Governor Mike Beebe and the state legislature tie up some loose ends at the conclusion of the legislative session, the Northwest Arkansas Council holds a summit for area leaders to figure out how to connect immigrants--either international or domestic--to resources in the area. A group of concerned area residents held a protest on the U of A campus yesterday in an attempt to draw U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's attention to the confined animal feeding operation set to operate in the Buffalo River Watershed, and a group of UAFS students plan a run to benefit victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing.
Ozarks At Large
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks…the controversy over a large hog farm near the Buffalo River continues, and forces opposed to the farm are organizing in what may be a last-ditch effort to alter the plan. Plus, a hearing this week examines the future footprint of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, and we listen to a critically-acclaimed band from Montreal arriving in Fayetteville tomorrow night.
The City of Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Departmenthas invited the public to a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting to gather public input on the proposed master plan of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
Advocates claim the permitting of a large hog breeding factory farm in Newton County heralds an economic revival for their impoverished region. Conservationists fear the farm, sited along a major tributary to the Buffalo National River, will devastate a scenic and historic treasure. Jacqueline Froelich provides an update, including public comment from the farm’s operator as well as efforts towards a legislate fix. The state's Department of Human Services holds a rally on the steps of the state capitol to raise awareness that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. One of Northwest Arkansas' two public transit operators get ready to expand certain bus routes in an efficiency reorganization. One economist at the University of Arkansas thinks that construction will help the state, and the nation, recover from the lingering effects of the economic recession. And Walmart sets a record for the amount of donations given by a retailer in a given year.
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, the possibility of a new high voltage transmission line charges up local residents. Also, information about the nonpartisan organization Free and Equal, and the latest installment of Arkansongs.
Shreveport, Louisiana-based band Dirtfoot is asking fans to support its third studio album through a Kickstarter campaign.
This weekend more than 20 poets, both local and from out of town, will read their work during the Burning Chair Readings at Nightbird Books in Fayetteville.
Christina Tobin is the president and founder of the non-partisan group Free and Equal, a group interested in shifting power away from the traditional political parties and back to the individual voter.
Today, Roby Brock from our content partner Talk Business Arkansas has news about tax cuts, the governor's race, and Walmart's new sustainability goals. Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Ahead on Ozarks, why more walk-in clinics might dot the landscape as the Affordable Care Act is rolled out. And the founder of Cherish the Women, Joanie Madden, talks about learning to play the Irish whistle and why she was impressed with her first-ever visit to Fayetteville. The band plays tonight at Walton Arts Center.
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has filed a consumer-protection lawsuit against a Kansas-based debt collection agency, the Fort Smith Board of Directors is now conducting business without paper, and more.
“Lions and Tigers and Bears” by: TW Walsh
Much of Arkansas is under extreme drought, with portions of the Arkansas River Valley listed as exceptional. Ponds and creeks are drying up. Lake and river levels are dropping. But what about your water well? We talk with the experts about our drought-threatened water supplies.
As of July 3, 91 animals throughout Arkansas have tested positive for rabies. Boone and Newton counties currently have the highest number of cases of animals tested positive for rabies. Richard Murphree, the environmental manager for the Arkansas Department of Health's northwest regional office, helps us interpret these numbers. More information is available at www.healthy.arkansas.gov.
Today, Becca Martin Brown from NWA Newspapers sends us to an art exhibit and a concert.
Sesame Street Theme Song
A new smart phone application will allow users to track University of Arkansas transit buses in real time. Chris Nixon is one of the developers who worked on the app. More information is available here.
