JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The former Mississippi Department of Human Services Director pled guilty to charges of misusing welfare funds. John Davis pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to commit theft concerning programs getting federal funds. During an investigation, the State Auditor’s Office found that MDHS misspent more than $77 million in welfare funds…
STARKVILLE, Miss, (WCBI) – It is not every day that a construction project draws a crowd. But around a thousand people were on hand in Starkville today to watch the raising of a giant steel cross. Crews have been assembling the Cross of Christ for Starkville for a little over a week now. Today, it was time to put the…
OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – An Oxford man is charged with two child sex crimes. The investigation started on September 17th after deputies received a report of a child being sexually assaulted. Two days later 48-year-old Jessie Jones was charged with one count of sexual battery and one count of molesting. Jones was given a $100,000 bond. He remains in the…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has approved more than $9 million in federal funding that will help local electric co-op subsidiaries expand broadband service. Nine local electric co-op subsidiaries will get grants to be spent in 2023 from the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. That fund was created for broadband expansion. This morning representatives from the…
OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – A Water Valley woman is accused of a bank robbery in Oxford. 60-year-old Karen Bell was booked into the Lafayette County Detention Center for armed robbery. Oxford police say she stole more than $2,000 from a bank on University Avenue. Thanks to quick actions in getting her description and the vehicle she was in, oxford police…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 23-year-old Caledonia man on multiple charges, after a brief pursuit in which the suspect intentionally rammed a deputy with his motorcycle. The man arrested was identified as Tristin Manuel Saraiva. The incident began around 1:04 p.m. when a deputy with the Lowndes County…
GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Social media has been buzzing about the Columbus High School brawl and an alleged threat today, leading many parents to check their children out of school early today. Columbus High School was put on lockdown after several students were involved in a fight Tuesday. Lydia Quarles is a Youth Court Referee in the juvenile court…
BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A new instructor at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville is proof that age isn’t a factor when it comes to following your dreams. For JaLisa Estes, teaching the Information System Technology course at NEMCC is a dream come true, but for a long time, that dream was on hold. “I dropped out of high school…
PONTOTOC COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Pontotoc County teenager is dead and another teen is in jail. 17-year-old Dalton Wages is charged with murder. Sheriff Leo Mask says 17-year-old Matthew Westmoreland was shot to death on Morris Lane. Mask tells WCBI there was a party with alcohol involved at the home. Deputies learned there was a fight and then gunfire….
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Questions over the maintenance of a Columbus cemetery unearth further questions about its ownership. At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Columbus resident and attorney Nicole Clinkscales approached the Council about the upkeep of Sandfield and Union Cemeteries. Union is privately owned, and the City cannot perform maintenance there, but Sandfield has long been under the city’s…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Sheriff’s office hopes community members will speak up about illegal activity in their neighborhoods. The department is hosting a community meeting in response to the recent increase in gun violence and drug activity in the county. The meeting will be held Thursday at 6:00 pm at the life center at Charity Full Gospel…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Starkville Public library celebrates the “freedom to read” for National Banned Books Week. The national effort represents an effort to respond to challenges libraries face and the attempt to ban books from libraries, schools, and bookstores. It also encourages the freedom to support ideas without fear of censorship. Today, the public library hosted a Banned…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Trash day in Starkville may be turned over to a private contractor. The Board of Alderman agreed to ask for bids for waste pick-up in the city. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board voted for rfps. That stands for request for proposals. State law requires cities to take bids from businesses before reaching a contractual agreement…
CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A water leak is prompting a Boil Water Notice for customers of the Big Creek Water Association in Calhoun County. All customers on County Roads 309 and 311 and those on County Road 308 between the intersection of 309 and 311 need to boil their water for at least one minute before use. Categories: Local…
WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) – ArbaBlox plans to build a new pallet blocks manufacturing facility in Winona creating 41 new jobs. The Mississippi Development Authority made the announcement this morning. ArbaBlox will invest more than $51 million in the plant. The company plans to use sawmill residuals from Biewer Lumber to make its composite wood pallet blocks. This will be the…
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – West Point police continue to search for a missing man. 32-year-old Cortez Pratt was last seen on North Jackson Street this past Sunday. Pratt was wearing blue shorts and a t-shirt, along with flip-flops. He is about five foot, 11 inches, and weighs 220 pounds. West Point Police Chief Avery Cook says Pratt now has…
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Miss (WCBI)- Crews are breathing some new life into old scams across the area. The Carroll and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices are warning residents about gravel and asphalt scammers. According to the sheriff’s office, the alleged scammers are preying mainly on elderly residents by offering work for a small fee and then demanding more money using threatening tactics,…
PITTSBORO, MISS. (WCBI) – Juniors and seniors in Calhoun County schools had a chance to visit with area business professionals and college recruiters. It was part of an annual career and college fair. Albany Industries was busy at the career fair, recruiting for its soon to be opened plant in Calhoun County. “This is next generation, of not just Albany,…
RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A social media post threatening a school shooting at a Rankin County High School lands a girl in jail. This is according to our news partner WLBT. A spokesperson for the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office says a Northwest Rankin High School student under the age of 18 made a threat toward her school on Instagram….
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State University is showcasing the talents of women in leadership roles on campus and in the community. The university’s office of Human Resources Management hosted a panel discussion today featuring female leaders at MSU and Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. They each shared experiences in their respective roles and offered advice about navigating the academic, political,…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI)- Mississippi’s attorney general is joining a league of other A-G’s in opposition to a recent decision by credit card companies to track gun and ammunition sales. This is according to our statewide news partner WLOX. In early September, the Internation Standards Organization approved a New merchant Copy Code to track guns and ammunition sales. This is according…
Categories: In the Kitchen Tags: Cooking, Special Guest
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Nearly a dozen students were reportedly involved in a brawl at Columbus High this morning. Parents say the school briefly went on lockdown during the melee. City leaders were told nine students were taken into custody. Columbus firefighters were on the scene because pepper spray was used to break up the fights. Interim School Superintendent, Dr….
NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An attempted murder trial begins in Noxubee County. Jeraldine Campbell is also charged with armed robbery. Campbell is accused of shooting Bobby Hibbler in July 2020 at a home on Grissom Road. Hibbler was shot in the head during the ordeal. Prosecutors called him and an investigator to the stand today. Campbell’s trial is expected…