Seniors plan future, healthcare decisions at WCBI Senior Expo

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Planning for now and later. Dozens of seasoned citizens in the area attended the WCBI Senior Expo today in Columbus. The event was an opportunity to educate seniors about resources in the area to help them make healthcare, financial, and legal decisions. More than 25 vendors set up booths to distribute information on a variety of…

MS Solar 7 plans to bring solar electric generating to Clay County

CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The newest “crop” coming out of the Prairie will be feeding the area’s energy needs. A 2,000-acre site in Clay County will soon be home to a solar electric generating and storage facility. Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley signed the order approving its construction and operation in a ceremony today. MS Solar 7…

Former sheriff pleads guilty to embezzlement of public funds

YALOBUSHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A former Yalobusha County sheriff is expected to spend the next year on house arrest. Former Sheriff Lance Humphreys has pleaded guilty to embezzlement of public funds. State Auditor Shad White accused Humphreys of taking nearly $5,000 from the county’s “Inmate Canteen Account.” He then put that money directly into his personal bank account back…

WCBI Senior Expo healthy living spotlight: preventing falls

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It is happening today. The WCBI Senior Expo is going on at the Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus until 1:00 p.m. Get tips for healthy living and talk with care providers including Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle. “Hello. My name is Madison Guyton, Director of the ambulance Service at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle. Don’t be…

“On Again / Off Again” MUW name change discussion is “on” again

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – What’s in a name? That’s a question that will be swirling around the Mississippi University for Women campus. The on-again / off-again subject of updating the identity of the now co-educational institution is “on-again”. In a letter to MUW Alumni, university president Doctor Nora Miller is again broaching the subject. In the letter, Miller says “we…

Suspect in murder of convenience store clerk had faulty ankle monitor, MDOC investigates

Our exclusive investigation reveals that suspect Chris Copeland stopped checking in with his probation officer in the spring and was under house arrest at the time the Sept. 11 crime

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – The suspect in the shooting death of a Tupelo convenience store clerk, killed during a robbery, is in jail with no bond, but there are many questions about the case. The suspect,  Chris Copeland, had prior felony convictions but was placed on house arrest after violating parole. Six days after he was shot and killed during…

Biden’s student loan forgiveness plans and challenges.

Borrowers Beware

COLUMBUS, Miss. ( WCBI) – As the Biden Administration rolls out a trillion dollar student loan forgiveness plan, there are many questions that remain. There are also new challenges for those the plan is supposed to help The White House anticipates that nearly 400,000 Mississippians could receive debt relief through the plan. I spoke with the Financial Aid Director Nicole…

Teen charged with calling in bomb threat at Houlka High School

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Chickasaw County deputies made an arrest on a bomb threat to Houlka High School. The threat was called into the school district this past Friday. Today, a 15-year-old was charged with the crime. The case now goes to the Chickasaw County Youth Court. For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter  Categories: Crime, Local…

Mississippi National Guard deploys to Florida to aid in hurricane recovery

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Members of the Mississippi National Guard will help with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts. Governor Tate Reeves says 20 soldiers and airmen will go on the response missions. The 111th Aviation Regiment based in Meridian and the 255th Air Control Squadron in Gulfport are the two chosen locations to deploy. Reeves says the state of Florida requested the…

Eupora police search for killer of early morning shooting

EUPORA, Miss (WCBI) – Eupora police continue to look for a killer tonight after a shooting at an apartment complex. The gunfire happened just before 6 a.m. in the parking lot of the Westwood Apartments. 26-year-old Daimian Keontae Britt of Maben was shot and killed. Webster County Sheriff David Gore was not aware of any suspects that were in custody. Webster…

Noxubee County schools celebrate improvement in grade rating

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss (WCBI) – Normally getting a “D” on your report card is not a cause for celebration. But for an area school district, it is a sign of improvement and one step closer to regaining local control. In the latest State accountability rankings, the Noxubee County School District moved up from an “F” to a “D”. The district…

NAACP requests civil rights probe into Jackson water crisis

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The NAACP is requesting a civil rights probe into the Jackson water crisis saying the state has long discriminated against the majority black capital. 83% of the Jackson population is African American. The civil rights organization submitted a complaint to the US Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday requesting an investigation into how federal dollars were spent when…

MSDH announces ongoing concerns about COVID-19 hospitalizations

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The Mississippi State Department of Health says COVID-19 hospitalizations are still a big concern. However, health leaders add they are declining. That is some good news on the covid form in the Magnolia State. As of the 19th, 147 Mississippians were in the hospital sick with COVID-19. The State Department of Health is urging people to get…

North Mississippi and West Alabama Fire Weather Warning

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Fall is definitely in the air, which means cooler temps and lower humidity. Unfortunately, that drier air can create fire dangers, especially when it’s joined by gusty winds. A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for North Mississippi and West Alabama at least through Wednesday. Low humidity and high winds can create the perfect conditions…

Pre-pandemic return, improvement for school district assessment grades

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI)- The grades are back and the grades are in. The Mississippi State Board of Education approved accountability ratings for districts across the state, judging students’, proficiency, growth, college and career readiness, participation, and graduation rates. This is for the 2021-2022 school year, following the COVID-19 shutdown of schools. A majority of schools in our viewing area received…

BancorpSouth merges with Cadence Bank, changes signs on buildings

Name change is part of merger finalized last fall

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – One of the largest banks in the area is changing its name. BancorpSouth is re-branding all of its offices, banking locations, and the arena in Tupelo to the Cadence Bank brand. Signs of the name change began taking shape several weeks ago, as the signage on the BancorpSouth Arena came down, and that for Cadence Bank…

Tupelo drive-by shooting sends one woman to the hospital

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Tupelo police are investigating a drive-by shooting that left a woman injured. Early Monday morning police were called about a woman who had gone to the emergency room at North Mississippi Medical Center with a gunshot wound. Officers learned from the victim that she and a group of friends had been out walking in the area…

Lowndes County students participate in life reality fair

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Some Lowndes County students got a crash course in Economics today. The Lowndes County School District Career and Technical Center teamed up with the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus to host a reality fair. Students were given a budget based on their Grade Point Average, then they were sent to different stations to acquire the goods…

Local committee begins search for new Columbus police chief

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The committee charged with finding the next Columbus police chief met for the first time this morning. This meeting was designed to start the search process and look at the qualifications of the applicants. Ten people make up the group. City leaders, administrators, and four community members will make the selection. The group began discussions on…

East Columbus house catches fire early this morning

COLUMBUS, Miss (WCBI) – Columbus Firefighters say an East Columbus home is a total loss after an early morning fire. Firefighters were called to this home in the 1900 block of Short Main around 2:30 this morning. You can see smoke coming from the top of the home. Columbus police had the streets blocked off for hours this morning while…