COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Businesses in Columbus could see a big kick in sales this weekend. The Bank first: Friendly City Shoot-Out soccer tournament takes the field at the Soccer Complex and Hotels and Restaurants are getting their teams ready to handle the crowds. This may be an empty soccer field right now but just in a few days, there…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- You’ve probably gotten a phishing call from a scammer at some point this week. Scammers will try their best to get your personal information and possibly steal your identity. It almost happened to a Columbus businessman. Oftentimes, folks are tricked into revealing sensitive information, giving scammers a way in. Columbus PD is working to trace more of…
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – One of the longest-running and most popular festivals in North Mississippi is back on track this Spring. Like many Main Street merchants, Lydia Pearson is looking forward to the return of Amory’s Railroad Festival. “I’m excited to have a booth out in front of my store so I can have all those local and out of…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Lowndes County shooting victim continues to recover, while deputies look for the gunman. The shooting happened on Sugar Hill Street in Crawford on Wednesday night. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins says the original call was about some teens fighting at a gathering. While the deputies were on the way, they learned there was a gunshot victim….
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A smoke plume so large that our weather team picked it up on radar. The grass fire this afternoon occurred on Swedenberg Road in Southern Lowndes County. Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Neil Austin told WCBI News this was a controlled fire that got out of control. Austin says they called the Mississippi Forestry team in…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Tupelo Police arrest 2 suspects in a November robbery but are still on the hunt for a third. On November 9th, Tupelo Police were called to an apartment on Nation Hills Drive for a reported Armed Robbery. The victim reported that 2 female guests at his home robbed him at gunpoint, tied him up, and let…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Retired U.S. Army Sgt. and Columbus native Melvin Gatewood is headed to the Super Bowl. It’s a gift from All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and part of the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative. Sgt. Gatewood runs the nonprofit, Operation Continue Service, an organization that seeks to connect with veterans who may be experiencing mental health issues…
LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A longtime teacher in Louisville is being honored this month as an inspiration to the community. “Just like this COVID is raging now that’s the way that polio is raging. Every day you turn the radio on they were saying so many people in this county and so many people in this town had polio,” said Edwards….
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – It’s one of the biggest fundraisers for Tupelo’s Salvation Army and it helps feed needy people throughout the year. The ‘Empty Bowls” fundraiser is set for next month, and it helps fund the ministry’s feeding program, which has seen some big changes. ‘We’re on track to serve over forty thousand meals this year, which is a huge…
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus man led deputies on a chase through 2 counties after he allegedly stole a car in Hamilton. According to a social media post from the Monroe County Sheriff’s office, 28-year-old Ricky Ray Sanders is accused of taking a car from the parking lot of the Dollar General store. A Monroe County Deputy tried…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Colleagues of Wayne Doyle are sharing their thoughts of the longtime Lowndes County volunteer firefighter. Lowndes County Fire Coordinator Neal Austin describes Doyle as a progressive leader with a great vision for the department. Austin says it’s going to be hard to replace Doyle who had 40 years of experience and was a respected leader as District…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – If you’ve lived in Mississippi very long, you know that natural disasters can strike in any season. And when they do, volunteers are essential to everything from clean-up to registering people for emergency aid to rebuilding. Today, the United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Counties and the Golden Triangle Regional Hub for Volunteers and Non-Profits teamed…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Area first responders gathered Tuesday night to give a proper send-off to one of their own. A procession of Lowndes County Fire trucks escorted the body of Lowndes County District 3 Fire Chief Wayne Doyle back home this evening after he passed away at a Tupelo hospital at the age of 62 earlier in the day….
COLUMBUS, Miss (WCBI)- There have been Boy Scout troops in North Mississippi since the beginning of the scouting program in America. George Maynard organized the first troop in Tupelo in 1911. Since the 1920’s, two area councils have been guiding the activities of most of the troops in Northeast Mississippi. Spring 2022; that all could change. Officials are in the…
TUPELO/LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A court hearing today finds a compromise with a hospital and a family grasping for a chance at life. The patient had been on a ventilator for almost two weeks and the family wanted North Mississippi Health Services to give the patient ivermectin, but the hospital would not do so. So, the family sued. Before…
MONROE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – The mother of a Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy, killed in the line of duty is doing her own part to remember officers across the country. Debi Pearson first met Running 4 Heroes founder Zechariah Cartledge last fall, when Zechariah came to Mississippi, to do a memorial run for all of the fallen police and firefighters from…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The COVID-19 Pandemic continues to bring challenges and changes to society, but in the case of Mississippi’s courts; it’s also producing a few opportunities as well. “Anytime we send jury notices out we send a covid notice out. That’s information that we gather to help us decide whether or not individuals are allowed to enter the building,”…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Monday, the Chick-fil-A in Columbus held a hiring event to fill their various openings for both part-time and full-time employees. “One thing I would say that COVID has really brought has been a resilience to our team,” says store owner-operator Brittany Cofield. “The ability to dig deep when you don’t quite have enough employees. Productivity has…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A Columbus woman is blazing a trail and making history with McDonald’s. Cleopatra Pearson was recently promoted to Vice President of Operations for O’Ferrall Management Group, a company that owns 26 McDonald’s restaurants in three states. Pearson is the first African American female to hold the position within the group. When she started at McDonald’s as…
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County Firefighters get a much needed upgrade, and it could help county residents with their insurance premiums. The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors hands over the keys for 2 new pumper trucks to the Sturgis and Bell Schoolhouse Volunteer Fire Departments. It’s part of the county’s efforts to both provide better fire protection and…
STARKVILLE , Miss. (WCBI)- 4 County Electric Power Association’s FASTnet branch, begins broadband installation to underserved customers outside of its CARES Act pilot project areas. The first customers to receive this service is Lori and Kelly Reed of Starkville. Lori and Kelly are hearing impaired, so FASTnet believes reliable broadband internet will improve their communication and quality of life. Lori…
NETTLETON,Miss. (WCBI)- The Nettleton Fire Department is looking for more people to add to their team. The department is hosting a recruitment fair on February 7th. Candidates must be 18 years or older to attend and bring a valid driver’s license without restrictions. And here are just a few of the open positions the department is looking to fill :…
STARKVILLE,Miss.(WCBI)- A Starkville church is kicking off Black History Month services with a celebration of songs. Second Baptist Church hosted the Mississippi State University Singers during its worship service Sunday morning. The choir, comprised of about 53 members, performs full length concerts both on and off campus. The MSU Singers has also performed at state and regional conferences and the…
TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- When it comes to creating art; there’s no limit for Joshua Vaughn. The 21-year-old Tupelo native is a up and coming entrepreneur. He started doing canvas and salt art in high school before branching out. “I tried going outside of my lines of typical art as people would say and pretty much just doing whatever idea that…