Governor Mike Beebe says that while four sites are currently under consideration for a new state veterans' home, that potential still exists for other options should they arise. And, the Seville Hotel in Harrison is back on the market, some seek denied school transfer requests to be overturned in Little rock, an awareness campaign aims to decrease drivers illegally passing school buses and Mark Darr sets off another waterfall of political candidacies with his announcement that he will run for Congressman Tom Cotton's seat in Washington next year.
Ozarks At Large


Still on the Hill will curate (and perform at the launch of) a new exhibit of instruments made in unique Ozarks style.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art anticipates welcoming its one millionth visitor this week and have organized a number of events to mark the occasion.
A plan to create a campus in Fort Smith to help people move out of homelessness received some help this summer.
Two special elections will be held tomorrow, one to fill a vacant city council seat in Springdale, and one regarding a 1 percent sales tax for water and sewer improvements in Paris. And, the Rogers School District, like many others in the area, will start the new school year with more bandwidth, to allow for a more connected classroom.


After listening to speculation about Tom Cotton's political future for months, he finally, formally announced his intention to run for a Senate seat. This week's montage focuses on other cottons:
- Zooey Deschanel's Cotton commercial
- Michael Jordan's Hanes Lay Flat T-shirt commercial
- Golden Corral cotton candy commercial
- "Cotton Candy Land" by Elvis Presley
- :Peter Cottontail" by Gene Autry
- A clip from Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Cotton Club
- "Cotton Mouth Man" by James Cotton (featuring Joe Bonamassa)
- "Cotton Fields" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- "Pickin' Time" by Johnny Cash
- "Cotton Eye Joe" by Rednex

Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, January 5, 2014
On this special edition of Weekend Ozarks at Large, we look back at some of our favorite musical performances of the last half of 2013 including: Don't Stop Please, Barrett Baber, Boom Kinetic, A Good Fight, Kory Montgomery, Foley's Van, The Cole Reeves Band, National Park Radio,Priscilla Dawn White, Block Street Hot Club, and the reunion of the Early Morning Bourbon Girls.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the third annual “Community Block Party” at the First United Methodist Church campus in downtown Springdale this weekend.
For more information, visit the church's website here.
Supporters of alcohol sales in Madison County turn in petitions for a ballot measure, the drought in Arkansas worsens, Benton County government may have to begin paying for rural ambulance service and more.
“You Run Marathons” by Colossal
Michael Tilley from thecitywire.com keeps us up to date on a petition drive in Fort Smith dealing with automated trash collection and more.
You can access TheCityWire here.
If you’ve traveled winding Highway 112 through Cave Springs in Benton County, you’ve passed by a pretty little forested lake. It’s a private place, with tons of history, natural features and a secret trove of unique creatures. That’s why members of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership hope to purchase it—and install a public sanctuary.
"Gold and Silver" by Toots and the Maytals
A behemoth of a roller coaster is being constructed at Silver Dollar City. Becca Martin Brown, Features Editor at Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, gives us the specifics of the monster ride as well as a checklist of activities this weekend in the region.