Community Invited to Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner in Ava
The Ava Area Animal Welfare League, Jr. will host its Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner on Friday, October 17, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Ava Lions Club, located at 309 North Jefferson Street, just down from the Ava Square. This event raises funds to support AAAWL Jr.’s cat and dog spay and neuter program, with…
Read MoreOperation Christmas Child Touches Down in Ava and Mansfield
Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 17 through Nov. 24. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations in Mansfield and Ava. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes…
Read MoreTwo Charged with Possession in Douglas County
On the evening of Tuesday, October 7, a routine traffic stop in Douglas County escalated into a multi-agency operation resulting in two felony arrests and the discovery of methamphetamine. At approximately 8:15 p.m., an officer initiated a stop on a Buick LeSabre after dispatch confirmed the vehicle’s registered owner had two nationwide felony warrants. The…
Read MoreFugitive Caught Near Ava; Ozark Woman Faces Felony Charge
An Ozark woman is facing a felony charge after allegedly helping a wanted man avoid arrest earlier this month, leading to a search and eventual capture north of Ava. According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, 32-year-old Gabriele Lynn Henry has been charged with hindering the prosecution of a felony after reportedly giving a ride…
Read MoreRoute 95 in Douglas County Reduced for Asphalt Overlay
Route 95 in Douglas County will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot lane restriction as construction crews perform asphalt overlay. This section of roadway is located from Route 76 to Route 14. Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, Oct. 20 through Friday, Oct. 31 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The…
Read MoreFood for America Brings Ag Education to Ava Youth
The Ava FFA Chapter will host its annual Food for America event on Friday, October 17, bringing hands-on agricultural learning to hundreds of local students from preschool through middle school. Traditionally held in the spring, this year’s program will take place in the fall and feature 16 interactive learning stations designed and presented entirely by…
Read MoreSuspected Bomb Materials, Arrest Father and Son Near Ava
On Friday, October 10, deputies arrested Gary Haden and his 17-year-old son, James, after a concerned citizen reported seeing what appeared to be a homemade pipe bomb being passed between individuals in a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee parked outside an area business. Deputies James Pueppke and Sam Evans responded and located James and another male…
Read MorePatricia Sue Hodges
Patricia Sue Hodges was born was born February 4, 1956, in Seagoville, Texas, to Delmar and Maxine (Hammons) Hodges and passed away suddenly at her home in Mountain Grove, February 26, 2025, at 69 years of age. Although Patsy was born in Texas, she spent most of her life in Missouri. She was a 1974…
Read MoreWanda J. Bilyeu
Wanda J. Bilyeu, 89, of Monett, MO, passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2025, while at the Aurora Nursing Center after a decline in health. Wanda was born on April 10, 1935, in Whitesboro, TX daughter of the late Arthur and Iva (Moore) Huie. Wanda graduated from Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, CA. For many…
Read MoreMoe Melton
Moe Melton, 28 years, 6 months, 11 days old, passed away on February 27, 2025 at Mansfield, Missouri. Moe was born August 16, 1996, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, to Gerald Allen and Dorothy Evelyn (Trumbull) Melton. Moe graduated from Ava High School in 2014. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served 2015 to…
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