
Ozarks At Large

Fourth Congressional District Representative Tom Cotton weighed in on several prescient national issues over the weekend during a stop in Texarkana. Congressman Tim Griffin urges President Obama to disclose more to the American public about the nation's financial situation. State House Speaker Davy Carter says that the issue of a Medicaid funding shortfall is the biggest issue facing the upcoming legislative session in Little Rock. And the Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History has a new director.
A new collection of Charles Portis' works will be discussed at the Fayetteville Public Library this week.
Here is the list of pop culture references included in today's montage honoring food service workers:
- Billy Joel sings "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."
- Kermit, Miss Piggy and Steve Martin confer in The Muppet Movie.
- Jennifer Aniston complains (understandably) about her flair in Office Space.
- The very underrated band The Bus Boys and the song "Minimum Wage."
- Meg Ryan defines high maintenance as a customer in When Harry Meets Sally.
- The Austin-based Asleep at the Wheel sings "House of Blue Lights."
- Judge Reinhold gets a raw deal in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
- Homer is disappointed with the slow service at Moe's Family Feedbag in a classic Simpsons episode.
- Arlo Guthrie and the most famous restaurant song ever, "Alice's Restaurant."
- Linda Lavin, Vic Tayback and Polly Holiday inside Mel's Diner on the situation comedy Alice.
- Cab Calloway sings "Everybody Eats at My House." The best rhyme in the song: Want a pancake, Mandrake?
January is "Be Kind To Food Servers Month." Ozarks at Large's Christina Thomas speaks with local server David Jelinek to talk about the difficulty of the food service industry.
Several cities made news this week with talks of real estate deals. Ozarks at Large's Timothy Dennis takes a look back at some of those stories
Senator Mark Pryor outlines some of his top priorities for 2013 as he tours the state. The Bentonville school district hears from the voting public about what would make for a more successful millage campaign. And Arkansas' public school system gets a passing grade, though there is room for improvement.

A new report released yesterday by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation finds that Arkansas had the fourth-highest rate of immigrant population in the United States during the first decade of this century. But while the state's immigrant population remains below the national average, the report also says that the growth has been beneficial to the state's economy.
Governor Mike Beebe urges Republican state legislators to look at all possible solutions to shore up the shortfall in the state's Medicaid system, though he stated he is against using one-time budget surplus funds to close the gap. The city of Fayetteville looks into selling a bit of land in an effort to clear an eyesore in the name of new commerce.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Weekend Ozarks, we visit the kitchen of Jen Lewis, take a spin in a state-run clinic that aids veterans in rural communities, and we meet a recovering opiate addict who has found hope with methadone.
The traveling exhibit called Hunger U is on the University of Arkansas campus this week.
at end of show: “Route 66” by John Pizarelli
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announces that the state will appeal a federal judge's decision that struck down Arkansas' 12-week abortion ban. Plus, the state's surgeon general is touting greater transparency after the federal government releases data on national Medicare claims.
"All Hell Broke Loose" by Charlie Hunter
An undocumented Mexican college student is being detained in a San Diego jail for illegally crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S. As Jacqueline Froelich reports, the case is drawing attention here in Arkansas because Marisol Soto is from Pea Ridge. (Photo: Mariana Soto, left, with sister Marisol)
Roby Brock has the Arkansas political and business news from the past seven days.
A quick glance at events in the region includes the departure of a mainstay at the Bentonville Public Library
"Frisco Blues" by John Lee Hooker