Stories from Saturday, January 26, 2019

James Gracey grew up on the banks of the St. Francis River, on a farm in Arkansas. His father used to talk about the big dam up north, that protected the local farmland from flooding. The elder Gracey didn’t know it’s name, and had never been there, but it was a presence in their family’s lives...

Area youngsters will have the opportunity to dust off their dancing shoes and show off their best moves during Sacred Heart School’s annual Dancing With the PB Stars. In a fundraiser traditionally targeted toward adult participants, junior performers have been invited to shake and twirl across the historic Rodgers Theatre stage for the first time...

Haven House, Inc. of Poplar Bluff will host its annual Volunteer Training and Orientation at 6 p.m. Tuesday. For over 30 years the non-profit organization has served as the only designated domestic violence shelter in a five-county area. In 2018, the organization provided assistance through its hotline to more than 1,250 persons in need of help due to domestic violence or sexual assault. The program employs 12 full-time positions...

Plans for the 32nd annual Women Aware Conference were set in motion Thursday. “Our first meeting went great,” said Meredith Rines, who is serving her second year as conference director. “We had some exciting suggestions for keynote speaker.” The committee not only pitched ideas for keynote speaker but discussed the possibility of having one in the morning and one to conclude the day...

The Poplar Bluff Police Department is seeking the community's help in locating 32-year-old James Hastings of Poplar Bluff. Hastings is wanted for questioning regarding an ongoing domestic violence and child abuse investigation, which started Jan. 10...

QULIN, Mo. — Gary Nobles, 68, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at his residence. Mr. Nobles was born April 5, 1950, in Poplar Bluff. He retired from Packs Building Supply in March of 2018 after working there 42 years. He was a member of New Home General Baptist Church. He served as Sunday School superintendent, trustee and usher. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed riding and traveling on his motorcycle...

Two Ellsinore children were taken by Air Evac to St. Louis Children’s Hospital after the vehicle they were in was struck Friday by a semi truck. The accident occurred at noon, on U.S. 60, four miles west of Ellsinore, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

Wappapello Lake was just short of a predicted crest early Saturday evening above normal recreation pool. Lake levels have increased a little over six feet since Jan. 22, according to gages monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce has many accomplishments to celebrate at the close of 2018 and more important projects to pursue in the next year, incoming board chairperson Andy Moore said Saturday evening at the 81st Annual Chamber Banquet. “We are one of the fastest growing communities in Missouri and it’s just the beginning,” Moore told a crowd of more than 500 area business people and residents, the largest banquet attendance to date.

Tonight, the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 81st annual banquet with a record crowd and recognize its Citizen of the Year. Each year since 1976 a deserving citizen, or two, has been honored by the Chamber for their work to make Poplar Bluff a better place to live...

Former Missouri Speaker of the House Todd Richardson was named the Citizen of the Year on Saturday evening at the 81st Annual Chamber Banquet. “As a person who has spent his entire life in this community and has been overwhelmingly proud to call it home, I can’t think of any other thing that would mean more to me as a representative and an advocate for this community than this,” said Richardson.