In case you need a spot to duck into in between April showers, local and regional art galleries and exhibition spaces will have plenty for you to soak up throughout the month, including exhibits at the Arts Center of the Ozarks, the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, the John Brown University art gallery, and elsewhere.
Ozarks At Large
April 15th is just around the corner and many of us are scrambling to file our income tax returns. To help out, the AARP Foundation has set up seasonal tax preparation centers across the country. We take you to a Fayetteville center to see how it works. To find an AARP Foundation tax aid center near you, click here.A proposal to cut maximum unemployment benefit payouts moves forward in the Arkansas Legislature, as do discussions regarding expansion to the state's Medicaid system. And, the proposal for the state to provide several million dollars in financing for the Big River Steel project passes the state House, though representatives still need to sign off on a budget bill for the proposal to be final
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, a conversation with Senator John Boozman, and his thoughts on U.S. energy use. Plus, the latest on the Exxon Mobil oil spill in Mayflower and the latest from 3 Penny Acre. We talk with the band about its newest album.
3 Penny Acre is set to release it's third full-length album in the coming days. The band stopped by the KUAF studios for a conversation about the new album. You can hear the album in its entirety on our homepage until its release April 14.
For most of last week media were barred from the Pegasus oil spill site in Faulkner County. However, a member of the National Wildlife Federation Board managed to push his way past authorities to assess the damage on the Lake Conway watershed. Jacqueline Froelich spoke with him by phone over the weekend.On Sunday, officials with ExxonMobil and local leaders allowed the press to get its first look at an area where an oil pipeline ruptured a week and a half ago, spilling an estimated 5,000 barrels of tar sands.
In a rare opportunity, both of Arkansas' U.S. Senators were in Fayetteville at the same time, so we took the opportunity to ask them about the similarities of fundraising, whether for programming or a reelection campaign.
Senator John Boozman delivered the inaugural lecture in the food for Thought lecture series, presented by the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, food and Life Sciences. The discussion focused on many topics, one of which was fuel. And afterwards, the senator talked about his thoughts on the budget and how long sequestration will last.Steve Wozniak stops by Fayetteville over the weekend, and he gives his thoughts on the advancement of technology since he first revolutionized personal computing with the Apple II, And, Governor Mike Beebe discusses options facing Arkansas regarding expansions of the state's Medicaid system.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
On this edition of Ozarks, what happens when snow and ice force a college to re-schedule finals…including putting finals after commencement? We'll talk to Ray Wallace with the University of Arkansas Fort Smith about how an ice storm can create problems with an academic calendar. And coffee isn't just for breakfast anymore…it's also for a canvas. We'll talk to some people making art out of coffee. And a conversation with Devon Powers. She's written about communication, social media and the commentary economy. She spoke on the University of Arkansas campus recently.
Becca Martin Brown from NWA Newspapers gives us a preview of the Walton Arts Center's 2013-2014 season.
Recently, the band Little Chief came to the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio for a conversation and performance. Their EP, “Somewhere Near the River,” is now available on iTunes.
With federal budget sequestration looming around the corner, Arkansas' U.S. Senate contingent sounds off about the issue. We also look at how budget sequestration could impact research at the University of Arkansas. And, the Arkansas Legislature moves forward with two anti-abortion bills.
"Loud Pipes" by Ratatat
The pipeline, which will pump heavy crude oil mined from Canadian tar sands through Cushing, Oklahoma to Texas Gulf Coast refineries is providing hundreds of jobs for Oklahomans and sourcing steel pipe in Arkansas. Opponents claim the project is environmentally disastrous and only serves petrochemical industry interests.
(Photo courtesy of David Druding)
Small business owners in Arkansas express concern over the federal healthcare law. Maggie Carroll from our content partner KUAR in Little Rock has more.
