Childcare

The Arkansas Department of Education is adjusting its School Readiness Assistance program, raising copayments for families starting Oct. 1 while delaying reimbursement rate changes for providers until Nov. 1.

On today's show, we learn how changes to an early childhood voucher program in Arkansas culminated in a legislative meeting. Artist Sam King also shares the importance of place in artmaking and consumption. Plus, previewing "An Evening with Sherlock Holmes."

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families reports child uninsurance has hit a decade high, with northwest Arkansas hardest hit. Barriers include paperwork, housing insecurity and language access.

The Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter has provided care for more than 13,000 children since 1993, offering a 24/7 safe haven for youth facing trauma. In 2025, the shelter will expand its mission with new foster family support services, community outreach, and transitional programs for young adults aging out of care.

On today's show, the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter calls for more foster families to step up and help. Also, how a local coffee business leveraged relationships to go from a small roaster to a retail space on Walmart’s Home Office Campus. Plus, a new edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

Northwest Arkansas Community College will host its fifth annual Power of Play Conference this month. The single-day conference is designed to help parents, educators and caregivers develop a child’s natural curiosity.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation released the 2025 Kids Count Data Book last week. The annual survey measures how students across the nation perform in four key areas. Lisa Lawson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, spoke with Ozarks at Large's Daniel Caruth about the report.

Michael Tilley with Talk Business & Politics joins Kyle Kellams to discuss this past week's headlines from the Arkansas River Valley.

Matt Holden’s “what I did this summer” essay for 2025 should be interesting. On today's show, we hear that the Fayetteville teacher’s summer will include trips into the Pacific Ocean and to Africa. This summer also means the inaugural Ozark Music Festival all around northwest Arkansas, so we'll provide a glimpse of what's to come. Also, the city of Fayetteville named this year's Amazing Tree, but what makes it so special?

Flyers needing emergency diapers at Northwest Arkansas National Airport now have a place to get diapers, no matter the time of day. Restrooms near Gate A3 at XNA now have vending machines called Diaper Concierge, which dispense diapers and other related items.