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1 week ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus is now without a city manager because of a decision made by the City Council late last night. Longtime city manager Isaiah Hugley was terminated after a hourlong closed-door session to discuss a personnel matter. With a motion from Councilor Charmaine Crabb, Hugley’s 41-year career with the city – the last two decades spent as city manager – ended.
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2 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Rex Castillo
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Senior Martial Arts instructor Daniel Bellware has dedicated his life to taekwondo. His martial arts story started while he was in middle school. Many forms of martial arts originated in Asia, however it still remains a popular sport in America. One Columbus studio is teaching martial arts to young people in the community and honoring it’s roots.
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2 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A Phenix City man accused of kidnapping his wife and holding police at bay for hours appeared in Russell County Circuit Court Friday morning. Michael Deshun Jones, 36, was denied bond for his role in the Monday afternoon standoff on Misty Forest Drive. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Phenix City Standoff ends in arrestPolice say Jones’ wife and children were able to escape the home, however Jones refused to come out, causing a standoff that lasted for more than five hours.
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2 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — An Alabama man that was sentenced to death appeared in court Friday morning requesting an expedited execution. Jeremy Williams, 40, was given the death sentence in April of last year for the 2021 murder of Kamarie Holland. Williams told Circuit Court Judge David Johnson he wanted to drop all of his appeals and move forward with execution for the death of 5-year-old Kamarie Holland.
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2 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Bob Jeswald
by: Jazmine Mills, Bob Jeswald Posted: May 20, 2025 / 05:48 PM EDT Updated: May 20, 2025 / 05:55 PM EDT BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WRBL) — The National Weather Service has issued an alert that all 10 NOAA Weather Radio transmitters in Central Alabama will not be broadcasting warnings ahead of tonight’s severe weather warnings.
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2 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — This afternoon, the Columbus City Council concluded budget hearings. The 2025-2026 fiscal year budget ended up being $395 million, nearly $3 million higher than than Mayor Skip Henderson’s proposed budget. The additional funds were requested after meetings with elected city officials and department heads. Council will vote on the budget next month and it will take effect on July 1,2025.
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4 weeks ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Lots of students crossed the stage today at Columbus State University, but these non-traditional students have a unique story. Angelica and Ferrell Strange gathered their master’s degrees in Organizational Leadership in what some would call an amazing feat for the married couple. Angelica Strange, a student, mother and active-duty soldier, encouraged her husband Ferrell to get their degrees as a team effort.
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1 month ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The Columbus Chamber of Commerce hosted their quarterly ‘Eye Opener Breakfast’, where some of the city’s leaders spoke about Columbus public safety. Some of today’s panelists included Chief of Police Stoney Mathis, Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman, Fire and EMS Chief Sal Scarpa and Muscogee County Prison Warden Herbert Walker. Today’s message was one of unity, as the panelists highlighted their joined efforts to protect and defend Columbus citizens.
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1 month ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A man wanted for firing a weapon into a Russell County Sheriff Deputy’s vehicle has been taken into custody, police say. Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor says the suspect, Derrious Keyon Thomas, 28, was arrested locally after a six-day manhunt. Thomas was believed to have triggered a chase through the streets of Phenix City. The incident occurred last Thursday, May 1.
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1 month ago | 
wrbl.com | Jazmine Mills |Chuck Williams
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The man convicted in the 2019 Circle K murder has been sentenced today. Daequavion Solomon, 31, was convicted back in March of this year for shooting and killing Dontrell Williams, a clerk at the Circle K at the intersection of Forest Road and Floyd Road, on Sept. 23, 2019. He is facing a mandatory life sentence plus 55 years, without the possibility of parole. Solomon was convicted on charges of murder, aggravated assault and attempted armed robbery.
