May 7, 2025
Local journalist John Hacker and his book, “5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado,” will be featured by the Friends of the Missouri State Archives online as part of its Thursday Evening Speaker Series.
The event will be streamed on Facebook Live at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15. www.facebook.com/missouristatearchives/live.
It should also be archived at that site for viewing in the future, along with others in the series that were previously recorded.
At 5:41 p.m. on May 22, 2011, the deadliest tornado to strike the United States in 60 years tore through Joplin. By the time it completed its devastating path, one-third of the community lay in ruins, 161 lives were lost, and survivors were left with stories they would carry forever.
“5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado” brings together firsthand accounts from more than two dozen survivors, alongside reporting from award-winning journalist and photographer John Hacker of the Joplin Globe and former newspaper reporter and editor Randy Turner, who was teaching eighth-grade English at Joplin East Middle School in 2011.
The book is likely available at Always Buying Books. It can also be purchased on Amazon.
Two Webb City High School graduates, Chelsie (Jeffries) Bennett and Chrity Brower are instrumental in Joplin Little Theatre’s next production, “Absurd Person Singular.”
Bennett is directing the dark comedy, while Brower is in the cast, playing Charity Brower.
“Absurd Person Singular” is a laugh-out-loud comedy and satirical look at how three couples deal with their relationships, social standings and the pressures of three successive holiday gatherings.
Cast:
The production will be at 7:30 p.m. May 14 – 17 and 2:30 p.m. May 18.
Ticket prices are $18 for adults and $15 for senior citizens and students. They can be purchased by calling (417) 623-3638 or online.
Joplin Little Theatre is located at 3009 W. First St. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
The Webb City Sentinel isn’t a newspaper – but it used to be, serving Webb City, Missouri, in print from 1879-2020. This “newspaper” seeks to carry on that tradition as a nonprofit corporation.
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