COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Summer is not quite here, and violent crime is already on the rise. And an increasing number of cases have their beginnings as conflicts on social media. Social media is where it all begins. District Attorney Scott Colom said that people are turning online conflict into crimes IRL, In Real Life. And that’s leading to more…
BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Northeast Mississippi Community College is bringing the latest technology to the classroom with the help of a $15 million grant. “The infusion of this type of technology into the classroom and beyond will be a game changer for our institution,” said Ford. That’s how NEMCC President Dr. Ricky Ford described the $15.9 million grant from EON…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Summertime can mean a lot of downtime for children. Local universities and community organizations work to provide camps and other activities that are educational and fun. It’s not yet, officially, summer, but camp is in session. Kids are already participating in activities at the Columbus YMCA, and they’re exploring more than just fun and games. “We…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Although they may be adults now, more and more children find themselves taking care of their parents. Candice Williams never dreamed she would be the caregiver to the people that gave her life and care growing up. After her mother passed away, she continued as a caregiver role for her father, helping him navigate the stressful,…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The state’s high court upheld an Oktibbeha County capital murder conviction. A jury found Tommy Chisholm guilty in July 2021. He went inside of Dr. Shauna Witt’s optometry office, which was inside the Starkville Walmart, and shot her in January 2018. Chisholm was sentenced to life in prison. He appealed various aspects of the case….
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police continue to investigate a bomb threat at a grocery store. Officers were called to Kroger on Highway 12 at about 9 a.m. for the report of a bomb at the store. The area was closed down while the store was searched. Everything quickly reopened in about an hour. The investigation is continuing and no…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An Amory man was found guilty of child sex crimes by a Monroe County jury. Cayce Jones was convicted of sexual battery and fondling of a child under the age of 14. Due to the nature of the offenses, Jones was ineligible for parole or early release. Jone was sentenced to 30 years in prison….
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Delta State University’s newest president is officially on the job. Dr. Daniel J. Ennis took over the reins in Cleveland on June 1. Ennis comes to DSU from Coastal Carolina University, where he most recently served as provost. Ennis has said that he plans on getting the lay of the land before making any major policy decisions…
CHOCTAW, Miss. (AP) — Cyrus Ben has won a second term as chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Ben defeated former chief Phyliss Anderson and one other candidate, Tarina Anderson, in Tuesday’s election, according to tribal election results posted on the Choctaws’ Facebook page. Ben was first elected chief in 2019 when he defeated Phyliss Anderson in a…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The annual festival paying tribute to the memory of Tupelo’s most famous native son is underway. The Tupelo Elvis Festival began Wednesday evening with a gala at the Cotton Mill. Past winners of the Elvis Tribute Artist competition took the stage for a full house. This is the 25th Tupelo Elvis Festival and host Tom Brown…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A man wearing a church robe and claiming to be Jesus was accused of breaking into two churches. 27-year-old Deshon O’Neal was charged with two counts of burglary and one count of disorderly conduct. Columbus police said officers were called to a hotel about a suspicious man on June 6. O’Neal was reportedly wearing a white…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus City Council took a vote on implementing a policy that would tackle low retention rates within the police department. The Columbus City Council is requiring its officers to make a three-year commitment to the Friendly City. Once the officer has been hired and gone through training, that officer must remain with the Columbus police department…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – School may be out but the work is kicking into high gear for staff and volunteers with the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Mississippi. Kyion White has come full circle. Growing up, White was a member of the Boys and Girls Club, eventually becoming a junior staffer, then a program staff member. Now, he is…
Categories: Next to Nature
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A new exhibit at the Tupelo Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum chronicles the early merchandising of the King of Rock n’ Roll. The exhibit is called “Mr. Presley, are you ready to fly?” based on the line in the Elvis movie from Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. Items in the exhibit are original from…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Propst Park has been the topic of discussion among city council work sessions for months. The council continued to finalize decisions for funding renovations for the 70-year-old park. An intent resolution to issue the loan has yet to be adopted. The city will then have to advertise the intention to issue the loans proposed. A public…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Several counties in Mississippi are starting or finishing up roadwork projects that are each worth millions. The Mississippi Lottery is funding an $8.7 million mill project that stretches seven miles of US 82 in Webster County. It’s expected to be completed this summer. Work will soon begin on a $4 million lottery-funded project in Union County to…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Municipal School District is helping out students and their families this Summer. The district is taking care of weekday meal planning with its annual Summer Feeding Program. Children 18 and under can grab a free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. And most won’t have to go too far to take advantage of the…
NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A $418 million investment will bring more than 150 jobs to Noxubee County. Huber Engineered Woods will locate a state-of-the-art oriented strand board plant in Shuqualak. The company will build on a 551-acre site and make specialty engineered wood panels. Noxubee County and the Tennessee Valley Authority are providing assistance. The Mississippi Development Authority will…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Starkville park is set to receive updates to attract more families. Over the next year, J.L. King Park is set to see many major improvements. The splash pad is due to see an expansion, to help beat that summer heat. Along with the splash pad, the tennis and basketball courts are also set to receive…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Downtown Starkville will be seeing a lot of development in the coming years. The City of Starkville has received a total of $6 million to put towards improvements on Main Street and Highway 182. $1.2 million is already being used to update the water, sewer, and stormwater lines on Main Street. The other $5 million will…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A local soup kitchen is making sure people stay fed and hydrated. Loaves and Fishes in Columbus provides meals to more than 300 people every day. During the summer months, volunteers want to make sure people who use their services also have enough water. Recently Baptist Golden Triangle donated dozens of cases of water to help…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County narcotics deputies arrested eight people in a months-long meth trafficking investigation. The narcotics STING unit seized more than $15,000 in cash, over eight pounds of methamphetamine, and five vehicles. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said the case started after neighbors called deputies about a large amount of traffic coming to and from a house. Agents…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Monroe County investigators provided an update on a child pornography case. Joseph Waible was charged with possession of child pornography earlier this year. He has now been indicted by a federal grand jury in Oxford for accessing and transporting child pornography. Waible was not eligible for bond. A court date has not been set. For…