Stories from Saturday, January 19, 2019

Jamaican mother Geneva Bennett didn’t have access last January to the C-section that could have prevented her daughter, Isabel, from tearing the nerves in her arm as she became stuck in the birth canal for over six minutes. But thanks to two Poplar Bluff residents and the Shriners Hospitals for Children in St. Louis, little Izzy received surgery Tuesday to begin repairing that damage...

The aroma of popping corn allured the crowd into the 2019 Ag Expo on Friday. The doors of the Black River Coliseum will open at 9 a.m. Saturday and close at 3 p.m. for the 33rd annual event. Young and old alike flocked to view the booths, talk to exhibitors and enjoy the entertainment. Moms and dads either carried babies or pushed them in strollers, joining people with walkers and motorized carts who weaved their way through the spectators...

Ballot language for a $15 million Dexter schools bond initiative is expected to be certified Tuesday, the same day administrators plan to meet with teachers and begin explaining their proposal. The campaign to provide information to staff and the public kicks off ahead of an April 2 election...

A railroad crossing at Neelyville will not close, but Butler County commissioners do not know yet how they will make up the approximately $900,000 in revenue this would have generated. Commissioners voted Friday on a $22.7 million spending plan for county offices in 2019...

Hard work reaped a group of area farmers, their families and businesses honors Friday. They were presented with awards before a sell-out crowd at the second annual Farmers Appreciation Luncheon at the Black River Coliseum. The event was held prior to the 33rd annual Ag Expo...

The winter weather storm forecasted for the Southeast Missouri regional is moving in earlier than predicted and weather spotters and public safety officials are warning everyone to stay off the streets and highways. Craig Meador of the Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Response Team expected the storm to impact travel in the region and already has hit west and north of Poplar Bluff...

On Monday we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a holiday. He would have turned 90 this past Tuesday. In his last speech the night before he died, and many other occasions, Dr. King spoke of The Parable of the Good Samaritan and how it related to modern times...