exhibit has landed at the Columbus-Lowndes County Airport. The exhibit showcases…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus police are investigating an assault behind a restaurant and law office. Investigators said the brawl happened Monday afternoon at about 12:30. It happened in the parking lot behind Mitchell, McNutt, and Sams’s, and Zachary’s. We are told the victim worked at the restaurant. The victim told police he believed it was retaliation for a fight…
VERONA, Miss. (WCBI) – Some Verona drivers will have a detour on their commute. A bridge on Palmetto Road, about 0.35 of a mile from Raymond Avenue, is now closed for an emergency repair. Lee County Road Manager Tim Allred said a head wall was washing out and required immediate closing. It will take about four weeks to make the…
OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – A shots-fired call landed an Oxford man in jail facing serious charges. Saturday, Oxford Police responded to a report of gunshots in the area of Herman Drive in the city. As the investigation unfolded, officers arrested 53-year-old Vandy Leo Shaw of Oxford. Shaw was charged with Aggravated Assault. His bond has been set at $10,000. For…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been almost three months since Brandon Worldlaw’s family has seen him. And his sister told WCBI News they are worried and want to find him. 30-year-old Brandon Wordlaw was last seen in Mathiston Sunday, February 5. His sister said he doesn’t have a cell phone. She said he liked to walk around town. But with…
PRENTISS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Wheeler man faces felony charges after he was accused of taking a ride on a hot lawnmower. Last Friday, Prentiss County Deputies took a report on a stolen John Deere riding mower in the Wheeler area. It only took investigators a day to track down the lawn tractor. Saturday, they recovered the mower and…
SALTILLO, Miss. (WCBI) – What began as a report of possible shoplifting ends with a Saltillo man facing drug charges. On Sunday, employees at the Dollar General in Jumpertown called the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office about suspicious activity and possible shoplifting. When a deputy got to the store, he found and questioned Devon Moore of Saltillo. Moore was arrested for…
NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WCBI) – New Albany police are hoping you can identify this accused tool-toting thief. This person was accused of taking $1,300 worth of items from the New Albany Harbor Freight Store. If you know this person, call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi or use the P3 Tip App. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000 for a…
CARTHAGE, Miss. (WCBI) – The manhunt for one of the escaped Hinds County inmates came to a fiery end, near Carthage, after a deputy was shot. 22-year-old Dylan Arrington was believed to be inside a home that was on fire, just before, 10 a.m on Wednesday. Leake County Sheriff Randy Atkinson told CBS affiliate WJTV he believed Arrington was barricaded…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The federal government has provided $17.5 million to tornado survivors in a month of recovery efforts. Numbers released by FEMA Wednesday morning also included help from the Small Business Administration. Tornadoes battered the state on March 24. FEMA has approved more than $4 million for temporary housing, including those impacted by the twisters in Monroe and Montgomery…
GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – When an item no longer serves us we typically throw it in the trash, but it’s not considered environmentally responsible. The average person produces 4.5 pounds of trash daily. That garbage will usually end its journey in a landfill. And if your garbage contains hazardous materials, that can create serious environmental problems. The Golden Triangle…
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s been just over a month since devastating storms hit parts of Monroe County and Amory. While they are still in the beginning stages of cleanup, they have made much progress over the last few weeks. Just over a month ago, tornadoes ripped through several parts of Monroe County. While you can still see the damage…
LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The longest-serving volunteer fire chief in Mississippi is retiring, and he has a challenge for those who want to make their communities better. Chief Ron Witte may have retired in March, but most days he is still at the Mooreville-Eggville Volunteer Fire Department, checking the equipment. And answering calls. “Right now I’m mostly making runs…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An elderly Columbus woman was shoved to the ground as a thief took off with her money. Family members of the victim told WCBI the incident happened on April 20 at Trinity Place Retirement Community. The 93-year-old victim was outside her apartment when she was approached and asked if she needed help putting water in a…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Children at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library got a surprise visit from the Columbus Police Department. Officer Johanna Owusu read a book about the duties of being a police officer. The bookworms were also able to ask questions and sing along to fun songs. Owusu said it is important for the department to build positive relationships with…