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.
Matthew Sever, an Austin-based musician, was the featured performer at last night's installment of the Gulley Park Concert Series. For more information, visit www.matttheelectrician.com.
“All I Know” by: Matt the Electrician
Nathan McCleod’s interest in the saxophone can be traced back to listening to one of the legendary masters of the instrument. And as Ozarks at Large’s Sophie Kid discovered, he’s interested in stretching the limits of the sax. Her profile is the latest in our series, “Music Matters.”
Tomorrow, the River Valley Ale Raisers will hold an all-American brew off in Fort Smith. Ozarks at Large's Christina Thomas spoke with Luke Stolz, president of the regions home brewing club, about the basics of making (there’s a science to it) and drinking beer at home. For more information: www.RiverValleyAleRaisers.com.
Some GOP members of Arkansas’ legislature are asking Governor Beebe’s administration to slow down the process for possible Medicaid expansion in the state, more than one thousand residents of Fort Smith will be asked their opinions about their city next month as part of a project called the National Citizen Survey, and more.
“Good Dip” by: Erskine Hawkins
Michael Tilley from The City Wire discusses sales tax revenue being up across the region, Walther Arms comes to Fort Smith, and more.