Featured Story
Ava’s Stan Lovan: 40 Years of Fighting Fires
For over 40 years, Stan Lovan has been traveling throughout the United States to assist firefighting efforts in forests, swamps, cactus, and brush. Lovan estimates he averages between 50 and 60 days of firefighting annually. Lovan started traveling to the fires as an employee of the Missouri Department of Conservation. He is now retired from…
Read MoreDemolition Derby Winners
The Douglas County Fair ran its demolition derby last weekend. The event featured 24 lawn mowers and 15 cars. Event winners are as follows: Little Tykes: 31 Ford Young & Kelly Scrivner 15 Remi Lane 58 Titus Lane Lawn Mower: 1st Place: Heath Roberts 2nd Place: Ricky Croney 3rd Place: Bo Stamper 4th Place: Daniel…
Read MorePeople’s Choice Art Winners
Ava R-1 School Board Votes to Replace OPAA! Food Service With Its Own Employees
Ava City Council Move Forward on Street Department Building, Square Updates, School Sidewalk
By Doug Berger City Finances City treasurer Peggy Porter said the city does have over $3 million in cash, but along with covering regular operating costs the city is attempting to grow reserve funds to prepare for emergencies or unanticipated costs. Metal Building During its regular meeting Tuesday evening, the Ava Board of Aldermen approved…
Read MoreCircuit Law Day for October 12, 2020
During Circuit law day on October 12, 2020, the following defendants were sentenced to the Department of Corrections: Daniel Holmes, 57, Gassville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for Tampering With a Motor Vehicle after he admitted to violating his probation. The original offense occurred in November of 2019 and was investigated…
Read MoreLiveStream: Ava Bears Football vs. Willow Springs
Searching For Answers After the Murder Of Josie Ann Abney
by Donald Dodd Publisher, The Salem News Editor’s note: This article ran last week in The Salem News. It’s not an easy story, but we felt it was an important story. Ten-year-old Josie Ann Abney was buried at 1 p.m. Tuesday, October 13th in Cedar Grove Cemetery outside Salem, with an 11 a.m. visitation at…
Read MorePickin’ on Ava: Self-taught guitar maker spent career in Forestry Service
by Doug Berger An interest in performing music led Bill Miles to an interest in the construction and repair of guitars. “It started out as a hobby, back in the mid ‘60s, a friend of mine had purchased a Fender electric guitar and one of the pickups was bad in it, and the fret work…
Read MoreAva Ambulance Unit Destroyed in Fire
The Ava Area Ambulance District suffered a major setback on Thursday, October 15, when, due to a mechanical issue, one of the district’s ambulances caught fire and burned on Highway 60 east of Springfield, at Diggins. Thankfully, the ambulance was not transporting a patient at the time and no one was hurt. However, the 2019…
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