OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – The man who killed the University of Mississippi student will spend the rest of his life in prison. 24-year-old Brandon Theesfeld pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Friday. Theesfeld was charged with the 2019 capital murder of fellow University of Mississippi student Ally Kostial. Kostial, 21, was found dead near Sardis Lake in Mississippi in July…
ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – Residents of Aberdeen can take part in a city-wide clean-up day this weekend. On Saturday, residents can take part in a citywide initiative called “Let’s Get Clean Aberdeen.” Volunteers will be working in the cemetery, picking up trash, homeowners are asked to get litter out of their yards, and Alderwoman Lady B Garth is coordinating clean-up…
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) -The newest production from the Tupelo Community Theatre takes the audience back to the 1920s, as part of a murder mystery, with lots of surprises. TCT is presenting “The Play That Goes Wrong” this weekend. The storyline is set at a University drama society’s play about a murder mystery, and things take a lot of twists and…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Throughout the week, members of the Department of Homeland Security have been visiting businesses in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Noxubee counties to spread awareness about improvised explosive devices. Operation Flashpoint is a joint effort between DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI to help businesses spot suspicious purchases that could end up as homemade bombs….
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- A little can go a long way. It’s what employees at the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society are saying as medical supplies are donated for operations. Spay and neuter operations are considered major but common surgeries. Clinics require trained professionals and reliable equipment. When it comes to needing a quick fix, the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society struggled to get pets…
ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – A Monroe County town is looking to improve its quality of life with a USDA rural development grant. Aberdeen is one of five communities that will benefit from a USDA Rural Development Grant. That grant will help Aberdeen plan for improvements, such as streetscape enhancements and other projects to spur community development. “One of the main…
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (WCBI) – August 26th is Women’s Equality Day across the United States. The day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote, and the struggles and advances of women since then. Columbus Air Force Base marked the occasion with a luncheon celebrating women in leadership roles in…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Organizers of the Market Street Festival met at the Columbus Exchange Club Thursday discussing changes during this year’s event. Everyone in attendance is asked to wear masks and socially distance themselves. Several hand-sanitizing stations will be set up through the festival grounds. The bleachers at the stages will not be included to avoid large crowds. The Main…
SUMMARY: By now you’ve probably heard of tropical depression 9 brewing in the gulf. Models have been very bullish and consistent for days with the depression entering the gulf and becoming a strong hurricane. Eventual landfall will likely be in Louisiana, potentially as a major hurricane, with the name Ida. The current forecast has us on the eastern side of…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Wednesday morning, city leaders debuted one of the 10 new Neighborhood Watch Camera Systems they will be installing throughout Columbus. Mayor Keith Gaskin and Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton held a press conference at city hall and had the camera unit on display. “We’re demonstrating to the citizens and to those who are committing crimes in…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi State Department of Health says the state has made some progress in a two-day span against spreading the virus. Today the health department report over 3,385 covid cases and 22 deaths. Unfortunately during the 48-hour trend, the sixth child in the state has died. Dr. Byers of the state department of health says the…
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Many people can’t wait to pack the stadiums; while others are ready for the pregame. Before the first kickoff in front of a packed crowd takes place there will be people packing the grove in Oxford or the junction at Mississippi State. After a year of no tailgating at all, an area tailgating owner and restaurant have…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A scary scene today in southern Lowndes County where a train collides with a tractor. The accident happened on Frisco Road at about 1:45 Thursday afternoon. It appears the tractor was pulling a trailer when the crash happened. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins says no one was injured. The accident remains under investigation. Categories: Local News, News…
HOUSTON, MISS. (WCBI) – The Houston School District is doing what it can to help keep students in class. That means having students go virtual for the rest of this week as administrators watch the covid numbers across the district. As Kay Borst teaches her seventh-grade science class at Houston Middle School, the desks are empty, students are watching, taking…
THURSDAY: Partly cloudy but not as hot with high temperatures in the low-90s. Isolated afternoon thunderstorms will also be possible. Chance of rain: 30%. THURSDAY NIGHT: Pleasant overnight with a mostly clear sky. Overnight lows in the low-70s. WEEKEND: Rain chances will increase as we move through the weekend, with scattered thunderstorms expected Sunday afternoon. Next week’s forecast will be…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Tuesday morning, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs expressed his optimism at the growing number of Mississippians who are finally getting the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, they administered more than 81,000 shots between August 15 and August 27th. They say close to 53,000 of those shots were first doses. Way…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – As hospitals across Mississippi and around the country continue to deal with high numbers of COVID-19 patients, yet another one of their resources is running low. “One of the challenges we face is, ‘How do we treat patients in a consistent fashion?’” says North Mississippi Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jeremy Blanchard. The U.S. Food…
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – In an emergency, it’s important that everyone responding is on the same page. That was the idea behind a planning session today. Lowndes County Emergency Management and other area agencies came together to coordinate their response plans before they put them to the test next month. Columbus Fire and Rescue, Columbus Police, Baptist Golden Triangle,…
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Good driving starts young. That was one of the messages from the Mississippi Highway Patrol today. MHP’s Director of Public Affairs, Major John Poulos spoke to business and community leaders in Columbus today. Poulos stressed the importance of seatbelt use and avoiding distractions while driving, especially texting and driving. He had a sobering message for the…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 111 new deaths from COVID-19. That is the highest number from a one-day report since the pandemic started. Those deaths did occur over a matter of weeks. Many of the death certificates are just now being identified by the health department. MSDH is also reporting 3,291 new cases. 1,655…
JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – More than 1,000 medical workers are beginning to help patients in hospitals across Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves says the state awarded four contracts to bring those workers here. More than 800 nurses are included in those numbers. 61 hospitals across the state, including nine from the WCBI viewing area, made the request. Level one and two…
AMORY, MISS. (WCBI) – Amory’s police chief is hoping a reward from Crimestoppers will prompt someone to come forward with information that will put the person who murdered a senior citizen behind bars. The reward offered in the Judy Baxter case is $9,999. Amory Police Chief Ronnie Bowen says the large reward is made available in certain cases, and there’s…
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- Whether it be the NFL, college, or high school; football in Mississippi is a pretty big deal. That is especially true for one of the top football teams in the area the West Point Greenwave. The team has to forfeit their first two games because of COVID -19, but the community still felt they’ll come out…
SUMMARY: Showers and thunderstorms are possible the rest of the evening, with localized flooding in the strongest storms. Rain chances will decrease as we reach the weekend, but temperatures will be on the increase to start the work week. WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy and hot again with high temperatures in the mid-90s. A stray afternoon shower or thunderstorm is possible. Chance of…