Northwest Arkansas Community College is working with the Bicycle Industry Employers Association to establish a one-year bicycle technician program at the school. The program is going through an approval process, but could launch later this year.

In this week's edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Report, Roby Brock speaks with the CEO of CARTI, a Little Rock-based nonprofit cancer treatment center, about the organization's recent expansion and future plans that may include a Northwest Arkansas location.

This year, the Women's Foundation of Arkansas launched the Tjuana Byrd Internship Program . The 10-week summer program, named for the WFA's first black president, provides women of color enrolled in Arkansas universities a paid internship with one of four Little Rock-based companies that focus on science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

On today's Sound Perimeter with Lia Uribe, we hear Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony #5 in C minor, as well as Cinco Salsa, an arrangement of the same work, performed by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Hovedoen Social Club. This segment originally aired on Aug. 6, 2020.

In his first coronavirus response briefing of the new year, Governor Asa Hutchinson began by laying out the state's plan and timeline for vaccinating people in groups 1A, 1B, 1C and eventually the general public. Vaccinations for group 1A got underway before the holidays. That group includes high-priority healthcare workers and long-term care facility staff and resident. The governor also expanded the first round of vaccinations to first responders bringing the total of Arkansans eligible for

As the Washington County Quorum Court met to discuss its budget for 2021, two other issues were raised: the county's plans for a $4.5 million reimbursement from the state's CARES Act allotment and the muting of Justices of the Peace who are attending meetings via Zoom.

On Dec. 23, $48 million dollars worth of Business Interruption Grants were awarded to 2,136 struggling tourism, travel, recreation, hospitality and personal care businesses in Arkansas. The grants will offset operating costs and salaries, and range from several hundred to a quarter million dollars.

A new book, Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas , has everything you need to know about the of hundreds of plants found in the Natural State. We spoke with two of the authors, Jennifer Ogle and Theo Witsell.

As the COVID-19 death toll in Arkansas rises each day, religious leaders must follow strict CDC and state guidance for last rites, funerals and burials. We hear from the inspector and investigator for the Arkansas Insurance Department's Funeral Services Division about compliance and speak with a local Islamic mosque imam, Catholic church priest, and a Jewish cantor about how they're adapting during the pandemic.

In our monthly conversation with the administrators at ArkansasCOVID.com , we breakdown some of the trends in Arkansas cases during the month of December. According to analysts, there was a 51 percent increase in virus-related deaths and a 33 percent in cases. Arkansas averaged 38 deaths and 2,186 new cases a day last month.