🩺 Libraries bridge gap

And it's Thursday.

☀️ Summer just won't quit. Expect sun and highs in the upper 80s.

Today's newsletter is 866 words — a 3-minute read.

Bentonville nonprofit Heartland Forward wants to make it easier for Arkansans to access telehealth services. So it's arming librarians with the tools they need to be even more of a resource to their communities.

Why it matters: Driving to a doctor's appointment is a hurdle for rural Arkansans whose doctors' offices are out of town, so going to healthcare appointments at their local libraries can help bridge the gap in access.

State of play: Heartland Forward kicked the effort off Wednesday at the Fayetteville Public Library with a training event attended by librarians in person and via Zoom.

• The organization with the help of a $25,000 donation from the James M. Cox Foundation, has developed an online module that librarians in Arkansas and Oklahoma can access for free and use to train their staff.
• The module is designed to enable librarians to answer telehealth-related questions patrons might ask them. It covers what kind of telehealth services are available, how to make appointments and technical aspects of telehealth like navigating patient portals, Mary Larkin Furlow, senior manager of the Connecting the Heartland initiative, said during the event Wednesday.

The big picture: The Connecting the Heartland Initiative is geared toward expanding internet access, starting with Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee.

• "We believe that having access to affordable high-speed internet is probably the No. 1 economic issue of our time, and as part of this initiative, we know that if you don't have access to the internet it could impact health care and your health care needs," Angie Cooper, executive vice president at Heartland Forward, told Axios.

What they're saying: People regularly come to the Pea Ridge Public Library because they do not have internet access at home, director Wendy Martin told Axios at Wednesday's training event. Some have their own computer, but can't afford Wi-Fi.

• Patrons haven't inquired about telehealth specifically, but Martin plans to show her staff the training and is open to being a place where people come to access telehealth appointments.

The James M. Cox Foundation provides philanthropic support in communities where Cox Enterprises does business. Cox Enterprises is the parent company of Axios.

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In addition to possibly driving up consumer prices, the dockworker strike at major ports from Maine to Texas could have consequences for Arkansas businesses. Why it matters: While Walmart receives thousands of imports annually, Tyson Foods and farmers partially on exports and J.B. Hunt Transport helps keep the freight moving.

Driving the news: The work stoppage affects ports that handle more than half of the cargo shipped to the U.S. from around the world.

State of play: A protracted contract battle between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance could strain supply chains ahead of the holiday shopping blitz just as slowing inflation had consumers weighing spending more.

By the numbers: Walmart imported more than 57,000 20-foot equivalent containers between September 2023 and September 2024, according to Import Genius.

• Arkansas shipped $4.3 billion in agricultural exports — mostly soybeans and rice — abroad in 2022, the 15th highest in the U.S.
• J.B. Hunt owns more than 121,000 53-foot containers used to ship products around the world.

What they're saying: "Our contingency planning has enabled us to respond quickly and implement alternative plans to mitigate potential impact," a Tyson Foods spokesperson told Axios in an email.

"We prepare for unforeseen disruptions in our supply chain and maintain additional sources of supply to ensure we have key products available for our customers when and how they want them," a Walmart spokesperson said.

Between the lines: Arkansas Farm Bureau (AFB) says about 60% of U.S. grain for export is shipped down the Mississippi River to ports in Louisiana, including about $3 billion from Arkansas.

• "Bringing these ports to a halt mid-harvest ... adds another level of financial stress at a time when Arkansas farmers will struggle to stay in business," an AFB spokesperson told Axios.

What to watch: Unions have a high approval rating among Americans right now, but there also hasn't been a strike that's severely disrupted the economy since the 1970s, said Todd Vachon, a labor professor at Rutgers University.

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👩‍⚕️ Walmart will expand its Cancer Centers of Excellence offered to its employees diagnosed with the disease. (Walmart)

• In a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, the program now previously focused on breast, lung, colon, prostate, pancreatic and blood cancers but now "includes virtually all cancer types."

🚚 J.B. Hunt and UP.Labs are creating a start-up lab focused on logistics and freight. The companies hope to launch up to six companies over the next three years. (J.B. Hunt Transport)

🌭 Tyson Foods and Walmart are serving up meals in Augusta, Ga., to those impacted by Hurricane Helene. (The Augusta Chronicle) 👗 Dillard's will collaborate with Lulus, a women's apparel brand, to offer special occasion and event collections at 30 of its department stores. (Retail Dive)

As weather patterns change, basement waterproofing is crucial for Arkansas homeowners.

• Addressing leaks and moisture damage can prevent costly repairs.

Schedule a free inspection with Foundation Recovery Systems to keep your basement dry and safeguard your home's structural integrity.

A little more than 10% of NWA residents live below the poverty level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

• That's down dramatically from nearly 20% in 2012.

The estimated statewide total was 15.7% in 2023.

Zoom out: Nationally, the number is just above 11%.

Homeowners should be protecting their biggest investment.

The strategy: If you see cracks in drywall, floor gaps or bowed walls, you might have foundation issues lowering your home's value.

• Foundation Recovery Systems experts will find and address the root cause.

Book your free inspection.

Thanks to Fadel Allassan for editing this newsletter.

🐻 Alex is reading about Fat Bear Week.

🦌 Worth is reading about white deer after a friend flagged their existence.