JACKSON, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) has named Mike Kent interim state superintendent of education to serve from April 3 through June 30 and announced plans to appoint a long-term interim superintendent to begin July 1. Kent has served as interim deputy superintendent at the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) since 2012, after retiring…
HATLEY, MISS. (WCBI) – It was a special day for seniors at Hatley High School, who have been preparing for life after graduation. More than 40 Hatley High School seniors have a game plan for the next stage of life, whether it’s the workforce or college. The ceremony is called “Decision Day” and follows months of working with the school’s…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – There were sirens and first responders at Starkville High School Thursday afternoon, but it wasn’t an actual emergency. The school hosted a pre-prom safety awareness event to help students understand the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. The event began included a mock traffic accident and a simulation with sirens, emergency vehicles, ambulances, and a helicopter….
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Lowndes County Airport will soon bear the name of a local aviation pioneer. The airport authority board recently voted unanimously to name the terminal for Lieutenant Colonel Alva Temple. Colonel Temple was a fighter pilot in the 99th Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War Two – the Famed…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus City Council is adding some custom touches to its vehicle fleet leasing program. The city has decided to replace some aging vehicles in the Police Department and Public Works fleets through a lease agreement, rather than buying them outright. The lease program saves money in the long run on things like maintenance and allows…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A new team member will be prowling the sidelines at Mississippi State football games this year, but this guy won’t be suiting up. The Bulldogs have a new bulldog. Dak, the latest four-legged mascot joined the team earlier this month. Mississippi State fans are used to seeing Jak the live bulldog mascot at sporting events or…
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – The City of Amory and Monroe County officials held a press conference to review and update citizens on the progress in the town. The storm left a devastating scene. New beginnings are ahead, but the road to recovery will be long. The progress made so far in Amory is promising, but Amory Mayor Corey Glenn said…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus woman is facing a child neglect charge. 43-year-old Yolanda Moore was arrested by Columbus police on Wednesday. CPD did not release the circumstances that led to Moore’s arrest. The felony charge of child neglect is labeled “with substantial harm.” Moore remained in jail on Thursday afternoon. For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Recent storms impacted families in physical, emotional, and even psychological ways. At the exchange club meeting at Lion Hills, the Directors of Behavioral Health at Baptist Golden Triangle talked about the resources the hospital has for storm victims or people that suffer from other problems. He said they’ve also had some people reach out to him…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a friendly competition among first responders to help recruit blood donors. Vitalant South hosted the “Battle of the Badges”. Tupelo Police, the Tupelo Fire Department, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office took part in the competition. Blood donation centers were set up at the police department’s community room and the Vitalant Bus was at…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Federal assistance is becoming more accessible to tornado victims in Mississippi. The Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile Application Centers are now open in four counties including Monroe County. The mobile center in Monroe County can be found at the Old Armory National Guard building on 101 South 9th Street in Amory. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – You could be entered into a drawing to win some big bucks soon and all you have to do is donate blood. WCBI is partnering with Vitalant to host a blood drive Friday, March 31. The Vitalant truck will be parked outside the station from 12:30 in the afternoon until 4:30 p.m. Anyone who donates blood…
MACON, Miss. (WCBI) – A Macon man was indicted on child sex crimes. Jerry Hull was charged with sexual battery and two counts of fondling. He was arrested this past September by Macon police. Investigators said the alleged victim is related to Hull. No court date has been set. For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter Categories: Crime,…
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – While communities across the state are still reeling from Friday night’s tornadoes, homeowners are beginning the process of recovery and their next steps to rebuilding, But it can be tough to keep up with all the items on the to-do list. At the top should be to talk to your insurance agent. Homes, cars, businesses, boats,…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s the small things when disaster strikes. That’s how an Aberdeen organization hopes to help its neighbors in need. Whether it’s a meal or a way to clean up the mess, there were some helping hands in Monroe County. The Mission of this Aberdeen Based organization is to help by giving back to their neighbor,…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Law enforcement officers have been working around the clock in Monroe County since Friday night’s deadly tornado. And while local agencies have answered the call, others from outlying areas and even across state lines are also pitching in to make sure people and property are protected. Within moments of seeing the devastation caused by Friday…
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Home Depot Foundation recently donated $200,000 to tornado recovery efforts for the ones that lost their homes and other properties Friday night. After the donation, Home Depot even had over 70 people volunteer their time to help the community clean up the city of Amory and they even set up a tent to feed people….
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – You may hear sirens and see first responder vehicles and crews at Starkville High School Thursday, but it won’t be an actual emergency. The school is hosting a pre-prom safety awareness event to help students understand the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. The event will include a mock traffic accident and a simulation with sirens,…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The Mississippi State Board of Education is back to the drawing board looking for another state superintendent of education. The state Senate declined to confirm Dr. Robert Taylor, which is required. Some senators questioned the selection process. The state board of education said it followed a competitive process to make the hire this past November. Taylor began…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Last weekend’s tornadoes impacted not only neighborhoods but forestlands as well. The Mississippi Forestry Commission conducted flight surveys Monday. Over 8,700 acres were affected, equaling just over an $8 million economic impact. Out of around 5,200 acres affected were non-industrial private lands. The surveys did not include trees or forests in urban areas, non-forested areas, and state…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A recent rise in the number of teen suicides has a group of area agencies joining forces. The Community Action Coalition, a group of service providers, pastors, and community leaders committed to providing mental health resources and education in the community, hosted a lunch-and-learn symposium on Teen Self Harm Prevention in Columbus. Speakers addressed the impact…
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Amory is still in the recovery stage but the city is already making progress. The boil water notice in Amory has been lifted. You no longer have to boil your water within city limits before use. There are still about 11 customers under the Monroe County Electric Power Association still without power. For 24/7 news and…
MACON, Miss. (WCBI) – Two shootings in two days have left three people injured, and police searching for answers in Macon. The first shooting was Monday night at a car wash on the North end of town. Macon Police Chief Davine Beck described it as a drive-by shooting. Two people were shot. One was hit in the leg, the other…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – New numbers today from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency on the number of homes damaged in the area. Monroe County has the most in the entire state, with over 1,400. Montgomery County is holding steady at 49. Ten homes were damaged in Lee County. Less than three homes were reported damaged in each of Itawamba, Lafayette, Grenada,…