Ahead on Ozarks:the gavel has come down to begin a special session of the Arkansas Legislature. Chris Hickey reports on the opening afternoon of a session dedicated to solving, if only temporarily, a projected spike in insurance rates for public school employees in the state. Plus: our usual Friday conversations with Michael Tilley from The City Wire and Becca Martin Brown from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers. And Antoinette Grajeda tries to discover the lure of following festivals for one retailer who is selling her wares right now at Mulberry Mountain for the Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Festival.
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Members of the Arkansas General Assembly selected a new Speaker of the House yesterday, and state officials assess Governor Mike Beebe's proposed 2013 budget. Also, Fayetteville Public Schools get thousands of federal dollars to help expand a program designed to bring locally farmed food to the cafeteria. And in Fort Smith, city administrators discuss the city's own budget for next year, which will include money for sidewalks.
"Prove It All Night" by CMH Musicians
Michael Tilley, from TheCityWire.com, addresses a busy week. There was positive news on housing prices and hospitality tax collections, Wal-Mart released earning numbers and there was intrigue at the State Capitol.
Many gathered yesterday in the Epley Building for Health Professions on the University of Arkansas campus as the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing received the George M and Boyce W Billingley endowed chair. The school also welcomed Dr. Pegge Bell as its new director.
Fayetteville is one of the cities worldwide hosting an event in support of people displaced by the violence in Syria.
Becca Martin Brown, from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, says the Lights of the Ozarks are turned on tomorrow night . . . and then the holiday cascade begins.