
Ozarks At Large

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.
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.
University of Arkansas Fort Smith's "Read This" 2014 book is "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien.
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.


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.

Web Extra: Images From Sleet City Signs
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Weekend Ozarks, a float along the Buffalo River nearly a year after a hog farm started business near the waterway, and a brand new water park in Siloam Springs is almost ready for the public. And speaking of being ready for the public, the Walmart AMP in Rogers last night had its public debut. Blake Shelton was the first headliner to perform in the new venue, but a few days earlier, we got a sneak preview of the facility.
Here is our list of ten cookie references from our montage this morning. If you got all ten, take the rest of the week off . . . this was our most obscure list yet.
A commercial for the Fig Newton cookie from the 1970s.
Michael Scott and Angel fight for Kevin’s loyalty on an episode of The Office.
Kate Smith and Andy Williams deny the Cookie Bear a cookie on The Andy Williams Show. (this was once a popular, zany skit . . . we promise)
Walter Matthau in a scene for the movie The Fortune Cookie.
Jerry and Elaine discuss the black and white cookie. It didn’t end well.
Shirley Temple sings "Animal Crackers" . . . they’re cookies, right?
The Keebler Elves push fudge cookies.
Gingy, the talking Gingerbread Man tosses an insult in Shrek 3.
Shelly Long sells Girl Scout Cookies in Troop Beverly Hills.
Two of the three best Muppets ever, Kermit and Cookie Monster, play a game.
Apologies to the cast of Robert Altman’s film Cookie’s Fortune, baseball players Rojas and Lovagetto, the short-order cook in Beetle Bailey and famous Amos. Maybe next time
Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5
Results from a new study announced yesterday by the NWA Council found many strengths of doing business in Northwest Arkansas, and few weaknesses as well. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and state senator Keith Ingram introduce a trifecta of bills aimed at curbing election fraud. And Governor Mike Beebe stands by his decision to veto two abortion bills, even though the legislature overturned both vetoes.
“Play With Me” by The Album Leaf
Michael Tilley of The City Wire discusses how the abortion law passed by the Arkansas State Legislature could result in legal action that will be funded by taxpayers, and more.
“American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell,” is a traveling exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art that opens to the public tomorrow.
“Earl Harvin” by Garage A Trois
Becca Martin Brown helps kids look forward to what entertainment options they'll have for Spring Break.