Ozarks At Large
Exxon-Mobil officials meet with state lawmakers to give reassurances about the safety of the Pegasus pipeline. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture releases a report that claims manufacturing jobs in rural Arkansas towns may never return because of long-term changes to the state's economic landscape. And, state economic development incentives recieve more scrutiny after recent layoffs by companies who accepted them.


As classes begin at the University of Arkansas, Raymond Walters enters doctoral programs in physics and mathematics, all before his 20th birthday.

The Rogers School District already plans to expand its newest high school. Bentonville city officials move forward with an ordinance to promote increasing the city's tree canopy. And several Arkansas airports get grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Becca Martin Brown tells us about the new "This Land" exhibit, opening this week at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
In our series on the start up of the Affordable Healthcare Act in Arkansas, we look at how small businesses will be affected.If you are a small business owner and want to know how the Affordable Care Act will affect you, visit http://sba.gov/healthcare
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Monday, January 13, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, Springdale claims the lead in job creation for Arkansas, plus a story of moving from small-town Arkansas to post-punk fame: this week’s edition of Arkansongs highlights the career of Beth Ditto…and in about six minutes, an update on the rollout of the Affordable Care Act in Arkansas now that the calendar has turned.
Becca Martin Brown, from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, says Toto (and Dorothy) will be here soon.
Louis Jordan is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Still, many Arkansans might not know about their native son. Stephen Koch, the host of Arkansongs, has written a new book about him.
Here is the list of the ten clips we used as our salute to The Wizard of Oz (and the explanation for each):
1. Pinball WIZARD by the Who
2. Jed Clampett as played by Buddy Ebsen, the actor originally cast as the...
3. ...TIN MAN, also the inspiration for a song by America.
4. A 1961 documentary about Ham, sent into space by NASA...a real-life FLYING MONKEY.
5. John Cougar Mellencamp sings Rain on the SCARECROW.
6. Famous television doctor, Dr. OZ.
7. The song Africa by TOTO.
8. A 1966 commercial for the game TWISTER. (as in the phenomenon that sent Dorothy to Oz)
9. The Tokens sing the (cowardly?) LION sleeps tonight.
10. Elton John with the title song from his album Goodbye YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
Apologies to the band Kansas and the song Witchy Woman by the Eagles. Maybe next time.
Next year an LLM degree at the University of Arkansas will be obtainable in a face-to-face setting or from a distance.`
at end of show: "Amanda Jewell" by Ricky Skaggs
Michael Tilley, from The City Wire, helps us dissect an odd news week.