Ozarks at Large

On today's show, an 1800s African-American cemetery in east Fayetteville, almost lost to history, is being restored. Plus, TheatreSquared readies The Mountaintop, a reimagining of the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, and much more.

The top of our show includes the latest regarding COVID-19 in Arkansas. Tests were down this weekend, but hospitalizations are up. Also: money for bridges in Arkansas.

An 1800s burial ground on a wooded western slope of Mt. Sequoyah in Fayetteville contains mostly unmarked remains of dozens of enslaved African Americans. Almost lost to history, the site is being documented and restored by the Northwest Arkansas African American Heritage Association. Sharon Killian, board president, walks us through the place known as East Mountain Cemetery, recently deeded to th...

John Brummett, a columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, thinks President Biden didn't make it easy for voting rights legislation to be passed. He also considers Governor Hutchinson's week and the future makeup of the Arkansas legislature.

Katori Hall's The Mountaintop reimagines the night before the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The play opens tomorrow night at TheatreSquared. We asked the actors and director about the production.

Robert Ginsburg, the host of Shades of Jazz on KUAF, helps us prepare for the return of Bill Frisell to Fayetteville. The guitarist will play twice at the Roots HQ Saturday night.

The historic town of Eureka Springs is a popular tourist destination -- and now, increasingly, a homeless destination. We visit ECHO and A Cup of Love Ministry, two charities that generously serve the impoverished, and talk with a city official trying to find ways to better accomodate the low-income population.

On today’s show, preparing to portray Dr. King on stage in The Mountaintop for TheatreSquared. Plus, efforts to help people living without permanent shelter in Eureka Springs, and much more.

Later this week TheatreSquared will open its production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop. We talked with creative forces behind the work about the reimagining of the events the night before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered. Much of our conversation will be on tomorrow's show, but we wanted to share some of the conversation today.

Bud Campbell was one of the most familiar faces, and voices, in Arkansas for two decades. We conclude our salute to the broadcaster with archives from the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History.

Next Monday night, the 24th, (ret) General Wesley Clark will deliver the years' first Pryor Center Presents lecture, virtually, at 6:00 p.m. We listen back to part of a conversation he had with us last year about the challenges the United States faces at home and abroad.

On today's show, a shift for the University of Arkansas Fort Smith to mitigate spread of COVID-19. Plus, helping relocate from Afghanistan to northwest Arkansas, and much more.

Top news for a Friday includes almost 13,000 new virus cases in Arkansas, Rogers schools pivoting because of staff shortages and a first-ever gymnastics meet in Bud Walton Arena.

Michael Tilley, with our partner Talk Business and Politics, says the fate of a dog park and the future of I-49 were topics of conversation across the Arkansas River Valley this week.

Canopy of Northwest Arkansas, the state's only resettlement agency began recieving Afghan evacuees in October of 2021. Joanna Krause, the agency's executive director, says they have onboarded at least one new arrival each week since then.

With the spread of COVID-19 continuing, UAFS is moving to mostly virtual instruction next week.

Christopher Schulte, endowed associate professor of art education and assistant director of the School of Art at the University of Arkansas, is founding and directing the new Center for the Study of Childhood Art, the first such instutite in country, he says.

There are things to do this weekend. Becca Martin Brown, the features editor with the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, gives us highlights. She also says with a chance of snow and the continued spread of the virus, we should check on the status of any event before going to it.

One Penny Shy is scheduled to play at the Fayetteville Public Library Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00. We talked with Becky and Jacob last night about the show and their EP, Grown.

On today’s show, interest in land in Newton County. Plus, efforts to get more COVID-19 tests in Arkansans’ hands, another edition of young musical all stars, and much more.

Arkansas recorded nearly 11,000 new cases of COVID-19, a new single-day record. Also in the news: Arkansas' senior US Senator defends the filibuster and the Razorback men's basketball team gets a big victory.

The first shipment of at-home COVID-19 tests are being given away across the state at local libraries and other community partners. Dr. Jennifer Dillaha says that the high positivity rate is an indication that more testing is needed.

So much property in Newton County has sold during the pandemic, that once-affordable land prices have soared. Buyers include couples and familes relocating from crowded urban centers and climate catastrophe zones to carve out new lives on the Ozarks. But others are investors buying up land to develop or market as short-term vacation rentals. We query officials, businesses, locals and newcomers abo...

Ozark Compost & Swap, a new residential compost pick-up service, aims to make composting more accessible for people in northwest Arkansas. The company offers weekly and bi-weekly options and also partners with local producers to deliver sustainable goods like coffee and household cleaners.

Governor Asa Hutchinson sat down with Roby Brock to discuss the record surge of COVID-19 in Arkansas. The governor says there are continued challenges Arkansans must confront.