Calhoun County tackles economic development with team sport mentality

The county recently celebrated the expansion of Albany Industries into a 55,000-square-foot former lift chair plant

CALHOUN CITY, Miss. (WCBI) – A business expansion in Calhoun County is another example of a public-private partnership that is producing jobs for local residents. Albany Industries opened its Calhoun City plant in early January, and business has been brisk. The stationary furniture maker already had plants in New Albany and Pontotoc but needed more manufacturing and storage space. “We…

STEP program could cover child care expenses for parents in college

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. ( WCBI ) – Choosing to go to college is always a big decision. When you’re a busy parent, making that choice can be even more difficult. EMCC’s Communiversity has a program that can make that decision easier. The career STEP program covers certain school expenses for students aged 18 to 59. One of those expenses is…

Monroe County graduation rates outpace state average

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The class of 2022 had a record-high graduation rate in Mississippi. According to the Mississippi Department of Education, 88.9% of students received their diplomas. In Monroe County, graduation rates outpaced the state average. With a collective 90.5% graduation rate, county schools Hamilton, Hatley, and Smithville had 168 students graduate in 2022. Locally, Monroe County had…

Columbus Police Chief talks about ways to guide his officers, family

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – People in Law Enforcement are now commenting on the Tyre Nichols incident in Memphis Tennessee. Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said that tragedy has started a conversation about how his officers should interact with the public. The death of Tyre Nichols after a violent encounter with Memphis Police is a topic of conversation everywhere, including area…

Railroad workers find body in wooded area in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Railroad workers in Louisville found the body of a young man. Police Chief Sean Holdiness told WCBI the discovery was made about 12:30 on Monday afternoon in a wooded area between Railroad and South Church Avenues. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety Crime Scene Unit and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist…

Local sorority chapter held Youth Leadership Institute in Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The local chapter of an international sorority is grooming the next generation of leaders. The Starkville chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. kicked off its Youth Leadership Institute last weekend. Learning beyond school hours is a dread for most young people, but not the youth taking part in this unique leadership initiative hosted by Starkville’s…

Old materials make new sculpture in West Point

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – West Point has a new sculpture and to some, it would be considered a hidden gem. The piece was found at an art show and brought back to the city. It took a few years for Main Street Committee members to decide how they were going to display the artwork. You might not want to…