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2 months 2 weeks ago
On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at approximately 3:23 p.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal crash on Highway 586 in Marion County.
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2 months 2 weeks ago
Glenn Tyrone Alexander, 50, Columbia, arrested by CPD, charged with disorderly conduct: failure to comply with command of law enforcement; eluding law officer x2; controlled substance: possession of Schedule I-II drug (.1 gram-less 2 grams); controlled substance: possession of marijuana (less than 30 grams); burglary-dwelling; disorderly conduct: failure to comply with command of law enforcement.
Sedrick Flozell Bourne, 51, Columbia, arrested by MCSO, charged with disorderly conduct: by explosions, noises or offensive conduct.
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2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
The Columbia Fire Department responded to a structure fire Monday morning on E. Rankin Street. The fire was able to be contained to the attic crawl space and was extinguished quickly by the CFD.
Columbia Fire Engineer Dalton Viniard and firefighter Deundre Ruffin approach the front of the residence.
By Joshua Campbell on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Columbia senior Tra Lewis has been named to MaxPreps’ Small Town All-American team as a first-team member. He was recognized as one of the top-4 linebackers in the entire country to hail from a small town. Lewis, who was also recently voted as the Marion County Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row, racked up 168 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three interceptions, three sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and fumble recovery, 12 pressures, two blocked extra points and two defensive touchdowns.
By Joshua Campbell on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Columbia Academy senior Molly Sistrunk will continue her playing career on the softball diamond after signing a letter of intent with Southwest Mississippi Community College. She played a huge role in leading the Lady Cougars to the program’s first-ever state title in her final season at CA.
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2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Photo by Joshua Campbell © Emmerich Newspapers, Inc. 2026
Senior Brandon Bullock leads West Marion in scoring with 21.5 points per game.
West Marion’s win streak is up to five games as the Trojans picked up their first district win Jan. 6 on the Coast.
Despite getting off to what head coach Donald Aaron described as a sluggish start, the Trojans (12-3, 1-1) controlled the action in Biloxi to take down St. Patrick 61-35.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, Avery Lockwood, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
For the second year in a row, Columbia superstar Tra Lewis headlines the 2025 Gridiron Players of the Year as Marion County’s Most Valuable Player.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
The Alcorn State band is set to take center stage once again at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on Saturday. The parade begins at 1 p.m.
Alcorn State’s band, Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite, is set to return to the streets of Columbia Saturday to lead the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. The Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite performed during last year’s event and transformed the parade into must-see entertainment.
“It’s going to be bigger and better,” parade organizer Charles Lampton said.
Lampton said event organizers are very excited about Alcorn State’s return to Columbia and they’re expecting an even better performance as the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite have grown considerably in the past year.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
2 months 2 weeks ago
The Columbia School Board learned Jan. 8 that recent changes to Mississippi’s school accountability system have shifted grading benchmarks midyear, making it more difficult for schools and districts to improve their ratings despite ongoing academic progress.
By Nichlos Cutrell - Reporter on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Community members have concerns about kratom products, which are often used by people who struggle with substance abuse.
A Columbia mother is urging state lawmakers to regulate kratom and CBD products sold in local vape shops and convenience stores, citing concerns about addiction, public safety and a lack of oversight.
The mother, who has contacted the governor’s office, lieutenant governor’s office and local representatives, said she was previously told a ban on kratom was under consideration during a legislative session but said no action followed.
“They said it was on the agenda, but it never happened,” she said.
By Nichlos Cutrell - Reporter on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
The new Driver Service Bureau opening soon in Columbia is located at the Marion County BusinessPlex
A new Driver Service Bureau is expected to open soon in Columbia, bringing expanded services and increased access for residents across Marion County and the surrounding area.
The facility will be located in the Hugh White building at the Marion County BusinessPlex off Sumrall Road. The county has leased the building to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and renovations are nearing completion.
City Engineer Jeff Dungan estimates the location could handle about 30,000 transactions annually, making it one of the more active DSB sites in the region.
By Nichlos Cutrell - Reporter on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Jessica Nicole Allen, 36, Columbia, arrested by MCSO, charged with DUI 1st offense-(1)(b) under the influence of any substance that would impair.
Brandy Eugene Ard, 46, Columbia, arrested by MCSO, charged with DUI 1st offense-(1)(b) under the influence of any substance that would impair.
By staff reports on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Columbia’s Christmas celebration at City Park generated more than $40,000 in revenue in December, which allowed the city to effectively break even.
Columbia’s first annual Christmas celebration at City Park drew thousands of visitors, generated more than $43,000 in revenue and received largely positive feedback from residents, city officials said during the Board of Aldermen meeting Jan. 6.
Mayor Justin McKenzie announced that an estimated 10,000 people visited the park during the event’s operating hours, with total visits throughout the day estimated between 14,000 and 15,000. Attendance figures were based on location data estimates, officials say, noting the exact number could vary.
By Nichlos Cutrell - Reporter on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Welding students, Camden Creel and Devin Beach of Marion County, recently competed in the Darby Ledet Welding Competition.
Welding students, Camden Creel and Devin Beach, from the Marion County Career and Technology Center recently put their skills to the test while competing in the Darby Ledet Welding Competition held at the Greene County Vocational-Technical Center. The competition brought together welding students from multiple schools to demonstrate their technical ability, precision, and adherence to safety standards in a competitive, real-world environment. Students were judged on weld quality, accuracy, technique, and their ability to follow detailed specifications within a set time limit.
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2 months 3 weeks ago
Photo by Nichlos Cutrell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Columbia senior guard Raniyah Woodson led the Lady Wildcats against Petal, scoring a season-high 20 points.
The Lady Wildcats came up short in a closely contested matchup against Petal Dec. 30 ending in a 52-50 decision to Petal, but head coach Nicole Robinson said the effort and defensive intensity shown were steps in the right direction as district play approaches.
Columbia (8-8) pushed Petal for four quarters but could not close out key possessions late, falling in a narrow loss at home. Despite the result, Robinson said the performance reflected growth from a team still adjusting after the loss of a key post player to injury.
By Nichlos Cutrell - Reporter on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Eagles senior forward Malik Payton puts in a reverse layup against JDC in the East Marion Holiday Classic.
East Marion earned a 65-19 win over Salem on Dec. 30, using balanced scoring and improved ball security to close out non-district play.
The Eagles (5-7) controlled the game from the jump, finishing with multiple players in double figures and committing fewer than 20 turnovers for the first time this season.
“We had them out-matched, so I wasn’t disappointed,” East Marion head coach Calvin Brown said. “We didn’t get too sloppy and we didn’t play overconfident. We tried to play one possession at a time.”
By Nichlos Cutrell on
2 months 3 weeks ago
The Marion County Sheriff's Office arrested a Foxworth man on four felony charges Sunday who tried to claim that not only were the items found in his pants not his but neither were the pants themselves that he was wearing.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
2 months 3 weeks ago
Kaylen Thornhill introduces herself, shakes hands, and presents her resume and application to Amy Baughman.
The Work-Based Learning students from the Marion County Carl Loftin Career & Technology Center practiced simulated interviews on Nov. 13, 2025. Prior to the interviews, students created professional resumes, completed sample applications to be used during the interviews and reviewed more than 100 potential interview questions. Each student focused on introducing themselves, demonstrating proper handshaking techniques, maintaining good eye contact, dressing professionally and answering prompted interview questions.
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2 months 3 weeks ago
Photo by Joshua Campbell, Avery Lockwood, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
The nominees for Marion County’s Most Valuable Player are East Marion’s Elias “Big Baby” Johnson, West Marion’s Braxton Albritton, Columbia’s Tra Lewis, Columbia Academy’s Trent Buckley and Columbia’s Clydarrien Peters.
The 2025 football season was one for the ages in Marion County as all four teams won district championships for the first time in county history and the Columbia Wildcats closed the deal with their second state title in the past five years. Now it’s time to hand out some hardware as Marion County’s Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Breakout Star of the Year and Lunch Pail awards are up for grabs.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
2 months 3 weeks ago
The bag of methamphetamine found in Robert Leggett’s center console contained 149.96 grams, leading to him being charged with armed trafficking.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office made a large methamphetamine bust Tuesday afternoon that resulted in a man being charged with armed trafficking.
While on patrol Tuesday in the Improve community, Deputy Jonathan Dillard initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Mississippi 44 and Hutson Morris Road and made contact with the driver, who was later identified as Robert Leggett, 71, of Seminary.
By Joshua Campbell - Publisher on
