Starkville police investigate shooting at apartment complex

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville police are investigating a shooting at the Sand Hill Arms Apartment complex. One suspect is in custody. Police are not releasing additional information. Sand Hill Arms is located on Sand Road, just south of Louisville Street. We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. For 24/7 news and updates, follow us…

Louisville police identify body found as Montevious Goss

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Louisville police said the body found earlier this week is that of a teenager who had been reported missing. 16-year-old Montevious Goss was found by railroad workers near South Church Street and Railroad Avenue, in a wooded area. He had been reported missing on January 11. Goss was last seen waiting to go to school at…

GSDP gives awards for outstanding people, groups of Starkville community

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Congratulations to all of the people who work to make Starkville a great community. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership gave out awards to people and groups who have put in the extra effort. Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity took home the Starkville Main Street Association Partner of the Year. And former Mississippi State football great and current…

Waggoner Engineering gets partially fired from city contract

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus City Council partially fired its ARPA engineering firm and overrode Mayor Keith Gaskin’s veto. A lack of communication seemed to create confusion. Those were all questions asked by city leaders today. Now, Waggoner Engineering is completing some work but will not be able to help the city with its ARPA projects. Columbus Mayor Keith…

Calhoun County tackles economic development with team sport mentality

The county recently celebrated the expansion of Albany Industries into a 55,000-square-foot former lift chair plant

CALHOUN CITY, Miss. (WCBI) – A business expansion in Calhoun County is another example of a public-private partnership that is producing jobs for local residents. Albany Industries opened its Calhoun City plant in early January, and business has been brisk. The stationary furniture maker already had plants in New Albany and Pontotoc but needed more manufacturing and storage space. “We…

Bill designed to compensate volunteer firefighters is on House floor

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Over half of Mississippi’s firefighters respond to calls and risk their lives voluntarily. Now, there is legislation on the House floor designed to compensate volunteer firemen and women to stay with their respective departments. House Bill 521 authorizes the Mississippi Insurance Department to a “Length of Service Award Program” or LOSAP. The program will provide financial…

West Point museum kicks off Black History Month with art exhibit

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – West Point’s Black Prairie Blues Museum is kicking off Black History Month with an art exhibit Wednesday. The event will display local artist and teacher Sabrina Campbell’s work. Campbell has over 20 portraits displaying people throughout Black History. Director Deborah Mansfield said it’s a great event to learn and meet the artist. “I learn so…

Portion of Hwy 45 in Lowndes County will honor WWII veteran

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A stretch of highway in Lowndes County will honor the memory of one of World War II’s “Band of Brothers”. Today, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to support naming a stretch of Highway 45 in northern Lowndes County in memory of Bradford Freeman. Freeman, who died last July was the last…

Columbus City Council fires employees accused of stealing city gas

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The three Columbus employees accused of pilfering gasoline from the city were fired. Michael Williams, Deountray Roby, Kendrick Walker, and Demarcus Smith were all arrested in the investigation. Roby and Walker are charged with felony embezzlement. Smith faces a misdemeanor embezzlement charge. Williams is facing an accessory after the fact charge. Columbus police officers made the…

Monroe County graduation rates outpace state average

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The class of 2022 had a record-high graduation rate in Mississippi. According to the Mississippi Department of Education, 88.9% of students received their diplomas. In Monroe County, graduation rates outpaced the state average. With a collective 90.5% graduation rate, county schools Hamilton, Hatley, and Smithville had 168 students graduate in 2022. Locally, Monroe County had…

Columbus Police Chief talks about ways to guide his officers, family

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – People in Law Enforcement are now commenting on the Tyre Nichols incident in Memphis Tennessee. Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said that tragedy has started a conversation about how his officers should interact with the public. The death of Tyre Nichols after a violent encounter with Memphis Police is a topic of conversation everywhere, including area…

Former Miss. Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller will not run for Gov.

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – It appears a former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice will not make a run for governor. Multiple media outlets, including the Daily Journal, are reporting Bill Waller will not qualify for the election. Waller made a strong run at Governor Tate Reeves in the 2019 Republican primary for the Governor’s mansion. Reeves ended up winning that tight…

Lowndes County residents, leaders attend Coffee with the Sheriff

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County residents and community leaders got a chance to sit down and talk with the Sheriff over a morning cup of coffee. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins hosted a Coffee with the Sheriff event to get community input about issues and problem areas in the county. Hawkins also used the opportunity to collect more food items…

State Senator Chris McDaniel announces plans to run for Lt. Governor

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – State Senator Chris McDaniel is eyeing a job in the Executive Branch. McDaniel has qualified to run for Lieutenant Governor in this year’s state elections. He will face off against the incumbent, Delbert Hosemann, in the Republican primary. McDaniel has served four terms in the State Senate. He has also run, unsuccessfully, for the U.S. Senate twice,…

Tupelo police ask for help locating burglary suspect

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – The Tupelo Police Department is asking for your help in catching a burglary suspect. Surveillance video caught images of a suspect or suspects involved in a number of commercial burglaries around the Barnes Crossing and Crosstown areas of Tupelo. These crimes were committed on Saturday, January 28. If you recognize the person or persons in these…

Railroad workers find body in wooded area in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Railroad workers in Louisville found the body of a young man. Police Chief Sean Holdiness told WCBI the discovery was made about 12:30 on Monday afternoon in a wooded area between Railroad and South Church Avenues. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety Crime Scene Unit and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist…

Local sorority chapter held Youth Leadership Institute in Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The local chapter of an international sorority is grooming the next generation of leaders. The Starkville chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. kicked off its Youth Leadership Institute last weekend. Learning beyond school hours is a dread for most young people, but not the youth taking part in this unique leadership initiative hosted by Starkville’s…

Oktibbeha County murder trial begins jury selection

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An Oktibbeha County murder trial begins today with jury selection. Johnny Harris was indicted for murder in 2020. He’s accused of killing Elbert Vaughn. The incident happened on Montgomery Street in June 2020 and Vaughn died about two months later. The trail could take most of the week to complete. For 24/7 news and updates,…

Trooper faces charges for shooting, killing dog in Calhoun County

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper under investigation for allegedly killing his neighbor’s dog faces animal cruelty charges. We told you on Sunrise that Trooper Raphael McClain is on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. Investigators said McClain is charged with aggravated cruelty to a dog or cat and simple cruelty. Last…