Noxubee County deputies arrest Dollar General armed robbery suspect

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Noxubee County deputies make an arrest in a Dollar General armed robbery. Demetrias Prince is charged with armed robbery. Bond has not been set for the Shuqualak man. He remains in the Noxubee County jail. The hold-up happened this past Monday at Dollar General in Shuqualak. Deputies say the clerk was held at gunpoint by…

Starkville man accused of a child sex crime has been arrested

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Starkville man is accused of trying to lure an 11-year-old girl in a child sex crime arrest. 23-year-old Shykel Spruell is charged with enticement of a child to produce visual depiction. Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton says Spruell was allegedly sending messages to the child on the internet. The victim’s mother saw the messages and…

Young Elvis fans showcase their talents during youth contest

Aspirng Elvis Tribute Artists rock it out for the judges

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A festival honoring the king of rock and roll attracts fans and tribute artists of all ages. One by one,  contestants in the Youth Day competition took the stage at the Elvis Presley Event Center. And although they were competing against each other, much like the adult ETAs, backstage, they are friends, jamming together to songs…

Triple murder suspect found guilty

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- A Clay County jury has found Clark Allen Jr. guilty of capital murder. Allen was accused of killing Demario Snell, Mauricio Nance, and Tyshun Fields in Artesia in January 2018. The verdict follows a busy day in court that saw Allen take the stand in his own defense. Both cases presented closing arguments, and the jury…

Tupelo Elvis Festival welcomes visitors from around the world

This is the first time in three years that the popular festival has international guests

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Fans of the King of rock and roll are in Tupelo for a festival honoring that town’s most famous son. The Tupelo Elvis Festival is back and bigger than ever. Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan put on a pair of Elvis sunglasses when he gave a key to the city to last year’s Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute…

Golden Triangle mayors meet for 2022 Mayor’s Summit

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Golden Triangle mayors have more things in common. Mayors from towns in the Golden Triangle are coming together to find new solutions to some old problems they’re all facing. During a Mayor’s Conference at the Communiversity Thursday, these town leaders acknowledged that they’re losing population and struggling to fight crime. “I think of the…

Columbus gets ready to celebrate 25 years of Juneteenth

It's a celebration of freedom; for the second year Juneteenth is being recognized as a national holiday

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s a celebration of freedom; for the second year, Juneteenth is being recognized as a national holiday. Organizers of festivities in Columbus have been celebrating Juneteenth long before it became an official holiday. Lowndes County supervisor Leroy Brooks has helped organize the Juneteenth celebration in Columbus all 25 years. He said it started small, but got bigger…

Lowndes County has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against former board president Harry Sanders. A long-time employee of Lowndes County filed the suit against the Supervisor and in turn, the county. Cynthia Thompson, the county’s administrative secretary, filed the federal suit against Sanders more than a year ago. All parties agreed to the settlement terms…

Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District updating and improving

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) – Kids are out for summer vacation, and educators are preparing and repairing for the new school year. Open ceilings, unfinished floors, and materials out in the open. The Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District is updating and improving. “The money that was set aside for construction is just monumental for us because we have not been able to…

Vernon man will spend 15 years in prison for elder abuse

VERNON, Ala. (WCBI) – A Vernon man will spend 15 years in prison for elder abuse. 30-year-old Terrance Moore was found guilty of assaulting a 70-year-old woman. Prosecutors say Moore parked in front of the woman’s house for about half an hour in July 2020 but he did not know her. He became angry after the victim walked outside to…

Search for stolen guns and other items continues in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The search for stolen guns from the Columbus Police Department, as another arrest, is made. 18-year-old Javarion Davis is charged with felony taking of a motor vehicle and auto burglary. He remains in the Lowndes County jail. Five juveniles have now been arrested in the investigation. Their names cannot be released because of their age. More…

Louisville hopes city-wide emergency curfew can help police get more illegal guns off the street

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday night, Louisville issued a city-wide emergency curfew, effective immediately, as high rates of gun violence continue in the small town. Mayor Will Hill says the Board of Aldermen has been discussing the possibility of a curfew for several months. “Guns, fully loaded 30-round magazines,” says Cpt. Mike Perkins, lead investigator for the Louisville Police Department….

Future police officers learn about crime scene processing

Cadets are taught importance of securing and preserving crime scenes

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Future police officers are learning how to secure and process a crime scene.  It is one of the many topics cadets at the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center are studying during their twelve week training. For this class, Officer Rachel Carver, a training officer with the Oxford Police Department, has set up a mock crime…

Being a volunteer firefighter comes with an unexpected cost

Gas prices are hitting new records worldwide

OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI)- People say something about it everyday now and it seems to only be getting worse. Gas prices are hitting new records worldwide. Those prices are impacting people differently; especially local volunteers. People that give their time like volunteer firefighters are also having to endure those prices to help those in their community; like Kenny Hall. Hall was…

Oxford police make a quick arrest in a morning shooting

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Oxford police make a quick arrest in a morning shooting. 69-year-old Michael Burt is charged with aggravated assault. OPD says the victim was shot in the leg in the 300 block of Dede Drive at about 10:44 AM. Investigators questioned two people but arrested Burt. Police did recover a weapon at a nearby home. Burt’s bond…

Columbus city employees will be seeing extra cash this summer

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It may not be an actual raise, but Columbus city employees will be seeing some extra cash this Summer. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Columbus City Council approved spending about $720,000 of ARPA money to provide incentive pay for city employees. The idea has been brought up a number of times since an accounting error during…

Four arrest made after Columbus police car was broken into

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An update on the burglary of a Columbus police officer’s cruiser. Four arrests have been made, so far, and some items have been recovered. Police Chief Fred Shelton says one adult and three juveniles are charged in the case. No names or specific charges are being released at this time. Shelton tells WCBI that two vests,…

Three woman facing various fraud charges related to tax returns

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Three women are facing various fraud charges related to tax returns. Erica Sherrod faces 14 counts of fraudulent statements, four counts of fraudulent use of an ID, and one count of computer fraud. Patricia Pratt is charged with five counts of fraudulent statements, four counts of tax evasion, two fraudulent use of an ID, and one…

Columbus Police look to change weapons policy after officer’s assault rifle stolen from car

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus Police and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate after someone stole an assault rifle, handgun, two bullet-proof vests and 500 rounds of ammunition from an unmarked CPD car. Police Chief Fred Shelton says that so far, there is no evidence that suspects targeted this officer but adds that it is still early in…

Two people have been arrested for burglary and theft while allegedly having sex in a church

Investigators in Winston County and Louisiville say a local couple stole a van, then broke in a church

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Investigators in Winston County and Louisiville say a local couple stole a van, then broke in a church. If stealing wasn’t bad enough, law officers say the couple also were intimate in the sanctuary. It all started late Thursday night when the Louisville Police responded to a call about a van stolen from Lake Tiak O’Khata. Four…

Toyota Mississippi donates $75,000 to Girl Scouts

Money will be used for a mobile STEAM lab

BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – Toyota Mississippi wrapped up the preview of the Visitor Center with a big donation to the Girl Scouts. Toyota donated $75,000  to the Girl Scouts Heart of the South.  The money will pay for a Highlander and a trailer. The mobile learning lab is dubbed the “STEAM” machine, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art,…

Toyota Mississippi opens visitor’s center

Toyota Mississippi Experience Center provides unique look at auto manufacturing process

BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – Toyota Mississippi is giving visitors a look at the manufacturing process, with a state of the art interactive visitor’s center. “The Toyota Experience Center is a great opportunity for us to share what we do here at the Blue Springs plant,” said Toyota Mississippi President David Fernandes. He says the 15,000 square foot workforce training…