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.

Gubernatorial hopeful Asa Hutchinson was among the candidates yesterday who filed to run in this year's election, while current Governor Beebe talked about the potential impacts that could come if the state legislature doesn't reauthorize funding for the Private Option.


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.

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.

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
Friday, April 25, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, the band Elephant Revival stopped by the Frimin-Garner Performance Studio this month to talk about their instruments, their music and their social causes, and to play some music before their concert at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Becca Martin Brown, from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, says Toto (and Dorothy) will be here soon.
Louis Jordan is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Still, many Arkansans might not know about their native son. Stephen Koch, the host of Arkansongs, has written a new book about him.
Here is the list of the ten clips we used as our salute to The Wizard of Oz (and the explanation for each):
1. Pinball WIZARD by the Who
2. Jed Clampett as played by Buddy Ebsen, the actor originally cast as the...
3. ...TIN MAN, also the inspiration for a song by America.
4. A 1961 documentary about Ham, sent into space by NASA...a real-life FLYING MONKEY.
5. John Cougar Mellencamp sings Rain on the SCARECROW.
6. Famous television doctor, Dr. OZ.
7. The song Africa by TOTO.
8. A 1966 commercial for the game TWISTER. (as in the phenomenon that sent Dorothy to Oz)
9. The Tokens sing the (cowardly?) LION sleeps tonight.
10. Elton John with the title song from his album Goodbye YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
Apologies to the band Kansas and the song Witchy Woman by the Eagles. Maybe next time.
Next year an LLM degree at the University of Arkansas will be obtainable in a face-to-face setting or from a distance.`
at end of show: "Amanda Jewell" by Ricky Skaggs
Michael Tilley, from The City Wire, helps us dissect an odd news week.