Arkansas receives recognition for its work to combat human trafficking in the state, and several new laws go into effect today.
Ozarks At Large
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: when you think of fertile ground for jazz you may think of New Orleans, Europe, New York City…but, Azerbaijan? Amina Figarova grew up listening to jazz in her childhood home in Baku, Azerbaijan. She’s released a dozen albums and will close the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series this weekend. We'll hear from her later on the show. Plus…that extra "A" in Lake Atalanta in Rogers. Why the lake is called that isexplained in the latest edition of our series "What's in a Name?" And a wilderness water trail inside the Fort Smith city limits.
Amina Figarova has 12 recordings and has performed with her quintet on the main stage of the Newport Jazz Festival. Friday night she closes the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series at Walton Arts Center.
A water trail along the Arkansas River in Fort Smith allows canoeists and kayakers a chance to experience some wilderness inside the Fort Smith city limits.
An area school district that intended to arm teachers and other staff can no longer do so, after the board that issued a private security firm license to the Clarksville School District has revoked that license. The Arkansas State Police rolls out a fleet of new, more discreet cruisers. One of Springdale's farmers' markets closes, but could potentially reopen in the future. A non-profit aimed at serving women from disadvantaged situations gets ready to open in Rogers. And a new state law taking effect tomorrow means drivers will have to move over for more than just emergency personnel.
Ahead on the show: If you have a child anxious about attending a new school in a few days, we have three things that can help you ease a child into a new school year. Lynne Webb, a professor of communications at the University of Arkansas explains how skills that help reduce anxiety about school can be used the rest of your life. Plus the desire for a new fish hatchery in northwest Arkansas and Zeek Taylor explains why painting a simple black cat is harder than you might think. He’s the featured artist at the Norberta Philbrook Gallery in Bentonville for a new show opening tomorrow.Zeek Taylor discusses preparing for an art show in Bentonville, why he likes animals in his work and the difficulty involved with painting a black dog or white cat.
The plans for the Charlie Craig State Fish Hatchery in Centerton began in the middle of the Great Depression, long before large man-made lakes were part of the landscape in northern Arkansas. The hatchery has been a part of Benton County for years, but in coming ones a replacement could be built near Highfill.
A spokesman for Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin says that the office should be able to use outside counsel that questions the office's compliance with the state's Freedom of Information Act. Benton County officials continue to assess damage done by recent floods, with the cost of said damage estimated at $5 million and rising. The same rains that caused damage in Benton County has given a rare opportunity to floaters of the Buffalo River. And while yesterday's elections resulted in a runoff next month in Springdale, voters in Paris and Huntsville approved more taxes in their own cities.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Weekend Ozarks at Large, we visit Baum Stadium during the opening weekend of Razorback baseball; not for the game but rather to see how the stadium came to be. Plus, three things to keep in mind when taking in a theatrical show, and a history of Cubans in Fort Smith.
Becca Martin Brown from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers tells us about a book talk at the Fayetteville Public Library and a movie screening at the Rogers Public Library.
Recipients of a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller foundation plan to implement savings programs for after high school schooling and improve the state's 49th rank in the country for young adults with a post-secondary education.
The state is the first in the country to implement a smart 911 system. The adoption of the new system across the state was announced earlier this week at the state capitol by elected officials and representatives of Arkansas’ fire, police and EMS first responders. Nathan Vandiver from our content partner KUAR in Little Rock filed this report.
"Ma Baker" by Boney M
University of Arkansas researcher Dr. Susan Gauch is helping develop personalized search engines. She visited KUAF earlier this week to talk with Ozarks at Large’s Antoinette Grajeda about her research.
More of this conversation is available here
