A popular arts festival will return to Tupelo this spring

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A popular arts festival will return to Tupelo this spring, with some new twists. The Gumtree Art and Wine Festival will take place on Mother’s Day weekend. Along with the usual attractions, like artists selling their work, there will be many new attractions. Those new attractions include a chalk art contest, a free block party that…

A popular Disney movie is coming to life in North Mississippi

New Albany Middle School students present 'Frozen Jr.'

NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WCBI) – A popular Disney movie comes to life in North Mississippi. It has taken four weeks and a lot of hard work, but the auditorium of New Albany High School has been transformed into the kingdom of Arendelle. Matthew Darling is choir director and theatre director at the School. He is also directing this production of…

A federal lawsuit against the city of Columbus has been dismissed

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A federal lawsuit against the city of Columbus has been dismissed. “Golden Glow Tanning Salon” sued the city after councilmen approved an ordinance shutting down tanning salons because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance went into effect on March 21, 2020, and ended a few weeks later on May 9th. The lawsuit claimed the ordinance caused…

1,000 turkeys needed for the 2021 ‘Turkey Drive’ in Lowndes County

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Local law enforcement is rounding up turkeys ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Columbus Police Department and the Lowndes Sheriff’s department plan to give away about one thousand turkeys on November 20th at the soccer complex here in Columbus. The upcoming turkey drive is especially important for senior citizens. “We have a lot of elderly that…

Webster County Health Dept. open despite Google saying it’s closed

WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – You can’t believe everything you read online. That’s the message from some healthcare professionals in Webster County. If you Google the Webster County Health Department, the information shows the Health Department as “permanently closed.” The staff in Eupora wants everyone to know that that is *not* the case. The Health Department is still in business…

Lamar County man in jail facing Sexual Abuse charges

LAMAR COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) – A Lamar County man is in jail facing Sexual Abuse charges. Kyle Wesley Williams is charged with First Degree Sexual Abuse and Production of Obscene Matter involving a person younger than 17. Williams was arrested by the 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit. He is accused of forcibly subjecting a minor to…

Deadly crashes up nearly 20 percent in US, Mississippi Highway Patrol working to reduce distracted driving

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A new study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows a nearly 20 percent increase in traffic deaths during the first half of 2021. According to traffic statistics, 20,160 people have died in crashes so far, compared to 17,020 through the first half of 2020. More drivers on the road means a higher chance for…

Grocery stores are preparing their shelves for the holidays

Shortages are hitting grocery stores around the U.S. pretty hard

VERNON, Al. (WCBI)-Like many other retailers; grocery store chains have faced shortages, and it may have an impact on grocery bills. Turkey, mac and cheese, and sweet potatoes are all staples for the Thanksgiving meal. The ingredients for the spread this year may be more expensive. “The meats are sky rocketing, the potatoes pretty much everything in the store is…

Tupelo-Lee Humane Society feeling impact of more intakes, higher prices for supplies

The animal shelter's expenses have increased, while donations and gifts have remained steady

  TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The past two years have been tough on nonprofits, and animal shelters are no exception. At the Tupelo – Lee Humane Society, the numbers of stray dogs and cats coming in are on the rise. “We’re set to take in at least 4,000  this year,” said Director Rachel Allread. And the price for supplies is also…

Columbus’ Tennessee Williams Home getting some renovations

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Things are about to get a lot busier at Columbus’ Tennessee Williams Home and Welcome Center. Besides playing host to thousands of visitors, the home will be abuzz with construction workers as well. The Welcome Center has been awarded 2 grants from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Mississippi Hills Heritage Area for…

Council members spoke to the Lowndes County Republican Women

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Lowndes County Republican Women enjoy a side of city business with their lunch today. Columbus City Council members Jacqueline DiCicco and Rusty Greene were featured speakers at the group’s monthly meeting. They briefed members on a variety of issues facing the city, including improving the newest tool for fighting crime – the city’s system…