Law enforcement encourage hunters to keep an eye on their hunting gear

Hunting season isn't here yet, but some folks are eager to get things ready

WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Hunting season isn’t here yet, but some folks are eager to get things ready, so they can take down their prey. Hunters often set up their camps well ahead of the season, but that can leave them open to being prey to thieves. In Webster County, they see several cases a year and want to offer…

Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies arrest man for allegedly attacking his ex and holding her against her will

SMITHVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department arrested a man Monday after he allegedly attacked his ex and held her against her will. “At some point in the night, it turned bad and was headed in a really bad direction,” Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook says. “Luckily, she was able to get a phone and get out of…

Two Houston sisters recognized for helping grant the wishes of critically ill children

The sisters received the first Wish Granter of the Year awards from Make A Wish Mississippi

HOUSTON, MISS. (WCBI) – Two sisters from Houston have been recognized by Make A Wish Mississippi for their volunteer efforts helping make wishes come true for kids with critical illnesses. Sisters Shenia Jones and Barbara Buggs have been helping make wishes come true for children for more than two decades now. “We are actually the hands and feet of Jesus,”…

Youth court judge says juvenile detention center is helping with Starkville’s violent crime, NAACP leader says it does more harm

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – At Friday’s work session, Oktibbeha County Youth Court Judge Lydia Quarles called for the Starkville Board of Aldermen to renew the city’s agreement with the Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center. The interlocal agreement with the center keeps two beds reserved for any juveniles arrested in Starkville and will last until the fall of 2022. “Three burglaries…

West Point has received multiple bomb threats in two days

A poultry plant in West Point had to stop operation due to a bomb threat call

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- A poultry plant in West Point had to stop operation due to a bomb threat call. Police chief Avery Cook said it’s the third threat the department has received in the last 48 hours. On Tuesday, August 16, 2022,  one of the calls came to the police department saying there was a bomb in the building….

A car crash into Aberdeen home leaves family feeling grateful

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – A man is facing charges after police say he crashed his car into a home in Aberdeen.  Police arrested Deondra Fields after an unusual incident early this morning. An Aberdeen woman got an alarming wake-up call early this morning. Officers were called to Matubba Street just after midnight for a possible home invasion. When they got…

Wing Stop franchise restaurants under investigation with the Dept. of Labor

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A former chicken wing restaurant is in some hot sauce with the Department of Labor. Boss Wings Enterprises LLC owned several Wing Stop franchise restaurants, including the Starkville, Tupelo, and Oxford locations. The family of rapper Rick Ross owns Boss Wings, which is based in Southaven. The company has been ordered to pay almost $115,000 in…

City of Columbus is beginning its search for a new Police Chief

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The City of Columbus is beginning its search for a new Police Chief. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the City Council approved a job description, salary range, and a 10-person search committee to help select the best candidate. But another committee was also a topic of the Citizen Input portion of the meeting. Lavonne Harris asked the…

Sturgis South Rally coming back to Oktibbeha County

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – After a two-year hiatus, the rumble of motorcycle engines is returning to the streets of Sturgis. The Sturgis South Rally is back! And the bikers start rolling back into Oktibbeha County Thursday. A long weekend of music, food, vendors, and games for the kids – and the bikers starts Thursday and runs through Saturday. A…

Starkville city employees will see a bump in pay

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Some city employees in Starkville will receive a more competitive salary compared to certain surrounding cities in Northeast Mississippi and Alabama. At Tuesday night’s Alderman meeting, the board voted unanimously to bump the pay of city workers based on a survey conducted by the Stennis institute from Mississippi State University. The survey compared the current salaries in…

The search is on for new police chief

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The search for a new police chief in the City of Columbus can officially begin. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Columbus City Council approved a job description and a 10 person search committee to inform the process. Mayor Keith Gaskin, along with Councilmen Joseph Mickens, Stephen Jones, and Rusty Green are on the list, along with…

Massive fire destroys Lafayette County church built in 1800s, firefighters rescue historic Bible

LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators are still trying to determine what started the massive fire that heavily damaged a historic church just outside Oxford. College Hill Presbyterian Church was built in the 1840s and was the oldest church in the Oxford area. The church’s history includes being a campsite for Ulysses S. Grant and Union troops during the Civil…

Restaurant officials are searching for employees

Some businesses are looking to replace summer workers who have headed back to school

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Labor shortages are still an issue around the country, and around the block. Some businesses are looking to replace summer workers who have headed back to school; while others still haven’t been able to get back up to pre-pandemic staffing. Zachary’s is just one of several restaurants trying to bring more people on board. Owner Doug Pellum…

CFB vote to change Nancy Carpenter’s contract

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The structure of the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau could soon look different. Through published reports and sources, WCBI has learned Nancy Carpenter’s contract to lead the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation was not renewed. The CVB board recently made that vote. Sources tell WCBI there was a contract extension offered to Carpenter to remain the executive…

NEMCC partners with Region IV to provide mental health services to students

Long term counseling will be available at no cost to NEMCC students

BOONEVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – Making the transition from high school to college can be tough. And experts say it’s even worse for many students, in the wake of the Covid 19 related lockdowns and isolation. One local community college is partnering with a mental health agency to help students who need long-term counseling, and it’s at no cost to the…

Are there enough houses to go around?

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- If you’re in the market to buy a house, you may be hesitant to pull the trigger due to a hike in interest rates. Realtors say it’s still a buyer’s market and you’re better off owning than renting. Interest rates are up, and that can cool home buying but with industry growth and an abundance of buyers…

Teenager facing charges after weekend shooting in Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A teenager faces serious charges after a weekend shooting in Starkville. 17-year-old Charcell Gray was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with Aggravated Assault and Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling in connection with a Saturday morning shooting at the Pines Manufactured Home Community. Police were called to The Pines around 1:30 Saturday morning for a reported gunshot…

Man indicted on manslaughter also indicted for separate shooting

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A man already indicted on manslaughter now faces more charges in a separate shooting. Demarcqueis Clark was indicted by a Lowndes County grand jury on three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of malicious mischief, and one count of shooting into a dwelling. He’s accused of shooting at three people. During that gunfire, a business was…

Former Dollar General clerk indicted for armed robbery

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Another man is indicted after several armed robberies in Lowndes County this past spring. 20-year-old Dorium Davis was indicted for armed robbery. Investigators say Davis was a clerk at the first Dollar General hold-up that happened this past March on Highway 182. Davis was hit in the head with a gun during the incident. Sheriff…

Oktibbeha County Supervisors exploring options for Felix Long Hospital

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County Supervisors are exploring new options for an old county building. The old Felix Long Hospital sits near the heart of downtown Starkville, and Supervisors are considering potential uses for the property. One possibility on the table is demolition, but before they can do that they need to know what’s inside the building, including…

Columbus has a new interim police chief

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – There’s a new man in the Chief’s office at Columbus Police Department. Monday was Assistant Chief Doran Johnson’s day on the job as Interim Chief. Johnson will be running the department while the City Council and Mayor search for a permanent replacement for Chief Fred Shelton, whose last day on the job was Monday. Johnson’s long…

Former West Lowndes bus driver indicted on child abuse charge

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A former West Lowndes bus driver is indicted on a child abuse charge. A Lowndes County grand jury recently indicted William McBride. This past April deputies were called to the chaotic scene at the high school and reviewed security video on the school bus. At the time, Sheriff Eddie Hawkins told WCBI there was a fight…