The bill proposing changes to the state's lottery scholarship program moves forward as it passes the Arkansas House, while a bill aimed at capping spending growth by the state government likely heads back to committee. And, two bridges in downtown Fayetteville could soon see rehabilitation.
Ozarks At Large
Ahead on Ozarks, a new series of bills designed to tighten ethics in state government are circulating at the state capitol and we’ll hear from some of the authors of the legislation. Plus a hike to see a stand of Ozark chinquapin trees…a species that’s hard to find these days.The 2013 Point-in-Time Homeless Census numbers show more children in grades K-12 are homeless in Washington and Benton counties in 2013 compared to previous years.
To access data from the homeless census, visit, sociology.uark.edu.
Roby Brock from our content partner Talk Business Arkansas takes stock of the fifth week of the Arkansas Legislature and the past seven days in Arkansas business.
Biologist Joe Neal occasionally hikes up Kessler Mountain to scout for birds. But on a recent night time expedition—in the rain—while searching for spotted salamanders (pictured) he encountered a melodious spring harbinger. 
Eco-preservationists, recreationists and scientists are collaborating on a project to save Kessler Mountain, a 387-acre forest southwest of Fayetteville, from urban development. We take a short expedition along a scenic escarpment to an ancient grove of chinkapin oak, with geoscientist Dr. David Stahle and grad student Allen Edmondson. They want the UofA to dedicate an outdoor natural laboratory on Kessler—similar to Harvard Forest and Duke Forest.
To receive permission to explore Mount Kessler, contact Frank Sharp here.
Web Exclusive: Sampling an Ancient Chinquapin Oak Forest on Mt. KesslerA handful of bills regarding election ethics reform are making their way through the state legislature. But although the bills have been introduced, Timothy Dennis reports that those bills are without a certain future.
The concealed carry bill for college campus staff moves forward in the Arkansas General Assembly after passing a House vote on Friday. Governor Mike Beebe acknowledges the work of family farmers in the state, and the Razorback Foundation announces its next director.
Ahead on Weekend Ozarks: music with Mike Shirkey and Friends inside the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio, and the planet Pluto is discovered and recategorized. Plus, Becca Martin Brown has what's up for your plate.
Here is our out-of-this-world list of material that made up our space montage this morning. If you correctly identified them all, buy yourself a cold glass of Tang.
- "Major Tom," as performed by David Bowie
- Neil Armstrong lands on the moon.
- Charlton Heston just before his space ship crashes into future earth. Spoiler alert: there are APES. This is the opening scene from the original Planet of the Apes
- A commercial for Tang
- HAL takes over in 2001: A Space Odyssey
- The Shocking Blue with their biggest hit, "Venus"
- A piece of the trailer for the disaster movie Armageddon. That's nativa Arkansan Billy Bob Thornton explaining "It's a meteor shower."
- Pluto, the dog, barking in his 1952 cartoon, "Pluto's Party."
- The worst bit of dialogue ever in a movie ("Future events such as these will affect you in the future.") from Plan 9 From Outer Space"
- Holst's Mars from "The Planets"
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Ahead on Weekend Ozarks at Large, a student-led sex education week at the U of A, two brothers building canoes in Avoca, and we step inside of Son's Chapel outside of Goshen.
The band Speck Mountain creates a sound all its own, and our reviewer says that’s a great thing.
Republican leaders of Arkansas' legislature met with the media yesterday to discuss their plans to shore up the state's Medicaid system during the upcoming legislative session. Fort Smith looks to purchase property for a new recreational facility, the first of its kind in the city. And Fayetteville is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the nation.
"Bumblebee Blues" by Tampa Red
An Ozark native who grew up exploring urban woodlands as a boy, left the Natural State for New York, where he now works as Principle Urban Designer for the City of New York Parks & Recreation. We amble with Charles McKinney, during a holiday visit, along the Fayetteville Trail to learn more about his big life in the Big Apple.
Becca Martin Brown from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers says the rush of the holidays is over, but there is already a packed scheduled of events…even for a January Tuesday.
Catch Me if You Can, a Tony Award-winning musical, opens tonight at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. We caught up with a cast member to ask about the ambitious stage production based on a true story of forgery and deceit.
