Hundreds of millions of dollars have been slashed from Head Start, the historic preschool program, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Jacqueline Froelich reports on the closure of the Willow Heights Head Start in downtown Fayetteville.
Ozarks At Large

The Bella Vista Bypass hits a snag in Missouri, and the Rogers Fire Department gets a FEMA grant worth more than a half-million dollars


Becca Martin Brown tells us that the country lineup of Exile, which features a list of former members of the band, has reunited and will perform soon in northwest Arkansas.
Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood of Trout Fishing in America recently stopped by the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio. Here they are playing the title track from their new album, "Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers."
Becca Martin Brown tells us that the country lineup of Exile, which features a list of former members of the band, has reunited and will perform soon in northwest Arkansas.

Several happenings at area libraries and music at local pubs for this National Chocolate Milkshake Day edition of the daily notes.
Fayetteville competes in the International Compassion Games. Participants can earn points simply by being nice.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Monday, December 9, 2013
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, we learn about undergrounding. Plus, a conversation with the author of "Hanging On Upside Down: The Life and work of Marianne Moore."
In just more than a decade, Mark Landon Smith, director of Arts Live Theatre, has taken the program to new heights. Becca Martin Brown has more on their upcoming season.
Here are our ten clips inspired by monster trucks...well, all monster---no trucks.
1. Bobby Pickett sings Monster Mash.
2. Boris Karloff and O.P. Heggie in an iconic (if often misquoted) scene from The Bride of Frankenstein.
3. Warren Zevon's song Werewolves of London.
4. Maria Ouspenskaya and Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Wolf Man.
5. Godzilla, the song by Blue Oyster Cult.
6. Godzilla, the fire-breathing monster.
7. Edgar Winter and the classic rock instrumental, Frankenstein.
8. King Kong's roar. You get credit if you guessed a lion's roar played backwards...because that's what it is.
9. Imagine Dragons' song Monster.
10. Bela Lugosi's Dracula doesn't lie...he just doesn't tell the whole truth.
Apologies to: Lon Chaney, Sr. (silent films are not good Sunday Montage fodder), the Creature From the Black Lagoon and Of Monsters and Men. Maybe next time.
The Arkansas gross domestic product grew in 2013, particularly in some unexpected sectors. With one of the architects of the Arkansas Private Option defeated in a primary runoff this week, the future of the Medicaid expansion is in doubt, but Governor Mike Beebe is undeterred. Plus, this weekend marks the 149th anniversary of the end of slavery in the U.S., and the 17th annual NWA Juneteenth Celebration will mark the occasion in Springdale.
"Ten Million Slaves" Otis Taylor
Michael Tilley, from The City Wire, talks about the latest details regarding an acquisition of Hillshire.