Michael Tilley of The City Wire says that a meeting will take place next week to best decide how to move forward on the water park project for Fort Smith and Sebastian County.
Ozarks At Large
The winter storm brings many weather related closings and cancelations, and even a disaster declaration from Governo Mike Beebe.
Ahead on Ozarks, an artists' cooperative enters its 12th year in the community, and a group of high school students learn about marketing inside one local retailer, though the field trip was altered a bit as residents made purchases in anticipation of winter weather. Plus, the first group of Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows already recognizes the difference they've made in rural and low income school districts just a few months into their first semester.
With the impending weather, many of the week's events have made some changes in anticipation of cold temperatures and hazardous road conditions.
The Arkansas Red Cross has shelters and volunteers on standby if the impending winter weather turns severe. The Federal Reserve releases the latest Beige Book, which shows significant economic development in Arkansas and surrounding states. A recent move to add a rural ambulance fee to property tax rolls of Benton County's rural residents will be put up to a vote after a recent successful petition drive. And unemployment numbers for northwest Arkansas edged slightly downward in October, while the inverse is true for the Fort Smith metro area.
In its inaugural year, the ATC program can already see the effects it is having in rural and low income school districts in the state. We speak with a superintendent as well as two of the fellows. The new(ish) restaurant 28 Springs, in downtown Siloam Springs, uses a mix of food, atmosphere and science to explore culinary ingredients.
November revenue for the state came in both below forecast and below last November's revenue numbers. Meanwhile, October home sales were up across Arkansas. Fort Smith approves its budget for next year, and Fayetteville approves new regulations regarding required height and setbacks for new developments in the city.
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: remembering the Ozark Folk Fair from forty years ago. The headliners included some of the top names in blues, rock, folk and bluegrass, but the event is all but forgotten now. Plus northwest Arkansas ranchers rally to help out farmers in South Dakota who lost cattle because of bad weather and local non-profits embrace Giving Tuesday.
Winter is coming, true…but we also have information about baseball and fishing.
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.
We continue our week-long series on summer camps by finding out more about the five weeks of art classes at Arts Center of the Ozarks.
PLUS: here are some links to some art camps in the region:
To learn more about the ACO camps, click here.
The Community Creative Center in Fayetteville has no shortage of camps this summer
The University of Arkansas Fort Smith Academy of the Arts isn't just song, dance and music…there are summer art camps beginning in June as well.
This is the second summer for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and there are camps there, too. Click through to their website, then click on the Summer Camps button on the home page.
Carter Sampson pulled her RV into the parking lot at the Carver Center for Public Radio yesterday. She played two songs…here's one of them. Another song and our conversation with her can be heard on Friday’s edition of Ozarks at Large.
You can see her at 8 o'clock tomorrow night at Frisco Club in Rogers and at 9 o'clock Wednesday night at Smoke and Barrel in Fayetteville.
Bob Clinard, Benton County Judge, declared the county a disaster zone Friday, after the county saw more than 6 inches of rain in the latter half of the week. A recent report shows meaningful long-term benefits for children taking part in the state's "Better Chance Pre-K" program. Rahm Emanuel, mayor of Chicago, spoke at the graduation for the Clinton School of Public Service over the weekend. Governor Mike Beebe likens the recently passed Arkansas Private Option to the successful ARKids First program, though he says that the children's insurance program has room to improve.
"A Heart's a Mess" by Gotye
Dr. Megan Witonski says that she is thrilled to take her new post with the Arkansas Department of Education as assistant commissioner with the Division of Learning Services. Among the many responsibilities of the new job is the state's transition to the set of common language arts and math standards being implemented by 45 states.
