MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The race to replace Judge Lee Coleman has its first entry. West Point Attorney Michelle Easterling qualified for the 16th Circuit Court District Place 3 seat today. Judge Lee Coleman has announced he is not seeking re-election. Easterling has been practicing law since 1998. She has served as Clay County Prosecutor and West Point Municipal Court Prosecutor….
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Chancery Court Judge Paula Drungole-Ellis gets an early start on her re-election bid. Judge Drungole-Ellis filed her qualifying papers with the Secretary of State’s office on Monday morning. She has served as a Chancery Court Judge for the 14th Judicial District since 2018. Drungole – Ellis presides over cases in Place 3, which covers all of Noxubee…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Monday, a hiring committee for the city of Columbus held a special meeting to discuss candidates for open city positions. Topping the list: a new chief operating officer. Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin has high expectations for the city’s next COO. “Making short-term and long-term plans financially for the city,” he says. “And it really requires, I…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The holiday season is over for now, but 2021 left some lasting effects. COVID numbers have risen again to start the new year and medical officials have seen a boost in business. Over at Allegro Plaza in Columbus, they are relating it to numbers they saw in March of 2020; however, the staff was prepared for the…
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A veteran FBI Agent is now at the helm of the Tupelo Police Department. Just days after retiring from the FBI, John Quaka was sworn in as Tupelo’s new Chief of Police. But Chief Quaka had already been at work, meeting with leaders at TPD. “I asked all supervisors to meet with me for about thirty…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – County employees in Lowndes County won’t have to miss as much work if they are exposed to COVID. Supervisors vote today to bring county policy in line with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under the changes, if an employee tests positive for COVID-19 and has no symptoms, then they…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – There is a staggering number of new cases of Covid 19 reported over the holiday weekend. The Mississippi State Department of Health reports 17,525 new positive cases diagnosed between Thursday and Sunday afternoon. There have been 5 Covid related deaths in that same time period. Lowndes and Lee Counties are among communities with the highest number…
SUMMARY: What a wild weekend of weather! From 80s and tornadoes to snow in just 24 hours. Quite the event for us here in MS! The upcoming week is also very busy weather-wise. We start out very cold with snow melting, before a brief warmup through Thursday into the 50s. Thursday we will see rain showers, and potentially some more…
CHOCTAW COUNTY,Miss. (WCBI)- An escaped inmate, who’s been on the run since December 28th, was taken into custody in West Memphis,Arkansas by the Mississippi Department of Corrections Special Response Team and the U.S Marshals Task Force. 28-year-old Andrew Emerick was captured along with Angela Brooke Tatum without incident. Tatum is being charged with Aiding escape in the incident. Both Emerick…
PICKENS COUNTY,Miss. (WCBI)- The stabbing death of a Pickens County man on New Year’s Eve remains under investigation. Reform Police officers were called to the 700 block of 3rd Street Northeast around 9 p.m. on December 31st. Officers said 41-year-old Antonio Plott, of Carrollton, was fatally stabbed during an argument at a family gathering. Three other victims were taken to…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-The Golden Triangle Homeless Coalition and Columbus Community outreach are making sure folks have a warm place to sleep. As temperatures drop, the organizations plan to partner with the Red Roof Inn to rent hotel rooms to the homeless population. “We don’t want any of our citizens to freeze or you know be without their needs right now…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- People everywhere make New Year’s Resolutions each year and do their best to stick to them. 2022 is finally here and people are kicking off those New Year’s Resolutions. One common practice each year is developing fitness goals and a gym routine. “I plan to stay in the gym, continue working out, save up some money, travel…
Allie Martin and Jackson Chastain are back in the studio bringing in the new year with some local news and weather events. Categories: News Team, WCBI Sunrise Saturday Tags: sunrisesaturday
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- As Columbus wraps up its bicentennial year, city leaders leave a reminder for their successors to open when the Friendly City marks its 250th anniversary. Pictures, lottery tickets, cellphones, and coupons… Artifacts and cherished memories to be locked away for the next five decades. On Friday, Columbus leaders packed the steel container with memorabilia from families around…
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – After more than a decade, you will no longer need a prescription to buy decongestants that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. A law passed in this year’s legislative session will take effect tomorrow. It will allow products containing pseudoephedrine to once again be sold without prescription. In an effort to cut down on methamphetamine production, the legislature passed…
WINFIELD, Ala. (WCBI) – The storm that moved through downtown Winfield, Alabama Wednesday night has been confirmed as an EF-1 tornado. There is significant damage to structures in the downtown area, including roof damage to a theater. Street lights were knocked down. Store windows were blown out and streets were covered in debris. No injuries were reported. Around 100 people…
CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Bond is set for the man accused of shooting and killing his wife in Caledonia. 45-year-old Wayne Fraser is charged with murder. His bond is set at $500,000. Fraser remains in the Lowndes County jail. Deputies were called to Cedar Street on Thursday morning about a possible shooting. 55-year-old Natalie Ryan-Fraser was dead when they arrived….
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – As you ring in the new year, you’ll also see more Columbus police officers. The agency will have extra officers working tonight and conducting safety checkpoints. Police Chief Fred Shelton is also reminding people that fireworks are illegal to shoot inside the city limits. It is also against the law to shoot a gun up in…
CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A man that escaped from a Choctaw County work center remains on the run. 28-year-old Andrew Emerick was last seen Wednesday morning. He is five foot – ten inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. Emerick has red hair and brown eyes. The escapee was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, black hooded zip jacket,…
L OWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County deputies are asking for help finding the driver of an SUV. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins says this vehicle is involved in catalytic converters and thefts in the county. Surveillance video captured the Dodge Durango in the area of Highways 373 and 50 back on December 13th. The 2003 Durango is grey and possibly…
SUMMARY: a VERY busy forecast for us here in northern MS to kick off 2022. We’ll see very warm temps continuing into Saturday, with a major severe weather risk during the afternoon and evening hours Saturday. A powerful arctic cold front then moves through during the overnight hours into Sunday, with a period of snow and plunging temps Sunday afternoon!…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A local business will ring in the new year by opening up its doors in Starkville. Spring Street Cigars is opening its fifth Mississippi store in downtown Starkville on Friday. The two-story shop will feature a premium selection of cigars as well as multiple lounge areas. The location also has a craft brewery. Co-owners John Higgins…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Between medical marijuana, redistricting, and a big pot of federal money to spend, the 2022 Mississippi legislative session could be one of the most intense in recent memory. “I think it’s going to be a very eventful session,” says District 41 Representative Kabir Karriem. “There’s a lot to unpack.” When the session opens on January 4th,…
CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- A veteran military vehicle is helping the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department get to people in hard-to-reach places. They got a chance to put it to the test when high water trapped residents during Wednesday’s flooding. All it takes is a few inches of rain. County Road 231 in Calhoun County was underwater in about an hour…