MUW School of Education takes on challenge to recruit future teachers

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The National Education Association estimates there’s a shortage of roughly 300,000 teachers and staff across the U.S. Mississippi needs more than 3,000 certified teachers. And Mississippi University for Women’s school of education is ready to take on the challenge of recruiting and training them. Mississippi University for Women’s School of Education hosted its inaugural Teacher…

Elementary students in Tupelo get to shop with a cop

Community wide partnership provides Christmas gifts for kids

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a shopping trip 16 kids won’t forget and it was just in time for Christmas. Students arrived in style at the West Main Walmart for this shopping spree. Four students from each of the four elementary schools in the Tupelo School District were selected by their counselors for “Shop With A Cop.” Students were…

CEO of Golden Triangle Development LINK speaks at CLCC luncheon

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins is ready to move forward and onto the next challenge. The long-time CEO laid out his vision for the future, after recently landing a $2 billion aluminum plant in Lowndes County. Higgins spoke at the annual Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce Luncheon today. He wants the county to…

Investigators find body in abandoned Noxubee County house

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Noxubee County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that an unidentified body was found on Friday. The body was in an abandoned house on a dead-end road. Sheriff Tommy Roby said he was given a tip to check the Stewart road area. Upon further investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was contacted. “We received a tip…

Columbus police officers say Macon woman ran over their feet, drove away

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Macon woman is accused of running over a Columbus police officer’s foot. 25-year-old Naesha Sloan is charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of child endangerment, and one count of felony fleeing. Investigators told WCBI that officers were called to Propst Park yesterday afternoon for an altercation. The officers…

Flu and Covid hospitalizations are up in Mississippi

Fluctuating temperatures have more people visiting healthcare facilities and even raising the number of hospitalizations

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s warm outside for December which is not normally the case in many states. Fluctuating temperatures have more people visiting healthcare facilities and even raising the number of hospitalizations. “With the weather changing there’s just a lot going on; you’ve got sinuses going on, you’ve got the flu dying down and covid ramping back up so we…

Local, county, state agencies prepare for holiday traffic enforcement

Law Enforcement Liasion Network holds meeting to discuss strategies and grants available

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – City, county, and state law enforcement officers are preparing for extra traffic on the roads this holiday season. “We absolutely want everybody to have a great holiday, we understand a lot of people consume alcohol during the holidays if you don’t drive,” said Sherman Police Chief Joel Spellins. That is the message for the “Drive Sober…

MHP Trooper faces misdemeanor domestic violence charge in Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WCBI) – A Mississippi Highway Patrolman is facing a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in Tuscaloosa. A Tuscaloosa Police spokesperson said 29-year-old Steven Jones turned himself in at TPD this morning and was served a warrant for third-degree domestic violence/harassment. He was released on bond. WCBI was told that Jones filed an emergency protection order in Lowndes County last…

Two groups partner to host toy drive for children in Lowndes County

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Community Benefit Committee are helping Santa get gifts for some kids in Lowndes County. The Community Benefit Committee works year-round to help people in the area, but things really kick into high gear at Christmas. Along with Sheriff Eddie Hawkins’ Office, they are organizing three events. The two…

East Mississippi Community College hosts 2022 fall commencement

MAYHEW, Miss. (WCBI) – The “pride” of East Mississippi Community College grew today. Graduates from three different programs walked across the Mayhew campus stage to get their official paperwork. These proud EMCC Lions graduated from the Adult Education program. There were also ceremonies for the Surgical Technology and Nursing degree graduates. EMCC hosts a fall commencement every year. For 24/7…

Deputies continue search for Memorial Garden Cemetery vandal

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Over two months later and the search continues for the person who vandalized a grave in Oktibbeha County. The incident happened at Memorial Garden Cemetery on Oktoc Road back on October 1. Deputies said someone stole an urn and scattered ashes on the property. Some grave markers were also reportedly taken. If you have any…

Alabama Power announces electricity bill rates will increase

ALABAMA (WCBI) – Alabama residents might be hoping that the recent mild weather continues because their next power bill could put a chill on their bank accounts. Alabama Power is following a December rate hike with another in January. For the average household using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month, the December hike runs about $10 a month. The…

Tupelo based insurance agency to feed 1,000 families ahead of Christmas

Bobby Brock Insurance will distribute food boxes December 17th at the Tupelo Furniture Market

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A local insurance agency wants to make Christmas brighter for a thousand families. When Justin Brock heard about the company-wide layoffs at United Furniture Industries, he wanted to do something to make a difference. “Seeing how some partners of ours in another state had done something similar, we decided we wanted to feed 4,000 people, or…