Tupelo beauty supply robbery suspect denied bond

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A robbery suspect in Tupelo won’t be going anywhere any time soon. A Tupelo Municipal Court Judge has denied bond for 18-year-old Cajmion Johnson. Johnson is accused of robbing Nabor Beauty Supply on South Gloster Street in Tupelo Wednesday night. Working on a tip from an area resident Police located Johnson at the Town House Motel…

Firefighters investigating morning house fire in Eupora

EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) – Firefighters are still investigating a morning house fire in Eupora. The blaze happened about 8 AM in the 1,300 block of Adams Avenue. Firemen saw smoke coming from the roof when they arrived. They say the unique brick structure of the house home held in heat, making it hard to extinguish. The owner was not home…

Winter storm on the way

SUMMARY: After a mild and dry Friday, rain will begin to move by Saturday afternoon. A powerful area of low pressure will move through the south Saturday night and Sunday, drawing in cold air and changing the rain to snow for many locations during the day Sunday. Accumulating snow looks likely for much of the area! Any snow will melt…

Some Golden Triangle restaurants using temporary shutdowns to relieve overworked employees during Omicron surge

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – While tables are full at restaurants like Harvey’s in Columbus, it’s a different story in the kitchen. “We’ve definitely felt staffing shortages,” Eat With Us Group Sales and Marketing Director Jordan Tarter says. “We’ve had to shut down a couple of stores every once in a while just so we could give our team a break,…

Professionals “ignite” their leadership skills during conference

The Ignite Conference featured a former Navy Seal and an Olympic Gold Medalist

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – An Olympic gold medalist, a former Navy Seal commander, and a best selling author shared the stage during a leadership conference in Tupelo. It didn’t take long before former Navy Seal Commander Rorke Denver had some audience participation in his presentation. Denver was one of three speakers at this year’s “IGNITE” conference, organized by   Tupelo’s Community…

Rural hospitals face pandemic woes as Covid-19 cases surge

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s still unknown of the long-term effects of the Omicron surge towards healthcare are. But the short-term prognosis is bleak. COVID-19 cases are once again slamming rural medical facilities, leaving many with stretched resources for treating severely ill patients. People are becoming infected at staggering rates. And the availability of critical care is narrowing. Health professionals…

United Way asks donors to give clothes in good condition

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An apartment complex in Columbus caught on fire last week across from Lee park. Members of the United Way are welcoming the community to donate clothes to the fire victims. Members ask that anyone who plans on donating to please make sure the clothes are washed and also be sure that the clothes are the appropriate…

School decides to learn remotely after rise in COVID numbers

LAMAR COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) -Lamar county schools have decided to switch to at home learning starting from last Thursday until Tuesday the 18th. They decided that this was the safest plan after there was a surge of COVID-19 numbers in the area last Monday and Tuesday. Teachers prepared their students with pencil and paper packets with previous learning material that…

Renovation project breathing new life into Downtown Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A project that’s breathing new life into an old hotel in Downtown Columbus is about 75% complete. The years-long renovation kicked into high gear last year and will be a mixed-use space featuring 9 retail spaces on the ground floor and 18 apartments on the upper level. With most of the structural work done, Chris Chain,…

Oktibbeha Co. Humane Society honoring legendary Betty White

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Oktibbeha County Humane Society is giving you the chance to be a pet owner while honoring the legendary Betty White. The “Betty White Challenge” is viral across the internet and the U-S and now Oktibehha County Humane Society is joining in. OCHS is hosting a Betty White Challenge adoption event now through Saturday. All…

Columbus bank robbery suspect remains in jail

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus bank robbery suspect remains in jail. Police Chief Fred Shelton says J.R. Edwards was out on bond when he was arrested earlier this week. This means Edwards will stay at the Lowndes County Adult Detection Center. The attached video is from Monday morning just after the hold-up at Trustmark Bank. Shelton says Edwards was…

Mardi Gras coming to Aberdeen in February

Four day celebration features family-friendly fun

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – Preparations are underway for a huge celebration in one Monroe County city. As soon as Christmas was over, Neil Palmer started decorating for Mardi Gras. “Mardi Gras is just a fun holiday, let the good times roll,” Palmer said. Palmer is one of the organizers for this year’s Mardi Gras Celebrations in Aberdeen. “This is a fun…

MSU to make changes to their MLK celebrations

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State University will once again host its annual MLK day celebration virtually. The event will be held in the gallery of the Mill Conference Center this year. The guest speaker of the day will be Angela Turner Ford. Other speakers include MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum and Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. The MSU Black Voices…

West Point to hold MLK march through town with program at the end

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Organizers of the West Point Martin Luther King Day celebration still plan to host an event this year – just in a different way. The event usually features a march through town that ends with a program. Event coordinator Anna Jones says, because of COVID restrictions, this year they will have a motorcade. They will…

Investigators trying to determine cause of Lowndes County house fire

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators are trying to determine what caused a house fire in Lowndes County overnight. Family members called 911 when they discovered the fire in their home on Honnoll Mill Road. Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Neil Austin says crews from the District 1 fire department responded around 3 o’clock this morning. When they got there, the…

U.S. Postal Inspection Service released artist sketch of Vaiden robbery suspect

VAIDEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service release an artist’s sketch of the suspect in the Vaiden Post Office Robbery. The PIS is offering a reward of up to 50 thousand dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who committed that robbery. The Vaiden Post Office was robbed Saturday morning around…