On today's edition of "Sound Perimeter" with Lia Uribe, we hear a selection of African American spirituals performed by the University of Arkansas Inspirational Chorale directed by Dr. Jeff Murdock. Spirituals are a type of religious folksong that is most closely associated with the enslavement of African people in America.

After two days of reduced numbers of positive coronavirus cases following lower testing levels during the Fourth of July holiday, Arkansas is reporting 734 new cases of COVID-19 out of 4,567 tests. Four more people have died and there were 11 fewer people in the state's hospitals. Governor Asa Hutchinson said he's concerned about the low rate of testing in Washington County and reminded residents that they can get tested at the Washington County Health Unit, which will ramp up testing efforts

Certain licensed home-based daycares, as well as childcare centers in Northwest Arkansas have permanently shut down due to the pandemic, but most continue to operate under strict COVID-19 state directives. We talk with the administrator of the NWA Family Child Care Association , as well as the founding director of Child Care Aware of Northwest Arkansas about how they and families are coping.

On Monday, the Rogers City Council held a special meeting where it passed an ordinance requiring face masks in indoor and outdoor public spaces where maintaining social distancing isn't possible. The ordinance comes after Governor Asa Hutchinson signed an executive order allowing cities to mandate mask use using a model ordinance designed by the Arkansas Municipal League.

John Brummett, political writer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , talks with Roby Brock, from our partner Talk Business and Politics , about state and national approaches to fighting the spread of coronavirus. They also talk about voting in Arkansas this fall.

A new website recounts the lynching of three men in Washington County in 1856. The creators of the website also want to establish a memorial to the men and say we have to understand how the past, present and future of the region are deeply linked.

We continue our suggested reading series on "Reflections in Black" with selections from Toni Morrison's The Origin of Others.

As visitations resume in nursing homes, visitors will have to follow new Arkansas Department of Health guidelines , like limiting visits to two guests per resident, wearing face masks, and passing a health screening. Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities closed to the public March 13 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable residents in these facilities.

The Open Primaries Arkansas group turned in its signatures to the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office yesterday. Their initiative would place an open primary concept in front of voters in November. If the measure is approved, it would change how candidates are selected for office in the state.

Every 10 years, legislative and congressional districts in Arkansas are shifted based on population. A proposal to change who is in charge of the process might be on the November ballot after the group Arkansas Voters First handed in its signatures supporting the measure yesterday. Activists have argued for years that redistricting is often plagued by gerrymandering, which is the practice of drawing district boundaries to achieve political advantage for legislators.