Project PPE (Promoting Positive Emotions) is a free crisis counseling program designed to help Arkansans impacted by COVID-19 receive emotional and behavioral health services. The FEMA-funded project is administered by the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health in coordination with local providers throughout the state. Arkansans can reach the support line 24/7 at 833-993-2382.

John Brummett, political writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , speaks with Roby Brock, from our partner Talk Business and Politics , about the safety of reopening schools for in-person instruction this fall. They also discuss the commutation of Roger Stone by President Trump.

The 100 Families Initiative , a program of Restore Hope, recently received a $1.67 million grant from the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services to expand its services in Sebastian County and to create collective impact initiatives in Crawford, Pulaski and White Counties. 100 Families provides wrap around services through a collaborative network of nonprofits and agencies with the goal of keep children out of foster care. The grant will be administered through the United Way of Fort Smith Area.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary of Benefits Paul Lawrence describes several new benefit initiatives targeting new veterans, as well as Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans exposed to chemical weapons.

On Monday, Governor Asa Hutchinson reported 572 additional coronavirus cases in the state. Hospitalizations increased by 19 to a total of 439 and deaths increased by two to a total of 323. Washington and Benton Counties had 53 and 23 cases respectively. Pulaski County reported the most cases with 77. On Saturday, the state reported 1,061 new cases, the largest single-day increase the state has seen so far. Arkansas Secretary of Health Nate Smith said a large portion of the weekend's new cases,

On Saturday, the Arkansas Department of Health recorded 1,061 new cases of COVID-19 across the state making for the highest single-day increase in cases. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor Cam Patterson also weighed in on the need for a statwide mask ordinance and school reopening.

After a nearly three-hour long special meeting Saturday morning, the Fort Smith Board of Directors voted 4 to 3 to table the discussion of a mask ordinance. The board approved a resolution July 7 prior to proposing an ordinance that was adapted from a model ordinance unveiled by Gov. Hutchinson earlier this month. The board's next regular meeting is July 21.

Following Governor Asa Hutchinson's Thursday briefing with Arkansas Secretary of Education Johnny Key regarding school reopening in the fall, the Arkansas Education Association issued a statement expressing somce of its concerns with the plan and reopening overall. We speak with AEA Executive Director Tracey-Ann Nelson about the statement.

This week's audio trip into the past with the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Oral and Visual History takes us back to a busy March of 1976 in Arkansas, which included an upcoming bicentennial, an election announcement, Razorback football, a pole vaulting world record, and the weather.

Governor Asa Hutchinson delivered Friday's coronavirus response briefing from De Queen where he announced the state had recorded another 751 new COVID-19 cases. Hospitalizations increased by another eight, bringing the total to 402. Hot Springs County recorded the most new cases with 145 and Pulaski had 100. Benton and Washington Counties recorded 54 and 51 new cases, respectively. Sebastian County had an additional 42. The governor also discussed commercial lab test wait times. He said in July