On this week's Sound Perimeter, we take a listen to some of Lia Uribe's favorite pieces of music. Uribe is a music professor at the University of Arkansas. We listen to Nina Simone's rendition of George Gershwin's "I loves you Porgy," Astor Piazzolla's "Adios Nonino," and Lara Downes' rendition of Florence Price's "Some of These Days."

Washington County justices of the peace remain divided on the best ways to use a $4.5 million reimbursement from the first round of federal CARES Act funding distributed by the state. Since much of the items the county was reimbursed for were included in the 2020 budget, Democrats on the Quorum Court want to see the money go toward small business aid, hunger relief efforts, and rental and mortgage assistance. The Republican majority says the financial impacts on the county are not fully known

As of Tuesday, nearly a million more Arkansans between the ages of 16 and 64 can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the eligibility expansion to all of Phase 1C in his weekly coronavirus response briefing. While not everybody in Phase 1B has been vaccinated, Hutchinson said it was important to expand eligibility to more people to make sure there isn't a gap in demand and willing patients. He added that there was reduced demand for shots in some parts of the state,

Arkansas Democrats are reducing filing fees for candidates for the third time since 2017. A spokesman for the Republican Party of Arkansas says the organization has no plans to follow suit. Arkansas has some of the most expensive filing fees in the country.

This winter, a juvenile white American bison joined a herd of brown bison pastured for public view on Dogwood Canyon Nature Park . The 10,000 acre private conservation area located a half hour northeast of Eureka Springs, contains a wealth of natural history and wildlife and is open to the public every day.

This week, our look back at the 150 years of University of Arkansas history focuses on Mary Anne Davis. She was a professor of both mathematics and English and the university's dean of women. She's also the namesake of Davis Hall.

Despite the pandemic, the husband and wife rockabilly duo of Travis and Becky Koester, who call themselves The Time Burners , have released some new tracks. We get a listen and hear how the past year affected the pair and their work.

On today's show, we hear about a new report that examines the causes of Arkansas's teacher shortage and outlines some potential solutions. Plus, we find out about several bills making their way through the Arkansas Legislature that aim to restrict transgender youth from participating in sports and receiving certain health care. And, we head to Bentonville where an event held this weekend put $13,000 into businesses that have been struggling during the pandemic.

Arkansas continues to struggle to get enough certified teachers in classrooms, especially in poor and rural districts. A new report from The New Teachers Project examines the causes of the shortage and outlines potential solutions.

The Arkansas Legislature is expected to pass a series of restrictive bills targeting transgender youth. Two measures aim to ban trans girls from participating in public scholastic sport consistent with their gender identity. Two additional bills bar minors from receiving trans-affirming medical care.