On Tuesday, the Springdale City Council passed a resolution that throws its support behind businesses that require patrons to wear masks. Mayor Doug Sprouse said the resolution allows business owners to decide what is right for their establishment and is enforceable by police. However, many residents want the city to pass a mandatory mask ordinance, especially given the disproportionate impact the virus has had on members of the region's Marshallese and Latino communities, many of whom live in

Eureka Springs City Council met Monday evening to debate the merits of a COVID-19 mask mandate in order to protect townspeople from what some describe as "hoards" of unmasked tourists visiting this summer. A special meeting is scheduled to decide the matter Thursday.

During a special meeting Tuesday, the Fayetteville City Council unanimously approved amending an ordinance to make it easier for businesses to establish sidewalk cafes. The move is an effort to expand seating capacity for restaurants that may be struggling during the pandemic.

On Tuesday, the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation announced it was awarding the University of Arkansas $194.7 million to establish the Institute for Intergrative and Innovative Research with the goal of increasing collaborative scientific research and encouraging commercialization and entrepreneurship. The gift also set aside funds for a building, 20 new faculty and the founding of a Bentonville campus.

The American Red Cross is in need of donations from donors of all blood types. This summer, the nonprofit is testing all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies as an additional health service to their donors.

We continue our "Reflections in Black: Suggested Reading" series with selections from The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.

A champion persimmon tree growing in Fayetteville's historic Wilson Park was discovered late last year by a city parks employee, formally nominated, and then certified by the state. We visit the old growth tree.

At Tuesday's coronavirus response briefing, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced the state had added another 794 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24-hour reporting period. Hospitalizations rose by six to 445 and there were eight more deaths bringing the total to 331. Pulaski County reported the most new cases with 111. Washington and Benton Counties had 68 and 36 new cases, respectively, and Sebastian County had an additional 52. The state conducted 6,563 tests, which means a total of 75,445 tests

Vencerem os , a local social justice organization focused on the rights of poultry workers, will be delivering a letter to Governor Asa Hutchinson Wednesday in Little Rock. The letter calls for the shutting down of poultry plants with outbreaks, so workers can quarantine, and the implementation of social distancing rules once the plants reopen. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, there are cases at 16 of the states plants, about 160 poultry workers have been hospitalized and 18 have

Registered voters seeking to avoid crowded voting centers this upcoming General Election during the COVID-19 pandemic can vote absentee, according to a recent directive from Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston. Applications are required and now available online and via mail by request. Washington County Election Commission Executive Director Jennifer Price walks us through the process and timeline.