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.
The Amazeum won't open until 2015, but Sam Dean, the director of the new science and learning museum, says that museum officials already have some idea of what the exhibits, and the building itself, will look like.
A snippet of music from last night’s live broadcast of the Artosphere Festival Orchestra.
The state's Department of Corrections has announced it will make changes to the state's parole system following calls by Governor Beebe and others to strengthen the supervision and control of parolees in the state. While new unemployment numbers show a decline in the state's business sector, other areas have experienced growth. Opposition is mounting against the White River's designation as a National Blueway. And non-profit organizations looking to Rogers to host baseball tournaments will soon have to pay more to play.
"Just One" by Blind Pilot
Northwest Arkansas is the second most popular destination in the U.S. for retirees to locate, and Mercy Northwest in Rogers recently dedicated its 7th floor as the "Mercy Senior Behavioral Health Program" in an attempt to provide specialized in-patient care for the older population.