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Local News

A local historian presents lost treasures of Mississippi and Alabama

An expert in history drew a crowd on Wednesday at The Columbus Lowndes Public Library
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- An expert in history drew a crowd on Wednesday at The Columbus Lowndes Public Library. Jim Phillips love of show and tell started years ago. Phillips travels throughout Mississippi and Alabama showing off small treasures he’s collected over the years. “When I was at the University of Alabama, I graduated in 1971 with a undergraduate degree I got…

City Council
Local News

Columbus mayor updates citizens on several projects and police chief search

What's Next for the City of Columbus?
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus city leaders are looking for ways to move forward with several projects and the search for a new police chief. Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin took time out Wednesday morning to update the public on some of the issues facing the city and plans to address them. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the City Council voted to…

Embezzlement
Crime, Local News

Former MDHS employee pleads guilty to mishandling department funds

Eric Lampkin,

HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A former employee with the Mississippi Department of Human Services pleads guilty to mishandling Department funds. Lashanda Feazell was charged with Embezzlement after an investigation by the MDHS Investigations Division. Feazell was accused of using the agency’s credit card to pay her personal cellphone bill to the tune of just over $5,700 between August 2018…

Justin Nixon
Crime, Local News

Murder trial in Oktibbeha County ended in a mistrial

MorrisAdmin,

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A murder trial in Oktibbeha has ended in a mistrial. The jury was seated Monday in the case against James Dustin Nixon. But Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens says he had to declare a mistrial. Kitchens said testimony on Tuesday revealed that the State Medical Examiner’s office had evidence that neither the defense nor the district…

Ladarius Tompkins
Crime, Local News

Man tried to run over worker sent to repossess his car

MorrisAdmin,

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a dangerous job. That’s what one repo man found out in Noxubee County. Noxubee County Sheriff Tommy Roby says a man working for a repossession firm was trying to recover a vehicle near Highway 14 West and Mt. Mariah Road. That’s when the sheriff says the suspect, 24-year-old Ladarius Tompkins tried to run down…

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Featured, Local News

Unique business allows customers to hang out with cats looking for forever homes

"Twisted Whisker Cat Cafe' opens in Tupelo this week
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A new business in Tupelo allows customers to have a refreshment, do some work, or hang out with friends, surrounded by cats, that are up for adoption. Marcie and Connor Harper are cat lovers, so when they visited Chattanooga and saw a Cat Cafe, they had to drop in. “We loved the experience, it was great,”…

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Local News

A 2003 cold case reopened- arrests a suspect

Clay spent years not knowing who committed the crime; until she came across detective Ramirez Ivy
Joey Barnes,

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- For law enforcement officers, working a cold case takes a lot of time and going over every detail of every piece of evidence; all to bring the suspect to justice and closure to the victims and their families. That persistence has paid off for a West Point woman, and the investigator who helped find her suspected…

Aberdeen Courthouse
Featured, Local News

Aberdeen mayor says fixing decades-old mold problem at federal courthouse will boost city economy

Joey Barnes,

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Renovations to the Thomas G. Abernethy Federal Building in Aberdeen got underway Wednesday to fix mold issues that date back to at least 1992. “They will change the windows, they will go in and do abatement to clean out the mold situation and they will upgrade the technical part of the building,” says Aberdeen Mayor Charles…

Walk Ons Opening
Local News

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is officially open for business

Eric Lampkin,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s opening day for Starkville’s newest sports bar. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is officially open for business. The latest addition to the Starkville hospitality scene is on the Highway 12 bypass next to LaQuinta Inn. Walk-On’s features over 80 TV screens to catch all of the latest sports, and the restaurant has nearly 200 people on the…

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Featured, Local News, News Team

Starkville PD honors trailblazer who passed away

Joey Barnes,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A late Starkville police officer who broke barriers and became a trailblazer in her career is honored by her former agency. In the early sixties, Margaret Wade joined the department and became SPD’s first female parking enforcement officer, amongst other roles. She eventually took over as administrative assistant for the department, responsible for payroll and budgeting,…

Agg Assault
Crime, Local News

Three people facing charges in Oktibbeha County after man was beaten

MorrisAdmin,

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Three people are facing charges in Oktibbeha County after a man was beaten over the weekend. Tommie Wren Junior, Stacy Jones, and April Kellum are charged with aggravated assault in the case. Investigators tell WCBI deputies responded to a home on Sturgis West Point Road shortly after 3:00 Sunday morning. A victim who had been…

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Low income home energy assistance program available for Mississippians

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Rising summer temperatures can often lead to costly energy bills. But a program in Mississippi is helping families beat the heat. The Mississippi Department of Human Services announces the low-income home energy assistance program. LI-HEAP provides funding assistance to eligible households. And there are a few options up for request like home energy bills, energy crisis, and…

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Local News

MAFES celebrates Ice Cream Day

Eric Lampkin,

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s one of our favorite days around WCBI , July 15th is National Ice Cream Day. And at Mississippi State University, the MAFES Sales Store was celebrating by giving away about 1500 cups of the sweet treat. Most folks know the MAFES store for its Edam Cheese, but it also has a variety of…

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Local News

Lowndes County and DHS working on building lease

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County and a state agency are working together to clear up some confusion over property. For over a decade the Mississippi Department of Human Services in Lowndes County has been operating rent-free in a county-owned building. According to supervisors, after the building was destroyed by a tornado and rebuilt, DHS moved back in and not…

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Featured, Local News, News Team

Observing Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Joey Barnes,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- National minority mental health awareness month is observed each July to cast a light on the unique struggles racial and ethnic minority communities face with mental health issues. “This month is particularly designed to bring awareness and acknowledge issues concerning mental health and substance abuse disorders that lie within minority communities. Especially black, indigenous, and people…

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Featured, Local News

Mississippi Coding Academies training up programmers and software developers in the Golden Triangle

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Friday, the Mississippi Coding Academies Golden Triangle campus celebrated the graduation of their 2021-2022 class of coders. The 11-month tuition-free program teaches students the programming skills to create a website, app or even a video game from scratch. “There are always going to be positions opening up for coders, programmers, developers,” says coding instructor Jessika Hayes. This…

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Featured, Local News

Altex Tube spending over $100 million to build headquarters & manufacturing plant in Lowndes County

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Governor Tate Reeves and other local leaders gathered to toss the ceremonial shovels of dirt at the site of the new Altex Tube manufacturing plant Thursday morning. Between this move, Milwaukee Tool coming to Grenada and Columbia Industries on the way to Starkville, more and more companies are moving to Mississippi, investing millions of dollars in…

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Featured, Local News

Governor Reeves on plans for supporting Mississippi women and children in wake of Roe v. Wade

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves fielded questions from local reporters Thursday on his plans for the state following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The governor praised Mississippi’s role in ending the Constitutional right to an abortion but now, Governor Reeves says he wants to focus on creating a “culture of life.” “When we…