Photos & Video

Butler County employees Christmas celebration (12/13/19)

Butler County employees gathered Friday for a potluck Christmas meal during lunchtime at the courthouse.
Christmas Card Making (12/12/19)

Poplar Bluff Municipal Library hosted a Christmas card making class Thursday night.
Poplar Bluff Police pinning ceremony (12/11/19)
Throwback Thursday: 2009 Santa Land (12/11/19)

Check out these photos from the 2009 Santa Land at the Black River Coliseum on Dec. 1.
Brodie Gargac Memorial Santa Run (12/8/19)

On Saturday, December 7th, participates of all ages came to the Santa Run to raise funds to continue the upkeep of the Brodie Gargac Memorial Ball Field. The morning started with a 5k, then a mile walk/run, and finished with short sprints for the children in attendance.
2019 Christmas Parade (12/6/19)

The 2019 Christmas Parade made it’s way through downtown Poplar Bluff on Friday evening.
The Stage Company presents "Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!" (12/5/19)

The Stage Company in Poplar Bluff will perform "Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!" at the Rodgers Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14 and at 3 p.m. Dec. 15. Based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park, the story of first-grader Junie’s attempts to thwart her nemesis during a Secret Santa gift exchange and sing-a-long unfolds with both humor and a message about the Christmas spirit.
Throwback Thursday: (12/5/19)

The Poplar Bluff High School drama club put n a rendition of "Greater Tuna" on Nov. 19, 2011.
Santa Land 2019, Black River Coliseum (12/4/19)

Hundreds gathered Tuesday at the Black River Coliseum for the annual Santa Land event, featuring activities for children, characters in costume and, of course, Santa Claus.
'The Chrristmas Carol, A Live Radio Play' (12/4/19)

The Tinnin Fine Arts Center will host the Center Stage production on 'The Christmas Carol, A Live Radio Play' this weekend, which puts an emphasis on the sounds of the show with voice acting and on-stage sound effects.
BAM Show at Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center (12/2/19)
Kicking off Christmas at the Rodgers Theatre (11/30/19)

Families turned out to greet Santa on Saturday at the Rodgers Theatre before a double feature of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Home Alone.”
Black Friday shoppers (11/29/19)
United Gospel Rescue Mission Thanksgiving banquet (11/28/19)

The United Gospel Rescue Mission hosted it's annual Thanksgiving banquet on Thursday. Rev. Greg Kirk said this was the biggest year yet with 1,400 meals served and 200 more carried out.
Decorating Downtown Poplar Bluff (11/26/19)
UGRM is prepping a Thanksgiving feast (11/26/19)

Volunteers have been working since Monday at the United Gospel Rescue Mission to prepare for a Thanksgiving feast. The UGRM expects to feed at least 1,300 people Thursday.
Throwback Thursday: Raiders fly past Dyersburg State in Thanksgiving 2011 game (11/21/19)

The Three Rivers Raiders basketball team fine tuned their free throw percentages during the 2011-2012 season. In a Thanksgiving 2011 game against Dyersburg State, Three Rivers went 33-for-36 as they cruised past their opponent at the Bess Activity Center. The Raiders finished the game on a 37-19 run to win by 69. Final score: Raiders 126, Dyersburg State, 57.
Veterans honored at Fisk Elementary (11/21/19)

Fisk Elementary school hosted its annual Veterans Day event on Monday, Nov. 11, where veterans in the community were invited to come out to the school. Students put on a program for them and at the end of the assembly, the veterans were asked to line up and shake hands with the students as they returned to class.
Mules alumni game Nov. 16 (11/16/19)

Mules alumni basketball players gathered Saturday, Nov. 16, for a special series of games. Participants included graduates of classes 1987 to 2019.
2019 Breast Cancer Awareness tab (11/15/19)
Neelyville Veterans Day (11/15/19)

The Neelyville R-IV schools hosted it's annual Veterans Day assembly Friday morning where veterans are invited to attend and students create artwork, perform poetry and sing songs about patriotism and veterans.
PBHS Academic Letterman (11/14/19)
Throwback Thursday: Christmas comes to town (11/14/19)

In November 2002, the City of Poplar Bluff held a city Christmas tree lighting ceremony for the first time in decades. Former Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce director, Ed Dust formed a committee of prominent community leaders to purchase four 24 foot Christmas trees to decorate the Butler County Courthouse lawn and other areas throughout the city. The city water tower, which once stood on Westwood Boulevard, was also lit for the occasion. The trees were illuminated on Nov. 22. 2002 and remained lit until after New Years Day.
Veterans Honor Tour reunion (11/9/19)

The 30 veterans who went on the recent Veterans Honor Tour to Washington, D.C., gathered at First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff Saturday for a reunion. Each veteran was presented with an American flag by Congressman Jason Smith.
Poplar Bluff Rotary Club's 10th annual casino night and mouse races (11/9/19)

An enthusiastic crowd cheered on their favorite mice Saturday night as they raised money to support the Poplar Bluff Rotary Club’s Good Habit Store at Lake Road Elementary. For the 10th year, the Rotary Club hosted its annual casino night and mouse races at the Holiday Inn.
Poplar Bluff Junior High School Veterans Day program (11/8/19)
Confessions of Troop 185 (11/8/19)

Twin Rivers R-X High School drama club will put on an original production Tuesday night of the play Confessions of Troop 185.
The hunt is on! (11/7/19)

It's that time of year again. Stores and highways are filled with blaze orange vests, campers and gun racks. Missouri's firearms deer season begins Nov. 16 and runs through Nov. 26. The late youth portion begins Nov. 26 through Dec. 1. Deer camp is a tradition for many hunters. This week's throwback highlights Chris Rhodes' deer camp from November 2003. Click the Hunting Diaries link www.darnews.com/forms/hunting on our home page to share your photos with us. Wishing all of you a safe and productive hunting season!
Church of the Holy Cross Craft Fair (11/2/19)

The Julia Kraft Guild of the Church of the Holy Cross hosted it annual craft fair and bazaar on Saturday.
WMU Fall Festival (11/2/19)

The annual WMU Fall Festival was held on Saturday at the Pleasant Hill Family Center.
Halloween in Poplar Bluff (11/1/19)
Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Centrer (11/1/19)

The Poplar Bluff R-I School District is working on finishing up the new Early Childhood Center, which is located next to the Kindergarten Center.
Sacred Heart students learn about night-time animals (10/31/19)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Ranger Aleigha Alexander and student intern Alyssa Moss presented a program on nocturnal animals Wednesday morning to fourth- and sixth-grade students at Sacred Heart Catholic School. The students learned about such nocturnal animals as opossums, red foxes, coyotes, barred owls and brown bats. The park rangers are from Wappapello Lake.
East Pine Street accident, Oct. 31, 2019 (10/31/19)

One person was injured after a vehicle overturned on East Pine Street in Poplar Bluff, near Peach Street. Two vehicles were involved in the accident.
Qulin Halloween Parade (10/31/19)

The Qulin schools had a Halloween parade Thursday morning in the middle school gym where students and teachers alike dressed in their best costumes.
Beechwell General Baptist Church turns 150 (10/31/19)

Beechwell General Baptist Church in Campbell will celebrate its 150th anniversary on Sunday. According to church member, Jennifer Krepps, Beechwell is the oldest General Baptist Church in Dunklin County. It was once known as the “mother church” to all area General Baptist churches. The church was originally founded in September of 1869 by Bro. Alonzo Fowler, Bro. J.T. Davis, the first pastor and 19 other church members. The church was named Beechwell because of a grove of beech trees at the foot of the sand hill on the site. The original log and frame structure was built shorty after the church was organized in 1869 and was later destroyed by fire. Beechwell Church moved to its present location at 38220 State Highway H in Campbell in 1922. Five years later, that structure also succumbed to a fire. The building was rebuilt and expanded in 1953 and 1967. Dedication of a new sanctuary was held in September 1973. Bro. Gary Long is the current pastor of Beechwell General Baptist Church. Lunch will follow the Sunday morning service. An anniversary celebration is set for 1:30 p.m. Sunday featuring the Krepps family in concert.
Kindergarten Fall Festival (10/29/19)

The Kindergarten Center hosted its annual Fall Festival on Tuesday night, which serves as a fundraiser to keep experiences such as class photos, yearbooks and field trips free for families.
Corning Fall Festival (10/26/19)
Mules pre-game (10/25/19)
Mules versus Hillsboro - Oct. 25 (10/25/19)
Poplar Bluff Mules senior night - Oct. 25, 2019 (10/25/19)
TCC Pumpkin Contest (10/24/19)

The Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center had students in each field of study design pumpkins that are on display through tomorrow. The pumpkins draw inspiration from the field the students are in. The contest is being held through a canned food donation. The pumpkin that receives the most cans is named the winner with those students receiving a prize. The cans of food will be donated to one of the local food banks to help with the upcoming holiday needs. See more photos and the story in Saturday's edition of the Daily American Republic.
Beta Club Wizarding School (10/24/19)

The Poplar Bluff High School Beta Club hosted Wizarding School on Saturday. The event, designed after the Harry Potter series, served as a fundraiser for members of the organization to travel to the national convention.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Explorer program (10/23/19)

About 20 teenagers from across Southeast Missouri are participating in a pilot program designed to boost their interest in law enforcement careers. The teens are members of an Explorer Post established in Troop E by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2017.
Vacant house fire, 1408 Grove St. (10/23/19)

Poplar Bluff city firefighters were called at approximately noon Wednesday to a fire at a vacant house at 1408 Grove St. They were called to the property by a Poplar Bluff police officer who was already on scene, according dispatch information.
Neelyville Fall Tiger Fest (10/21/19)

Neelyville Schools held its annual Neelyville Tiger Fest on Saturday, October 19th. Activities and venders filled the afternoon with much for the community to participate in. Activities included a costume contest, lip sync contest, and singing. High School clubs like Jr. Beta and Art Club had food stands set up as fundraisers.
More highlights from the Broseley Homecoming (10/21/19)
Broseley Homecoming (10/19/19)

Downtown Broseley was filled with friends, families and former residents Saturday morning in celebration of the annual Broseley Homecoming. This year marked the 50th class reunion of the last class to graduate from Broseley High School before the district's consolidation into Twin Rivers in 1970. Look for more photos this week in the Daily American Republic.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Building (10/19/19)

Sleep in Heavenly Peace hosted its second bed building event Saturday where volunteers came together to build 30 bed frames that will go to local families in need. The organization currently has over 40 on the list to receive beds. Along with the frames, the families will receive donated mattresses and bedding. Volunteers will come in to finish putting the frames together and put the beds together.
Princess for A Day 2019 (10/19/19)

The Poplar Bluff Pom Squad hosted Princess for A Day at the Kindergarten Center on Saturday. During the event, young girls got their hair, makeup and nails done before being dusted with pixie dust and going to meet the Disney princesses.
Poplar Bluff Head Start's Million Man Lunch (10/18/19)
Throwback Thursday: Pisos Point water tower construction in 2002 (10/17/19)

From the November 18, 2002 edition of the Daily American Republic. How long does it take to erect a $250,000, 100,000 gallon, 120 foot high elevated water tower? A week? A couple of days? How about eight hours? That's exactly how long it took a crew of seven ironworkers from Indiana to set up an elevated tower at Pisos Point on Lake Wappapello on Tuesday, November 5, 2002.
Junior high fooball - Poplar Bluff versus Jackson - Oct. 17 (10/17/19)
Fun at Lake Road Elementary (10/15/19)
Fisk Fall Harvest Festival (10/12/19)

Hundreds of people turned out Saturday for the annual Fisk Fall Harvest Festival.
2019 Poplar Bluff Masonic Youth Father Daughter Ball (10/12/19)

Approximately, 1,000 fathers and their daughters gather at the Masonic Youth Father Daughter Ball on Saturday evening, Oct. 12, at the Black River Coliseum. The night was full of food, dancing and fun.
2019 Poplar Bluff Football Homecoming (10/11/19)

For more on Friday night’s homecoming game, view the story here https://www.semoball.com/story/2640892.html
Mules versus Jackson football (10/11/19)

For more, see the full story here https://www.semoball.com/story/2640892.html
Throwback Thursday: Carter County railroads (10/10/19)

Since the early nineteenth century railroads have been an important contributor to the growth and prosperity of rural America. Railroads brought economic boom and connectivity to these small communities. Their presence helped shape the physical growth of rural cities and towns. This week's throwback takes a look back at two of Carter County's former railroad depots in Ellsinore and Hunter.
Qulin Homecoming Festival (10/7/19)

Residents turned out Saturday for the annual Qulin Homecoming Festival.
Walk to End Alzheimers (10/5/19)

The 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s was held Saturday morning at McLane Park. The walk is an annual fundraiser to support Alzheimer's research with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.
2019 Hocus Pocus Gala (10/5/19)

The Poplar Bluff Museum hosted the fifth annual “Hocus Pocus Night at the Museum” Gala on Saturday night. The event serves as one of the main fundraisers for the museum, which is 100% funded through community donations. The museum serves as a collection of the history of Poplar Bluff including areas for local first responders and the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame.
Poplar Bluff at Cape Central football (10/4/19)
Throwback Thursday: the old country store (10/3/19)

Old country stores are becoming nearly extinct with the modernization and globalization of our world. Family owned country stores once dotted the rural landscape offering essential goods to locals who weren't able to travel to "town" to shop. General stores served as social gathering spots for men folk to swap stories over a "sodie pop" and a bag of peanuts. Penny candy was always a treasured treat for any rural kid who could afford it. This week's throwback gives a glimpse into country store life in Missouri with a couple of images borrowed from The Prospect-News in Doniphan. If anyone would like to share old country store photos or other historical images of our area for possible future publication, please email us at news@darnews.com. We would love to hear from you.
Twin Towers Senior Health Fair (9/30/19)

The annual Senior Health Fair was held Monday at Poplar Bluff's Twin Towers.
Fellowship Church 4 PB ministry (9/28/19)

Inspired by Jesus’ great commandment to love God and others, the congregation of Fellowship General Baptist Church spent the last week demonstrating that love in various practical ways throughout the community.
A look at the Iron Horse Festival and Veteran Fall Festival (9/28/19)

The aroma of popcorn and funnel cakes wafted through the air Saturday as large crowds filled the streets of downtown Poplar Bluff for the 10th annual Iron Horse Festival and second annual Veteran Fall Festival.
Veterans Honor Tour heads to Washington, D.C. (9/27/19)

The Veterans Honor Tour left Poplar Bluff early Friday on its way to Washington, D.C.
Butler County Fair (9/27/19)

The Butler County Fair kicked off Thursday night with the Wiener Dog races. The fair will continue tonight and tomorrow with activities from tire tossing and tractor pulling tonight to the demo derby on Saturday.
Chamber Golf Tournament (9/27/19)

More than 80 golfers participated in Friday’s 27th annual event, held at the Westwood Hills Country Club.
Poplar Bluff at Farmington football (9/27/19)
Historic Black River Baptist Church (9/26/19)

This week's throwback image is of the historic Black River Church in Butler County. The church was organized in 1818 east of Hendrickson and is the oldest congregation in the county. This 1913 photograph shows the third structure occupied by the church, near Keener Resort on the west side of the river. This building burned in 1925 and was rebuilt as a concrete block church on the same site in the amount of $600. A fifth church was completed in 1953 on Hwy. JJ about a mile and a half of Hwy. 67. The church continues to operate as a house of worship today. A feature on the history and life of Black River Baptist Church along with many other interesting stories about people and places in our region will appear in the Daily American Republic's annual Progress magazine, scheduled for release on Saturday, Oct. 26.
More on the road with the Sho-Me Band (9/25/19)

More highlights from the Poplar Bluff High School Sho-Me Band's first competition of the season at last Saturday's Farmington Marching Invitational in Farmington, Mo.
On the road with the Sho-Me Band (9/24/19)

The Poplar Bluff HIgh School Sho-Me Band hit the road last Saturday to compete in their first field show competition of the season at the Farmington Marching Invitational in Farmington, Mo. The day started early for the band at Poplar Bluff High School with a 7:40 a.m. practice and run-through on the football field before loading the trucks and buses. The group filled the three Penske trucks with their equipment and uniforms, boarded four buses around 10 a.m. and headed to the Farmington High School campus. Upon arrival in Farmington, the band unloaded equipment ate a quick lunch provided by the boosters, then changed into uniforms. Warm ups were set for 2 p.m. followed by field staging, then their performance at 2:45 p.m. After performing, the band changed out of uniforms and once again, loaded equipment onto the trucks. The group was able to watch a few of the other bands compete until the awards ceremony that evening. Competing bands were representative of high schools from as far away as the bootheel of Missouri to northern areas of St. Louis. Poplar Bluff placed 2nd overall in the Class AAA category with Pattonville High School taking first place. The Sho-Me Band's next competition is set for Sept. 28 at the Wright City Wildcat Pride Marching Festival in Wright City, Mo.
28th Annual Old Greenville Days (9/21/19)

The town of Old Greenville is being celebrated Sept. 21 and 22 with food, fun and family-friendle activities at the Old Greenville Recreation Area. Events are being held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Activities are organized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
54th annual Truman Day Rally (9/21/19)

The 54th annual Truman Day Rally was held Saturday at the Holiday Inn ballroom.
Throwback Thursday: A tribute to legendary Poplar Bluff alumnus Eddie Moss (9/19/19)

Legendary Poplar Bluff High School alumnus, Eddie Moss, will celebrate his 70th birthday on Sept. 27. This week's throwback takes a look back at his accomplished sports history. Moss was a key member of the 1965 and 1966 Mules football conference champion teams. As a junior and senior, he was selected to the All-Conference team at three positions. Moss led the Mules basketball team in rebounding during the 1967 season and played Junior College football at Centerville in Iowa. He was a two-year starter at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau winning All MIAA (now OVC) honors both years. Moss was then drafted by NFL team, the Buffalo Bills and later played the position of running back with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Redskins. He is a member of the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Women Aware Conference - Thursday morning (9/19/19)
WOODS (Wappapello Outdoor Opportunities for Disabled Sportsmen) event at Wappapello Lake (9/17/19)

Nearly 300 people participated in the annual WOODS (Wappapello Outdoor Opportunities for Disabled Sportsmen) event Saturday at the Redman Creek Recreation Area at Wappapello Lake.
TRC Run 4 the Arts (9/16/19)

Three Rivers College hosted its annual Art on the Run event Saturday morning.