Ozarks At Large

On this special Roots Festival Edition of Ozarks from the Fayetteville Public Library, the Del McCourry Band, Iris DeMent and Joe Crookston play some tunes for our live studio audience. And we learn about the burgeoning craft brewery scene in NWA and more.

Ahead on Ozarks: from the archives, excerpts from an interview with the recently deceased Mariam McPartland, recorded in Fayetteville in 1990. Plus, the Cooperative Emergency Outreach moves into a new building after temporarily closing last fall. And, an update on White Nose Syndrome; the fungus that causes the disease has been found in Arkansas.

On this edition of Ozarks, Reach Out Northwest Arkansas is to keep kids from dropping out of school. Plus, exploring the new green roof atop the newly renovated Vol Walker Hall on the UA campus.

Ahead on Ozarks at Large, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross discusses federal health care reform, the recent endorsement he received from Governor Mike Beebe and more. Plus the complicated world of intellectual property rights and we continue our series on what health care reform might mean for Arkansas. Jacqueline Froelich examines how small businesses could be affected.

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, a U of A researcher discusses the science studying the causes of heat stroke. Plus, NWACC partners with various organizations to help teach the community about America's music.

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, the Fayetteville Schools Hall of Honor welcomes new members. Plus, music from Joseph Israel inside the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio.

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: when you think of fertile ground for jazz you may think of New Orleans, Europe, New York City…but, Azerbaijan? Amina Figarova grew up listening to jazz in her childhood home in Baku, Azerbaijan. She’s released a dozen albums and will close the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series this weekend. We'll hear from her later on the show. Plus…that extra "A" in Lake Atalanta in Rogers. Why the lake is called that isexplained in the latest edition of our series "What's in a Name?" And a wilderness water trail inside the Fort Smith city limits.

Ahead on the show: If you have a child anxious about attending a new school in a few days, we have three things that can help you ease a child into a new school year. Lynne Webb, a professor of communications at the University of Arkansas explains how skills that help reduce anxiety about school can be used the rest of your life. Plus the desire for a new fish hatchery in northwest Arkansas and Zeek Taylor explains why painting a simple black cat is harder than you might think. He’s the featured artist at the Norberta Philbrook Gallery in Bentonville for a new show opening tomorrow.

Ahead on Ozarks: trying to weigh all of the factors that could have an effect on Arkansas’ economy for the rest of 2013 and into 2014, including home sales, employment numbers, civic infrastructure, the Farm Bill and more. Roby Brock hosts a roundtable to discuss the state of the state’s economy. Plus we continue our series on what the Affordable Care Act may mean for Arkansas with a report about how an insurance company is preparing for change. And our monthly wrap up of visual arts in the region

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: the musical instruments that could only be made Ed Stilley. He created his guitars, mandolins and fiddles by hand…and used springs, saw blades and Dixie cups to construct them. We'll hear about a new exhibit of his instruments opening soon at Walton Arts Center and we'll hear a new song written about him, played on two of the instruments he made. Plus crystal Bridges Museum of American Art prepares for the one millionth visit and an update on an ambitious effort by the Old Fort Homeless Coalition.

On this edition of Ozarks, the duo Air Loom explains how they managed to come together across continents. They’ll play a couple of songs in the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio. Plus our regular visit with Michael Tilley from The City Wire

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks: Tontitown is in the middle of its 115th grape Festival. A lot of chickens, a lot of spaghetti and a lot of rolls are coming out of the parish hall kitchen. Plus Brandan O'Connell visits with me at the spot of some of his greatest inspiration or art: the aisles of Wal-Mart. And in just a few minutes we catch up with Roby Brock as he begins Campaign 2014 coverage, more than a year before election day. Yesterday he spent a day with Congressman Tom Cotton as he launches his campaign bid against Senator Mark Pryor. Today Roby is traveling with the senator.

Ahead on this edition on Ozarks at Large, an update on the status of the Ozark Natural Science Center. And we talk to the creator of a new online index that allows users to search through thousands of historic Arkansas photographs.

Ahead on Ozarks, how community clinics will change, and not change, with the roll out of The Affordable Care Act. We continue our series on how the act will affect Arkansas. Plus a warm documentary made during the latter part of Levon Helm's life will have its northwest Arkansas premier Friday night at the Fayetteville Public Library…we’ll hear from the film’s director. Plus Joe Neal returns with the sounds of his high-flying neighbors…American crows. And the music of Nora Jane Struthers and the Party Line shines in their 2013 release, Carnival. They’re coming to Fayetteville later this month as part of the Roots Festival and we'll have a review of the album.

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks. A Facebook-job-posting-a-day approach to getting people in the Fort Smith region who are looking for work. Work Fort Smith is taking a small, but consistent, path to connecting those seeking work to those seeking employees. We'll also review the past seven days in Arkansas politics and business with Roby Brock from Talk Business Arkansas and two approaches to solar power…including area high school students taking to a swimming pool to test their solar-powered boats. And Meredith Martin Moats continues her series on books about Arkansas with a review of a study of the man who brought electricity to the state, Harvey Couch.