Wayne Bell closes out his personal entertainment picks of 2012 by discussing his favorite books and plays of the year.
Ozarks At Large
Arvest Bank announces its acquisition of several Bank of America branch banks, a famous Fort smith restaurant announces its plans for reopening, and the city of Fayetteville looks to trade paper for pixels.
On its surface, today's week in review may look like a retread of last week's, but these education stories offer a twist of innovation.

A new book collects scores of photographs of the history of Siloam Springs, including a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt.
For more on the Siloam Springs Museum, click here.
Professional baseball was in northwest Arkansas in the 1930s. The nearly-forgotten league is the subject of an upcoming book.

Here are the eleven elements of today's Christmas tree montage:
- Miles Davis' version of "O Christmas Tree"
- Mr. Wilson volunteers to cut down a tree in a 1961 episode of "Dennis the Menace"
- The Griswald Family goes a long way for the perfect tree in "Christmas Vacation"
- Brenda Lee's classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
- Charlie Brown selects a tiny, sad tree in the "CHarlie Brown Christmas Special"
- Tchaikovsky's "Christmas Tree" from "The Nutcracker Suite"
- Cindy Lou Who questions the Grinch
- Zuzu explains that bell ornament on the tree at the end of "It's A Wonderful Life"
- Elvis and "Blue Christmas"
- Festivus revealed on a classic episode of "Seinfeld"
- Wynton Marsalis gives "O Christmas Tree" a bit of New Orleans bounce
In a growing area such as Northwest Arkansas, schools are bound to make the news. The past week was full of education stories involving money in one way or another. Ozarks at Large’s Timothy Dennis takes a look back at a few of those stories.
Ground will be broken early this new year on a much-anticipated Northwest Arkansas highway project, known as the “Fayetteville Flyover” which will create easy access from North College Avenue to both the mall district and Interstate 540.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: it's primary election day in Arkansas, and Roby Brock talks to three Republicans who are vying for their party's nomination for attorney general. Plus, the City of Fayetteville is looking toward the future as Baby Boomers continue to age. A new project wants the city to become an age-friendly place. And, in our monthly series on technology, we visit the VA hospital in Fayetteville, where new solar arrays aim to make the facility more sustainable.
Here are the clips for today's montage dedicated to the subway:
1. Duke Ellington performs one of America's best compostions, Take the A Train.
2. Elaine Bennis endures a legendary trip on New York's subway on a classic episode of Seinfeld.
3. Petula Clark's version of Don't Sleep in the Subway.
4. Sounds from the trailer the original Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3 with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw.
5. Tom Waits' Downtown Train.
6.The most famous clip from the drive-in classic Warriors.
7. The Kingston Trio sings a song about the Boston subway.
8. Marilyn Monroe's dress flies up in the classic scene from Seven Year Itch.
9. Neo takes care of business in The Matrix.
10. The muppets (the muppets?) sing Subway!
Apologies to Amelie and all those Beauty and the Beast stories.
This year's Shakespeare in the Park by The Classical Edge will include free performances at Lawrence Plaza in Bentonville.
For information on other live theater visit:
Rogers Little Theater
Arts Center of the Ozarks
Arts Live Theatre
The UA Drama Department
The chief political scientist at UALR says that Lt. Gov. Mark Darr's decision to drop out of the race for Congress isn't overly surprising, as the political climate in Arkansas has recently been rife with scandal. And, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is working with other agencies to convert farmland back into woodlands and wetlands.
"Walking Papers" by Booker T. Jones
Michael Tilley from The City Wire discusses the latest unemployment figures and how bloggers have made an impact on the Arkansas political landscape this month.
A ceremony yesterday afternoon marked the official launch of Circle of Life Hospice Foundation.