In 2011, Northwest Arkansas Community College received a one-million-dollar federal grant to offer certifications and other classes to the unemployed in Northwest Arkansas. Now in its third year, the ARK Grant program has already helped 275 area residents further develop their skills in order to more easily find a job
Ozarks At Large
The Fort Smith Board of Directors last night held its first quarterly open-forum meeting. The sessions are designed to discuss any "What" and "Why" questions the directors might have.
The six-county Ozark Mountain Solid Waste District filed for bankruptcy in January on a landfill and hauling franchise it purchased nearly ten years ago in north Baxter County as a money-making venture. As Jacqueline Froelich reports, a state legislator has stepped forward to allocate special funding to safely seal the site. 
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks at Large, the types of food establishments--restaurants, convenience stores, grocers, fast food businesses--that surround a school have an impact on childhood obesity. We speak to two U of A System Division of Agriculture researchers who make that claim. Plus, Habitat for Humanity Washington County completes its 50th home, Roby Brock has his Talk Business Arkansas update, Becca Martin Brown tells us What's Up, and more.
Michael Thomsen and Rudy Nayga, researchers with the UA Division of Agriculture, look at how restaurants and stores that surround schools affect the weight of students.
This month's Stigler Lecture will be delivered by Jennifer Harty and Kade Ferris of Cardno ENTRIX of Bismarck, N.D.. Last year, the two helped identify stone features at a Chippewa site that had been impacted by oil and natural gas well construction.University of Arkansas Theatre presents the rock musical Spring Awakening during this spring semester. Becca Martin Brown says the play has a tie to Fayetteville.
Habitat for Humanity Washington County has constructed its 50th home, which is also the first Habitat home in the state to seek LEED certification.
The Arkansas House on Friday again failed to give enough votes in favor of the appropriation for the state's Private Option Medicaid expansion, Governor Beebe touts the results of the Arkansas Payment Improvement Initiative, the Libertarian Party of Arkansas holds its nominating convention, and the Bentonville airport will soon see improvements to the airports runway safety areas.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, golf is a sport, but it's also a vehicle for life lessons about honesty and perseverance. We visit the green as First Tee of Northwest Arkansas spends an afternoon teaching values to area youth. Plus, a look at the senate race in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services has released numbers that show thousands of low-income Arkansans have shown intent to sign up for the state's Private Option insurance plans. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families releases a report detailing inequality of enrichment opportunities between schools across the state. And furloughed work-study employees at Northwest Arkansas Community College returned to work this morning after a two-day suspension and before negotiations in Washington showed promise.
"Homecoming Heroes" by The Head and the Heart
Roby Brock from Talk Business Arkansas and David Goins talk to Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Jason Rapert about the state's public school employee insurance crisis.
Becca reminds us it's the start of the fall arts and crafts festival season.
"No One's Saying Nothing" by The Dismemberment Plan
It's been a bordello, a restaurant and now a visitors center...and it's one of our favorite spaces in the region. We spent an afternoon at Miss Laura's in downtown Fort Smith,
The fifth annual Eureka Springs' Voices from the Silent City Cemetery Tour, which portrays Depression-era Eureka, is set for Friday and Saturday evenings, October 18th and19th, as well as October 25th and 26th. Jacqueline Froelich provides a preview. For tickets call 479-253-9417.
"Good To You" by The Avett Brothers
