Artesia Community Turns Out To Offer Up Prayers And Support For Victims Of School Bus Crash

Artesia community turns out to offer up prayers and support for victims of school bus crash

Friends and families pray for victims of school bus crash
Eric Lampkin,

ARTESIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County residents turned out in force Wednessday evening to show their support for the victims of Tuesday’s school bus crash and their families. The Town of Artesia hosted a prayer vigil for those families. 16 West Lowndes Elementary School students were injured when their school bus collided with a car, ran off the road, and…

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Heat Dome is holding

Ashleigh Bryant,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – With the Heat Dome locked in, conditions are not looking to get cooler anytime soon. THURSDAY NIGHT: Calm conditions and tolerable temperatures tonight. Lows will drop into the lower 70s, with a mostly clear sky. FRIDAY: Scorching temperatures for the end of the week. Afternoon highs will be back in the upper 90s to triple digits….

high nineties across our area today
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High Nineties Sticking Around

Mark Kimoto,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — The strong upper-level high pressure system has kept our temperatures well above average all week. Unfortunately, it’s going to get even hotter before we feel any relief — from the high nineties up into the triple digits. THURSDAY: The high temperature for today will be 97°. The southern portion of our area will have a maximum heat…

New Multimedia Center At Lowndes Ctc Open
Local News

New Multimedia Center opens at Lowndes County CTC

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The next generation of graphic designers, photographers, or maybe even TV anchors could be here in Lowndes County. The Lowndes County Career Technical Center held an official ribbon cutting for its Multimedia Center. The new Multimedia Program is a two-year program that will teach students photography, videography, and graphic design. The goal is to teach them…

Columbus Budget: Not Many Extras, But No New Taxes
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Columbus budget: Not many extras, but no new taxes

Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The City of Columbus has its budget in place for the next fiscal year, and they did it without having to raise taxes. The City Council approved the spending plan Tuesday at a special call meeting. There aren’t many frills, but there are some pay raises for city employees. There is also $500,000 for operational costs…

Online Security More Important And More Difficult In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence
Local News

Online security more important – and more difficult – in the age of Artificial Intelligence

Be mindful of your digital fingerprint, for you and your kids
Eric Lampkin,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Artificial Intelligence is making online security more important, and, in some ways, more difficult. Cassie Griffin with Griffin Security and Technolgy shared some insights and strategies with members of the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce today. What started out as an enhanced search engine has grown into a massive part of our everyday lives, and you…

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College and Career Fair helps high school students explore possibilities and prepare for life after graduation

Allie Martin,

PITTSBORO, MISS. (WCBI) – In the back of the MSU Extension Office in Pittsboro,  students were taking a look inside MSU’s Center for Cyber Education trailer, and its hands on drone demonstrations. “We want to open students up to droning being a job,  computer science, 3 D printing, cyber security being a job, or an aspect of their job,” said Kyle…

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Heat and Isolated Rain

Ashleigh Bryant, Brianna Teer,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – Heat and isolated rain sounds a lot like summer, but it’s September. TONIGHT – Overnight lows will continue to be above average in the low 70’s where the average this time of year is the upper 60’s. Conditions will be calm and mostly clear for any activities tonight. TOMORROW – Thursday will be much like the…

Lowndes Co Bus Accident Medium
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Superintendent releases statement following school bus crash

16 children are injured in a Lowndes County school bus accident.
Charity Johnson,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss (WCBI) – Lowndes County School District Superintendent Dr. Sam Allison released a statement Wednesday morning following the school bus crash from Tuesday afternoon. Eighteen people were injured including 16 children on Tuesday, September 16. Three of those were airlifted to hospitals outside of the area. Allison said in his statement: “We are thankful today the outcome of…

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Christmas At The Mansion features a patriotic theme

Allie Martin,

JACKSON, MISS. (WCBI) – Mississippi First Lady Elee Reeves announced the theme for this year’s Christmas at the Mansion during a Facebook Live from the Gold Parlor. “We are doing “A Star Spangled Christmas” and we are going to celebrate Mississippi’s story,” Reeves said. This is the seventh year for First Lady Elee Reeves and her team to oversee Christmas at…

Mississippi State University Kicks Off Career Expo Week
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Mississippi State University kicks off Career Expo week

Chance Roberts,

STARKVILLE, MS – The Career Center at Mississippi State University hosted day one of its three-day career expo Tuesday at Humphrey Coliseum. The event is a way to connect students with future employers and possibly find an internship, co-op, or even possibly a full-time job. It’s also a chance for companies to grow their brand. The event hosted 102 registered…

today's conditions with heat advisory
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Heat Wave Continues

Mark Kimoto,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — As the upper-level high pressure system continues to strengthen over the Southeast, heat wave conditions will continue to persist in our area through the rest of the week. WEDNESDAY: The high temperature for today will be 97°. Heat index values will be getting up to around 104°, and possibly a few degrees warmer than that towards…

Several Injured In Lowndes County School Bus Crash
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18 injured in school bus crash in Lowndes County

Children among the injured from an afternoon bus crash.
WCBI News,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Eighteen people were injured in an afternoon crash involving a Lowndes County School Bus .. The two- vehicle crash happened around 3:15 PM Tuesday in the Northbound lane of Highway 45 between the Sqwincher plant and the old Lowndes County School District Offices near the Artesia Road intersection. At the time there were 22 children…

Naacp Branch Hosts "burgers & Polls" In Columbus
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NAACP branch hosts “Burger & Polls” in Columbus

Charity Johnson,

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – We are less than two months away from Midterm elections in Mississippi, leaving you about two weeks left to register to vote. Tuesday, September 15, is National Voter Registration Day, and one Mississippi Organization is helping residents get ready for the big day. The NAACP Mississippi State Conference partnered with Burger Man to host the event…

Indulging In Competition And The Lighter Side Of Aerospace Engineering
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Indulging in competition and the lighter side of Aerospace Engineering

Eric Lampkin,

STARKVILLE / MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY, Miss. (WCBI) – Aerospace Engineering is a large and growing sector of the School of Engineering at Mississippi State University. And, while the field involves serious study and has major implications, it also has a lighter side. The department sponsors an undergraduate high-power rocketry team, the Space Cowboys. Each year the team designs, builds, tests,…

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Beyond River’s Edge highlights stories of longtime Global Outreach International missionaries

Allie Martin,

TUPELO, MISS.  (WCBI) – The documentary is titled “Beyond River’s Edge” and highlights the decades long work of Steve and Carol Thompson, missionaries to Ecuador. Global Outreach CEO John Darnell says the idea for the documentary came after hearing story after story from the Thompsons, who have served in Ecuador through Global Outreach since 1987. “A canoe wreck on the river…

Lowndes County Prepares To Bring Back The Crime Prevention Task Force
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Lowndes County prepares to bring back the Crime Prevention Task Force

Lowndes County prepares to bring back the Crime Prevention Task Force
Chance Roberts,

COLUMBUS, MS – A special meeting was held today at the conference room of the Lowndes County EMS office to discuss the return of the Crime Prevention Task Force. The group ran operation for a short period of time in 2021 but ultimately fell through following the completion of a summer report that same year. One of the members of…

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Sweltering Heat and Sun, All Week Long

Mark Kimoto,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — After breaking the record high temperature for Columbus yesterday, with temps reaching 100°, we can expect those triple digits to stick around through today. This sweltering heat is likely to persist for the rest of the week as well. TUESDAY: The high temperature for today will reach 100° for most of us, with heat index values…

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The 100’s Make a Comeback!

Ashleigh Bryant, Brianna Teer,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – 100 degree days begin again tomorrow with the upper 90’s for the rest of the week. TONIGHT – This Monday night will be very calm and fairly comfortable with temps reaching the low 70’s overnight. TOMORROW – Your Tuesday will kick off with more Heat Advisories across the NE corner. The afternoon high can climb all…

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Record High Temperatures Possible Today

Mark Kimoto,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — With high pressure dominating the weather pattern across most of the Southeast, it is going to be hot outside. Some areas might reach or exceed the record high temperature for today. MONDAY: Today’s high temperature will get up to around 98°. This would tie the record high temperature for Columbus set in 2016. Heat index values…

Monroe County Honors First Responders And Others At Inaugural 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
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Monroe County honors first responders and others at inaugural 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony

Eric Lampkin,

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Towns and cities across the state took time out today to remember the lives lost in the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. In Amory, Monroe County residents joined firefighters, law enforcement, Emergency Management, and medical responders at Frisco Park for the city’s first Moment of Remembrance. Many of the lives lost, especially at the World…

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Rain chances through Saturday

Ashleigh Bryant,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – A rainy end to the week and beginning of the weekend. Dry and hot conditions continue next week. FRIDAY NIGHT: Scattered showers and storms will continue across NE MS and western AL through the evening. Some could become strong to severe, as a Level 1- Marginal severe weather risk is in place across our coverage area….

rainy conditions all day meteogram
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Rainy End to the Week

Mark Kimoto,

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — After a week filled with sunshine and blisteringly hot temperatures, rainy and stormy conditions will be rolling through today and tomorrow. While it won’t be super pleasant to spend much time outside this weekend, that rain is definitely much needed to combat these persistent dry conditions we’ve been experiencing lately. It will help to lower those…