
Ozarks At Large

Rilla Askew and Timothy O'Grady are novelists and visiting associate professors at the University of Arkansas. They'll read from their work Thursday night at Nightbird Books in Fayetteville.
In our monthly series on numbers, Dr. Edmond Harris tells us that the number 'two' is where statements can begin to be made with numbers.
The city of Fayetteville was recently reassessed by the Insurance Services Office, which found that the city has made several improvements to fire protection since the last such rating more than a decade ago. The state highway department encountered few problems with clearing highways after yesterday's wintry precipitation that moved across the state. And two superstars will perform in Rogers later this month.

All are topics in this morning's week in review.
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has a new program designed to help landowners clean up hazardous substances without being fined. Senator John Boozman offers his thoughts on the Farm Bill that passed the House and is now on its way to the Senate. And the state's attorney general is being asked to clarify the state's new voter ID law.
A new report released yesterday suggests that home sales were up in Arkansas throughout last year. One of Fayetteville's trails is nationally recognized. The U of A announces that a multi-million-dollar deficit in its Advancement Division will be eliminated this fiscal year. NWACC reports a decline in spring enrollment, while ATU-Ozark posts another record spring semester. And several area Main Street programs receive awards from Main Street Arkansas.
Becca offers help for Valentine's Day outings with this list of regional visual arts and museum events.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Monday, June 9, 2014
Ahead on Ozarks, we learn the differences between various types of Arkansas charter schools. Plus, a UA researcher receives a grant to study the genetic composition of diatoms.
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.