Ozarks At Large
The head of the Hatcher Agency, the state's largest independent insurer, says that many of his clients are providing insurance to employees rather than paying penalties associated with the Affordable Care Act. Senator Mark Pryor talks about his push for answers from the Air Force regarding the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith while Senator Boozman says he is concerned about a backlog in disability claims for veterans. And Elton John is coming to Fayetteville in just a few weeks.




Two public meetings were held late yesterday in Jasper to address concerns about the large CAFO in Newton County. Picasolar took home several thousand dollars from an MIT competition earlier this week. Fort Smith has finished automating trash collection, but now the city's sanitation department is turning its eye to automating recyclable collection. And speaking of Fort Smith, Senator Mark Pryor demands answers from the U.S. Air Force regarding the future of the 188th Fighter Wing.

Ozarks at Large's Meredith Martin Moats recently sat in on a conversation with Bud Rector, who will turn 99 later this year and has lived almost all his life in Yell County. We conclude her two-part report on his recollections of an Arkansas that has nearly vanished.

Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Remembering Some of the People We Lost in 2013
On this special edition of Ozarks we hear again some of the voices we lost during 2013, including Bill Harrison, Curley Miller, Ivan Denton and Dick Renko.
Here is our list of ten cookie references from our montage this morning. If you got all ten, take the rest of the week off . . . this was our most obscure list yet.
A commercial for the Fig Newton cookie from the 1970s.
Michael Scott and Angel fight for Kevin’s loyalty on an episode of The Office.
Kate Smith and Andy Williams deny the Cookie Bear a cookie on The Andy Williams Show. (this was once a popular, zany skit . . . we promise)
Walter Matthau in a scene for the movie The Fortune Cookie.
Jerry and Elaine discuss the black and white cookie. It didn’t end well.
Shirley Temple sings "Animal Crackers" . . . they’re cookies, right?
The Keebler Elves push fudge cookies.
Gingy, the talking Gingerbread Man tosses an insult in Shrek 3.
Shelly Long sells Girl Scout Cookies in Troop Beverly Hills.
Two of the three best Muppets ever, Kermit and Cookie Monster, play a game.
Apologies to the cast of Robert Altman’s film Cookie’s Fortune, baseball players Rojas and Lovagetto, the short-order cook in Beetle Bailey and famous Amos. Maybe next time
Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5
Results from a new study announced yesterday by the NWA Council found many strengths of doing business in Northwest Arkansas, and few weaknesses as well. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and state senator Keith Ingram introduce a trifecta of bills aimed at curbing election fraud. And Governor Mike Beebe stands by his decision to veto two abortion bills, even though the legislature overturned both vetoes.
“Play With Me” by The Album Leaf
Michael Tilley of The City Wire discusses how the abortion law passed by the Arkansas State Legislature could result in legal action that will be funded by taxpayers, and more.
“American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell,” is a traveling exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art that opens to the public tomorrow.
“Earl Harvin” by Garage A Trois
Becca Martin Brown helps kids look forward to what entertainment options they'll have for Spring Break.