Ozarks At Large

Arkansas ends its fiscal year with a surplus of several million dollars, but lawmakers have no firm plans yet of how to spend the money. Ongoing highway improvements mean some road closures and delays over the holiday weekend. And, students at UALR react to the interest rate hike that went into effect this week on Stafford student loans for low income students.




The United States Supreme Court decision regarding the Voting Rights Act means changes for Arkansas.
The popular resort town of Eureka Springs is a prime Ozarks vacation spot filled with pretty B&Bs, cottages and cabins for overnight guests. But as Jacqueline Froelich reports, some say a glut of tourist accommodations and vacation rentals are dislocating residents, forcing them to live out of town.
Arkansas home sales are up by 10 percent according to the Arkansas Realtors Association. The half-cent highway sales tax kicks in this month and will continue for the next ten years. The Fort Smith Fire Department honors one of its own who rescued a child from a 30-foot utility shaft. And a familiar term to Fayetteville residents: construction zone.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
On this edition of Ozarks, a conversation with photographer and author Tim Ernst. Also, giving the gift of a free family portrait to those in need.
Becca Martin Brown from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers tells us about upcoming musical performances in Tulsa and Dallas.
The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in Arkansas. The Civil War Sesquicentennial will be celebrated between 2011 and 2015.
Kyle Kellams speaks with freelance writer Evin Demirel about the reasons for the low participation of African-Americans in baseball.
Relevant links:
www.arkansaslife.com
www.thesportseer.com
Turnout expected to be low for today’s runoff elections in Arkansas; the Arkansas Razorback baseball team heads to the College World Series in Omaha this weekend; and more – on today’s Segment A.
“Omaha” by Tapes n’ Tapes
This morning, just after eleven, the big next step in the creation of a 36-mile trail system linking the major cities along the Interstate 540 corridor took place. Groundbreaking for a phase of the trail in Rogers was held with several mayors in attendance. Ozarks at Large's Antoinette Grajeda spoke with John McLarty, transportation study director for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, prior to the ceremony and has this report.
To listen to more from the groundbreaking ceremony, click here.