Ozarks At Large

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, we hit the highway in an effort to prevent some serious cracking on Interstate 540, and we hear from a Hawaii Congresswoman who's trying to get some funding for Marhsallese living in Arkansas.

U.S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa from Hawaii has filed a bill asking for a massive increase in special grant funding to reimburse public spending on Marshallese migrants living in the U.S. As Jacqueline Froelich reports, millions of dollars have been distributed to Hawaii over the years, but not one cent of the grant money has every reached the mainland, including Arkansas, home to thousands of Marshallese.

Ahead on this edition of Ozarks, a conversation with U.S. Senator Mark Pryor about his re-election campaign. Also, the Arkansas Public Policy Panel celebrates its 50th anniversary, blues musician Buddy Shute stops by the Firmin-Garner Performance Studio, and more.

"True collaboration is that willingness to extend yourself to a new place but in a way that does not feel like anything has been given up," says singer-songwriter Tift Merritt. While collaboration between musicians of different genres is nothing new, it's difficult to do well. The album "Night," a collaboration between Merritt and classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein, does just that. Reviewer Katy Henriksen explores the collaboration in which classical composers like Schubert and Purcell connect seamlessly to Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," the folk traditional "Wayfaring Stranger," a Leonard Cohen inspired instrumental and much more to create a singular song cycle that could only come from these two musicians.