Karen Tricot Steward

Arkansas has carried out its final execution for the month of April.

Eight death row inmates were scheduled to die in less than two weeks in Arkansas in four double executions. Ultimately, four inmates were executed, including one double execution.

Death row inmate Kenneth Williams, 38, was pronounced dead at 11:05 p.m.  The lethal injection began at 10:52 p.m.

Williams' execution, which had been scheduled for 7 p.m., was on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed legal challenges. It ultimately denied all claims.

On Friday, a judge in Arkansas halted the scheduled executions of seven death row inmates. The executions were scheduled to begin today and be carried out over 11 days. The men had been fast-tracked because the state's supply of the controversial drug, midazolam, is set to expire at the end of the month.

With the passing of veteran Washington journalist Gwen Ifill this week, we look back on a 2009 interview she did with Steve Barnes of the Arkansas Educational Television Network.

She'd just released a book that concluded Americans were no longer voting primarily based on race.

KUAR's Karen Tricot Steward examines how her expectation that a new generation of black politicians would come forth and appeal to voters didn't come to fruition during her lifetime.

11:30 p.m.

Arkansas has become the first state in the Bible Belt to legalize medical marijuana.

With their approval of Issue 6 on Tuesday, voters will allow patients with a variety of medical conditions and a doctor's permission to buy marijuana from dispensaries. Patients won't be allowed to grow their own.

Some political leaders said they preferred that Arkansas legislators instead allow a version of the drug that is low in THC, which gives marijuana its high.

10:56 p.m.

Bruce Coleman, GOP, elected State House, District 81, Arkansas.

We have a robust team of local reporters out on the scene working to bring you voting results with context. In our studios providing analysis are political science professor Hal Bass and Gwen Moritz of Arkansas Business.