Tuesday, President Trump signed a memorandum that would exclude undocumented immigrants from being counted for the purpose of redistricting efforts next year. Arkansas United responded to the memo by hosting a virtual press conference yesterday. Advocates say the move is an attempt to suppress Census participation and they expect the memo to face legal challenges.

A 22-month long leadership program through the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture continues through a pandemic. LeadAR offers participants a chance to have a global view of issues facing Arkansas and its communities. A discussion of the latest version of the program is part of this week's Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Report.

Although the pandemic is keeping musicians apart, Lia Uribe points out in her latest Sound Perimeter, some orchestras are still able to perform together virtually. She shares some of those performances, including one by the Tulsa Symphony.

At today's coronavirus response briefing, which Governor Asa Hutchinson delivered from Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, he announced the state reported 591 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24-hour monitoring period, but also received fewer than 4,000 tests results. There were six additional deaths, but 14 fewer hospitalizations. Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas's acting health secretary, said the overall positivity rate in Washington County since testing began is 22 percent. He also

Graduate assistants at the University of Arkansas are asking for higher wages. The request comes as the pandemic has made it more difficult to obtain a second job or meant more time preparing to teach in socially-distanced classrooms or even remotely. The university is forming a committee to examine the issue while graduate students are continuing to collect signatures in support of their effort.

For today's suggested reading, we hear selections from Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America. The 2017 book by Michael Eric Dyson weaves pop culture with the cadence of the historic tradition of oratory from the Black church. The book is laid out like a sermon, and it provides an in-depth examination of whiteness, its priviledge, and the price of being black in America.

For the last decade, the United Way of Northwest Arkansas has been "filling the bus" with donations of school supplies ahead of the new school year, but, as with so many other events, they've had to adjust for new percautions during the pandemic.

John Brummett, political writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , discusses why he believes Hutchinson's mask mandate will matter even if not all Arkansas elected officials are on board. He also considers the legacy of the late civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis in this week's conversation with Roby Brock of Talk Business and Politics .

The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum will launch a new series called "Lecture Live" on July 30. The series will include discussions of great art of the past and present.

At Tuesday's coronavirus response briefing, Governor Asa Hutchinson reported 728 new cases of COVID-19, including 122 new cases at correctional facilities. There were also 11 additional deaths from the virus and 17 more hospitalizations bringing that total to an all-time high of 488. Pulaski County reported 110 new cases, Washington County had 62, Crawford County had 46, Benton County had 45, and Sebastian County had 30. Following conversation with superintendents, teachers and Arkansas's