Dozens of Arkansas school boards are voting for mask mandates. Michael Tilley, with Talk Business and Politics , talks about that and the value of homes increasing (still) in the Arkansas River Valley.

After a legislative prohibition on pandemic mask mandates in Arkansas for public facilities was recently blocked by a circuit court judge in Arkansas, school districts are having to decide to enforce masks — or not.

New research conducted at the University of Arkansas and Florida International University indicates managers with high levels of empathy pay an emotional price after giving negative feedback.

The fully-fuctional kitchen at the Fayetteville Public Library is ready to go. The first classes, in conjunction with Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, are underway.

In November 2020, Heidi Charton tested postive for COVID-19. In an effort to streamline communiation, she kept a digital journal to inform friends and family of her condition. Those updates involved her time in the hospital, the intensive care unit, and finally back home after nearly two weeks in the hospital. Charton shares some portions of her journal and her experience since. CORRECTION: The initial version of this story referred to the children as Charton's children. The childen were her

This week's Northwest Arkansas Business Journal includes a conversation with Dr. Chad Rogers, a pediatrician and chief medical officer with the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care. Dr. Rogers offers advice to parents as the school year nears.

Though there have been cancellations and alterations because of the continuing pandemic, there are still opportunities to see well-ventilated live music this weekend. Thur, Aug 12 U of A Jazz Combo at Walmart Museum (Bentonville) - 5 p.m. Sierra Carson, Ashtyn Barbaree, Bree Ogden at Kingfish (Fayetteville) - 9 p.m. Los Roscoes at The Gravel Bar (Eureka Springs) - 5 p.m. Eli Young Band at George's Majestic Lounge (Fayetteville) - $30.00, 9 p.m. Fri, Aug 13 Dial-Up at George's Majestic Lounge

Fayetteville city planners are investigating if a section of marina along Lake Fayetteville can be transformed into a public swim beach. To do so, they say, will also require certain water quality improvements to the lake's watershed.

Hospitals in Arkansas keeps topping their record high numbers of COVID-19 patients and Governor Asa Hutchinson says this is stressing infrastructure and personnel in his most recent press briefing .

A new podcast, Undisciplined , is a collaboration between the African and African-American Studies program at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Caree Banton, the director of the program and host of the podcast, explains her inspiration for the new show. The first episode, produced by Matthew Moore, will be available later this month.