STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Adjusting to life outside of prison can be a big challenge for people who’ve been incarcerated. State leaders are discussing way to help them transition back into society. A conference in Starkville focused finding to help people after they served their time. Some of the most common questions a formerly incarcerated person may have are—how do I…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Pleas from a murder victim’s family does not change a woman’s prison sentence. Alexis Sanders was ordered to serve 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder. The Canton woman’s attorney asked the court to reconsider the prison sentence after the victim’s family asked for a shorter amount of time to be…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Local Chapter of Woodmen Life showed their dedication to a local fire station. Fire station number 4 is the newest station in Columbus. The group showed its appreciation by hosting a flag ceremony this afternoon. The group Donated a new flag pole, an American flag as well as the state of Mississippi flag This event…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Street Art is a very popular form of art that is spreading quickly all over the world. The city of Starkville is one of the latest cities to join this trend. Students and community volunteers are teaming up to design University Drive by small town center with the goal in mind to connect the University and…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Junior Auxiliary of Columbus Crown club kicked off the first of many projects for the 2022-2023 academic year. All across the Columbus Municipal and Lowndes County School Districts active members of the Crown Club are using chalk to write positive messages on the sidewalks of elementary schools The goal of this project is to bring…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Being the mayor of a town comes with a lot of responsibilities. Thursday, Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin took his job to new heights. With the help of the Columbus Fire Department, he used a fire engine to take pictures of the roof, downspouts, and gutters. The pictures are needed for a Mississippi Department of Archives and…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Thursday night chase in Columbus ends with a vehicle crash and a murder suspect behind bars. On Wednesday investigators with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office got an arrest warrant for Freddie Williams. Williams is the chief suspect in the July 9th death of Willie Dickerson. Dickerson was shot to death in the 300 block of…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An arrest is made in connection with an Oktibbeha County shooting. 25-year-old Savion Winters, of Weir, is charged with aggravated assault and armed robbery. Deputies believe he was involved with a reported shooting at 21 Apartments back on April 25th. At least one person was injured in the gunfire. Asheem Harris and a juvenile were…
WINONA, Miss (WCBI)- While Winona-Montgomery County students were out on summer break, their schools were receiving a much-needed face-lift. After nearly 50 years, the halls of Winona Elementary School will be taking on a different look. Emergency Relief Funds made it possible for the district to make some needed changes. Renovations across the Winona – Montgomery County Consolidated School District…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Thursday, an agent with the Internal Revenue Service showed up without warning at city hall, claiming that Columbus owed the agency more than $50,000. Chief Financial Officer Jim Brigham discussed the situation Wednesday morning during the regularly scheduled post-city council meeting press conference. “We did have one large, outstanding fine that came out in 2017, where…
MONROE AND CHICKASAW COUNTIES, MISS. (WCBI) – The Monroe County Chapter of the NAACP met with the Chickasaw County Sheriff today after the civil rights group filed two complaints about the alleged conduct of a deputy. The complaints were filed on behalf of two women, Doris Lipsey, and Jennifer Blair. Both women claim that in separate traffic stops, Chickasaw County…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Educators are Essential – that was the message today from the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber welcomed back teachers and school staff with a pep rally before they get down to the serious business of the 2022 – 2023 school year. Teachers were treated with discounts at local businesses, door prizes, and entertainment. The…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A local barbershop and a nonprofit are teaming up to give kids a new look and a new outlook. Marcus Stokes runs the Bluprint foundation. He and barbers at Spotlight barber shop in Columbus invited boys ages 5 to 17 to get a free a haircut today. This is the second year Stokes has offered free…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Canton woman pleads guilty to murder in Oktibbeha County. However, her time in prison could change. Alexis Sanders was ordered to serve 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder. Now, her attorneys have filed a motion to reconsider that prison sentence. They claim the victim’s family has requested Sanders not…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Starkville bank robber will spend the next decade in prison. Laquavis Collier was ordered to serve ten years behind bars for the September 2021 hold-up. He was sentenced in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. The robbery happened at Renasant Bank on Lampkin Street. Starkville police say Collier walked into the bank and eventually stole some items…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The State of Mississippi could save around$350,000 a year by getting rid of unused cellphones. That’s one of the findings from a State Auditor’s Office study of cellphone usage by state agencies. Shad White’s office analyzed over 2,123 state issued mobile devices from five state agencies, and found that 30% of those had little to no…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two people are dead after a collision between a four-wheeler and a motorcycle in Monroe County. The crash happened Tuesday night just before 7:30. Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley says it happened at the intersection of Old Wren Road and Wren Cemetery Road. The driver of the motorcycle, James Strawhorn, 22 and the driver of the…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A joint venture between a Mississippi company and an international firm is expected to bring nearly 100 more jobs to the Golden Triangle. Tuesday, the Golden Triangle Development LINK announced that Terberg Taylor Americas Group is investing close to $16 million to build a vehicle manufacturing facility in Lowndes County. “They’re going to create jobs,…
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A fundraising campaign for a Chickasaw Heritage Center in Tupelo is gaining momentum. The Chickasaw Inkana Foundation has released a draft of architectural drawings for the Chickasaw Heritage Center. That center will be built off of the Natchez Trace Parkway and will help tell the story of how the Chickasaws lived in Mississippi for hundreds of…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Students are returning to class this week, but in some districts may not have a teacher when they get there. Like many others, the Columbus Municipal School District is facing a teacher and staff shortage. The district recently published a flyer showing 26 vacancies, including teachers, bus drivers, and cafeteria staff. Superintendent Dr. Cherie Labat said they’re…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State’s vice president for research and economic development was at the Communiversity Tuesday to promote the partnership between MSU and East Mississippi Community College. Julie Jordan says that the Communiversity has already realized its purpose as a force for economic growth in the region by supporting and providing job training across all kinds of…
WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Winston County deputies upgrade charges in an ongoing homicide investigation. 30-year-old Darius Johnson is now charged with capital murder. Sheriff Jason Pugh says the underlying charge is home invasion. Johnson was denied bond. The shooting happened Sunday night on Hillcrest Circle. Johnson is accused of going to his ex-girlfriend’s home and shooting at her and…
MOOREVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – Parents who take their kids to one Lee County Elementary School should notice smoother traffic flow when school starts back. The ribbon cutting officially opening the road and bridge to Mooreville Elementary caps months of work and years of planning and discussion, as the area has grown. “Appreciate the help, board of supervisors, road crew, think…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Giving individual farmers a bigger voice when it comes to policies that affect them, that’s part of the mission of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation. Mike McCormick, president of the organization, was in Columbus today briefing business and community leaders on some of the issues facing Mississippi farmers. McCormick touched on several issues, including protecting property…