Columbus Ga LocalNews

02/05/2024

The forecast takes us back to shorts and sunshine

02/05/2024

Columbus, Ga (WRBL)- This week is Severe Weather Preparedness Week for Alabama and Georgia. To help educate the public about severe weather, the NWS has designated different days for each hazard. M…

02/05/2024

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The Columbus Museum announced it is set to reopen to the public by summer. The news comes after the museum closed over a year ago for extensive renovations to modernize the b…

02/05/2024

 LAGRANGE, Ga. (WRBL) – LPD said a man was arrested over the weekend after an investigation revealed his history of committing sexual offenses against children since 2015. LPD says on Feb. 4, …

02/05/2024

HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) – The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is set to begin construction work to install a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) on State Route 1 and Cotton Stree…

02/05/2024

DALE COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) announced that it is investigating an officer involved shooting that left one dead in Dale County. According to ALEA, on Monday…

02/05/2024

 HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) – The Harris County School District (HCSD) is set to host its 4th Annual Prom-A-Palooza on March 9 and are looking for donations for the event. The event is schedule…

02/05/2024

DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — A Wiregrass couple celebrated a major milestone on Sunday, as they celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary. Surrounded by loved ones at their Dothan home, George and Louise …

01/30/2024

FORT MOORE, Ga. (WRBL) — Smoke coming from Fort Moore on Jan. 30 should not be cause for concern.

The military installation announced it would be conducting “prescribed burns” in the N24, N28 and N29 training grounds.

According to Fort Moore officials, wind coming from the rest is expected to keep the smoke from the burns “away from sensitive areas.”

FORT MOORE, Ga. (WRBL) — Smoke coming from Fort Moore on Jan. 30 should not be cause for concern. The military installation announced it would be conducting “prescribed burns” in the N24, N28 and N…

01/30/2024

CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) -- Calhoun County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation after human remains were found in the Talladega National Forest Monday.

According to CCSO, a skull and jaw bone were found in a secluded wooded area near the 193 mile marker. The identity of the individual is unknown.

The remains will be sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. The autopsy will help in identifying the subject and possibly help determine the circumstances surrounding their death.

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One injured in shooting on 21st Street in Columbus

Anyone with information is asked to contact CCSO at 256-236-6600.

CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation after human remains were found in the Talladega National Forest Monday. According to CCSO, a…

01/30/2024

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Mobile man is set to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to ring in Black History Month.

Philips Healthcare Technical Support Specialist Charles Johnson is scheduled to ring the NYSE bell alongside company CEO Roy Jakobs on Thursday. According to a news release, ringing the bell is an honor shared with high-profile individuals such as athletes, entertainers and celebrated first responders.

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Fort Moore to conduct ‘prescribed burns’ on Jan. 30

Johnson is joining other African American members of his company's team to mark the beginning of Black History Month on Thursday, Feb. 1.

Charles Johnson. (Photo courtesy of Ahmad Coleman)

“It’ll be an honor to stand with my colleagues for the opening of Black History Month," Johnson said. “I’ll carry the work of the descendants of Clotilda survivors, Africatown, The Avenue Cultural Heritage District, and that of the entire Mobile community with me to New York.”

Johnson, who works in healthcare and focuses on underserved communities through his work with Philips, said he will remember the history of the first Black broker ringing the bell in February 1970 on Thursday.

The closing bell ceremony is from 2 to 3 p.m. (CST) and will be aired on CNBC.

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Mobile man is set to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to ring in Black History Month. Philips Healthcare Technical Support Specialist Charles…

01/30/2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen joined CBS 42 Morning News to discuss former President Donald Trump's attempts to get on the ballot in Colorado.

In December, Colorado and Maine removed Trump from the ballot over his actions surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Colorado's supreme court cited the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause in their 4-3 decision to remove Trump from the ballot.

The United States' Supreme Court is set to take on the case, with oral arguments set for Feb. 8.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen joined CBS 42 Morning News to discuss former President Donald Trump’s attempts to get on the ballot in Colorado. In Decemb…

01/30/2024

Authorities are investigating a shooting that left one person injured in Columbus.

Police say one person was shot on 21st Street in Columbus. They say that victim is currently in stable condition.

Authorities were called to the scene at 11:22 Tuesday morning.

Stay with WRBL.com for updates on this developing story.

Authorities are investigating a shooting that left one person injured in Columbus. Police say one person was shot on 21st Street in Columbus. They say that victim is currently in stable condition. …

01/30/2024

AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) - Criminal charges are being upgraded in the case of Auburn parents accused in the starvation and drowning death of their six-year-old son. On June 14, 2023, Auburn paramedics responded to the home of Mark and Kelly Watford on Core Drive, where they found six-year-old Sulivan Watford unresponsive. EMS attempts to revive the child were unsuccessful. The postmortem examination revealed Sulivan weighed only 21 pounds at the time of his death and exhibited signs of drowning.

Kelly Watford was charged with Sulivan’s murder, and as of Tuesday charges against the father, Mark Watford have been upgraded from aggravated child abuse to allegations of murder. Mark Watford, who was out on bond, was re-arrested Tuesday morning, January 30th 3024, at the Auburn home and booked into the Lee County Detention Facility.
WRBL has reached out to the Lee County District Attorney for a comment.

Meanwhile, testimony in previous court hearings revealed Kelly Watford, a licensed professional counselor, had previously worked at the Lee County Department of Mental Health. Mark Watford was a nurse at a plasma center. The couple's six other sons were removed from their custody after their arrests. We are unsure of their custody status now.

LCSO/2023: Mark and Kelly Watford

During Kelly Watford’s bond hearing, a judge described autopsy images of Sulivan as akin to scenes from Holocaust documentaries. Investigators believe the child drowned and suffered, prolonged abuse and malnourishment at the family’s home in the Morgan Hills subdivision in Auburn. Kelley Watford’s bond was denied.

Court documents indicate Kelly Watford claimed Sulivan started having trouble breathing while she was bathing him and that she did not leave him unsupervised during the bath. The defendant claimed the child's death was due to an allergic reaction to a v***r rub, but the court found no evidence supporting this claim. Kelly Watford admitted to police Sulivan had never seen a pediatrician since birth, and none of the children had visited a doctor since the onset of the Covid pandemic in early 2020. We also learned that Kelly Watford homeschooled all the children and primarily cared for Sullivan, while her husband, the children's father, worked during the day as a nurse at a plasma center.

We are awaiting to see when Mark Watford will have his initial court hearing on the new charge.

AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – Criminal charges are being upgraded in the case of Auburn parents accused in the starvation and drowning death of their six-year-old son. On June 14, 2023, Auburn param…

01/30/2024

UPS slid before the opening bell Tuesday as the package delivery company announced that it's eliminating approximately 12,000 jobs and looking at strategic options for its Coyote truck load brokerage business.

Last year union members at UPS voted to approve a tentative contract agreement, putting a final seal on contentious labor negotiations that threatened to disrupt package deliveries for millions of businesses and households nationwide.

On a conference call Tuesday morning, CEO Carol Tome said that by reducing the company's headcount UPS will realize $1 billion in cost savings.

“We are going to fit our organization to our strategy and align our resources against what's wildly important,” Tome said.

She also announced that this year UPS is returning to a policy of having its employees back in the office five days a week.

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Walmart to offer managers company stock as compensation

United Parcel Service Inc. anticipates 2024 revenue in a range of approximately $92 billion to $94.5 billion.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet predict revenue of $95.51 billion.

UPS also posted fourth-quarter revenue of $24.92 billion, below analysts' estimates of $25.31 billion and a decline of 7.8% from the prior year.

Earnings for the quarter ended in December slid by more than half to $1.61 billion, or $1.87 per share, from $3.45 billion, or $3.96 per share. On an adjusted basis, quarterly earnings per share totaled $2.47, a penny above the average estimate, according to FactSet.

The company's board approved an increase of 1 cent in its quarterly dividend to $1.63 per share, payable March 8 to shareholders of record Feb. 20.

Shares of UPS dropped nearly 6% in premarket trading.

UPS slid before the opening bell Tuesday as the package delivery company announced that it’s eliminating approximately 12,000 jobs and looking at strategic options for its Coyote truck load b…

01/30/2024

FORT MOORE, Ga. (WRBL) — The Maneuver Center of Excellence and United Service Organizations (USO) are hosting a ribbon cutting for a new Fort Moore addition on Thursday.

The Fort Moore USO Center will provide programs and services to over 40,000 active-duty service members and their families. The center is a product of a project between U.S. Army Garrison Fort Moore and USO.

The ceremony starts at 11 a.m. at the center. It will be led by commanding general Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard.

FORT MOORE, Ga. (WRBL) — The Maneuver Center of Excellence and United Service Organizations (USO) are hosting a ribbon cutting for a new Fort Moore addition on Thursday. The Fort Moore USO Center w…

01/30/2024

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These sweaters are perfect for work, and all under $50 on Amazon

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Shop this article: ANRABESS Women’s Crewneck Pullover Sweater, Ckikiou Women’s Lightweight Oversized Boat Neck Sweater, LILLUSORY Women’s Mock Turtleneck Sweater

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ANRABESS Women’s Crewneck Pullover Sweater

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Saloogoe Sweatshirts for Women Crewneck Cable Knit Sleeve Sweater

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Ckikiou Women’s Lightweight Oversized Boat Neck Sweater

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LILLUSORY Women’s Mock Turtleneck Sweater

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ZESICA Lapel Collar V-Neck Ribbed Knit Pullover Sweater

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Dokotoo Women’s Color Block Crewneck Pullover Sweater

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GRACE KARIN Women’s Button-Down Crew Neck Cardigan Sweater

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Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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Head to Amazon, where you can find tons of super cute, cozy sweaters— all for under $50.

01/30/2024

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Georgia state legislator Richard Smith passed away Tuesday morning in his Columbus home, a family friend confirmed.

Smith has served 20 years in the General Assembly. He was chairman of the House Rules Committee.

Smith, 78, told a reporter on Monday that he was not in Atlanta this week because he had the flu.

WRBL will update this story as more information becomes available.

Smith stopped by the studio for a Sunday Conversation two weeks ago.

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Georgia state legislator Richard Smith passed away Tuesday morning in his Columbus home, a family friend confirmed. Smith has served 20 years in the General Assembly. He was …