United Way Director gives update on annual giving campaign

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Thanks to you it works for all of us. It’s one of the former mottos of the United Way, but it still holds true. Today, the executive director of the United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Counties gave community and business leaders an update on the organization’s annual campaign. One of the areas of emphasis has…

Mississippi Highway Patrol seeking certified law officers for upcoming class

For the first time, MHP will hold a cadet class for law officers

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Highway Patrol is looking for cadets for its next class, but this class will only be for those who are certified police officers. Orientation meetings will be held at local MHP Troop substations for anyone interested in applying for Cadet Class 66. Unlike other classes, this upcoming class is only for current or former law…

MSDH reporting new daily record of 7,079 COVID-19 cases

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – For the second day in a row, Mississippi sets a new daily COVID-19 record. The state department of health is reporting  7,079 new cases today, along with eight deaths. That’s 487 more cases than yesterday’s record-breaking numbers. 785 people are hospitalized with the virus. 170 patients are in I.C.U.’s across the state. Health leaders report there…

Winston County has a new EMA Director, Jimbo Lovorn

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Winston County has a new EMA Director. The board of supervisors voted to appoint Jimbo Lovorn to the post. Lovorn has been a deputy with the Winston County Sheriff’s Department for at least a decade. There he worked his way up through the ranks as a patrolman and left as an investigator. Lovorn replaces Buddy…

Starkville’s Fire Chief named State Director of Fire Chiefs

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville’s Fire Chief is getting region-wide recognition. Chief Charles Yarbrough has been named the State Director of Fire Chiefs for the state of Mississippi by the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs. As state director, Yarbrough will oversee over 900 departments across the state. He will serve as a go-between for local departments and the Fire Chief’s…

Warming shelter, clothing donations among Golden Triangle’s efforts to help those in need before freezing weather

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday night, the Golden Triangle Regional Homeless Coalition opened its temporary warming shelter in anticipation of the freezing temperatures expected to hit the area. “There’s children, there’s elderly, there are people with disabilities that just cannot make it on the streets,” says Susan Garton, the coalition’s vice president. The shelter inside the Propst Park Recreational Building…

Lowndes County Sheriff fears meth lab discovery will be first of many with key ingredients available over the counter

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department says it found the remnants of a meth lab. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins says deputies found the various jars, bottles and chemicals near Robinson Road at around 8:30 a.m. For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department found the…

Chickasaw County community raising funds for new fire station

The Thorn VFD is entering the final phase of its building project for its new station

THORN, MISS. (WCBI) – It’s been twenty years in the making, but a Chickasaw County community is closer to getting a much-needed new headquarters for its Volunteer Fire Department. The theme for the Thorn Volunteer Fire Department is “Serving God and Mankind.”  Chief Andy Harmon says a new, larger fire station will help the department fulfill its mission. “We are…

Local pharmacist suggest various vitamins to boost immune system

Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) – The U.S. has now reached 1 million COVID cases daily. With the most recent omicron variant, people are wanting to know what are symptoms they should watch for and what makes this variant different from the rest. Robert White, a pharmacist at Robert’s Apothecary, says that over-the-counter medicines such as zinc, elderberry, and vitamin C, can…

Webster County EMA retiring after 4 decades of service

WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Webster County’s Emergency 911 Center Director is hanging up his headset after 4 decades as a first responder. Jimmy McLemore took over Webster County 9-1-1 in 2008, after spending 27 years as a police officer. McLemore has seen the agency through several changes in the last 14 years, including improved digital equipment and a mapping…

Mississippi sets new daily record with COVID-19 cases

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi sets a new daily COVID-19 case record with more than 6,500 people testing positive. The state department of health is reporting 6,592 new cases. That is the new positive test since the old record was set last year on August 20th with 5,048 cases. 742 people are hospitalized with the virus. That is the most…

Police are investigating an afternoon shooting in Columbus’ southside

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An afternoon shootout shakes up a Columbus neighborhood. According to Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton, police were called to the 600 block of Sixth Street South around 3:30 this afternoon. Witnesses told police that two people were shooting at each other at opposite ends of the street. One person later arrived at Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden…

Baptist Memorial Hospital asks people not go to the emergency room for COVID testing

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- If you are looking to get tested for COVID-19, do not go to the emergency room. That’s the message Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle released on Wednesday. With a record number of patients diagnosed with COVID, wait times for patients are increasing. That’s including patients with emergency needs. If you are experiencing non-life-threatening COVID symptoms, Baptist…

‘Friend of God’ Ministries helps women find freedom from addictions

Ministry was started by a law officer who saw the need for a program for women

MONROE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – A Monroe County ministry is making a lasting difference in the lives of women looking to break the cycle of addiction. Every Tuesday, Smithville Baptist Church hosts a Bible study for “Friend of God’ Ministries. The Amory-based group was started four years ago by a local law enforcement officer who saw the need for a long-term,…