The third Downtown Rogers Restaurant Week includes chefs swapping kitchens and bartenders inventing drinks.
Ozarks At Large
The world’s largest retailer is testing a new convenient store format near the home office. And as Jacqueline Froelich reports, the company aims to corner a burgeoning quick check market, offering fresher faster, but at supply chain prices. 
We speak with a visitor communications specialist with the caverns to find out what precautions are being undertaken to insure the safety of the caves bats, other caves, and visitors. A new fellowship program in Arkansas aims to stem the flow of highly skilled college graduates from the state to other areas. And, two of the longer-operating hospital systems in the state announce a merger.
The latest revenue collections by the state came in again above what was originally forecast, while one gubernatorial candidate issues his plan to put mroe funding into Pre-K programs.
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, those amphibious harbingers of spring--frogs and toads--are being counted all over Arkansas. We'll find out how the frog watch works, and if the number of frogs in the state is diminishing. And, the AMP is being prepared for its first show. The seats aren't in yet, but work is going on almost around-the-clock to meet a June 1 completion date.
This month, visitors to a bustling Bentonville square can step inside the Visitor's Bureau to take in the serene landscapes of pastel artist Judy Howard.
We meet Tom Krohn, Arkansas Regional Coordinator for FrogWatch USA. Krohn hosts free workshops across the state, training citizen scientists to become certified frog listeners. He will be in Northwest Arkansasa April 8 & 15th at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. To learn more visit Arkansasfrogsandtoads.org.There have been spies and spying in American history since before the formation of the country. Our history doctor, Bill Smith, reminds us of a few historic episodes.
In January, the Old Fort Homeless Coalition held its annual Point-in-Time Count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the community. Overall, the number of homeless in Fort Smith decreased from last year, though the need for a homeless campus is still apparent.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Friday, May 30, 2014
Ahead on Ozarks, Michael Tilley talks about a potential multi-billion dollar acquisition by Tyson Foods and a less-than-expected participation rate for upcoming elections in the City of Fort Smith. And, a preview of two very different ways to spend tomorrow night: the rumble of monster trucks will be in Springdale, and music from the Artosphere Festival Orchestra will be in Fayetteville.
Katy Henriksen gives us a preview of this evening's Sunday Symphony and Community Cinema event at the Fayetteville Public Library.
"The Red Violin" by Joshua Bell
Pluto was discovered 83 years ago on Monday, but it has since been downgraded to a dwarf planet. Ozarks at Large's Christina Thomas speaks with Robert Beauford, a doctoral student in space and planetary sciences at the University of Arkansas about how and why Pluto was downgraded.
Here is our out-of-this-world list of material that made up our space montage this morning. If you correctly identified them all, buy yourself a cold glass of Tang.
"Major Tom," as performed by David Bowie
Neil Armstrong lands on the moon.
Charlton Heston just before his space ship crashes into future earth. Spoiler alert: there are APES. This is the opening scene from the original Planet of the Apes
A commercial for Tang
HAL takes over in 2001: A Space Odyssey
The Shocking Blue with their biggest hit, "Venus"
A piece of the trailer for the disaster movie Armageddon. That's nativa Arkansan Billy Bob Thornton explaining "It's a meteor shower."
Pluto, the dog, barking in his 1952 cartoon, "Pluto's Party."
The worst bit of dialogue ever in a movie ("Future events such as these will affect you in the future.") from Plan 9 From Outer Space"
Holst's Mars from "The Planets"
"Pluto" by Clare and the Reasons
The Arkansas Legislature moves forward with a voter ID bill, the city of Fort Smith gets ready for some new fire equipment, and Bill Halter speaks out against changes to the lottery scholarship.
"Meteor" by The Bird and the Bee
Michael Tilley from The City Wire talks about strong homes sales in northwest Arkansas so far in 2013...and the murky future of an aquatic park in Sebastian County.
