Murder trial in Oktibbeha County ended in a mistrial

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A murder trial in Oktibbeha has ended in a mistrial. The jury was seated Monday in the case against James Dustin Nixon. But Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens says he had to declare a mistrial. Kitchens said testimony on Tuesday revealed that the State Medical Examiner’s office had evidence that neither the defense nor the district…

Man tried to run over worker sent to repossess his car

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s a dangerous job. That’s what one repo man found out in Noxubee County. Noxubee County Sheriff Tommy Roby says a man working for a repossession firm was trying to recover a vehicle near Highway 14 West and Mt. Mariah Road. That’s when the sheriff says the suspect, 24-year-old Ladarius Tompkins tried to run down…

Unique business allows customers to hang out with cats looking for forever homes

"Twisted Whisker Cat Cafe' opens in Tupelo this week

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A new business in Tupelo allows customers to have a refreshment, do some work, or hang out with friends, surrounded by cats, that are up for adoption. Marcie and Connor Harper are cat lovers, so when they visited Chattanooga and saw a Cat Cafe, they had to drop in. “We loved the experience, it was great,”…

A 2003 cold case reopened- arrests a suspect

Clay spent years not knowing who committed the crime; until she came across detective Ramirez Ivy

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- For law enforcement officers, working a cold case takes a lot of time and going over every detail of every piece of evidence; all to bring the suspect to justice and closure to the victims and their families. That persistence has paid off for a West Point woman, and the investigator who helped find her suspected…

Aberdeen mayor says fixing decades-old mold problem at federal courthouse will boost city economy

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Renovations to the Thomas G. Abernethy Federal Building in Aberdeen got underway Wednesday to fix mold issues that date back to at least 1992. “They will change the windows, they will go in and do abatement to clean out the mold situation and they will upgrade the technical part of the building,” says Aberdeen Mayor Charles…

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is officially open for business

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s opening day for Starkville’s newest sports bar. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is officially open for business. The latest addition to the Starkville hospitality scene is on the Highway 12 bypass next to LaQuinta Inn. Walk-On’s features over 80 TV screens to catch all of the latest sports, and the restaurant has nearly 200 people on the…

Starkville PD honors trailblazer who passed away

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A late Starkville police officer who broke barriers and became a trailblazer in her career is honored by her former agency. In the early sixties, Margaret Wade joined the department and became SPD’s first female parking enforcement officer, amongst other roles. She eventually took over as administrative assistant for the department, responsible for payroll and budgeting,…

Three people facing charges in Oktibbeha County after man was beaten

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Three people are facing charges in Oktibbeha County after a man was beaten over the weekend. Tommie Wren Junior, Stacy Jones, and April Kellum are charged with aggravated assault in the case. Investigators tell WCBI deputies responded to a home on Sturgis West Point Road shortly after 3:00 Sunday morning. A victim who had been…

Low income home energy assistance program available for Mississippians

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Rising summer temperatures can often lead to costly energy bills. But a program in Mississippi is helping families beat the heat. The Mississippi Department of Human Services announces the low-income home energy assistance program. LI-HEAP provides funding assistance to eligible households. And there are a few options up for request like home energy bills, energy crisis, and…

MAFES celebrates Ice Cream Day

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s one of our favorite days around WCBI , July 15th is National Ice Cream Day. And at Mississippi State University, the MAFES Sales Store was celebrating by giving away about 1500 cups of the sweet treat. Most folks know the MAFES store for its Edam Cheese, but it also has a variety of…

Lowndes County and DHS working on building lease

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County and a state agency are working together to clear up some confusion over property. For over a decade the Mississippi Department of Human Services in Lowndes County has been operating rent-free in a county-owned building. According to supervisors, after the building was destroyed by a tornado and rebuilt, DHS moved back in and not…

Observing Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- National minority mental health awareness month is observed each July to cast a light on the unique struggles racial and ethnic minority communities face with mental health issues. “This month is particularly designed to bring awareness and acknowledge issues concerning mental health and substance abuse disorders that lie within minority communities. Especially black, indigenous, and people…

Mississippi Coding Academies training up programmers and software developers in the Golden Triangle

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Friday, the Mississippi Coding Academies Golden Triangle campus celebrated the graduation of their 2021-2022 class of coders. The 11-month tuition-free program teaches students the programming skills to create a website, app or even a video game from scratch. “There are always going to be positions opening up for coders, programmers, developers,” says coding instructor Jessika Hayes. This…

Altex Tube spending over $100 million to build headquarters & manufacturing plant in Lowndes County

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Governor Tate Reeves and other local leaders gathered to toss the ceremonial shovels of dirt at the site of the new Altex Tube manufacturing plant Thursday morning. Between this move, Milwaukee Tool coming to Grenada and Columbia Industries on the way to Starkville, more and more companies are moving to Mississippi, investing millions of dollars in…

Governor Reeves on plans for supporting Mississippi women and children in wake of Roe v. Wade

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves fielded questions from local reporters Thursday on his plans for the state following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The governor praised Mississippi’s role in ending the Constitutional right to an abortion but now, Governor Reeves says he wants to focus on creating a “culture of life.” “When we…

A local newspaper celebrates 150 years staying in business

The Okolona Messenger has been delivering the news for 15 decades

OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI)- Local newspapers are the lifeblood of their communities; the editors, reporters and printers are often one and the same. Many community papers have fallen victim to the times. Social media and a 24 hour news cycle have made it challenging to report the local news, but, one family has found a way to keep their business afloat,…

Father of missing Ole Miss student pleads for help from the public

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators in Oxford continue to search for an Ole Miss student missing for almost a week. And his family is pleading for help from the public. Jimmie “Jay” Lee was last seen leaving Campus Walk Apartments around 6:00 last Friday morning. The case is being investigated by Oxford Police and the University Police Department. In an update…

Need for free meal deliveries to the homebound facing food insecurity grows in Golden Triangle

EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Department of Human Services sent out a reminder Wednesday about the options available for elderly Mississippians dealing with food scarcity. The Area Agencies on Aging operate free meal delivery programs in all 82 Mississippi counties. “(I’ll drive as far as) 90 to 100 miles,” says Kristy Whitaker. “It’s in and out of different roads…