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Featured, Local News

Aberdeen merchants hoping for a robust Christmas shopping season

Business owners say planning and preparation are key to a strong Christmas season
Allie Martin,

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Businesses are gearing up for the Christmas shopping season, even as they deal with nationwide supply chain issues. The shelves are fully stocked at “Ashley’s Boutique and Gifts”. Owner Ashley Patterson says if recent trends are any indication, this Christmas shopping season will be big. “We had a wonderful Christmas last year, I think it was…

Apt
Local News

Oak Manor apartments declared a menace to safety and welfare

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus councilmen are moving forward with plans to demolish some apartment buildings. Oak Manor apartments were declared a menace to safety and welfare by city leaders this week. City inspection department employees reported many buildings were damaged and not in code. About 18 units are occupied in the 10 building complex. Some council members did give…

Alumni
Featured, Local News

Starkville high school celebrates its 50th year of being fully integrated

Joey Barnes,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District celebrates a milestone. Starkville High School is celebrating its 50th year of being fully integrated. Students from Henderson High School transferred to Starkville High in 1971. With several changes already taking place in the community, the class shares the historic start to their school year. The photos may be black and white—but…

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Local News

Mark Keenum will remain president at Mississippi State University

Aundrea Self,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mark Keenum will remain president at Mississippi State University – at least for another four years. The state college board today renewed Keenum’s contract through June 2025. Keenum is being paid 400-thousand a year from the state and another 400-thousand from the private MSU Foundation. The foundation is authorized to pay him up to 800-thousand. He…

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Featured, Local News

Is it allergies or COVID-19?

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- A frequent question many people may ask themselves this fall will be “is it allergies or COVID?” Health experts say some of the symptoms and signs may overlap such as sore throat and runny nose. Research suggests One symptom you can identify as covid is loss of taste and smell. Even if you are fully vaccinated, Dr….

Groundbreaking
Local News

Developers held groundbreaking ceremony in Starkville today

Joey Barnes,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville shoppers are ready to bag a deal after hearing the new stores scheduled to open next year. Developers break ground today on the 30 million dollar project. Triangle Crossing Shopping Center will have 92,000 square feet of retail space. It will be located at the old Garan Manufacturing site on Highway 12. Crews have been…

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Crime, Local News

Bond is set for a man accused of sexually abusing a child

Joey Barnes,

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Bond is set for a man accused of sexually abusing a child. 31-year-old Logan Stevenson remains in the Clay County jail on a 1.2 million dollar bond. He’s charged with 12 counts of sexual battery of a minor. His girlfriend, Kristen Lawhead, is charged with hindering prosecution. Her bond is ten thousand dollars. Sheriff Eddie…

Junior Pic
Featured, Local News

Caledonia, Webster Co. football teams come together to help player with special needs score his first touchdown

Joey Barnes,

CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Team sports for most children is an opportunity to learn about working together, supporting one another, and taking the wins and the losses. But for two very young teams – one from Webster County and the other from Caledonia, the lesson learned during one recent game, is that sometimes being kind is the best accomplishment of…

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Local News

Rising prices leave some citizen wondering, what’s going on

Everywhere people look, prices seem to have risen
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Everywhere people look, prices seem to have risen; whether in the grocery stores, restaurants, and even the gas pump. Inflation is nothing new, but the speed at which prices have climbed; had consumers concerned and even irate. “It’s taking me about $60 to fill up my car. Grocery prices, yea, they’ve gone up a good bit. When…

Gaskin
Local News

Columbus City workers may soon work a 4 day week

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus City workers could be in for an extra day off come the first of the year. At its Tuesday night meeting, the Columbus City Council discussed going back to a 4 day work week for city employees. For several years they worked 10-hour shifts 4 days a week. A couple of years ago, the council…

Winston Pw Pay
Featured, Local News, Work Now Initiative

Louisville plywood company seeing record profits after increasing minimum wage nearly 40%

Joey Barnes,

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – At a time when so many businesses continue to deal with the hardships of the pandemic, Winston Plywood and Veneer in Louisville continues to thrive. One of the main reasons? “The best way to compete in this marketplace is to have the best people, and the best people come with a bigger paycheck.” Since July 2020,…

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Local News

BankFirst donated money to improve local soccer club

Ansley Perkins,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A local bank has made a difference in the lives of some soccer players. BankFirst presented a check for 15,000 dollars to the Columbus United Soccer Club. This is the beginning of a three-year partnership to enhance the program. Chief Financial Officer Luke Yeatman presented the check to Tom Velek who is the president of the…

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Local News

Eupora has a new police chief that’s ready to make more progress in the town

The Eupora Police Department has seen a change at the top for the first time in several years
Joey Barnes,

EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI)- The Eupora Police Department has seen a change at the top for the first time in several years. On October 14, 2021, the town announced its new chief, and residents have already embraced the new leader. After chief Gregg Hunter retired from the Eupora police department; town leaders didn’t have to look far to find a new…

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Featured, Local News

Future police officers learn how to respond to active shooter calls

The main objectives are; stop the killing and stop the dying
Allie Martin,

TUPELO,  Miss. (WCBI) – Future police officers are learning how to respond to an active shooter call. For two days, cadets in Class B 68 of the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center have been put through various active shooter scenarios. Their firearms use training ammunition, known as sim rounds.  Non lethal rounds that provide realistic training. The Department of Homeland…

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Featured, Local News

NMMC named ‘Grand Marshal’ for Reed’s Christmas Parade

NMMC chosen for heroic acts by employees during pandemic
Allie Martin,

  TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The North Mississippi Medical Center has been named Grand Marshal of the largest Christmas parade in the region. The ‘Reed’s Christmas Parade’ will take place December 1st in downtown Tupelo.  NMMC was named Grand Marshal because of the heroic work healthcare workers and staff have done over the past year and a half. Jack Reed…

Pole Training
Local News

4-County lineman training on how to preform pole top rescue

Joey Barnes,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Utility crews have a dangerous job and that danger goes beyond when they are connecting service. This is one reason 4-County Electric Power Association has pole top rescue training each year. The training allows linemen to react quickly if there’s an emergency at the top of a power pole. Using a 150-pound dummy, workers must…

Dare
Local News

Starkville students are learning about the DARE program

Eric Lampkin,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Giving students the tools to make smart decisions about their health and lives. That’s what the DARE program has been doing for nearly 40 years. And this year, the program returns to Overstreet Elementary School in Starkville. DARE is a partnership between schools and police departments that teaches students how to resist peer pressure, and to…

Inmate Sad Pic
Crime, Featured, Local News

Monroe Co. Sheriff’s Department’s Restoration Initiative created to help inmates get a job and a second chance

Joey Barnes,

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – On Tuesday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department announced that they received a $20,000 grant for their new Monroe County Restoration Initiative. It is a program aimed at helping inmates and those in addiction recovery programs transition back into the community. “My family stopped talking to me, divorce was on the table. I had to do something,”…

Ema
Local News

Officials encourage residents to prepare for potential severe fall weather

When most people think of severe weather, they think of spring floods and tornado outbreaks
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- When most people think of severe weather, they think of spring floods and tornado outbreaks, but in Mississippi, severe weather doesn’t stick to one season. The National Weather Service in Jackson, MS,  set aside the week of October 18, 2021, as fall severe weather preparedness week. Mississippi’s weather can be volatile. It can go from serene to…

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Featured, Local News

Sanctuary Hospice House provides end of life care regardless of patient’s ability to pay

Tupelo ministry will hold its biggest fundraiser of the year, with "Celebration Village"
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – For families with loved ones who have a terminal illness, choosing end-of-life care can be a daunting task. One Northeast Mississippi ministry is trying to ease that burden. “This is a busy highway, Number 6, and we all drive by here,  a lot of times and see the yellow house and we have no idea what it’s…

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Featured, Local News, State News

The main ingredient for meth will be more accessible in January 2022

Pseudoephedrine is used to treat cold symptoms. But it's also the main ingredient in methamphetamine.
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The number one ingredient used for making meth will be available without a prescription in January. Pseudoephedrine is used in products like Sudafed to treat cold symptoms. This is a decision made by Mississippi lawmakers during the last session. 794. That’s how many meth labs that were working in Mississippi back in 2010. Lowndes County Sheriff…