New firetruck increases safety at GTRA

  LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – “It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it”. The Golden Triangle Regional Airport is taking that saying to heart. The airport recently took delivery of a second Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Truck. The state of the art Striker 4 x 4 truck can carry up to 1,700…

Baldwyn engineer set to premiere full length movie

Six Shooter Studios will premiere 'Mysterious Circumstance, the Death of Meriwether Lewis' in six states

BALDWYN, MISS. (WCBI) – A Baldwyn based movie studio will soon premiere its latest full length feature film in six states. The movie “Mysterious Circumstance, The Death of Meriwether Lewis” is putting the spotlight on the studio that was started by an engineer. For more than two years now, Clark Richey, and his company, Six Shooter Studios, have been working on…

Noxubee County third grade reading scores are up

It's been a long summer for some third graders, waiting to see if they passed the state reading test that

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s been a long summer for some third graders, waiting to see if they passed the state reading test that allows them to go to the fourth grade. Teachers and administrators weren’t pleased with scores initially but have since worked to improve them. Some students excel on the first try while others improved on the second…

Columbus Businesses suffer from car break-ins in the area

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) -There has been a rise in auto burglaries in Columbus lately, and police want car owners and businesses to remember the basics. It isn’t unusual to see a rise in crime during the summer as more people have more downtime. But during this time of the year car burglaries seem to be more frequent, but in some…

Okolona High School students earn highest scores in Mississippi on Algebra I state test

OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI) – Okolona High School learned in June that its students earned the highest test scores in Mississippi on the Algebra I State Assessment. There are teachers at Okolona High School, like Barbara Lucas, who still remember 2010 when the state had to step in and take conservatorship of the Okolona Separate School District after getting a failing…

The shopping center in Starkville is almost open for the public

Many people have passed it on highway 12 in Starkville watching and waiting

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Many people have passed it on highway 12 in Starkville watching and waiting. Triangle Crossing is almost ready to open; some stores are closer to Opening Day than others. Triangle Crossing will open soon, and developers expect the parking lot, and highway 12 to be full. The center will include Aldi, Rack Room Shoes, Marshalls, and more….

Motivational speaker helps Houston Middle School FCA club kick off new school year

Willie Spears brought a message of true hope to the student led huddle group

HOUSTON, Miss. (WCBI) – As students return to school, they are also returning to extracurricular clubs.  The Fellowship of Christian Athletes group at Houston Middle School started back with regular meetings and they brought in a special guest to kick it all off. For twenty minutes, Willie Spears, a former coach, teacher, and administrator talked to Houston Middle School FCA…

Truck caught on fire due to electrical issues, no injuries reported

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A vehicle fire on Highway 82 near the Communiversity and the GTR airport exit could have been worst for a truck driver hauling a load. A man headed east attempted to extinguish this truck when black smoke erupted. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department says it was an electrical issue. The truck looks were heavily damaged…

International Paper is celebrating forty years in Lowndes County

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a celebration forty years in the making. The staff of International Paper is celebrating forty years in Lowndes County. International’s Columbus Mill opened in 1982. It was originally operated by Weyerhaeuser and joined the International family in 2016. The mill produces fluff, paper grade, and specialty products that are shipped to manufacturers around the…

Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Dept. and Highway Patrol brace for more drunk drivers leading up to Labor Day

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol are among the local law enforcement agencies taking part in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative. Running from August 17 to September 5, the annual campaign gives law enforcement the money to put more officers on the roads to curtail the historically high drunk driving…

Getting connected to internet with FASTnet in rural areas

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) –After nearly two years of providing broadband internet, 4 County FASTnet is expanding its service area. During the pandemic, virtual forms of communication became the country’s lifeline and fast, reliable internet moved from being a luxury to a necessity for many. 4 County, with help from the Cares Act, began running broadband internet to rural parts…

Pontotoc police are looking for two men allegedly cashing fake checks

PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) – Pontotoc police are looking for two men they say were cashing fake payroll checks. Pontotoc police say on August 11th the two suspects were using another business’s name to try and cash counterfeit payroll checks. Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers. Crimestoppers is offering up to $1,000 in tips that leads to an arrest….

Prosecution continues its case in a Columbus murder trial

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The prosecution continues its case in a Columbus murder trial. Retired Columbus Police Department Investigator Eric Lewis took the stand this morning in the trial of Jatavis Williams. Williams is accused of shooting and killing Tarcari Walker in November of 2020. Lewis was one of the investigators who worked that shooting. Tarcari Walker was shot…

City leaders want next police chief to bring stability and staying power to Columbus Police Department

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin says the city has received over 20 applications so far for the city’s open position of chief of police. The mayor says they published the job opening Friday, just a few days after finalizing the 10-person search committee in charge of finding the best possible candidate. Mayor Gaskin says he believes there…

Calhoun County schools will soon have armed, School Resource Officers

The district and sheriff's department will split the cost of the three deputies

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Calhoun County schools will soon have armed, school resource officers patrolling the hallways.  It’s part of a partnership between the school district and the sheriff’s department, to make sure students and teachers are protected from any threat. Three School Resource Officers will be assigned to schools in Bruce, Vardaman, and Calhoun City.  It’s the result…

Murder trial continues in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Testimony begins today in a Columbus murder trial. Prosecutors called experts and investigators to the stand Tuesday. Jatavis Williams is charged with murder. He’s accused of shooting and killing 24-year-old Tarcari Walker in November 2020. The gunfire happened near the intersection of 22nd Street and 7th Avenue. Investigators believe Walker was shot in the street and…

Lowndes County Board of Supervisor President discusses county projects

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Even with rising prices and inflation, Lowndes County is in pretty good shape. Trip Hairston, President of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, briefed area business and community leaders on county projects and finances. Overall, the county’s financial health is good. The debt level is around 3 percent, which is well below the 15 percent…

Police chase leads to multiple charges for Louisville man

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A police chase leads to a slew of charges for a man in Lousiville. Jamarcus Lewis bond is set at $30,000 following an arrest from Louisville Police. Lewis is charged with Felony Fleeing, Resisting Arrest, DUI Refusal, Open Container, Driving While License Suspended, No Insurance, Speeding, Reckless Driving, No Seatbelt, and Disobeying a Traffic Device. Categories:…

Famous Maroon Band prepares to entertain fans

Famous Maroon Band prepares to entertain fans

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The Famous Maroon Band is gearing up for game days with up to five different shows they’ll showcase on the field. “I think that first game day is going to be electrifying,” said senior drum major, Kaz Shumpert. It’s Kaz Shumpert’s fourth year as part of the Famous Maroon Band. “I came in as a transfer from…

West Point man accused of serial rape after police charge him in second 2003 cold case

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – West Point Police have charged a suspect with a second rape connected with another cold case from 2003. During a press conference Wednesday at 12 p.m., Detective Ramirez Ivy and Assistant District Attorney Trina Davidson Brooks announced that 55-year-old Frederick Gandy is charged with another count of rape. “We didn’t make this discovery until we…