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Local News

Columbus gets ready to celebrate 25 years of Juneteenth

It's a celebration of freedom; for the second year Juneteenth is being recognized as a national holiday
Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s a celebration of freedom; for the second year, Juneteenth is being recognized as a national holiday. Organizers of festivities in Columbus have been celebrating Juneteenth long before it became an official holiday. Lowndes County supervisor Leroy Brooks has helped organize the Juneteenth celebration in Columbus all 25 years. He said it started small, but got bigger…

Lawsuit
Local News

Lowndes County has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit

MorrisAdmin,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against former board president Harry Sanders. A long-time employee of Lowndes County filed the suit against the Supervisor and in turn, the county. Cynthia Thompson, the county’s administrative secretary, filed the federal suit against Sanders more than a year ago. All parties agreed to the settlement terms…

School Money
Local News

Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District updating and improving

Joey Barnes,

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) – Kids are out for summer vacation, and educators are preparing and repairing for the new school year. Open ceilings, unfinished floors, and materials out in the open. The Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District is updating and improving. “The money that was set aside for construction is just monumental for us because we have not been able to…

Terrance Moore
Crime, Local News

Vernon man will spend 15 years in prison for elder abuse

Joey Barnes,

VERNON, Ala. (WCBI) – A Vernon man will spend 15 years in prison for elder abuse. 30-year-old Terrance Moore was found guilty of assaulting a 70-year-old woman. Prosecutors say Moore parked in front of the woman’s house for about half an hour in July 2020 but he did not know her. He became angry after the victim walked outside to…

Javarion Davis
Crime, Local News

Search for stolen guns and other items continues in Columbus

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The search for stolen guns from the Columbus Police Department, as another arrest, is made. 18-year-old Javarion Davis is charged with felony taking of a motor vehicle and auto burglary. He remains in the Lowndes County jail. Five juveniles have now been arrested in the investigation. Their names cannot be released because of their age. More…

Louisville Pd Pic
Crime, Featured, Local News

Louisville hopes city-wide emergency curfew can help police get more illegal guns off the street

Joey Barnes,

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday night, Louisville issued a city-wide emergency curfew, effective immediately, as high rates of gun violence continue in the small town. Mayor Will Hill says the Board of Aldermen has been discussing the possibility of a curfew for several months. “Guns, fully loaded 30-round magazines,” says Cpt. Mike Perkins, lead investigator for the Louisville Police Department….

Allie Story
Featured, Local News

Future police officers learn about crime scene processing

Cadets are taught importance of securing and preserving crime scenes
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Future police officers are learning how to secure and process a crime scene.  It is one of the many topics cadets at the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center are studying during their twelve week training. For this class, Officer Rachel Carver, a training officer with the Oxford Police Department, has set up a mock crime…

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Local News

Being a volunteer firefighter comes with an unexpected cost

Gas prices are hitting new records worldwide
Joey Barnes,

OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI)- People say something about it everyday now and it seems to only be getting worse. Gas prices are hitting new records worldwide. Those prices are impacting people differently; especially local volunteers. People that give their time like volunteer firefighters are also having to endure those prices to help those in their community; like Kenny Hall. Hall was…

Oxford Police Make A Quick Arrest In A Morning Shooting
Crime, Local News

Oxford police make a quick arrest in a morning shooting

Joey Barnes,

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Oxford police make a quick arrest in a morning shooting. 69-year-old Michael Burt is charged with aggravated assault. OPD says the victim was shot in the leg in the 300 block of Dede Drive at about 10:44 AM. Investigators questioned two people but arrested Burt. Police did recover a weapon at a nearby home. Burt’s bond…

Mayor Presser
Local News

Columbus city employees will be seeing extra cash this summer

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It may not be an actual raise, but Columbus city employees will be seeing some extra cash this Summer. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Columbus City Council approved spending about $720,000 of ARPA money to provide incentive pay for city employees. The idea has been brought up a number of times since an accounting error during…

crime
Crime, Local News

Four arrest made after Columbus police car was broken into

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – An update on the burglary of a Columbus police officer’s cruiser. Four arrests have been made, so far, and some items have been recovered. Police Chief Fred Shelton says one adult and three juveniles are charged in the case. No names or specific charges are being released at this time. Shelton tells WCBI that two vests,…

Tax Crimes
Crime, Local News

Three woman facing various fraud charges related to tax returns

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Three women are facing various fraud charges related to tax returns. Erica Sherrod faces 14 counts of fraudulent statements, four counts of fraudulent use of an ID, and one count of computer fraud. Patricia Pratt is charged with five counts of fraudulent statements, four counts of tax evasion, two fraudulent use of an ID, and one…

Rifle Pic
Crime, Featured, Local News

Columbus Police look to change weapons policy after officer’s assault rifle stolen from car

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus Police and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate after someone stole an assault rifle, handgun, two bullet-proof vests and 500 rounds of ammunition from an unmarked CPD car. Police Chief Fred Shelton says that so far, there is no evidence that suspects targeted this officer but adds that it is still early in…

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Local News

Two people have been arrested for burglary and theft while allegedly having sex in a church

Investigators in Winston County and Louisiville say a local couple stole a van, then broke in a church
Joey Barnes,

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Investigators in Winston County and Louisiville say a local couple stole a van, then broke in a church. If stealing wasn’t bad enough, law officers say the couple also were intimate in the sanctuary. It all started late Thursday night when the Louisville Police responded to a call about a van stolen from Lake Tiak O’Khata. Four…

Img 2128
Featured, Local News

Toyota Mississippi donates $75,000 to Girl Scouts

Money will be used for a mobile STEAM lab
Allie Martin,

BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – Toyota Mississippi wrapped up the preview of the Visitor Center with a big donation to the Girl Scouts. Toyota donated $75,000  to the Girl Scouts Heart of the South.  The money will pay for a Highlander and a trailer. The mobile learning lab is dubbed the “STEAM” machine, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art,…

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Featured, Local News

Toyota Mississippi opens visitor’s center

Toyota Mississippi Experience Center provides unique look at auto manufacturing process
Allie Martin,

BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – Toyota Mississippi is giving visitors a look at the manufacturing process, with a state of the art interactive visitor’s center. “The Toyota Experience Center is a great opportunity for us to share what we do here at the Blue Springs plant,” said Toyota Mississippi President David Fernandes. He says the 15,000 square foot workforce training…

Wcbi Default
Crime, Local News

Doctor from Golden, Miss. convicted of Tax Evasion

Eric Lampkin,

GOLDEN, Miss. (WCBI) – 6 years of not paying taxes will cost a Golden doctor almost 3 years in jail and nearly a million dollars in restitution. In March of this year, Doctor Kevin Crandell of Golden was convicted of Tax Evasion in Federal Court in Oxford. The former Emergency Room physician reportedly earned $30,000 to $40,000 a month but…

New Leadership
Local News

MUW hosting the NEW Leadership Mississippi Summer Institute

Eric Lampkin,

MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN, Miss. (WCBI) – The nation’s first publicly supported university for women continues its mission to encourage young women to take on leadership roles in the public arena. Mississippi University for Women is hosting the NEW Leadership Mississippi Summer Institute. NEW Leadership is a bipartisan effort to address the under-representation of women in national politics. The Summer…

Michael Watson
Local News, State News

Secretary of State visits Starkville polling locations during primary elections

Joey Barnes,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Secretary of State Michael Watson visits Starkville polling locations during this election. Watson talked with poll workers at two precincts. Turnout is expected to be low for today’s primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. Watson believes it’s important for him and his staff to be seen on election day, making sure laws are being…

Arpa Water Pic
Featured, Local News

Lowndes County Board of Supervisors looking to upgrade water and sewer services with ARPA money

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors held a workshop Monday to discuss the use of their pandemic relief funds. The Board has elected to spend $10 million of their American Rescue Plan Act funding under the revenue loss category, which allows them to spend money on typical government services. Upgrading local water and sewer services is…

Hearing Camp
Local News

Kids explore new communication methods at Camp TNT

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Some area kids are exploding with new communication connections at Camp TNT Talking In Turner or TNT is a first-of-its-kind camp at Mississippi University for Women’s Speech and Hearing Center. Camp TnT is for children with augmentative and alternative communication. Campers focus on language development and social interaction through games, crafts, storytime, and songs. Parents and…

Money
Local News

Inflation in prices have hit an all time high

MorrisAdmin,

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Whether it’s gas, clothes, or even eggs at your local grocery store you have probably seen a rise in prices everywhere you shop. That steady climb in prices is having an effect on what and how people are buying. Our T’Keeyah Cummings talks to some area residents about how they’re managing. You can see it…