Drones have helped people and local law enforcement with storm damage

Advanced technology has improved almost every area of daily life

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Advanced technology has improved almost every area of daily life. In Calhoun County some of that technology is helping the sheriff’s office get a bird’s eye view of things that they may have missed before. Drones have been helping departments with search and rescue, tracking suspects, and finding missing persons, but lately they’ve been in the…

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Mississippi

GREENVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Keeping small businesses alive…. it’s a challenge across the country. One place that knows that challenge too well is the Mississippi Delta. Vice President Kamala Harris makes a stop in Greenville today, with one goal in mind -investing in Small Businesses and Communities. One by one, businesses in Greenville appear to be vanishing… If you travel west…

Starkville PD arrest three people in connection to armed robbery

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police arrested three people in connection with an armed robbery arrest. Jahri Doss and Dawson Beard are both charged with aggravated assault and armed robbery. Bond is $100,000 for both suspects. The hold-up happened at a camper site off of Reed Road. Kaya Rocha is charged with accessory after the fact and has a $10,000….

Noxubee Co. man indicted in connection to gas station shooting

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Noxubee County man is indicted in connection with a gas station shooting. Travontae Slaughter remains in the Noxubee County jail. A grand jury indicted him on the charge of aggravated assault. Slaughter’s bond was set at $100,000. He’s accused of shooting a man at Tenn Tom Grocery Store in late December 2020. The victim…

Starkville officials and leaders planted blue pinwheels at Emerson Discovery Center

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a simple children’s toy that has taken on greater significance, especially in the month of April. Since 2008 the pinwheel has been used to symbolize child abuse prevention. Today, to mark the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month, nearly 50 city officials and business leaders in Starkville planted blue pinwheels at the Emerson Discovery Center….

Children and residents hold National Child Abuse Prevention parade

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Some of the smallest children in Clay County take to the park to raise awareness about a big problem. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. And elementary students and their teachers took part in a parade around Sally Kate Winters Park in West Point to focus attention on the issue. The kids carried signs…

MEMA releases second damage report after severe weather Wednesday

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has released the second damage report from Wednesday’s severe weather event. At least 9 tornadoes have been confirmed by the National Weather Service and six injuries have been reported. In our viewing area, Attala county 10 homes and 10 farms were damaged. Thirty-two counties have reported some sort of damage in…

Emergency service agencies to build more storm shelters in Mississippi

Time is critical when finding a structure that will keep you protected.

LOWNDES COUNTY,Miss. (WCBI)- Do you have a safe place to go during a tornado warning? Time is critical when finding a structure that will keep you protected. County agencies are working for citizens to have access to those places when severe weather strikes. ” It could be within minutes. They could have a thunderstorm, and then within minutes, it turns…

Noxubee County residents become victims to a tornado

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The weather today is clear and calm, but that wasn’t the case last night. People across North Mississippi found themselves in the path of thunderstorms, straight-line winds, and in some cases, tornadoes. One area family found themselves in the direct path of nature’s fury. “So I’m thanking and praising God that we are still here…

Lee County law enforcement searching for convicted sex offender

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Crimestoppers of Northeast Mississippi are asking for the public’s help to find a convicted sex offender. Jesse Stephen Shelton was last seen when he was being released from Kemper County Correctional Facility on January 11th. He has not registered or reported to his probation officer since then, as required…

Blue Springs man facing several child sex crimes

BLUE SPRINGS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Blue Springs man is facing several child sex crimes. Lee County investigators believe he may have even given children drugs. 39-year-old Charles Bishop is charged with three counts of sexual battery, one count of fondling, two counts of child abuse/drug endangerment, and one count of aggravated domestic violence. Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says…

One home is damaged in Monroe County after severe weather

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – One home is damaged in Monroe County. However, the biggest concern was for downed trees. Morgan’s Landing, near Aberdeen, saw a number of downed and uprooted trees after storms swept through on Wednesday night. Many of the campers had limbs on them at Morgan’s Landing but not much damage. EMA Director Donna Sanderson says no…

21 counties damaged during severe weather across Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – 21 counties are reporting damage to homes after severe storms roll across the Magnolia State on Wednesday. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is also reporting three injuries. Two of those occurred in Noxubee County. The other was in Holmes County. MEMA released drone video from Forrest County, near Hattiesburg. In our area, homes were damaged in…

Kemper Co. man indicted in connection to death of Macon woman

KEMPER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Kemper County man is indicted in connection with the death of a Macon woman. The grand jury in Noxubee County indicted Henry Benamon on murder and possession of a weapon charges. State corrections officials also put a hold on Benamon because he was out of prison on probation from a previous conviction. So, that…

Winston Co. deputies searching for man wanted for questioning

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Winston County deputies are moving forward in an armed robbery investigation. 32-year-old Charlie Hemphill, of Louisville, is wanted for questioning. The hold-up happened on March 22nd at Crossroads Store in Winston County. If you know where Hemphill is call Winston County Crime Stoppers. You may remember this surveillance video from the convenience store. Winston County…

College research teams return to Mississippi to study latest wave of severe storms

BROOKSVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The return of severe weather to Mississippi has also brought the return of research teams from the University of Alabama Huntsville and other colleges to collect storm data. “All the ingredients just kind of lined up together to put Mississippi right in the heart of the chance for some severe weather again,” says UAH student Josh…

Volunteers are asking the community to help retrieve stolen bikes

Volunteers with the Community Benefit Committee are outraged after someone stole dozens of brand new bikes

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Volunteers with the Community Benefit Committee are outraged after someone stole dozens of brand new bikes that were supposed to be gifts for children this Christmas. So far three juveniles have been arrested in connection with the burglary. Lt. Rhonda Sanders with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s department is one of the founding members of Community Benefit Committee;…

West Point Police warn parents teen shootings are on the rise

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – The West Point Police Department put out a public service announcement Monday on the increasing number of shootings involving teens and young adults. “We’ve had an uptick of shootings in the community, dealing mainly with juveniles,” says Assistant Police Chief Kennedy Meaders. West Point PD says it recovered an AR-15, a semiautomatic 9 mm and…

MUW baseball team fundraising for field

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi University for Women Owl’s Baseball Team wants a field of its own. MUW Athletic Director Jennifer Claybrook made the pitch Tuesday. to business and community leaders in Columbus. Fundraising for a baseball stadium on The W’s campus was announced in early 2020, but COVID hit before the ball could get rolling. The original proposal…

CMSD working with local organizations to better the community

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Municipal School District is working with faith-based organizations to give areas in their community some much-needed care. CMSD is kicking off an adopt a block program and it wants local churches to join the movement. The program is designed to allow the school system and religious institutes to research problems and find solutions in…

Former Eupora High School teacher to spend next six years in prison

EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) – A former Eupora High School teacher will spend the next six years in prison. Kayla Tindall pleaded guilty to statutory rape in Webster County Circuit Court. She was arrested in February 2020, shortly after being fired by the school district. The allegations against Tindall involved at least one student. Once released from prison, Tindall must register…

New Toyota dealership coming to Philadelphia, Mississippi

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Locals in Philadelphia have probably noticed the beginning of new construction off-highway sixteen recently. That location will be the home of the new Toyota dealership. It isn’t just a new business but a $7 million investment in Philadelphia and East Central Mississippi. Dr. Azhar Pasha led the groundbreaking Friday of his brand new Toyota dealership that…