Though Arkansas is still 30% above the rest of the nation, the state is finally seeing declining rates when it comes to new lung cancer diagnoses and moralities due to lung cancer. We hear from Dr. Gary Wheeler with the Arkansas Department of Health.
Ozarks At Large
State legislators are beginning to make plans for how to use a revenue surplus in the coming fiscal session of the Arkansas General Assembly. A special election today could affect the state's Private Option expansion of Medicaid. Gubernatorial hopeful Asa Hutchinson calls for more computer science courses to be taught at the high school level. The Arkansas Department of Health urges people between the ages of 25 and 50 to get flu shots this year. And Fayetteville will look for a new superintendent after the current one announced her resignation.


Sabrina Billings, an Assistant Professor with the department of African and African American Studies at the University of Arkansas, has spent years researching her new book Language and Globalization in the Making of a Tanzanian beauty Queen.

The Arkansas Department of Health says that rates of lung cancer are decreasing in the state, due in part to higher anti-smoking awareness campaigns. Governor Beebe calls for more Arkansans to get a higher education. The Greenland School District is set to spend nearly a million dollars on a new football field. And Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr formally gives his resignation from office amid a string of ethics violations.


To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the first photograph of the moon, here are the clips we included in our montage devoted to earth's favorite satellite:
1. Nick Drake sings Pink Moon.
2. A classic scene with Tom Hanks from Apollo 13.
3. Ella Fitzgerald's take on It's Only a Paper Moon.
4. Excerpt from a promotional film about the 1964 World's Fair.
5. REM's tribute to Andy Kaufman, Man in the Moon.
6. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed dream about the future in It's a Wonderful Life.
7. Elvis (happy belated 79th) and Blue Moon.
8. Lon Chaney, Jr. worries about the next full moon in Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman.
9. Creedence Clearwater Revival also worries about a Bad Moon Rising.
10. Neil Armstrong lands.
11. Frank Sinatra takes off.
Apologies to: Jules Verne, William Shakespeare, Henry Mancini, Bill Monroe, G. Melies and those little green guys on Rocky and Bullwinkle. Maybe next time.
1. Nick Drake sings Pink Moon.
2. A classic scene with Tom Hanks from Apollo 13.
3. Ella Fitzgerald's take on It's Only a Paper Moon.
4. Excerpt from a promotional film about the 1964 World's Fair.
5. REM's tribute to Andy Kaufman, Man in the Moon.
6. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed dream about the future in It's a Wonderful Life.
7. Elvis (happy belated 79th) and Blue Moon.
8. Lon Chaney, Jr. worries about the next full moon in Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman.
9. Creedence Clearwater Revival also worries about a Bad Moon Rising.
10. Neil Armstrong lands.
11. Frank Sinatra takes off.
Apologies to: Jules Verne, William Shakespeare, Henry Mancini, Bill Monroe, G. Melies and those little green guys on Rocky and Bullwinkle. Maybe next time.
Winter classes are just about to begin for young thespians, those wanting to learn more about art, and more. Becca Martin Brown gives us the details.

Latest Edition of Ozarks at Large
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, golf is a sport, but it's also a vehicle for life lessons about honesty and perseverance. We visit the green as First Tee of Northwest Arkansas spends an afternoon teaching values to area youth. Plus, a look at the senate race in Arkansas.
Becca Martin Brown gives us the scoop on a new exhibit in Fort Smith about Hattie Caraway, the first woman ever to serve as a U.S. Senator, featuring the writer formerly of Fayetteville.
Monday is Pi Approximation Day (a.k.a. Casual Pi Day) because when written in the day/month format (22/7) the date equals 3.14 or the mathematical constant known as pi (hooray math jokes!). In honor of the day, today's montage focuses on pi(e).
1. "American Pie" by Don McLean
2. Clip from The Three Stooges
3. Clip from the television show What Would You Do?
4. "Amore" by Dean Martin
5. Clip from the movie American Pie
6. "Cherry Pie" by Warrant
7. "The Worst Pies in London" from the movie adaptation of Sweeny Todd
8. Clip from The Life of Pi movie trailer.
9. Clip from the movie Blazing Saddles
10. "3.14 Apple Pi" by Bo Burnham
During a recent visit to the studio, Don't Stop Please performed an original song called Henry and the Great Salt Lake.
Changes have already been made to the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, with more changes still to come. Although the state's unemployment rate didn't change from May to June, that doesn't take into account several layoffs that have happened in the past month. Gas prices have been on the rise across Arkansas, with still higher prices on the horizon. And 39 permits have been issued for retail liquor sales in Benton County, leaving 16 potential permits still up for grabs.
“200,00” by The Rocket Summer
Michael Tilley from The City Wire discusses unemployment figures released this morning.