MS educators planning to help students who fell behind during pandemic

WINSTON AND MONROE COUNTIES, Miss. (WCBI)- Learning in the classroom is vital for student achievement. Since the pandemic started, it’s challenging for some students to keep up with assignments and other tasks. On Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Education announced A-F accountability grades and assessments are suspended for schools and districts statewide for the 2020-2021 school year. Administrators are developing…

Judge To Rule On Contested Ward 1 Race In Aberdeen

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – A special judge and a local election commission will decide whether a special election is needed in a contested alderman’s race in Aberdeen. In June, a runoff for the Ward 1 Alderman seat pitted Nicholas Holliday against Robert Devaull, both Democrats. Holliday was declared the winner and took office in July. However, Devaull contested the results,…

The Mega Millions Jackpot reaches one billion dollars

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mega Millions jackpot reaches one billion dollars. The cash value is more than 739 Million dollars. If won, it would be the 2nd-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the 3rd-largest in U.S. lottery history. “I really wasn’t thinking. I just was trying my luck,” said Brodrick Glenn.  “Make sure my kids are straight forever.”…

Students and staff remember beloved Band Director

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Students and staff at West Point High School are remembering a beloved teacher. The school held a balloon release this afternoon in memory of the band director, Rickey Brown. He died last week. He is described as a mentor and friend to all of his students. Brown had served as band director at West Point…

Golden Triangle Regional Airport starts program to keep travelers healthy and safe

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Business owners want business travelers to feel safe in the Golden Triangle during a pandemic. 80 percent of the people that get off a plane at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport are business travelers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that number has nosedived. Now, the airport, Delta Air Lines, car rental businesses, restaurants, and hotels have…

MS coroners experience autopsy backlog,delaying criminal investigations

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI)- For an investigation to be completed, state medical examiners must perform an autopsy. This report can distinguish the cause of death. However, some coroners say they’ve waited months, even years for the answers to their questions. While the chart continues to pile up, local coroners face the obstacle to keep investigations ongoing. Nearly 3 million people…

Major Break In Case Of Missing Monroe County Man, Murdered In December

MONROE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) – It is a major break for investigators looking for a missing Monroe County man, believed to have been murdered last month. After weeks of tracking down leads, and talking to numerous people, in the search for 39-year-old Jack Cowan, investigators ended up at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Hamilton. “Thankfully the body had not been…

Home Depot Associates Give Back To Area Schools

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Ten schools across Northeast Mississippi will receive thousands of dollars in cleaning and sanitation supplies, thanks to Home Depot. Associates at the Tupelo Home Depot store have come in on their day off, volunteering to make a difference for schools throughout the region. Yreyrey Perez spent her morning helping pack sixty-five-gallon buckets full of cleaning and…

Bullys closet and pantry is happily awaiting donations

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s happened to many of us. That moment when life hits you; for some college students, a financial bump in the road may leave them without the essentials for daily life, and with no place to go for help. At Mississippi State, organizers are helping students that face that challenge. 2 words happen more than you might…

ICC Partners With Illinois Company For Industrial Maintenance Training

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A partnership between Itawamba Community College and an Illinois based company is expected to be a big boost to Mississippi’s skilled technical workforce. As ICC President Doctor Jay Allen was signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Advanced Technology Services, a class on precision measuring was taking place at the opposite end of the Belden Center. Under…

Fleitas Enters Tupelo Mayor’s Race In The Democrat Primary

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – An attorney is running for mayor of Tupelo in the Democrat primary. Victor Fleitas is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for mayor of the all America City. Fleitas specializes in felony criminal defense, civil rights and employment law.  He says he began thinking about running for mayor when Jason Shelton announced he would not…

New information regarding scheduling the COVID-19 vaccine

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Governor Tate Reeves says the state of Mississippi passed a major milestone over the weekend. As of today, more than 100,000 Mississippians have been vaccinated. Almost 10,000 Mississippians have received both doses of vaccine. However, right now there are more people who are interested in being vaccinated than there are available doses. Reeves says The Federal…

Giving back at the King Center

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- A day of donating and making a change was spread through Oktibbeha County. Starkville Strong and Black Girls Rock of Mississippi partnered to bring a day of service to the community. From 9 a.m. Until 1 p.m. Food, groceries, and hygiene items were given to anyone who walked by and drove up to the J.L King Center….