A legislative task force is ironing out its recommendations for a new state veterans' home to be built in one of four potential cities. And, early voting begins today on a zoning issue in Russellville that could determine whether a Walmart Neighborhood Market will be built in that city.
Ozarks At Large

Becca Martin Brown gives us the details on an exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, as well as music happening in the region in the coming week.
While it may not be an award you'd be thrilled about if informed ahead of time, the award bestowed upon the University of Arkansas last week would likely please any entity after the fact.
Meredith Martin Moats continues her summer series on books about Arkansas with a review of a biography about Harvey Couch.
You can read more from Meredith at theboileddownjuice.com.

A small, but consistent, effort is underway in Fort Smith to connect firms with job openings to people seeking work.
In the first month of the fiscal year, Arkansas state revenue shows signs of growth. The Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce is supporting the millage proposal to be decided by voters next month. The Illinois River Watershed Partnership gets more than $1 million in grant funding for green infrastructure. And a former Razorback wins the British Open.


Here are our ten clips dedicated to leather-wearing cool guys and gals everywhere:
1. Staying Cool in West Side Story
2. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
3. The theme from Sons of Anarchy, performed by Curtis Stigers and The Forest.
4. The Fonz.
5. Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone sing I Wanna Be Sedated.
6. Marlon Brando in The Wild One.
7. Billy Idol sings Dancing With Myself.
8. Trinity looks for an escape in The Matrix.
9. Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.
10. A transformed Olivia Newton John goes for John Travolta at the end of Grease.
Apologies to Uncle Jessie from Full House, James Dean from that iconic poster (was his red jacket in Rebel Without A Cause leather?) and Born to Run-era Bruce Springsteen.
1. Staying Cool in West Side Story
2. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
3. The theme from Sons of Anarchy, performed by Curtis Stigers and The Forest.
4. The Fonz.
5. Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone sing I Wanna Be Sedated.
6. Marlon Brando in The Wild One.
7. Billy Idol sings Dancing With Myself.
8. Trinity looks for an escape in The Matrix.
9. Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.
10. A transformed Olivia Newton John goes for John Travolta at the end of Grease.
Apologies to Uncle Jessie from Full House, James Dean from that iconic poster (was his red jacket in Rebel Without A Cause leather?) and Born to Run-era Bruce Springsteen.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
On this special edition of Ozarks at Large we listen again to some of our favorite stories from 2013, including: skydiving for charity, an odd windy phenomenon that is at home in the Ozarks, Dave Barry on writing and everything you wanted to know about the Wiener Mobile.
Here is our salute to Seattle and Washington (Bronco fans, we did Denver last week).
1. Nirvana performs Come As You Are.
2. War Games, set in Seattle, begins.
3. Jimi Hendrix, Seattle native, plays Purple Haze.
4. Agent Cooper gives high praise in (and on) Twin Peaks, Washington.
5. Seattle native Bing Crosby sings You Are My Sunshine.
6. Frasier Crane plans to get even with Bulldog on Frasier.
7. Heart, another Seattle band, plays Crazy on You.
8. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson discuss a possible romantic meeting in Sleepless in Seattle.
9. Detectives Holder and Linden, from the fictional Seattle police department, order lunch in an episode of The Killing.
10. Seattle native Sir Mix-A-Lot and Baby Got back.
Apologies to: Eddie Vedder, Modest Mouse, Macklemore and...oh, about five hundred other bands and musicians. Maybe next time.
Becca says that area residents will have an opportunity to learn about Muhammed Ali and other notable African Americans at an exhibit in Fort Smith.
Here, the quartet from Siloam Springs performs their song "Rosa Lee."
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has a new program designed to help landowners clean up hazardous substances without being fined. Senator John Boozman offers his thoughts on the Farm Bill that passed the House and is now on its way to the Senate. And the state's attorney general is being asked to clarify the state's new voter ID law.
"Extreme Ways" by Moby
Michael Tilley, from The City Wire, discusses financial numbers for Arkansas real estate, Tyson Foods, Walmart and the city of Fort Smith.