City Council Meeting
Featured, Local News

Columbus city leaders look to pass ‘red cup law’ for downtown

Officials believe the red cup district law would promote innovation and foot traffic in the downtown area.
Grace Brister,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus city leaders want to attract more business downtown, and they believe a new option for enjoying adult beverages could help. The city council is exploring the establishment of a leisure district downtown through a red cup law which. It would allow people to carry alcoholic beverages from one business to the other. Officials believe the…

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Featured, Local News

Local farmers lose crops because of hail, strong winds

The unusual trend of strong storms this month continues to cause damage in our area
Joey Barnes,

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The unusual trend of strong storms this month continues to cause damage in our area. These June storms have caused damage to homes, some greenhouses, and now crops. “It’s just farming, last year we had one of the best cotton crops we’ve ever had and we started raining when the bowls started opening and rotted…

Capture
Featured, Local News

Lunch and learn helps connect older adults to resources

Joey Barnes,

OKTIBEHHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s never too late to learn, and that was on full display at the 2023 Triad Luncheon at the Oktibbeha County Safe Room. Local community members gathered to learn about health and wellness resources for older adults. Through the Triad Grant, the state of Mississippi was able to implement more programs geared towards senior citizens…

Old River Bridge
Local News

Columbus City Council discusses ‘Old River Bridge’ repairs

Grace Brister,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus City Council met Thursday morning and one of the big topics of discussion was repairs to the Columbus Riverwalk Pedestrian Bridge. The “Old River Bridge”, as it’s sometimes known, was severely damaged in February 2020 when it was struck by a runaway barge filled with limestone. Mayor Keith Gaskin said repairs are supposed to…

crime police cruiser patrol
Crime, Local News

Columbus police credit help from public in identifying suspected shoplifters

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A little publicity helped the Columbus Police Department make an arrest in a felony shoplifting case. CPD credited help from the public with identifying two women suspected of stealing from Ulta Beauty in Columbus. The department released pictures captured from security cameras to WCBI and other media outlets, as well as social media. As a result,…

election elex vote runoff
Local News

District 1 seat candidates for LCBS make case to voters at forum

Eric Lampkin,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Candidates for the District One seat on the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors got a chance to make their case to voters. The Exchange Club of Columbus invited all District One candidates to speak at a forum at the club’s weekly meeting at Lion Hills. Only two of the three Republican candidates, Matt Furnari and…

Sounds Summer 21
Local News

Sounds of Summer outdoor concert postponed to June 22

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Sounds of Summer has been postponed until next week. The free, outdoor concert series at the newly renamed Roger Short Soccer Complex in downtown Columbus was scheduled for June 15. With rain in the forecast and with already wet soccer fields, the decision was made to move the event to June 22. The time for next…

new megasite
Featured, Local News

Golden Triangle LINK to bring another megasite to Lowndes County

Kealy Shields,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Golden Triangle Development LINK is bringing another Tennessee Valley Authority Certified Megasite to Lowndes County. This area is the only one to have multiple megasites. Plans are underway now and the economic development team is ready to get rolling. While it may be bare now, this field will be growing new economic development opportunities…

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Featured, Local News

Man arrested after Lee County deputies find explosive device

Investigation was part of an ongoing welfare check for the man's mother
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – What began as an investigation involving a vulnerable adult turned into some tense moments after a homemade explosive device was discovered at a Tupelo area convenience store. Tilar Thompson was going to stop by the Texaco T-Mart on his way home Tuesday night, but those plans changed. “My store closes at 11, I was here at…

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Featured, Local News

National Flag Day remains relevant over 100 years later

On this day, 245 years ago, Congress approved the design of the American Flag. The flag today looks a lot like the one the first Americans flew.
Grace Brister,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – On this day, 245 years ago, Congress approved the design of the American Flag. The flag today looks a lot like the one the first Americans flew. June 14, 1777, was the day the Second Continental Congress passed a flag resolution: 13 stripes alternating red and white and that “the union be 13 stars, white in…

Crime
Crime, Local News

New information released in Tuesday shooting incident in Columbus

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – We have new information on a shooting incident in Columbus that we first reported on Tuesday. Columbus police received a call about an undercover investigator who was in a fight in the area of Seventh Avenue North and Moss Street. The undercover initially witnessed people in two separate vehicles firing shots at each other. The gunfire…

Hunt Middle School
Local News

CMSD to host groundbreaking ceremony for restoration of historic school

MorrisAdmin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A historic school in Columbus will be restored through a major renovation project. The Columbus Municipal School District is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony at the old Hunt High School on 20th Street North Friday at 10:30 a.m. The campus was destroyed in a tornado in February of 2019 and ruled a total loss. The district will…

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Crime, Local News

Columbus police search for suspects accused of shoplifting

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s not looking pretty for a couple of suspects accused of shoplifting in Columbus. On June 9, Ulta Beauty on 18th Avenue had two separate felony shoplifting incidents, according to Columbus police. Both suspects are seen on the store’s security cameras. If you know or have any information about the individuals pictured, please call Lowndes County…

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Crime, Local News

North Mississippi Narcotics Unit makes aggravated meth trafficking arrest

Eric Lampkin,

BELDEN, Miss. (WCBI) – The North Mississippi Narcotics Unit took a large quantity of drugs off the streets and arrested a suspected drug dealer. Agents searched the home of Will Orlando Hadley on Mattie Florence Drive in the Belden area. During that search, they reportedly found 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 18 pounds of marijuana, around five pounds of the hallucinogenic…

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National/World News, State News

Mississippi teacher programs receive top marks in reading instruction

Eric Lampkin,

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Mississippi’s reading teachers are moving to the head of the class. The National Council on Teacher Quality has recognized Mississippi and Colorado as the top two states for ensuring scientifically based reading instruction in teacher preparation programs. The rankings are in the Council’s latest report, Teacher Prep Review – Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction. The report gave Mississippi…

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Local News

Kids are cooking up some fun during Kids Culinary Camp at Lion Hills

MorrisAdmin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Kids are whipping delicious treats during the Kids Culinary Camp this week. Kids in grades fifth through eighth are learning the basics of cooking at the Lion Hills Center in Columbus. Every day is a different food theme with the campers learning how to make homemade pasta, Chinese food, desserts, and pizza. We caught them on…

Milton Rawle
Local News, State News

Former Columbus CFO sentenced to prison for embezzlement found dead

Joey Barnes,

RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The embattled former Columbus Chief Financial Officer that pleaded guilty to stealing from the city has died in prison. The Rankin County Coroner’s Office confirmed Milton Rawle died this past Saturday. He was being held at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, near Pearl. Rawle pleaded guilty to embezzlement in February 2021. He was sentenced to…

Learning The Basics: Training Heats Up For New Firefighters In Starkville
Featured, Local News

Learning the basics: Training heats up for new firefighters in Starkville

MorrisAdmin,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Things are heating up in Starkville with firefighter training underway. At Fire Station 3, training firefighters are learning the basics. Tuesday, they learned how to repel off buildings. This is what it takes to train with the Starkville Fire Department. 10 newly-hired firefighters were learning the ropes of repelling Tuesday. “We are doing search and rescue…