An area school district that intended to arm teachers and other staff can no longer do so, after the board that issued a private security firm license to the Clarksville School District has revoked that license. The Arkansas State Police rolls out a fleet of new, more discreet cruisers. One of Springdale's farmers' markets closes, but could potentially reopen in the future. A non-profit aimed at serving women from disadvantaged situations gets ready to open in Rogers. And a new state law taking effect tomorrow means drivers will have to move over for more than just emergency personnel.
Ozarks At Large

A spokesman for Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin says that the office should be able to use outside counsel that questions the office's compliance with the state's Freedom of Information Act. Benton County officials continue to assess damage done by recent floods, with the cost of said damage estimated at $5 million and rising. The same rains that caused damage in Benton County has given a rare opportunity to floaters of the Buffalo River. And while yesterday's elections resulted in a runoff next month in Springdale, voters in Paris and Huntsville approved more taxes in their own cities.



Governor Mike Beebe says that while four sites are currently under consideration for a new state veterans' home, that potential still exists for other options should they arise. And, the Seville Hotel in Harrison is back on the market, some seek denied school transfer requests to be overturned in Little rock, an awareness campaign aims to decrease drivers illegally passing school buses and Mark Darr sets off another waterfall of political candidacies with his announcement that he will run for Congressman Tom Cotton's seat in Washington next year.


Two special elections will be held tomorrow, one to fill a vacant city council seat in Springdale, and one regarding a 1 percent sales tax for water and sewer improvements in Paris. And, the Rogers School District, like many others in the area, will start the new school year with more bandwidth, to allow for a more connected classroom.


After listening to speculation about Tom Cotton's political future for months, he finally, formally announced his intention to run for a Senate seat. This week's montage focuses on other cottons:
- Zooey Deschanel's Cotton commercial
- Michael Jordan's Hanes Lay Flat T-shirt commercial
- Golden Corral cotton candy commercial
- "Cotton Candy Land" by Elvis Presley
- :Peter Cottontail" by Gene Autry
- A clip from Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Cotton Club
- "Cotton Mouth Man" by James Cotton (featuring Joe Bonamassa)
- "Cotton Fields" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- "Pickin' Time" by Johnny Cash
- "Cotton Eye Joe" by Rednex
Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, digital ambassadors for northwest Arkansas explained, and how one furry Huntsville resident contributes to recycling efforts in the city.
Merle Haggard, North Pole explorers and more in our history capsule for April 6.
Artist Laboratory Theatre will create a sheet fort this weekend for artists and audience members to experience theater in an alternative manner.
Top puzzle creator Ed Pegg will be on the University of Arkansas campus tomorrow to present his lecture “Instant Fame: Using Computers to Solve Old Tricks.”
A separate but complimentary art exhibition to First Thursday will debut April 7th at Gaylord's in Fayetteville.
"Poor Jackie" by Man Man
Ozarks at Large's Energy Corps correspondent Christina Thomas reports on Northwest Arkansas cities' and residents' efforts to compost more. For tips and more information on composting, visit the U of A extension website www.uaex.edu or the Sierra Club Green Home website www.scgh.com.
"The Farmer" by the South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet