Very hot through Friday, slightly cooler weekend ahead

SUMMARY: The oppressive summer heat will stick around through Friday, with highs in the mid 90s and feels like temps well over 100. Rain chances will stay isolated. By the weekend, highs drop into the low 90s with scattered to numerous afternoon storms, a nice break from the heat! By next week, rain chances will stay elevated, potentially boosted by…

Columbus police are searching for Caleb Gardner

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus police continue to search for a shooting suspect. Detectives want to talk with 21-year-old Caleb Gardner of Columbus. A car he was believed to be driving at the time has been recovered after last week’s shooting. Call Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers if you know where Gardner is today. The gunfire happened last Thursday at Southside…

Columbus police are searching for suspect involved in shooting cars

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus police are looking for the people that shot up four cars at an apartment complex. Investigators were back at Country Air Apartments, just off of Lehmberg Road, this morning. The shooting happened about 9:45 Tuesday night. Police Chief Fred Shelton says four vehicles were damaged. The suspects ran from the complex but officers did recover…

Staying hot & humid; Watching Fred in the tropics

SUMMARY: Another hot & humid day is ahead for us. A Heat Advisory will once again take effect so make sure you take the proper precautions. We’re also watching rain chances increasing for the weekend & the tropics as we now have Tropical Storm Fred in the Caribbean. TROPICS: We are continuing to watch now Tropical Storm Fred as it’s…

Flight nurses flying farther and farther outside Mississippi to find open ICU beds for patients as COVID-19 fills Golden Triangle hospitals

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The COVID-19 Delta variant is once again causing ICU beds not only in Mississippi but all across the south to fill up fast, impacting all facets of critical care. “The beds are the beds,” says flight nurse Eddie Coats. “If they don’t have them for COVID, they don’t have them for your heart attack (patients) or…

Local restaurants are eager to get employees on their team

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s not a surprise at this point that some restaurants don’t have enough workers. Some places have closed to hire and train people while others have limited their hours. The Eat With Us group oversees 5 restaurant chains and has seen that issue at several of their locations statewide. The restaurant group said working with them…

Salvation Army celebrates “Ambassador for Good Day”

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Throughout the south, the Salvation Army celebrates its “Ambassadors for Good Day” showcasing their work in the community. The Salvation Army in Columbus welcomed local ambassadors Dr. Nora Miller, President of the Mississippi University for women, and Police Chief Fred Shelton to serve community gift boxes and food to the community. The multi-location event highlights work being…

Golden Triangle schools recognized for dedication to reading

COLUMBUS, miss. (WCBI)- Two schools in the Golden Triangle are being recognized by the Mississippi Department of Education for their dedication to reading literacy. Henderson Ward Steward Elementary and Franklin Academy are two of seven programs in the state to be designated as Mississippi’s first Science of Reading Schools. The award highlights each school’s effort to train teachers in “the…

Somewhat cooler weather by the weekend

SUMMARY: Very hot weather sticks around through Friday, with only stray to isolated afternoon and evening showers and storms. Highs will be in the mid 90s, lows in the mid 70s. By the weekend, rain chances increase and highs drop to around 90 degrees. Upper 80s are possible to begin next week as rain chances remain elevated, and could be…

Heat Advisory in effect as a hot & humid Tuesday is ahead

SUMMARY: A Heat Advisory is in effect for all our Mississippi and Alabama counties today as highs will get up to the mid 90s, but with the heat index..it’s going to feel like 105 degrees or more out there. TROPICS: We area continuing to watch Potential Tropical Cyclone Six this morning. It’s likely to become Tropical Storm Fred later on…

Positive work culture helps Starkville-based Camgian stay on the cutting edge of creating defense, financial and industrial software

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Since 2006, Starkville has been home to Camgian Microsystems, an intelligent systems company that prides itself on being on the cutting edge. “We work as hard on innovating the culture in Camgian as we work on innovating new technology,” says founder and CEO Dr. Gary Butler. It’s that mindset that has helped the Pearl, Mississippi native…

MSU Housing Department hopes protocols with keep COVID cases down

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Over the weekend, students have been moving into residence halls on Mississippi State’s campus. With an enrollment of over 22,000 students this year, safety is going to be a challenge. However, the MSU Housing Department said they are confident they can keep those numbers down. “Moving in as a first-time freshman, this is like, the safest…

Typical August weather for the week ahead

SUMMARY: We’re in for quite a hot week ahead across NE MS and West Alabama. Nothing unexpected this time of year, but the heat can still take its toll. Highs will be in the mid 90s for the work week, dropping a bit to the low 90s for the weekend, and around 90 to start next week. Rain chances stay…

Typical summer weather pattern for the new workweek

SUMMARY: We’re going to be sounding like a broken record all week long as we’ll be dealing with a typical summer weather pattern. Hot & humid with highs in the 90s…heat indices in the 100s. Of course…can’t rule out a chance of afternoon showers & storms. MONDAY: A mix of sun & clouds throughout the day. A stray shower in…

Another Hot Week Ahead

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy skies with a low of 74. MONDAY: Partly cloudy skies throughout the day. A stray shower in the later afternoon hours is possible. A high of 94 is expected, with heat indices making it feel 100+ MONDAY NIGHT: Cooling off to a low of 74, with partly cloudy skies. TUESDAY: Partly cloudy skies and a high of…

MS chef wins the 17th annual great american seafood cook-off

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WCBI)- A Mississippi chef wins the 17th annual Great American Seafood Cook-off. Chef Austin Sumrall is the nation’s new King of Seafood. Sumrall participated in the competition in New Orleans with 12 other culinary chefs across the U.S. in 2017, Sumrall opened his restaurant, White Pillars, in Biloxi. He has worked for a number of award-winning restaurants….

One person is in the hospital following the Artesia day festival

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)-A man is in the hospital after being shot following the Artesia Day festival. Deputies found one male victim on Obama Street suffering from gunshot wounds on his face and neck. Investigators believe several people were gathered at the festival when shots rang out just after midnight. The victim was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital and later…

Employee shortage leaves local restaurant struggling to stay open

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Across the country, employers are looking to hire people in all positions. One local store had such a hard time, they closed for a short time just to focus on hiring. “We’ve never had this degree of short-staffness,” Johnathan Howard said. Johnathan Howard is the General Manager of McAlister’s Deli in Starkville. He said the lack…

Local organization in Aberdeen hosts school supply giveaway

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI)- Helping a neighbor was the message for one organization in Aberdeen as members host a back-to-school drive. The Aberdeen Brothers of Loyalty M.C. and Sisters of Loyalty S.C. offered free school supplies, good food, and a little fun for kids to start the school year on the right foot, not only to help the kids but the…

Keep Tupelo beautiful paints sensory paths at gumtree park

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- Keep Tupelo Beautiful teamed up with a downtown church to enhance Gum Tree Park. Members of the First United Methodist Church of Tupelo youth group painted a sensory path on the sidewalk for various activities like hopscotch to motivate children to exercise. Kathryn Rhea is the Director of Keep Tupelo Beautiful. Rhea said volunteers are essential in…

Columbus PD Career Day gives insight to new recruits

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Front lines workers and first responders are needed in every community. In Columbus, the Police Department opened its doors to find new recruits. “I’ve been doing it for over 30 years and I know there’s great reward,” Assistant Chief Doran Johnson said. Doran Johnson is the Assistant Chief of Police in Columbus. He said career day…