A spokesman for Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin says that the office should be able to use outside counsel that questions the office's compliance with the state's Freedom of Information Act. Benton County officials continue to assess damage done by recent floods, with the cost of said damage estimated at $5 million and rising. The same rains that caused damage in Benton County has given a rare opportunity to floaters of the Buffalo River. And while yesterday's elections resulted in a runoff next month in Springdale, voters in Paris and Huntsville approved more taxes in their own cities.
Ozarks At Large

Governor Mike Beebe says that while four sites are currently under consideration for a new state veterans' home, that potential still exists for other options should they arise. And, the Seville Hotel in Harrison is back on the market, some seek denied school transfer requests to be overturned in Little rock, an awareness campaign aims to decrease drivers illegally passing school buses and Mark Darr sets off another waterfall of political candidacies with his announcement that he will run for Congressman Tom Cotton's seat in Washington next year.


After listening to speculation about Tom Cotton's political future for months, he finally, formally announced his intention to run for a Senate seat. This week's montage focuses on other cottons:
- Zooey Deschanel's Cotton commercial
- Michael Jordan's Hanes Lay Flat T-shirt commercial
- Golden Corral cotton candy commercial
- "Cotton Candy Land" by Elvis Presley
- :Peter Cottontail" by Gene Autry
- A clip from Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Cotton Club
- "Cotton Mouth Man" by James Cotton (featuring Joe Bonamassa)
- "Cotton Fields" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- "Pickin' Time" by Johnny Cash
- "Cotton Eye Joe" by Rednex
William Lyle, the current executive chef at Ella's Restaurant has been hired as the new executive chef at Eleven.

Artists find inspiration in all kinds of places, including the produce section of the world's largest retailer.
From millage elections to sales tax votes and even a run for U.S. Senate, we've covered a lot of political ground in the past seven days.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Friday, April 11, 2014
Ahead on Ozarks, Roby Brock discusses the latest poll results on Arkansas elections, and we explore a new educational standard that aims to bring about a revolution in science education.
Advocates claim the permitting of a large hog breeding factory farm in Newton County heralds an economic revival for their impoverished region. Conservationists fear the farm, sited along a major tributary to the Buffalo National River, will devastate a scenic and historic treasure. Jacqueline Froelich provides an update, including public comment from the farm’s operator as well as efforts towards a legislate fix.
The City of Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Departmenthas invited the public to a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting to gather public input on the proposed master plan of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
"Thunder Walk" by George Benson
Becca Martin Brown of Northwest Arkansas Media says she can complete her Sondheim checklist by seeing the new production of Company at the University of Arkansas
Roby Brock from Talk Business Arkansas talks to Valerie Erkman, Vice President for marketing at Arkansas Capital Corporation, about recent entrepreneurial competitions in the state.
"Cardiff" by Stone Sour
We continue our series previewing this weekend’s large poetry reading in Fayetteville by inviting C. Violet Eaton to the Carver Center for Public Radio to read an excerpt from an epic poem he recently finished.