
Ozarks At Large

The Washington Regional Medical Center board of directors accepted an offer by the Fayetteville Public Library to purchase the former City Hospital property for $2 million. Arkansas's U.S. Senators are hopeful about passing a farm bill when Congress reconvenes next month. The state's new voter ID law is being implemented by the Arkansas Secretary of State's office. Siloam Springs joins the list of area cities holding a special sales tax election this year. And the Northwest Arkansas metro area makes another list, this time for being one of the top real estate markets for wellness and wealth in the country.
KUAF's Katy Henriksen recently traveled to Chicago for the annual Pitchfork Music Festival. Here's some of the sound she found there.


We get a peek at the new green roof on the University of Arkansas campus. It is visually pleasing, but also has practical implications.
Roby Brock talks to Kyle Kellams about possible political repercussions following the resignation of State Senator Paul Bookout.
Opposing sides give their views on the safety of oil pipelines. Central Park-Morning Star Elementary in Bentonville is named a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School, while the Sebastian County Quorum Court appoints members to the Hartford School Board. And the city of Fort Smith replaces a record number of sidewalks this year.


Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Friday, January 10, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks…the 2013 Northwest Arkansas Education Report Card has numbers, plenty of numbers, relating to 17 public school districts in Washington and Benton Counties. We'll talk to Gary Ritter, the director of the Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas about the report. And the three-person band The Room Outside plays inside the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio. We'll also talk to Michael Tilley from The City Wire about the week’s news and Becca Martin Brown from Northwest Arkansas Newspapers about the upcoming weekend’s entertainment opportunities.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the third annual “Community Block Party” at the First United Methodist Church campus in downtown Springdale this weekend.
For more information, visit the church's website here.
Supporters of alcohol sales in Madison County turn in petitions for a ballot measure, the drought in Arkansas worsens, Benton County government may have to begin paying for rural ambulance service and more.
“You Run Marathons” by Colossal
Michael Tilley from thecitywire.com keeps us up to date on a petition drive in Fort Smith dealing with automated trash collection and more.
You can access TheCityWire here.
If you’ve traveled winding Highway 112 through Cave Springs in Benton County, you’ve passed by a pretty little forested lake. It’s a private place, with tons of history, natural features and a secret trove of unique creatures. That’s why members of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership hope to purchase it—and install a public sanctuary.
"Gold and Silver" by Toots and the Maytals
A behemoth of a roller coaster is being constructed at Silver Dollar City. Becca Martin Brown, Features Editor at Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, gives us the specifics of the monster ride as well as a checklist of activities this weekend in the region.