Ozarks At Large
Simultaneous tax cuts and hikes, charter schools and the latest on Medicaid expansion from the state legislature; jockeys prepare for this weekend's Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn; more sidewalks in Fayetteville and the population continues to grow in Northwest Arkansas; all in today's Segment A.
The Arkansas General Assembly moves forward with a controversial voter ID bill, education and education supporters rally against a proposal that would shift money from the state's general fund into highway construction, and Arkansas' U.S. Senate contingent speaks out about efforts to pass a federal budget.


State lawmakers continue to weigh the issue of Medicaid expansion two weeks after receiving word from Washington that federal Medicaid expansion funds could be used for a privatized expansion of the system. A pair of lawmakers also weigh in on how recent anti-abortion legislation has affected Arkansas' reputation in the rest of the country. And a controlled burn is set for tomorrow in one local city.
Late last week, the Northwest Arkansas Council released the results of a study on the area's Business Retention and Expansion Efforts. The study was compiled from interviews by area chambers of commerce with 459 area companies. We speak with Mike Harvey, chief operating officer of the council about the survey and what the results mean for the area moving forward.
Another area city plans to speak out against a bill in the Arkansas Legislature that could mean a rollback of city development regulations. Governor Mike Beebe touts the state's efforts to make sure fewer children in Arkansas go hungry, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art again gets national recognition, not for its paintings but for the construction of the museum itsself.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Ahead on Ozarks, distance education will have a strong presence in a program on the University of Arkansas campus next fall, plus Rogers Little Theatre brings a comedy classic to the stage. We go behind the scenes with The Man Who Came To Dinner.
Today is the 45th anniversary of the plane crash that claimed the lives of Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays outside of Madison, Wisconsin. The sole survivor of that crash was Bar-Kays trumpet player, Ben Cauley. Cauley turned 65 this year, and Sara Hoover from our content partner WKNO in Memphis brings us his story.
Becca Martin Brown from NWA Newspapers reminds us about an exhibit on Arkansas' first great entrepreneur, which is on display at the Bentonville Public Library today.
Adam Vines’ collection of poetry "The Coal Life" was published by the University of Arkansas Press and has earned critical praise. He was recently in Fayetteville and talked with Ozarks at Large’s Kyle Kellams.
We survey four state advocacy groups about their legislative action items leading up to the Regular Session of the 89th General Assembly scheduled to convene on Monday, January 14th.
On its surface, today's week in review may look like a retread of last week's, but these education stories offer a twist of innovation.