CHICKASAW COUNTY

Okolona man fatally shot with shotgun; brother held

n OKOLONA - An Okolona man is dead after allegedly being shot by his brother following a domestic disturbance in Okolona on Monday night.

Willie Earl Thomas is in the Chickasaw County Jail awaiting arraignment following his arrest in the shooting death of his brother, Fred Metcalf, in Okolona about 7 p.m. Monday.

"It appears Fred Metcalf and his mother got into some kind of argument and the brother got involved," said Chickasaw County Constable Tommy Bowen. "Fred was shot with a shotgun."

LOWNDES COUNTY

WCBI could be back on air this week after repairs

n COLUMBUS - WCBI issued a programming update Tuesday that said replacement parts for the WCBI TV transmitter arrived.

The engineering staff is working to restore the over-the-air signal from the transmitter and they are hopeful the signal will be at full strength sometime this week for all coverage areas. Tupelo had service Tuesday night.

WCBI television had been experiencing technical difficulties with its broadcasting equipment since early June.

The issue affected CBS, CW and My Network programming.

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY

MSU's printing services,

office supply to close Aug. 1

n STARKVILLE - Mississippi State University announced Tuesday that Printing Services and Office Supply operations on the Starkville campus will end Aug. 1.

Earlier this year, the Select Committee on Efficiencies and Innovations recommended a cost-benefit analysis of the units in the face of unprecedented budget cuts and state funding reductions to higher education.

In reviewing operations, it became clear that Printing Services has lost money steadily as technology and effective electronic communication using e-mail, blogs and websites have replaced printed documents, such as flyers, brochures and newsletters.

Seventeen positions will be eliminated when the departments close. The university will assist displaced workers in their search for other employment by providing outplacement services.

Hinds County

Appeals Court upholds conviction in coast slaying

n JACKSON - The state Court of Appeals has upheld Christopher Eugene Roach's 2008 murder conviction for the slaying of his former wife at a Gulfport hotel.

Authorities say Voncharter Bailey was found shot to death at the hotel in 2007. Roach was sentenced to life in prison after a Harrison County jury convicted him of murder.

The Appeals Court on Tuesday rejected Roach's claims that prosecutors failed to prove he deliberately killed Bailey. Roach claims the evidence - at most - would have supported a conviction of manslaughter.

The Appeals Court says evidence showed Roach fought with Bailey, held her down and shot her six times.

Rankin County

No charges after 80-year-old killed walking across I-20

n PELAHATCHIE - The Mississippi Highway Patrol says no charges will be filed after an 80-year-old man was killed while trying to walk across Interstate 20.

Patrol Sgt. James Walker says Edward McCunne of Scott County was driving west on I-20 Tuesday morning when his rear driver's side tire went flat between Pelahatchie and Brandon.

Walker says McCunne parked in the median and tried to walk across the eastbound lanes. The stretch of interstate is in a heavily wooded area.

Walker tells The Clarion-Ledger that a South Carolina man was driving a Cadillac eastbound on the interstate and tried to avoid McCunne but clipped him with the driver's side of the car. McCunne was pronounced dead at the scene.

Daily Journal, Chickasaw Journal and wire reports