
Ozarks At Large

Yesterday's release from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows broad-based job growth in northwest Arkansas, sales tax revenue went up for the big four cities of northwest Arkansas in November. NWACC decides to buy land from the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad. The education given by the U of A is again described as a good value by the Princeton Review. A teaching farm in Fayetteville gets a grant from Ozark Natural Foods. And Arkansas' newest state senator doubles down on not renewing the state's Private Option expansion of Medicaid.
The Jones Center has plans to renovate some of its outdoor recreational facilities, while the city of Fayetteville has plans for expanding the city's trails network in 2014. And one Springdale-based poultry company issues a recall for more than a million pounds of frozen chicken products.
University of Arkansas Fort Smith's "Read This" 2014 book is "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien.
The Arkansas Department of Health continues to urge residents to get a flu shot as the number of people in the state who have died from flu-related illness continues to climb. The IRS reminds residents that tax season is about to get underway. The risk of wildfire continues to increase across Arkansas. And Sam's Club announces that it will lay off roughly 2 percent of its overall workforce.


Here is the list of clips for our Denver/Colorado montage. We'll have Seattle next week.
1. Ho Hey by Colorado-based band The Lumineers.
2. Robin Williams, as Mork, introduces himself to Boulder, Colorado (where the show was set).
3. Earth, Wind and Fire (with three Colorado natives) sings Boogie Wonderland.
4. Jack Nicholson crashes through in The Shining (at a Colorado hotel).
5. Voices from South Park, Colorado.
6. The song Colorado, My Home from the Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
7. Joan Collins and Linda Evans meet for the first time on the Denver-based soap opera Dynasty.
8. A 1970s commercial for Coors.
9. Colorado native Ralph Edwards surprises yet another celebrity on This is Your Life.
10. John Denver with Rocky Mountain High. Of course.
Apologies to: Lon Chaney and Douglas Fairbanks (how do you get silent stars into an audio montage?) and Hattie McDaniel.
1. Ho Hey by Colorado-based band The Lumineers.
2. Robin Williams, as Mork, introduces himself to Boulder, Colorado (where the show was set).
3. Earth, Wind and Fire (with three Colorado natives) sings Boogie Wonderland.
4. Jack Nicholson crashes through in The Shining (at a Colorado hotel).
5. Voices from South Park, Colorado.
6. The song Colorado, My Home from the Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
7. Joan Collins and Linda Evans meet for the first time on the Denver-based soap opera Dynasty.
8. A 1970s commercial for Coors.
9. Colorado native Ralph Edwards surprises yet another celebrity on This is Your Life.
10. John Denver with Rocky Mountain High. Of course.
Apologies to: Lon Chaney and Douglas Fairbanks (how do you get silent stars into an audio montage?) and Hattie McDaniel.

Web Extra: Images From Sleet City Signs
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Weekend Ozarks, a float along the Buffalo River nearly a year after a hog farm started business near the waterway, and a brand new water park in Siloam Springs is almost ready for the public. And speaking of being ready for the public, the Walmart AMP in Rogers last night had its public debut. Blake Shelton was the first headliner to perform in the new venue, but a few days earlier, we got a sneak preview of the facility.
We continue our week-long series on summer camps by finding out more about the five weeks of art classes at Arts Center of the Ozarks.
PLUS: here are some links to some art camps in the region:
To learn more about the ACO camps, click here.
The Community Creative Center in Fayetteville has no shortage of camps this summer
The University of Arkansas Fort Smith Academy of the Arts isn't just song, dance and music…there are summer art camps beginning in June as well.
This is the second summer for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and there are camps there, too. Click through to their website, then click on the Summer Camps button on the home page.
Carter Sampson pulled her RV into the parking lot at the Carver Center for Public Radio yesterday. She played two songs…here's one of them. Another song and our conversation with her can be heard on Friday’s edition of Ozarks at Large.
You can see her at 8 o'clock tomorrow night at Frisco Club in Rogers and at 9 o'clock Wednesday night at Smoke and Barrel in Fayetteville.
Bob Clinard, Benton County Judge, declared the county a disaster zone Friday, after the county saw more than 6 inches of rain in the latter half of the week. A recent report shows meaningful long-term benefits for children taking part in the state's "Better Chance Pre-K" program. Rahm Emanuel, mayor of Chicago, spoke at the graduation for the Clinton School of Public Service over the weekend. Governor Mike Beebe likens the recently passed Arkansas Private Option to the successful ARKids First program, though he says that the children's insurance program has room to improve.
"A Heart's a Mess" by Gotye
Dr. Megan Witonski says that she is thrilled to take her new post with the Arkansas Department of Education as assistant commissioner with the Division of Learning Services. Among the many responsibilities of the new job is the state's transition to the set of common language arts and math standards being implemented by 45 states.