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.
This weekend Fayetteville shoppers will be able to shop at local businesses and have an easy way to adopt a dog. More information is available at www.facebook.com/faydogdaysofsummer.
“The Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine
New cell phone devices and other portable electronics are providing new ways for people to communicate with each other even if they have trouble seeing the keys. Hali Phillips from our content partner KUAR has this report on the benefits of assisted technology.
Governor Mike Beebe says he continues to look into the benefits and fiscal feasibility of Arkansas opting into the expansion of Medicaid coverage that is part of the Affordable Care Act; the Arkansas Forestry Commission says despite some recent rains in parts of the state, much of Arkansas’ fire danger remains high; and more.
“Blue in Green” by: Mods Tolling
A notable part of Ramadan is prayer so the Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville has allocated its lecture hall as a place where Muslims can go to pray during certain times of the day. In this interview, Hameed Naseem, faculty adviser for the Al-Islam Student Association, explains more about the holy month of Ramadan. For more information, visit Multicultural.uark.edu.
Roby Brock from www.TalkBusiness.net talks with Arkansas’ Surgeon General, Joe Thompson, and Micheal Stock, the CEO of QualChoice, one of the state’s largest health insurance companies, about what to expect now that the Affordable Health Care Act has been upheld by the United States Supreme Court. Roby began the conversation by asking Michael Stock what the new law means for Arkansans.
“Chelsea Bridge” by:Vince Guaraldi Trio