In the five months since taking office, Mayor Friday Ellis’s administration has struggled to establish an effective working relationship with Monroe’s black-majority city council. This growing divide presents a challenge that, while difficult, is not insurmountable for a white mayor…
Author: Free Press
The Lighthouse gives back to the Community!
Monroe, LA-The Lighthouse Church, under the guidance of Apostle Alvin B. Walker, supported local organizations with a financial donation of $1,000 each. The organizations that received support were: Grace Place Ministries, The Salvation Army, and Barkdull Faulk Elementary School. Each…
Death Notices for the week of November 25th
Pretty L. Jackson, departed this life on November 16, 2024, in Monroe, Louisiana. Visitation will be held from 10 am to 11 am on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Plum Hill Baptist Church, 1265 Plum Hill Road, Eros, Louisiana. Funeral…
Council rejects Mayor’s fire chief nominee, Overturf, Muhammad reports threat
The Monroe City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday night to reject Mayor Friday Ellis’s nomination of Captain Daniel Overturf as the city’s new fire chief, highlighting ongoing tensions between the administration and council members over diversity in city leadership. The rejection…
Council majority says tax proposal not ready, vote “No”
The majority of the Monroe City Council is urging voters to reject a December 7th ballot measure to extend a 1-cent sales tax, warning it will create a $500 million “slush fund” without proper safeguards against waste and fraud. They…
Facebook to open $5 billion data center in Holly Ridge
A few months ago, Governor Jeff Landry came to Monroe and announced that later this year, he would announce a major economic development coming to the area. He managed to keep it tight-lipped until this week, when the public service…
200 gather to celebrate CAP Anniversary
About 200 people were on hand Tuesday night to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the Ouachita Multi-Purpose Community Action Agency. The event, held at the Monroe Civic Center, celebrated CAP’s nea 60 year history of helping the poor and needy…