Caledonia leaders plan to hear from consulting firm at special call meeting
CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Caledonia leaders are taking some of the first steps needed to plan for the future. There is a special called meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday night for town leaders to hear from a consulting firm. Mayor Betty Darnell said the town does not have a comprehensive plan. The consultants will gather demographic information about the Lowndes…
Pontotoc police look for missing man who may be danger to himself, others
PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) – Pontotoc police are asking for help to find a missing man. 35-year-old Brian Lee Dowdy was last seen on Highway 15, near Turnpike Road, in Pontotoc. He was driving a 2022 blue Chevrolet Silverado. It has a Texas license plate. The number is on your screen. Police believed he was headed to Texas to work but…
Neshoba County woman indicted for fraudulently receiving SNAP benefits
NESHOBA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Neshoba County woman was accused of swindling more than $46,000 in SNAP benefits. The Mississippi Department of Human Services said April Long was indicted on the charge. She was accused of not reporting household income accurately to MDHS. The investigations division of MDHS collected the evidence and turned it over to the local district…
National Police Week observed with memorial in Tupelo
Veteran officers and cadets at NMLETC honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It is National Police Week, a time to remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving. For Houston Police Chief Adam Harmon, the Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Memorial has special meaning. He knows many of the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, among them, his brother…
Franklin Academy modernizes its methods of energy consumption
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Franklin Academy began as a one-room school building over two centuries. Now the elementary school has almost 400 students and is modernizing its methods of energy consumption. The Tennessee Valley Authority award the school a $200,000 grant for energy-saving innovations. This includes LED lighting, enhancements to the school’s ventilation and filtration system, and strategic energy management…
How Vardaman is helping EL students cross the education barrier
VARDAMAN, Miss. (WCBI) – The learning gap in America can be quite large for students whose first language is not English. Many school districts in the area struggle to find and keep English learning teachers. In Vardaman, between high school and elementary, there are over 100 students who are in the EL program and only two EL teachers. WCBI spoke…
WCBI visits West Oktibbeha County Elementary for Career Day Event
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – WCBI paid a visit to West Oktibbeha County Elementary School for the school’s Career Day Event. Young students got to learn what it means to be a TV news journalist and a meteorologist from our very own Winston Reed and Isaac Williams. Kids were curious about the day-to-day life at our station and even the…
Tupelo police arrest man for alleged attempted stabbing of officer in 2020
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Tupelo police arrested a man this week for allegedly trying to stab an officer in 2020. A capias warrant was served on Caleb Ray Richardson for charging at officers with a fire iron and attempting to stab them. This happened at home where officers were called to. Richardson was charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault…
Local groups to host forum in Starkville aiming to improve race relations
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Ideas on how to improve race relations in Starkville are being brought to the table. Five small groups will each present two ideas at the forum. These groups are made up of racially diverse people, totaling about 60 members. The ideas being presented come from previous sessions that took place in March and April. Mississippi State’s…
Testimony continues in trial of 2020 Columbus shooting
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Testimony continued in a Columbus shooting trial. Davonta Wells was charged with shooting into a dwelling and felon in possession of a handgun. The reported shooting happened in April 2020 on Byrnes Circle. Wells was accused of shooting a home. At the time, investigators believed a domestic situation led to the gunfire. Former investigators at the…
UPDATE: West Point police report teen was safely located
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – UPDATE: West Point police report teen was safely located. (05/17/2023) West Point police need your help locating a missing teenager. 15-year-old Jason Andrew Sanders was last seen leaving his house Monday night around 8:30 in West Point. Police believed Sanders may be around Cottrell Street, South Gate off of Industrial Access Road, or Churchill Road…
Join WCBI, CPI Group for 2023 Job Fair at Lyceum at Lee High
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Make plans to join WCBI and the CPI Group for the 2023 Job Fair. It starts at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 18, and runs until 1 p.m. The WCBI Job Fair is at the Lyceum at Lee High in Columbus. The address is 1815 Military Road, Columbus, Miss. 39701. You can find dozens of employers from…
In The Kitchen (Taste Italian Kitchen) – 05/15/2023
Categories: In the Kitchen
Teenage college graduates prepare to get their master’s
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two students in the area are teaching us that age is just a number when it comes to getting your degree, or rather degrees. Kelsey Bolden and Tera Dora may only be 19 years old but they are gearing up to start their master’s program this fall at Auburn University. The students said their jump…
May 15 marks beginning of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Week
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – In a world where safety and security are at the forefront of society, we rely on those who answer the call to serve and protect. National Law Enforcement Appreciation Week serves as a reminder of the vital role our law enforcement plays in our communities. From the blaring sirens that signal their arrival to the reassurance…
Mathiston man found guilty on charges related to January 6 Insurrection
MATHISTON, Miss. (WCBI) – A Mathiston man is found guilty of eleven total charges in the District of Columbia, which includes assault with a dangerous weapon during the January 6 Capitol Breach. This photo was posted on Thomas Harlen Smith’s Facebook page. Smith was found guilty of nine felony charges and two misdemeanors. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Smith and…
MDHS removes hurdles for single parents applying for childcare assistance
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The Mississippi Department of Human Services has removed a hurdle for single parents seeking childcare assistance. According to our CBS affiliate WJTV, officials announced the Mississippi Department of Human Services removed the child support cooperation requirement for parents and guardians receiving child care tuition assistance through the Child Care Payment Program. This means that a single parent…
Columbus-Lowndes County Airport receives grants for improvements
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Another project was completed at the Columbus-Lowndes County Airport. The taxiway pavement project repaired parts of the runway. This will allow planes a smoother takeoff and landing. The $548,000 improvement was paid for through grants from the FAA and the state department of transportation. County leaders said this will have a big impact on the…
Lowndes County deputies make arrest after finding stolen vehicle
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County deputies said a familiar face is back in jail 15 days after he was released. 37-year-old Corey Mixon was charged with felony taking of a vehicle. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said a car from James Pest Management was reported stolen on May 8. A GPS tracking device found the vehicle in Alcorn County. That’s…
Macon police arrest man on domestic violence charges
MACON, Miss. (WCBI) – A Macon woman continues to recover after being shot. Tavares Mason was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Macon Police Chief Davine Beck said officers were called to Noxubee General Hospital about a gunshot victim on May 5. The unidentified woman was shot in…
Vehicle pursuit leaves one person dead, suspect in custody in Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Louisville police continue to investigate a deadly crash that happened during a pursuit. The accident happened on Highway 25 and Old Robinson Road on May 6. 43-year-old Ashley Brown died at the scene. Investigators said 33-year-old Tyree Webb of Kosciusko hit Brown’s vehicle after driving through a stop sign. A Louisville police officer was several hundred…
Lowndes Co. teens receive scholarships at board of supervisors meeting
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two Lowndes County students received scholarships at Monday morning’s board of supervisors meeting. Victoria Cooper and Todd Ellis were selected for the Mississippi Association of Supervisors County Employee Scholarship Program. Both received a $500 scholarship. The teens must meet GPA requirements, live in the county, and be enrolled at a higher learning institution. Counties can…
Columbus police investigate Friday afternoon shooting
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus police are investigating a report of gunfire in the 900 block of Alabama Street. CPD said the incident happened Friday afternoon. No shell casings were found or other evidence was found in the area. A juvenile told officers he may have been the intended victim of the shooting but was not cooperating when questioned further….