Governor Mike Beebe says that a package of tax cuts approved yesterday by the Arkansas Senate is acceptable, though he worries about the cuts' impact in the years to come after he leaves office. A proposed constitutional amendment that would move ethics reform forward in the state moves closer to the ballot after receiving final approval by the legislature. The latest on cleanup efforts on the Mayflower oil spill, in spite of the potential for severe weather. Plans for the Sebastian County aquatics park move forward, and a group at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville plans to take back the night with an annual event aimed at raising awareness about sexual violence.
Ozarks At Large

The Arkansas Senate followed the House's lead in passing a federally backed expansion of the state's Medicaid system, and all that remains is final approval from Washington. The Arkansas Governor's race gets a little more crowded with an official announcement by former Congressman Mike Ross. Arkansas' two Senators give their thoughts on the Gang of Eight proposed immigration reform package. A hearing is held today in Nebraska regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, and a Bentonville group wants to turn Fridays into bike days.



Becca Martin Brown from Nortwest Arkansas Media ponders the definition of a jam rocker while reminding us that Umphrey's McGee will perform at George's Majestic Lounge tonight.
The Arkansas Legislature was a flurry of activity yesterday, with passage not only of Medicaid expansion, but the House also advanced bills regarding cuts to the state's income, capital gains and utility taxes. The House also passed the Senate bill that will provide financial support for construction of the Big River Steel superproject ion Osceola. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel rejects the latest proposed ballot initiative regarding medical marijuana, and Northwest Arkansas' two baseball teams have a disappointing Tuesday.

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.
Last week the University of Arkansas Libraries hosted a panel discussion about Daisy Bates. Janis Kearney, Roy Reed and Gerald Jordan participated in the forum. (Photo: UA Libraries Special Collection)
Gubernatorial hopeful Asa Hutchinson was among the candidates yesterday who filed to run in this year's election, while current Governor Beebe talked about the potential impacts that could come if the state legislature doesn't reauthorize funding for the Private Option.
"Stripes Main Theme" by Elmer Bernstein
The six-county Ozark Mountain Solid Waste District filed for bankruptcy in January on a landfill and hauling franchise it purchased nearly ten years ago in north Baxter County as a money-making venture. As Jacqueline Froelich reports, a state legislator has stepped forward to allocate special funding to safely seal the site.
The Fort Smith Board of Directors last night held its first quarterly open-forum meeting. The sessions are designed to discuss any "What" and "Why" questions the directors might have.
In 2011, Northwest Arkansas Community College received a one-million-dollar federal grant to offer certifications and other classes to the unemployed in Northwest Arkansas. Now in its third year, the ARK Grant program has already helped 275 area residents further develop their skills in order to more easily find a job