COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- On a national scale, Mississippi ranks last in a lot of categories but the Magnolia State is number one in obesity rates. 2020 data from the CDC shows Mississippi with an obesity rate of 39.7% compared to Colorado’s 24.2% which ranks at the bottom of the list. The CDC’s study says that no state was over 25%…
JACKSON, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – Mississippians receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see their benefits increase twenty-one percent (21%) over pre-pandemic benefit levels effective October 1, 2021. SNAP serves over 421,000 individuals in Mississippi each month, providing food assistance to financially eligible households. This increase in SNAP benefits is separate from the additional pandemic supplementary benefits…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Friday, the Board of Trustees for Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning voted to prohibit the state’s public universities from requiring their students and staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine, except in clinical settings. This comes exactly one week after the Mississippi State Faculty Senate voted in favor of a vaccine mandate at the school. “That a board…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- The Starkville-Oktibbeha School District is awarded $100,000 for new technology in the classroom. It’s part of Governor Tate Reeves Emergency Education Relief Grant. Part of that money put 25 cameras and microphones at two schools. The devices are expected to improve learning experiences for students. But, these resources will help in other areas too. Educators tell…
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – The longtime director for the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association is stepping down after thirty years on the job. It may be her last full week on the job as director of Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, but Debbie Brangenberg is busy. On this day, before lunch, she was going over DTMSA business with Lucia Randle,…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Recently released state test scores show a significant drop in student performance – and the pandemic may be part of the problem. The Mississippi Department of Education today released results from the 2020-21 state tests. They show a more than 12% drop in math scores from 2019 and a 6.7% drop in ELA scores. MDE leaders say…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – After being grounded in 2020, Wings Over Columbus is preparing for take-off in 2022. Lieutenant Colonel Rory Klepper briefed Columbus business and community leaders about the return of the popular airshow. The 20-22 edition of Wings Over Columbus will be on March 26th and 27th. Klepper says they are planning a return to a traditional in-person…
MONGOMERY, Ala. (WCBI)- Health care treatment, educational services, and prison re-sentencing are on the agenda for the upcoming special session called by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. The main items on the agenda are a bond bill and sentencing standards. The Alabama governor released a statement saying, “I am pleased and extremely hopeful that we are finally positioned to address our…
CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Some folks think of this as Pumpkin Spice Season, but in Mississippi, it’s Sweet Potato Season. Sweet potato farmers across North Mississippi are taking advantage of the Fall-like weather to begin this year’s harvest. Demand is still good for the crop, which has long been the root of Calhoun County’s farm economy. But this year’s…
LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday night, the Louisville Board of Aldermen voted to fire Officer Ty Hardin of the Louisville Police Department for multiple violations of city and police department rules. “The accusations are still under investigation and most likely, we’re going to pass this on to an outside agency,” says Louisville Police Chief Sean Holdiness. That’s where Chief Holdiness…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Counties across the United States are receiving money from the Federal Government through the American Rescue Plan Act. For Lowndes County, the goal is to use the money wisely and make improvements where county leaders see fit. A pot of roughly $65 billion dollars was distributed in different chunks to each county in the United States….
BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – Many of the team members at Toyota Mississippi have spent the past three weeks giving back to the community. During the production shutdown, team members were given three options; they could take paid time off, take days with no pay, or come to the plant where volunteer opportunities would be provided for them. On Wednesday afternoon, …
BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (WCBI) – A three-week production shutdown at Toyota Mississippi will soon be coming to an end. On a regular workday, the track on the west side of the Blue Springs plant would be busy, as Corollas are test-driven. But for the past three weeks, there has been no activity on the track. Toyota announced a temporary production…
OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI) – A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of an Okolona man earlier this week. 27-year-old D’Marcus Darden has been charged with the murder of 43-year-old Tavares Williams. Assistant Police Chief Sherry Hardin says the shooting happened Monday afternoon at the Okolona Terrace Apartments. Chief Hardin said Williams drove onto Fleming Street, where he…
ATTALLA/CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – We are learning new details about a car theft ring investigation that could span across two states. Now, the FBI is also investigating the case. The second suspect arrested in the case is Johnny Carter. He’s charged with burglary and felony taking of a motor vehicle in Kosciusko. Carter is charged with burglary and receiving…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a key theme in Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin’s campaign, getting a full understanding of the city’s finances. City leaders take one step closer to that today. They interviewed representatives from a firm that is being considered to conduct a forensic audit of Columbus’ books. Gaskin’s goal is to have 2 firms make their pitches…
PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) – Four people have been arrested after several burglaries in Pickens County. Marty Moore, Thomas Lawson, Angela Chappelle, and Jaime Pierce are all facing charges. Sheriff Todd Hall says deputies made the arrests at a Liberty Road home after a month-long investigation. Investigators found a large amount of drugs, drug paraphernalia, and some stolen items were…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation launched their new website for people to report suspected cases of human trafficking. “This is modern-day slavery,” says Assistant Police Chief Doran Johnson of the Columbus Police Department. “This does happen and it’s happening closer than where we think it’s happening. It’s happening…
CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Teon Garrett of Huntsville, Alabama is charged with felony fleeing, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of stolen property, and resisting arrest. Those are the charges in Choctaw County. In Oktibbeha County, Garrett is charged with felony fleeing and receiving stolen property. He also faces charges in Kosciusko. The investigation started after six…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Businesses are looking to hire again, and people who have been out of the workforce for a while are looking to get back in. While that may sound like a recipe for success for local employers and job recruiters, some new trends are emerging. Many returning workers are being more selective about the jobs that they…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- After Lowndes County deputy Adam Honsinger and his wife discovered their 3-year-old son Sawyer was diagnosed with Leukemia, the community quickly stepped in to provide support. The Honsinger family has been staying in Memphis for Sawyer’s treatment for about two months. During that time Sheriff Eddie Hawkins and president of the Community Benefit Committee Rhonda Sanders…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tow truck drivers removed two cars from a three-car collision just before noon. It happened about an hour earlier, around 11 a.m. The drivers of three vehicles crashed traveling eastbound on Highway 82 in Columbus. The accident happened between the exits for Military Road and 18th Avenue. All three drivers were taken to the hospital. “There…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – You could soon be paying to park in downtown Starkville with your phone. Aldermen will consider advertising for a paid parking solution at tonight’s meeting. The areas under consideration are from Montgomery Street at University Drive to campus, and to Russell, Lampkin Streets, Maxwell, Paige, and Adkerson Way. Mayor Lynn Spruill says the city will not…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Most people are familiar with services like Door Dash or Grubhub to get food delivered to their door. Mississippi passed a bill to allow liquor stores to offer that same service on July 1, 2021. The bulldog package store in Starkville started the service last weekend and anticipates more traction in the coming weeks. Store owner Ashley…