The Preacher's Son in Bentonville is hosting a farewell dinner for Executive Chef Matt Cooper this Saturday. Cooper, who helped launch the reasturant located in a restored church in 2016, is leaving to develop his own farm-to-table concept. He speaks with us about the dining scene in Northwest Arkansas, working during a pandemic and his next steps.

Becca Martin-Brown, the features editor at the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , says she has a remedy for the short days that come with dark mornings and dark evenings: lights. She tells us about the holiday lights brightening up the region and how you can go view them.

Governor Asa Hutchinson was in Springdale Wednesday morning to meet with regional city and county officials, school administrators and business community leaders. The governor also made stops in Benton and Jonesboro this week ahead of an address to Arkansans this evening at 7 p.m. A group of unmasked protesters stood outside the Jones Center to express their opposition to state mandates.

The collection of annual franchise taxes in Arkansas has changed. Beginning Jan. 1, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, headquartered in Little Rock, will accept and process franchise taxes previously administered by the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office.

During a Central Arkansas Human Resources Association roundtable discussion, moderated by Roby Brock of Talk Business and Politics , trucking, tourism and restaurant industry executives discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the response to it and their expectations for 2021.

7Hills Homeless Center is temporarily moving its Day Center operations to St. James Missionary Baptist Church's old sanctuary. The two organizations are collaborating on a warming center that will be open through March. 7Hills needed a bigger space to allow for social distancing while serving the homeless community as temperatures drop. The center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday Dec. 17 through Mar. 31, 2021.

As we head into Christmas, University of Arkansas Music Professor Lia Uribe brings us a selection of pieces from Latino musicians to get us in the holiday spirit. You'll hear Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano, Esta Navidad by Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe, Amarga Navidad by Lila Downs and Navidad en Verano by Mercedes Sosa.

Governor Asa Hutchinson held his weekly coronavirus response briefing Tuesday between meetings with local officials and community leaders throughout the state. Yesterday the governor traveled to Benton, today he was in Springdale, and Thursday morning he'll be in Jonesboro. Then, on Thursday at 7 p.m., Hutchinson will deliver a statewide, primetime address. The governor said based on the feedback from those who attended yesterday's meeting in Benton, he's not ready to implement specific

The J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center opens to the public Dec. 11. The grand opening Dec. 10 will be livestreamed on Facebook . The new center features exhibits, indoor classrooms, an indoor archery and airgun range, pavilions, trails and 25 acres of restored prairie.

Some two dozen George's poultry workers staged a walkout Tuesday morning in Springdale to protest a management decision to stop staggering shifts so that workers were not packed into a hallway as they were clocking in and out. That protocol was put into place as a COVID-19 pandemic precaution. Venceremos , an Arkansas workers’ justice organization, helped facilitate the protest and was on hand to support workers.