Yesterday's release from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows broad-based job growth in northwest Arkansas, sales tax revenue went up for the big four cities of northwest Arkansas in November. NWACC decides to buy land from the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad. The education given by the U of A is again described as a good value by the Princeton Review. A teaching farm in Fayetteville gets a grant from Ozark Natural Foods. And Arkansas' newest state senator doubles down on not renewing the state's Private Option expansion of Medicaid.
Ozarks At Large
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: we find out, kind of, why Dr. Lonnie Smith is a “doctor.” The legendary jazz master of the Hammond organ will play in Fayetteville this weekend and he talks to Robert Ginsburg about his music and his career. And a survey to help gauge the direction for the city of Rogers as growth continues.
Residents who live and/or work in Rogers can contribute to a new plan for the area by filling out a survey at RogersLowellVision.com.
The Jones Center has plans to renovate some of its outdoor recreational facilities, while the city of Fayetteville has plans for expanding the city's trails network in 2014. And one Springdale-based poultry company issues a recall for more than a million pounds of frozen chicken products.
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, two University of Arkansas graduates take us back to the 1927 Mississippi River Flood in their novel "Tilted World." Plus, Benton County residents prepare to head to the polls to determine who should pay for rural ambulance services, and our weekly installment of Arkansongs and more.University of Arkansas Fort Smith's "Read This" 2014 book is "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien.
"Tilted World" by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, both University of Arkansas graduates, takes readers inside a different era,when Prohibition was big business and foot travel was as likely as horse or car travel in rural Mississippi. The two will read from their novel Friday evening at Nightbird Books in Fayetteville.
The Arkansas Department of Health continues to urge residents to get a flu shot as the number of people in the state who have died from flu-related illness continues to climb. The IRS reminds residents that tax season is about to get underway. The risk of wildfire continues to increase across Arkansas. And Sam's Club announces that it will lay off roughly 2 percent of its overall workforce.
On this edition of Weekend Ozarks, we get a behind-the-scenes listen to what goes on in the KNWA newsroom, we visit a local sign-making outfit, and we learn about one local city's tree farm.
Here is the list of clips for our Denver/Colorado montage. We'll have Seattle next week.
1. Ho Hey by Colorado-based band The Lumineers.
2. Robin Williams, as Mork, introduces himself to Boulder, Colorado (where the show was set).
3. Earth, Wind and Fire (with three Colorado natives) sings Boogie Wonderland.
4. Jack Nicholson crashes through in The Shining (at a Colorado hotel).
5. Voices from South Park, Colorado.
6. The song Colorado, My Home from the Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
7. Joan Collins and Linda Evans meet for the first time on the Denver-based soap opera Dynasty.
8. A 1970s commercial for Coors.
9. Colorado native Ralph Edwards surprises yet another celebrity on This is Your Life.
10. John Denver with Rocky Mountain High. Of course.
Apologies to: Lon Chaney and Douglas Fairbanks (how do you get silent stars into an audio montage?) and Hattie McDaniel.
1. Ho Hey by Colorado-based band The Lumineers.
2. Robin Williams, as Mork, introduces himself to Boulder, Colorado (where the show was set).
3. Earth, Wind and Fire (with three Colorado natives) sings Boogie Wonderland.
4. Jack Nicholson crashes through in The Shining (at a Colorado hotel).
5. Voices from South Park, Colorado.
6. The song Colorado, My Home from the Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
7. Joan Collins and Linda Evans meet for the first time on the Denver-based soap opera Dynasty.
8. A 1970s commercial for Coors.
9. Colorado native Ralph Edwards surprises yet another celebrity on This is Your Life.
10. John Denver with Rocky Mountain High. Of course.
Apologies to: Lon Chaney and Douglas Fairbanks (how do you get silent stars into an audio montage?) and Hattie McDaniel.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
On today's Ozarks, Walmart hosts a sustainability product expo, Mission of Mercy seeks dentists to volunteer their time, a reality show looks to cast Eureka Springs residents, and more.
In case you need a spot to duck into in between April showers, local and regional art galleries and exhibition spaces will have plenty for you to soak up throughout the month, including exhibits at the Arts Center of the Ozarks, the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, the John Brown University art gallery, and elsewhere.
The current production of Anything Goes is a descendant of the Tony Award-winning 1987 incarnation. John Wideman is one of the authors who rewrote the script 16 years ago, and he says that the original Cole Porter score is what makes the musical pop.
"I Get a Kick Outta You" by Frank Sinatra
Steve Wozniak stops by Fayetteville over the weekend, and he gives his thoughts on the advancement of technology since he first revolutionized personal computing with the Apple II, And, Governor Mike Beebe discusses options facing Arkansas regarding expansions of the state's Medicaid system.
"Every Direction is North" by El Ten Eleven
Senator John Boozman delivered the inaugural lecture in the food for Thought lecture series, presented by the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, food and Life Sciences. The discussion focused on many topics, one of which was fuel. And afterwards, the senator talked about his thoughts on the budget and how long sequestration will last.
In a rare opportunity, both of Arkansas' U.S. Senators were in Fayetteville at the same time, so we took the opportunity to ask them about the similarities of fundraising, whether for programming or a reelection campaign.
