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.
Sheila Heti is in a quest for authenticity. Her fifth book follows a late-twenty-something named Sheila who is trying, but ultimately failing to, write a commissioned feminist play. The book has drawn praise from critics who say the work is a "seriously strange, but funny plunge into the quest for authenticity." Ozarks at Large's Katy Henriksen has a review.
A partnership between three non-profits results in eight area schools receiving thousands of dollars worth of donated art supplies. A group is offering rewards to people catching anybody dropping turkeys from airplanes. And, Governor Mike Beebe speaks out against domestic violence.
“Christopher Columbus” by Benny Goodman
We hear from a landholder, a miner, environmental agents and an ecologist about efforts to better control in-stream gravel mining on the Ozarks and how disturbed streams are struggling to revive.`
Roby Brock of TalkBusiness.net recaps the business news of the past seven days, including discussing September net revenues for the state.,br>
The University of Arkansas has expanded its disability awareness campaign from a week to a month. For a list of events taking place throughout October, visit: http://cea.uark.edu/dam.php
“Discovery” by Gas