Two groups announce intentions to file suit to block a new law that they say would make it more difficult to circulate petitions to get initiatives on the general election ballot. Two area schools get recognized, one for ESL proficiency and the other for overall achievement. And the Joe Martin Stage Race gets underway, with cycling traffic set to peeve some motorists on certain area roads this weekend.
Ozarks At Large
Here is the key to our clips heard in this morning’s montage of famous cemeteries, graveyards and funerals in pop culture:
- Thriller by Michael Jackson. The most famous dance routine set in a graveyard.
- Opening moments from the original Night of the Living Dead.
- The original “graveyard smash”, "The Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett.
- A wonderful Lee Marvin stumbles into a funeral in the underrated comedy, Cat Ballou.
- Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman have a rough night in the cemetery in Young Frankenstein.
- Opening moments from a 1940 film version of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town.
- Abe Vigoda and Al Pacino is a pivotal scene at Don Corleone’s funeral in The Godfather.
- Theme from the HBO series Six Feet Under.
- Reginald Owen as Scrooge in the 1938 film A Christmas Carol as he sees his own grave.
- The Crypt Keeper from an opening episode of the HBO series Tales From the Crypt.


We continue our series previewing this weekend's poetry festival at Nightbird Books. Katie Nichol grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota and says she started writing poetry when she was about 12 years old:
Artosphere is just around the corner, and as a result, a full slate of activities are on the schedule at Walton Arts Center.
The Fifth Annual Celebration of Heroes event benefiting the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross is next Saturday May 4. Today, we meet a local hero who saved the life of a three-year-old girl.
Emily Chase recently received a national honor for her thesis work at the University of Arkansas. She told us about the creation of her paper gowns.
Becca Martin Brown says that Fleetwood Mac, Little Big Town and Jewell are a few of the music acts to keep an eye out for in the coming days.
A Fort Smith homeless agency halts its plans to move to a homeless campus until certain criteria are met. Ozarks at Large’s Christina Thomas takes us on a tour of the organization and potential campus.

Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Ahead on this edition of Weekend Ozarks, the area's first green cemetery, plus a conversation and silly questions with Frank Tavares, whose voice can be heard reading underwriting announcements on NPR.
A Little Rock doctor is finishing a project that seeks to reduce high rates of cervical cancer in Belize. Malcolm Glover from our content partner KUAR in Little Rock, reports.
The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith will host the 2012 Gospel Fest next month. We speak with Anitta Smith Brown, a soloist in the concert.
“Take My Hand Precious Lord” by Charlie Haden
One of the only two legal aid non-profit organizations in the state, Legal Aid of Arkansas has seen severe funding cuts from federal and state governments since 2010. To cope, it’s planning to lay off a few employees and close two out of ten offices in the state.
“Thad’s Blues” by Hank Mobley Quintet
Next month, David Johnson from Tyson Foods will join the Fayetteville Public Library as its new executive director. Ozarks at Large’s Kyle Kellams sat down with Johnson to talk about the transition from Tyson to FPL, and his vision for the public institution.
Watch a video of the conversation here.
(Photo Courtesy: Todd Gill, Fayetteville Flyer)
Becca Bacon Martin from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers tells us more about the Spamalot performance in Fort Smith, and next month’s Michael Jackson tribute tour by Cirque du Soleil in St. Louis, Tulsa and Kansas City.
“It’s Tight Like That” by Sunshine Skiffle Band