Mayor Spruill and MSU President Keenum feed first responders

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill and Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum continue a Thanksgiving Week tradition. The pair served up a Thanksgiving Feast of turkey, ham, and all of the trimmings to Starkville Firefighters and other first responders today at Firestation number 1. Keenum and Spruill also took time to praise the commitment of the emergency…

A Northeast Mississippi gym offers cryo therapy to members with injuries

Premiere Fitness opened 'Chill Out Cryo Therapy" a little more than one year ago.

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- A Northeast Mississippi gym is helping folks recover from injuries, while also introducing people to the many uses for cryo therapy. Justin Pace has just finished a workout at Premiere Fitness and now he’s stepping into the Cryo Chamber. The 29 year old competes in bodybuilding contests and uses the cryo chamber at least two times a…

Tupelo residents learn how to play traditional instruments

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- A longtime North Mississippi tradition returned after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19. The North Mississippi Dulcimer Association concert was held at a new venue, the Tupelo Oren Dunn Museum, instead of the Natchez Trace Visitors Center. The Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer is the first major instrument developed in America. And music leader Linda Sullivan says it…

Two historic buildings in Tupelo could soon be demolished

TUPELO,Miss. (AP) A pair of historic buildings in downtown Tupelo could be demolished soon. City officials say the two North Spring Street structures, one of them being the Jefferson Davis Hotel, are a danger to the public. On Oct. 8th the city sent the then-owner a condemnation order for both properties. Former Mayor Jason Shelton was ordered to demolish the…

Mississippi’s state of emergency order related to the coronavirus expires

Republican Governor Tate Reeves let the order expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. 

JACKSON,Miss. (AP)- Mississippi’s state of emergency order related to the coronavirus has expired. Republican Governor Tate Reeves let the order expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Earlier this month, Reeves said he would let it run out, due to increased coronavirus vaccine numbers and declining hospital numbers related to the pandemic. The emergency order was put into effect on March 14…

Downtown Tupelo post office named after Vietnam POW

Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris survived eight years as a POW in North Vietnam

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A Tupelo post office is renamed for a Vietnam war hero. “It’s almost overwhelming the honor and support I’ve received from all of you,” said Col. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris. With his wife of nearly 62 years looking on, Retired US Air Force Colonel Carlyle “Smitty” Harris told friends and family he was in awe at the honor…

More families are investing in telematics to lower insurance rates

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s important to watch how you drive on the road. Some insurance companies now have devices that will do that for you, and they come with options to lower your payments. Hundreds of vehicles pass this intersection on Highway 45 in Columbus every hour. So, how do insurance companies know who’s watching the road and who’s not?…

Local business created service to help you deck the halls

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Homeowners are putting up holiday decorations. Lights and yard ornaments can be challenging to manage. Checking connections, stringing lights, and making sure all of those bulbs work can turn even the happiest Christmas into a bah-humbug. That’s why some people turn to companies like Worker Bees. Worker Bees began in Starkville as a full-service cleaning…

Louisville Police arrest shootout suspects

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The Louisville Police Department arrested three people in connection to a shooting at a convenience store earlier this month. Deanquis Phillips, Issac Eliand, and 17-year-old Yatavious Morris are accused of shooting at each other at the store parking lot on November 10th. A second juvenile has also been charged. Police say one suspect was grazed in the…

25 pounds of marijuana seized during drug bust

HOUSTON, Miss. (WCBI) – Three people were arrested at a home in Houston last night when probation officers stopped by for a home visit. 26-year-old Lankki McMillan, 21-year-old Jatya Cook, and 28-year-old Ladarius Watkins, all of Houston are charged with aggravated trafficking of marijuana and aggravated trafficking of THC. The officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana at the home…

Cool Friday, warmer weekend, cold next week

SUMMARY: We’re going to be feeling weather whiplash over the next week! We end this work week on a chilly note, before things turn milder for the weekend. A powerful cold front will bring a chance of rain Sunday night and a blast of cold air for the beginning of next week. Some slow moderation will occur as we get…

Judge: Mississippi faces crisis of alleged violent criminals with mental illnesses going back on the streets

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tommy Gandy remains in the Clay County Detention Center on a $4 million bond after his second arrest over the past 8 years involving an armed standoff with law enforcement. It’s a situation that 16th Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens says he has seen all too often in his nearly 30 years as part of Mississippi’s…

Local churches take part in ‘Operation Christmas Child”

West Jackson Street Baptist Church sends its shoe boxes to a children's home in Mexico

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Churches across our area are busy packing shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts for children around the world. At Tupelo’s West Jackson Street Baptist Church, a “packing party” was held Wednesday night. Shoe boxes full of Christmas gifts were packed and prepared to be shipped out.  It’s part of a ministry known as “Operation Christmas Child.” The…

MHP prepares ICC criminal justice students for trooper academy with new program

The C.O.R.E. program gives students a look at what it takes to be a MHP trooper

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Students at Itawamba Community College who want a career with the Mississippi Highway Patrol are getting a look at what it takes to prepare for the academy. On an abandoned runway at the Tupelo airport,  Mississippi Highway Patrol driving instructor Master Sergeant Sedrick Jackson is showing ICC criminal justice students how it’s done. The students are…

Enrollment rises for commercial truck driving program at EMCC

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- Labor shortages and supply chain are economic issues we keep hearing about this year. And there’s one place these two issues come together. Commercial truck drivers, the people who get our goods from their source to the stores, are in short supply. Many companies are struggling to meet demands because there aren’t enough drivers to make…

Students in Starkville spent past month building instruments

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s more than a song. It’s a hands-on way to play music. Nine guitar students in the Starkville area spent the past month building their own instruments. The workshop took place at the Idea Shop in downtown Starkville, sponsored by the MSU Department of Business and the School of Human Sciences. Jeffrey Rupp is the Director…