Price to keep inmates in Lowndes County Jail to increase

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The cost of everything is going up, and that’s likely going to include the cost of keeping city inmates in the Lowndes County Jail. For over 20 years, the county has charged the city of Columbus $25 per day for each city inmate being housed in the County Jail. The national average is $65 per…

Prairie Arts Festival “back to normal” this year

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- If you’re able to keep a tradition alive for 44 years, you’re probably doing something right.  It’s festival season and West Point is hosting the 44th annual Prairie Arts Festival. This Saturday, you can expect over 200 vendors featuring fine arts, handmade crafts, live music, and activities for kids. There will also be a car show…

How to lend a hand to Helping Hands of Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Helping Hands of Columbus visited the Rotary Club today to show how they’re lending a hand to the community. For over three decades, the organization has offered goods and services such as food pantries, rent/ mortgage assistance, help with medical fees, travel assistance, and more. Helpings Hands has had a busy summer. “In the last three…

Volunteers needed for hospice patients in New Albany

Volunteers do not need any specialized certification, just a willingness to help and listen

NEW ALBANY, MISS. (WCBI) – As the healthcare industry faces a staffing shortage, hospices are also adapting as volunteers are scarce. Crissy Anderson is pursuing a medical assistant’s degree and she wanted to do something to help others. So she signed up as a hospice volunteer through Shepherd Hospice. “This is an opportunity for me to go in and make…

West Point man facing child sex crime charges

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – A West Point man is facing child sex crime charges. 50-year-old Dewayne Harris is charged with two counts of enticement of a child for sexual purposes. West Point police tell WCBI the investigation started yesterday. The two victims are under the age of 17. No other details were released about the ongoing investigation. Categories: Crime,…

Man accused of being involved in deadly accident facing more charges

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The man accused of being involved in a deadly Columbus accident is facing more charges. Tavaris Mosley is charged with four counts of aggravated DUI. His bond is set at $140,000. Mosley remains in the Lowndes County jail. Zabria Dodds and David Porter both died after the motorcycle they were on crashed early Sunday morning on…

Columbus city council holding proposed budget meeting

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday night Columbus city council’s proposed budget hearing will have a number of surprises and changes. Right now, the $24.4 million dollar budget recommendation includes reducing the size of the police force but raising salaries. Other highlights include raising the city worker minimum wage to $12.50 cents an hour and giving elected officials a pay raise….

Mississippi State University’s Music Department under one roof

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State University’s Music Department is now under one roof. A new, 37,000 square foot building off Hardy Road is just north of the former band and choral rehearsal hall. The new facility features classrooms, a choral rehearsal hall, sound-proof practice rooms, a recital hall, and even a recording studio, along with faculty and administration offices…

Starkville Oktibbeha School District’s new security policy requires clear bags, metal detectors for sporting events

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Fans going to Starkville High School’s home-opener against West Point Friday night will have to follow some new rules to get into the football stadium. The Starkville Oktibbeha School District announced August 22 that there will be a new security policy for all sporting events going forward. “We talked a couple of weeks ago with our…

FEMA gives money to families for funeral expenses

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) -An unexpected death can bring heartbreak to those left behind. And in the days following, it can also bring unexpected debt. It has happened to families who have lost loved ones to Covid19. But if you are eligible, FEMA can help. The federal agency is reimbursing families for funeral costs – if they are citizens, the death…

MSU North Parking Garage officially open

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State students and staff are finding more parking spaces this semester. The $14 million MSU golf course and you will need to pay. It will cost you $1.50 to park there for one hour and $2.50 for each additional hour. The daily maximum charge is $25 dollars. There are 500 parking spaces in the garage….

MSU golf course open after summer refurbishment project

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – If plan to hit the links at the MSU golf course it will have new look and feel. The course closed back on May second for a refurbishment. New grass was installed on the greens and the old ones were stripped. The approach to the 9th hole was also renovated. Now, the five hundred thousand dollar…

Fundraisers help West Point library put inclusive books on the shelves

Fundraisers help West Point library put inclusive books on the shelves

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)-  The Bryan Public Library in West Point is adding to its book collection thanks to the help of community members–and complete strangers from across the nation. You’ve likely noticed the PRIDE display inside the Bryan Public Library. Michael Williams spearheaded a fundraiser to get more LGBTQ+ books at the library. “In our small town, I know…

New firetruck increases safety at GTRA

  LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – “It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it”. The Golden Triangle Regional Airport is taking that saying to heart. The airport recently took delivery of a second Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Truck. The state of the art Striker 4 x 4 truck can carry up to 1,700…

Baldwyn engineer set to premiere full length movie

Six Shooter Studios will premiere 'Mysterious Circumstance, the Death of Meriwether Lewis' in six states

BALDWYN, MISS. (WCBI) – A Baldwyn based movie studio will soon premiere its latest full length feature film in six states. The movie “Mysterious Circumstance, The Death of Meriwether Lewis” is putting the spotlight on the studio that was started by an engineer. For more than two years now, Clark Richey, and his company, Six Shooter Studios, have been working on…

Noxubee County third grade reading scores are up

It's been a long summer for some third graders, waiting to see if they passed the state reading test that

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s been a long summer for some third graders, waiting to see if they passed the state reading test that allows them to go to the fourth grade. Teachers and administrators weren’t pleased with scores initially but have since worked to improve them. Some students excel on the first try while others improved on the second…

Columbus Businesses suffer from car break-ins in the area

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) -There has been a rise in auto burglaries in Columbus lately, and police want car owners and businesses to remember the basics. It isn’t unusual to see a rise in crime during the summer as more people have more downtime. But during this time of the year car burglaries seem to be more frequent, but in some…