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.
Forty-five states, including Arkansas have adopted Common Core career and college readiness K-12 education standards. But under the technology-enriched curriculum, cursive handwriting is optional. A St. Joseph third grade class in Fayetteville helps us to parse the implications.
Becca Martin Brown of Northwest Arkansas Media tells us about a showing of They Were Promised the Sea which is the latest presentation in the Caravanserai series.
"Becca and the Blue Capo" by Trace Bundy
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.
Here are our ten clips from our montage dedicated to April Showers. Well, dedicated to rain at least…
B.J. Thomas sings "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Hugh Grant and Andie Macdowell admit their mutual love at the end of Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Prince sings "Purple Rain."
Bill Cosby with an early TV rendition of his famous Noah routine.
Mahalia Jackson with the gospel great "Didn’t It Rain".
Gene Kelly about to launch into the best three minutes ever recorded in a movie musical.
Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst exchange a rainy kiss as Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson.
Tom Hanks (as Forrest Gump) describes the many kinds of rain.
Sam Neil tries to save kids from a hungry T. Rex in Jurassic Park.
Audrey Hepburn finds the cat…and George Peppard…at the end of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The Mancini notes should have given this away.
Apologies to: The Weather Girls, Andy’s escape in Shawshank Redemption, the bubbling skeletons in Poltergeist, the Eurythmics, John Wayne in the Quiet Man and all those movies with Notebook in the title. Maybe next time.
The proposed expansion of Arkansas' Medicaid system cleared a preliminary hurdle in the House yesterday, though final approval is still pending. And families who live near the Pegasus Pipeline rupture in Mayflower will be allowed to return to their homes this weekend.
"Situation (Deadline Mix)" by Yazoo