
Ozarks At Large

After overriding a veto by Governor Mike Beebe on a piece of anti-abortion legislation, the state senate advances another, more restrictive anti-abortion bill to the governor's desk. And, Walmart announces its progress in bringing healthier food to its customers.
With federal budget sequestration looming around the corner, Arkansas' U.S. Senate contingent sounds off about the issue. We also look at how budget sequestration could impact research at the University of Arkansas. And, the Arkansas Legislature moves forward with two anti-abortion bills.
Desmond Shaw Taylor is the surveyor of The Queen's pictures, the curator of the paintings in the royal collection of Great Britain. He speaks with Christina Thomas in advance of his appearance at Crystal Bridges of American Art this Friday.

The cities of Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Springdale are the second, third and fourth-largest cities in Arkansas. But, how do the leaders of those cities deal with making difficult decisions. Ozarks at Large's Timothy Dennis spoke with leaders of the three cities to find out.
After being amended by a House committee, a bill that would cap the state's spending growth advances in the Arkansas legislature. Governor Mike Beebe voices his mind about Lt. Governor Mark Darr's signing of a bill while the governor was away. And, the Ozark Natural Science Center in Huntsville announces suspension of its programs that have served thousands of area students in the past two decades.

A bill that would cap growth in state spending is reintroduced to a House committee today while an approved bill to change the state's scholarship lottery system moves to Governor Mike Beebe's office for the governor's signature. And, more trail construction may soon get underway in Rogers.
Beginning March 3, Trinity United Methodist Church in Fayetteville's Sunday Supper program will be offered every week at the church. More information is available at 575-9500.
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Friday, March 21, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, we learn about new standardized public eduction testing that will be tried in schools as part of the new Common Core cirriculum. Also, Little Chief performs a song of their new album.
The Ozarks Genealogical Society's annual conference is scheduled for Sept. 13-14 in Springfield, Missouri, and the featured speaker is D. Joshua Taylor (http://www.djoshuataylor.com).
The first event outside of Eureka Springs for the Creative Energy Project will bring yarn, and plenty of it, to Bentonville.
Link: For more about Yarnology or the Creative Energy Project, www.creativeenergyproject.com
Officials with hunger relief organizations in Arkansas express concern over recent efforts to remove SNAP funding from the federal Farm Bill. Central Arkansas leaders request information from ExxonMobil regarding a stretch of pipeline in the Lake Maumelle Watershed. The Arkansas House and Senate Education Committees discuss the new Common Core curriculum, set to take effect when schools start in about a month. And the Fayetteville Public Library board of directors moves forward with an offer to purchase the former City Hospital property.
"Cut Me Loose" by T Model Ford
In the first of our series on the deployment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in Arkansas, Cynthia Crone, the state’s insurance department deputy commissioner, explains the fundamentals, including getting an early look at Arkansas’s insurance exchange, now referred to as marketplace.
Early next month the organization called the Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A. Inc. will hold its annual convention in Rogers. We talked to John Bircher, National Spokesman for the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
Link: To learn more about the Military Order of the Purple Heart, visit www.purpleheart.org