Coronavirus Ms
Featured, Local News

Mississippi’s state of emergency order related to the coronavirus expires

Republican Governor Tate Reeves let the order expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. 
Joey Barnes,

JACKSON,Miss. (AP)- Mississippi’s state of emergency order related to the coronavirus has expired. Republican Governor Tate Reeves let the order expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Earlier this month, Reeves said he would let it run out, due to increased coronavirus vaccine numbers and declining hospital numbers related to the pandemic. The emergency order was put into effect on March 14…

Post Office Name
Featured, Local News

Downtown Tupelo post office named after Vietnam POW

Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris survived eight years as a POW in North Vietnam
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo post office is renamed for a Vietnam war hero. “It’s almost overwhelming the honor and support I’ve received from all of you,” said Col. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris. With his wife of nearly 62 years looking on, Retired US Air Force Colonel Carlyle “Smitty” Harris told friends and family he was in awe at the honor…

F Car Tracking Pkg
Featured, Local News

More families are investing in telematics to lower insurance rates

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s important to watch how you drive on the road. Some insurance companies now have devices that will do that for you, and they come with options to lower your payments. Hundreds of vehicles pass this intersection on Highway 45 in Columbus every hour. So, how do insurance companies know who’s watching the road and who’s not?…

Lights
Local News

Local business created service to help you deck the halls

MorrisAdmin,

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Homeowners are putting up holiday decorations. Lights and yard ornaments can be challenging to manage. Checking connections, stringing lights, and making sure all of those bulbs work can turn even the happiest Christmas into a bah-humbug. That’s why some people turn to companies like Worker Bees. Worker Bees began in Starkville as a full-service cleaning…

crime
Crime, Featured, Local News, News Team

Louisville Police arrest shootout suspects

Joey Barnes,

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The Louisville Police Department arrested three people in connection to a shooting at a convenience store earlier this month. Deanquis Phillips, Issac Eliand, and 17-year-old Yatavious Morris are accused of shooting at each other at the store parking lot on November 10th. A second juvenile has also been charged. Police say one suspect was grazed in the…

Big Drugs
Crime, Local News

25 pounds of marijuana seized during drug bust

MorrisAdmin,

HOUSTON, Miss. (WCBI) – Three people were arrested at a home in Houston last night when probation officers stopped by for a home visit. 26-year-old Lankki McMillan, 21-year-old Jatya Cook, and 28-year-old Ladarius Watkins, all of Houston are charged with aggravated trafficking of marijuana and aggravated trafficking of THC. The officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana at the home…

Fcastfryyy
Featured, Local News, Weather

Cool Friday, warmer weekend, cold next week

MorrisAdmin,

SUMMARY: We’re going to be feeling weather whiplash over the next week! We end this work week on a chilly note, before things turn milder for the weekend. A powerful cold front will bring a chance of rain Sunday night and a blast of cold air for the beginning of next week. Some slow moderation will occur as we get…

Mental Illness Crisis
Crime, Featured, Local News, Top Story

Judge: Mississippi faces crisis of alleged violent criminals with mental illnesses going back on the streets

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tommy Gandy remains in the Clay County Detention Center on a $4 million bond after his second arrest over the past 8 years involving an armed standoff with law enforcement. It’s a situation that 16th Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens says he has seen all too often in his nearly 30 years as part of Mississippi’s…

Operation Christmas Child
Featured, Local News

Local churches take part in ‘Operation Christmas Child”

West Jackson Street Baptist Church sends its shoe boxes to a children's home in Mexico
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Churches across our area are busy packing shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts for children around the world. At Tupelo’s West Jackson Street Baptist Church, a “packing party” was held Wednesday night. Shoe boxes full of Christmas gifts were packed and prepared to be shipped out.  It’s part of a ministry known as “Operation Christmas Child.” The…

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Featured, Local News

MHP prepares ICC criminal justice students for trooper academy with new program

The C.O.R.E. program gives students a look at what it takes to be a MHP trooper
Allie Martin,

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Students at Itawamba Community College who want a career with the Mississippi Highway Patrol are getting a look at what it takes to prepare for the academy. On an abandoned runway at the Tupelo airport,  Mississippi Highway Patrol driving instructor Master Sergeant Sedrick Jackson is showing ICC criminal justice students how it’s done. The students are…

Truck
Local News

Enrollment rises for commercial truck driving program at EMCC

Joey Barnes,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Labor shortages and supply chain are economic issues we keep hearing about this year. And there’s one place these two issues come together. Commercial truck drivers, the people who get our goods from their source to the stores, are in short supply. Many companies are struggling to meet demands because there aren’t enough drivers to make…

Guitar
Local News

Students in Starkville spent past month building instruments

MorrisAdmin,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s more than a song. It’s a hands-on way to play music. Nine guitar students in the Starkville area spent the past month building their own instruments. The workshop took place at the Idea Shop in downtown Starkville, sponsored by the MSU Department of Business and the School of Human Sciences. Jeffrey Rupp is the Director…

Turkey
Local News

Two local groups hosting a turkey drive are over halfway to their goal

MorrisAdmin,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Two local groups hosting a turkey drive are over halfway to their goal. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department and the Community Benefit Committee have been accepting turkey donations. They will give away the turkeys to families and individuals in need this Saturday at the soccer complex in Columbus. With just days to go before the…
Local News, State News

District Attorney Scott Colom could be headed to the federal bench

MorrisAdmin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – District Attorney Scott Colom could be headed to the federal bench. U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson has recommended him for an open position as a federal judge. Thompson confirmed earlier this week that he has sent a letter to President Biden endorsing Colom as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi….

City
Local News

Local military and business leaders hosted a town hall meeting

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Military leaders, the business community, and policymakers come together in Columbus to discuss ways to improve conditions for the area’s military personnel. Columbus Air Force Base and the Department of Defense host a Town Hall style meeting this morning to give community leaders a better understanding of the issues that affect military families. They also drove…

Mclean
Local News

State Representative McLean hopes to bring Equal Pay topic to upcoming legislative session

Eric Lampkin,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An area lawmaker gives a preview of the 2022 Mississippi legislative session. District 39 State Representative Dana McLean briefed Lowndes County business and community leaders on some of the issues that the legislature is getting ready to tackle in January. At the top of that list – Medical Marijuana. Lawmakers have been working on a…

Noise Pic
Featured, Local News

Columbus passes sound ordinance to stop ‘unreasonably loud or disturbing’ noises in city limits

Joey Barnes,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The city of Columbus is taking new measures to prevent people from making “unreasonably loud or disturbing” noises within city limits. The city council approved the new sound ordinance Tuesday night that lays out specific limits for the decibel level allowed depending on the time of day and specific location in the city limits: If a…