
Ozarks At Large

The Joint Budget Committee of the Arkansas LEgislature hears from Arkansas Department of Human Services regarding funding for the state's Private Option expansion of Medicaid, while a new Talk Business Arkansas-Hendrix College poll suggests that Arkansans are supportive of the program. And, Crawford County officials are hopeful that voters will be supportive of a sales tax increase that would fund construction and operation of a new county jail.


A roundup of events and news for the next few weeks include an alternative way to deliver a Valentine.

An administrative law judge with the Arkansas Public Service Commission on Friday ordered SWEPCO to proceed on its proposed plan to build a massive new power transmission line through portions of northwest Arkansas. Also, Governor Mike Beebe says that recent cost analyses of operating the state's Private Option expansion of Medicaid justifies the program's passage during last year's session of the state legislature. And the state Attorney General's office warns residents about rapid-refund tax providers.
We speak with An Na, author of A Step From Heaven, a book that was awarded the Michael L. Prince Award when it was published a decade ago. Critics and reviewers commended the book's characters for speaking like a child without being too precocious or condescending. The author will speak in Fayetteville later this month.
We visit the Rogers Police Department to find out about how one can protect and serve the public, as the department prepares to offer the Entry Level Police Officer Examination early next month.


Our ten clips saluting sailors and sailing:
1. The theme to Popeye the Sailor Man.
2. Bob Denver and Alan Hale hatch a scheme on Gilligan's Island.
3. Christopher Cross creates the all-time yacht rock song with Sailing.
4. Gregory Peck, as Captain Ahab, ponders his life with Starbuck in Moby Dick.
5. Sloop John B by the Beach Boys.
6. Hercules ignores the orders of Jason in the 1963 version of Jason and the Argonauts. (later, the GREATEST MOVIE SCENE EVER with the sword-weilding skeletons).
7. Jimmy Buffett is Aa Son of a Son of a Sailor.
8. Russell Crowe catches up to a ship in Master and Commander.
9. Bogart and Hepburn on The African Queen.
10. Lyle Lovett sings If I Had a Boat.
Apologies to: Horatio Hornblower, Sinbad (the sailor, not the comic) and Errol Flynn. Maybe next time.
1. The theme to Popeye the Sailor Man.
2. Bob Denver and Alan Hale hatch a scheme on Gilligan's Island.
3. Christopher Cross creates the all-time yacht rock song with Sailing.
4. Gregory Peck, as Captain Ahab, ponders his life with Starbuck in Moby Dick.
5. Sloop John B by the Beach Boys.
6. Hercules ignores the orders of Jason in the 1963 version of Jason and the Argonauts. (later, the GREATEST MOVIE SCENE EVER with the sword-weilding skeletons).
7. Jimmy Buffett is Aa Son of a Son of a Sailor.
8. Russell Crowe catches up to a ship in Master and Commander.
9. Bogart and Hepburn on The African Queen.
10. Lyle Lovett sings If I Had a Boat.
Apologies to: Horatio Hornblower, Sinbad (the sailor, not the comic) and Errol Flynn. Maybe next time.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Monday, April 28, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, how lasers have gone from a phenomenon on The Jetsons to a part of daily life. We speak with a Stanford University professor who has been teaching about the light-emitting device since 1969. Plus, annual hospitality awards in the Arkansas River Valley honor those who serve and take care of the public.
Answer Fort Smith has just completed renovation of a larger facility for its telephone answering services, creating space for more employees. Gas prices rise slightly in Arkansas, though the national average dropped over the past week. Two Democratic candidates for statewide office endorse each other, and Governor Mike Beebe wants more to be done to end childhood hunger in the state.
"Lightening Crashes" by Live
Two Democrats announced their candidacy for Lieutenant Governor, plus the state and federal government files suit against Exxon-Mobil for its handling of the Mayflower oil spill. Roby Brock with our content partner Talk Business Arkansas has those stories and more in his weekly review of business and political stories.
A recent poll conducted by a pair of University of Arkansas System entities asked about attitudes toward immigration.
The NWA Championship begins today and this year, organizers want to make the 17th hole the loudest hole in golf.
Our Ozarks at Large insect expert, Dr. Donald Steinkraus tells us how the, sometimes, pesky insect gets into wooden buildings.
"Love Song" by 311