No Struggle, No Progress
No Struggle, No Progress
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA has an opportunity to change how historians will write about him in history. Johnson just had the opportunity to do what past House Speakers like John Boehner, Paul Ryan and even Kevin McCarthy couldn't do, that is stand in the face of those far-right-over-the-cliff Republicans who will always keep "party first" in their ideology. Make no mistake about it, Johnson is as conservative as they come, but even he knows that once you take the plunge over the cliff, there is no coming back. Over the weekend, Johnson...
A local mom has been trying to get answers to some questions regarding an accident involving her son and a Monroe police officer for the past month. Darris Jefferson said that her son was in his vehicle at the intersection of Armand and Hwy 165 on March 3, 2024, around 10:00 AM, waiting for the light to change. He was in the right lane heading east when a big truck pulled next to him in the left lane. According to Jefferson, the truck pulled to the very edge of Hwy 165, blocking the traffic...
Blacks are losing every time our people are shot and killed by violence. When will we stop this madness that is devastating us and our families, or are we waiting on others to solve our problems, which we see are escalating? We are losing our people, and it doesn't have to be this way! No one in leadership roles has stepped up to fight for us, so we need to fight for ourselves. Don't wait until it's too late; now is the time! A shooting over the weekend on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Monroe...
A man wanted as a suspect in a shooting that occurred while people were Easter shopping has been arrested. Monroe Police (MPD) announced the arrest of Jaylen Webster on April 14, 2024, as the alleged shooter at a gas station on Lamy Ln. in Monroe. According to authorities, Webster is a suspect in a shooting that occurred on March 29, 2024, around 2:15 PM. Two individuals sustained wounds from multiple gunshots and had to be airlifted to Shreveport for further medical treatment. Authorities said that Webster, who has a record, and another suspec...
He thought that there was a glimmer of hope. After years of trying to put a life-changing experience behind him once and for all, Matthew Sims found out that it wasn’t meant to be. At least not now. Sims has been in a years-long struggle in the judicial system to clear his name and get back on with his life. Sims was arrested almost four years ago after being involved in a domestic disturbance with his then-fiancée, who claimed that he assaulted her. He says that night turned his world upside down as he has spent the remaining years trying to...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Monday, April 15, 2024 is a day that will go down in infamy in the history of a young United States of America when a former president formally went on trial for a criminal offense in a real courtroom. The record will show that what happened in a New York City courthouse was not part of a reality television show, nor was it a dramatic depiction of an incident involving another famous figure like Al Capone who was accused of many crimes, but was never convicted, except for tax ev...
He thought there was a glimmer of hope. After years of trying to put a life-changing experience behind him once and for all, Matthew Sims found out that it wasn’t meant to be. At least not now. Sims has been in a years-long struggle in the judicial system to clear his name and get back on with his life. Sims was arrested almost four years ago after being involved in a domestic disturbance with his then-fiancée, who claimed he assaulted her. He says that night turned his world upside down as he has spent the remaining years trying to have hi...
A Monroe city employee, known for his unwavering dedication to his job, recently shared his unsettling experiences with the Monroe Dispatch. He recounted instances of alleged intimidation, harassment, and retaliation, possibly stemming from a hint of jealousy among some figures in authority. This employee, a long-standing member of the city workforce, has always strived to excel in his role. He was initially recruited by the Parks and Recreation Department, which now falls under Community Affairs in the Jamie Mayo administration. Starting as a...
Donald Trump by all means is not a farmer. He is a little too elite for that. Yes, conservatives don't want to admit it, but just from the results of his fundraiser recently held at his Florida home, he was hanging out with the "fat cats" of wealth. Trump reportedly raised $50 million which will aid him in his fight just to stay out of jail, didn't get all of that much money in one night from the poor people. If that had been someone like Barack Obama doing the same for President Joe Biden, conservatives would have been howling about...
There is a lingering concern and disappointment, rooted in the historical struggle for political representation, that surfaces in the mayor's race and even the governor's race, painting a bleak picture for minorities in Louisiana. In the governor's race, Jeff Landry had the name recognition of being the state's Attorney General and challenging (and losing to) John Bel Edwards four years earlier, but the seeds had already been planted. Though Shawn Wilson had been in state government for over...
Louisiana governor Jeff Landry is in the news, as he had some unkind words to say about the LSU women's basketball team following their loss to Iowa in the NCAA tournament. Somehow, Landry became aware that the Lady Tigers were not on the basketball court during the national anthem playing. Never missing a step to proclaim his love for the country, Landry is now urging the state legislature to draft a bill that he would eagerly sign, revoking the university scholarship of any athlete absent during the national anthem. In a statement, Landry...
Residents of the Francis Tower community, located in downtown Monroe, have reached out to The Monroe Dispatch in the hope that their lone cries for help will be heard by those in the city who can make life a little easier for them. Many residents have lived in the building for years, while others have only been there for a short time. They all share the same complaints about alleged living conditions that they say have persisted for too long. They claim that complaints brought before management...
A report from an audit of former Monroe City Schools Superintendent Brent Vidrine appears to show that he allegedly submitted false records related to his retirement. The information in question was allegedly submitted by Vidrine himself for the purchase of retirement service. At the heart of the audit is an alleged false receipt from the Teacher’s Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) that seems to indicate that Vidrine made a required payment of about $48,184.92 and a false estimate of the cost of purchasing a year of creditable service f...
Neighbors in a quiet neighborhood in the Rayville community continue to be in shock as they mourn the loss of a 14-year-old teen who was killed on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The teen, identified as Suh’renity Butler, was killed when the car she was driving crashed into a tree. According to Louisiana State Police officials, Butler, who was said to have been the driver, did not survive the accident and was pronounced dead by paramedics. Four other teen passengers in the vehicle suffered injuries. The accident has affected the whole community b...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A 20 year-old man wanted on suspicion of murder was arrested by the Morehouse Parish Sheriff Office. According to a Sheriff's Office report, Robert Wilson was the subject of a second-degree murder attempt charge. A shooting that Wilson was allegedly involved in occurred on March 16, 2024, as deputies responded to a crime scene near Ogden Street, according to the report. Deputies found the victim had been shot in the face, as an...
A local community couple says that their protest of working conditions allegedly occurring at Delta Community College in Monroe LA will continue, saying that the community needs to be aware of what their go through on a daily basis. Robert and Samantha Jordan started their protest several weeks ago after she was terminated from her job, followed by her husband being place on administrative leave pending an investigation into alleged threats against employees and creating a hostile work environme...
By Eddie D. Gillis Donald Trump may have dodged a bullet on Monday, March 25, 2024, when a judge ruled that he didn’t have to pay $464 million to keep his empire from crumbling. With seemingly nowhere to turn and no one, not even his fellow billionaires, willing to bail him out, Trump faced further embarrassment. To many Americans, it was a sad spectacle, witnessing someone who had boasted all his adult life about how rich he was and his achievements in real estate. Until late Sunday night, March 24, 2024, that world seemed on the brink of c...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Most of us are taught to help someone when we see them in a situation where they might be in need. That kind of teaching perhaps goes back to the biblical account of The Good Samaritan, where a person in need was passed over by those who could have done something. Since then, people have done things for others in need, sometimes to the peril of their own safety. A local woman who was said to have acted in a similar manner was all...
Congratulations are in order for the men's basketball team at Grambling University as they compete in the college basketball phenomenon known as March Madness. The G-men punched their ticket to be a part of March Madness by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference on Saturday, March 16, 2024, which gave the team an automatic berth in the NCAA basketball tournament. With that win, the Tigers will make their first appearance in the tournament, a historic achievement for the school and the...
An incident recently occurred where Caderrian White lives, prompting him to call for the aid of law enforcement. When officers from the Monroe Police arrived, he was told that because of his address, there wasn’t anything they could do. It turned out that the Michael Ave. address where White lives was listed as being in the town of Richwood. White became a first-time registered voter about a month ago, as he was looking forward to voting in the upcoming elections. Incumbent Mayor Gerald Brown and the Richwood board of alderpersons are all up f...
Jeff Landry has been governor of Louisiana over two months. Two Months may be a short time in a four-year term, but when one looks at what the governor has done after waiting eight years to sit where he currently is now, the next 45 months surely will undo what John Bel Edwards did in 8 years. Landry is as about as right-wing as other southern governors, as he told voters what his intentions were long before campaigning started, perhaps when it became known early who Republicans in Louisiana were replacing Bel Edwards. He led off with his...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The sudden sound of gunfire compelled two individuals to seek cover recently, in a bid to protect their lives. Monroe Police (MPD) responded to a shooting incident on March 8, 2024, following a call. They arrived at a residence on Cairo St. in Monroe, LA, where they encountered two victims of the shooting. The victims informed officers that they were in bed when the shots were fired. They recounted having to roll out of bed to...
The conventions to formally nominate the presumed nominees for the 2024 presidential election have not been held, but try telling that to Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Both men have been trading election rhetoric since clinching the required delegates on Super Tuesday, as it is only a formality to drop the balloons on Trump and Biden because the campaigning is in full swing. Since both parties have paid for their hotel rooms and convention space, they might as well let the delegates go and do what is legally required to officially get...
The Monroe City Schools Board is once again facing scrutiny over irregular findings uncovered during its annual audit, according to Board President Jennifer Haneline. An investigation has been initiated into three employees, all of whom have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation's outcome. While Haneline did not disclose the school involved, sources indicate it is Neville High School in Monroe, LA. She stated that both the legislative auditor's office and local law...
Has anyone noticed how far Louisiana has moved to the right since Jeff Landry became governor? Voters and even some legislators are not surprised at the speed at which the governor is pushing the state further to the right, similar to his counterparts in other southern states such as Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. One could also include Texas in the mix. One has to wonder just how far Landry is willing to take the state, and the answer is as far as conservative legislators will bring bills for him to sign. One of the bills rapidly heading...
Larry Wright, a native of northeast Louisiana, reflects on a fulfilling life enriched by the people he's known. He comes from a region with a strong athletic tradition, producing athletes who have excelled in the NBA and NFL. Following his sports career, Wright transitioned to education, serving as a principal in multiple northeast Louisiana school districts over nearly 30 years. He expresses gratitude for the opportunity to work in education and hopes he made a positive impact on students....
Donald Trump is a desperate man and, according to those who know him, someone who is going broke. Trump may be concerned about his bottom line and status in the billionaire club (at the bottom), but his biggest concern, and perhaps fear, is where he will stand after the first Tuesday in November 2024. If the former president were a betting and praying man, where would one think he would place his faith to get himself out of the quagmire he is in? It wouldn’t be his lawyers, who are not only doing their best to keep him out of court but also get...
A protest was held at Louisiana Delta Community College on February 21, 2024, to bring attention to the alleged unfair pay and treatment of its employees. Spokesperson Robert Jordan, an employee at Delta, stated that it wasn't about them personally but about everybody who can't speak out or is afraid to speak up. "Somebody has to do something," Jordan said, "Therefore, my wife Samantha (who is now fired) and I decided to take that role." Allegations of no-cause termination and discrimination of...
Augie J. Bosley has been embroiled in a lengthy property ownership dispute with the Ouachita Parish Assessor's Office since 2005. The conflict stems from a property purchase in Monroe by Ms. Bosley from a man whose family she was well acquainted with; despite her close relationship with the family, there were alleged objections to Bosley's ownership of the property. In 2005, a family member deeded the property at 507 South 11 St. in Monroe to Bosley. However, an Affidavit of Correction was...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. In today's world, it's crucial to be aware of your surroundings at all times. The days of taking a walk outside your home without worry are long gone. Whether you're walking or driving, it's important to be alert. This reality became painfully clear for a local woman and her children. Monroe Police responded to a report on February 12, 2024, involving a male who allegedly pointed a firearm at a woman while she was driving with...
Donald Trump “won” a big victory in the Republican South Carolina presidential primary recently and if one had blinked, they would have missed something. Oh, nothing spectacularly, because the fight for the delegates’ vote was over before voters even went to the polls. The election was called minutes after polls closed, because on information gained from various polls and what voters said to pollsters, Trump was already calling for President Joe Biden to start debating him about the issues. It wasn’t about confidence on Trump’s part, as he kne...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A tragic incident unfolded in West Monroe, LA, over the weekend resulting in the death of a woman and critical injuries to a male victim in a shooting incident. According to the West Monroe Police Department (WMPD), on February 18, 2024, at about 12:30 PM, officers responded to a shooting in Lazarre Park. Upon arrival, they discovered two victims in critical condition, both suffering from gunshot wounds. A witness provided...
A Ouachita Parish couple may have experienced the scare of their lives on Sunday, February 18, 2024, when they were unexpectedly stopped by West Monroe Police Officers (WMPD) for a crime they were unaware of; Samond Riley and Crystal Canada were driving downtown on Desiard St. when the flashing lights of patrol cars behind them left them puzzled. Unbeknownst to the couple, a shooting had occurred at Lazarre Park in West Monroe, and the suspect had fled across the river to Monroe. The shooting,...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Trey Holly, a former Union Parish High School standout and current LSU football star, issued a statement on Saturday, February 17, 2024, regarding his arrest following a shooting at a Farmerville, LA apartment complex. Holly, along with Jordan Jones, faces charges of Attempted Second Degree Murder and illegal use of Weapons on a Public Roadway. An 18-year-old juvenile is also charged with the same offenses, along with Aggravated...
America does not have a king or queen who is our “head" of state. Many say that is the reason why British people fled their homeland just to get away from monarch rulers who lived like kings with all of the power and hardly anything for the little man. “No representation” they said, all the while paying taxes, but hardly anyone spoke on their behalf. We must remember, God told His people what it would cost them if they wanted a king and not Him as their provider/protector. Still they wanted a king just like the Gentiles had theirs to provi...
The candidates running for Monroe city mayor and council seats received troubling news recently as they prepared to take their messages to voters regarding their plans for the future of Monroe. A scathing report from a firm called Madison Trust Co. lists the city of Monroe as the number 1 metro area for households living below the poverty level. This means that Monroe has one of the highest percentage (42.90%) of households in the entire nation living below the poverty line. Coming in at a close second was the city of Pine Bluff, AK, at...
It has been a year-long struggle for former interim police chief Reggie Brown, but the effort to win reinstatement within the Monroe Police Department has paid off. Following a recent ruling by the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, Brown is well on his way back to being employed by the city's police department. In a February 2024 ruling, the court asserted that a reviewing court was "out of bounds" when it overruled a decision by the Monroe Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board that ruled...
When Lorethie "Loe" Dunn went on FMLA in 2014, she never came back to her job as Campus Director at the Bastrop Campus, her last day was July 14. 2014. She retired on Oct. 1, 2014 and a retirement ceremony was held in her honor on November 14 of the same year. Dunn had not made plans to leave her career in the manner in which she did, as her goal was to work forty years on the job and see what would happen after that. During 2014, Dunn's relationship with the school's administrators had soured...
People from both sides of political spectrum will be talking about one thing between now and election day. The flavor for the months to come will be about President Joe Biden being too old to serve another term as president. Right-wing media are running stories non-stop about the president being past his time to be in any office, let alone that of the presidency. Biden is 81 years-old, which many will agree that is kind of old to serve in a job as demanding as that of the presidency. However, for some reasons that defy logic, many are...
When Lorethie "Loe" Dunn was selected for the position of Campus Director in Region 8 of Louisiana Delta Community College, located in Bastrop, LA, she became the first African-American to hold that position. Dunn received high praise from the person who selected her, but some did not appear to show the same enthusiasm for her. Allegedly, after the selection, Dunn noted an interesting occurrence - not one of the other Regional Directors, whose job was to select a new Campus Director, offered...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Black teens and young adults are facing alarming rates of mortality, seemingly ignored by elected leaders. Despite funds allocated at the state level to address this issue, local municipalities often divert these funds elsewhere, neglecting the urgent needs of young Black individuals. Awareness of the funding appears to have lapsed while Black youth and young adults continue to perish from gun violence. The whereabouts and actions of our local leaders in addressing this crisis...
The bodies of three American soldiers killed in an attack at a military base in Jordan had barely landed back home At Dover AFB, as Republicans in Washington almost immediately began to criticize President Joe Biden. Even as President Biden performed the solemn duty of being present when the deceased soldiers in flag-draped coffins were taken off military aircraft, the saber-rattlers were criticizing Biden for not striking back quickly enough. Even as Biden watched the coffins pass him and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden with their hands across...
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD)put on their roadshow in Monroe LA on Tuesday February 6, 2024 at Abe E. Pierce conference Hall, informing people of the various road and other projects underway, and the State leaders from DODT and state/local/were on hand to listen to the concerns on state projects that affect their way of life. A major concern of those who attended the event was about the timeframe of when projects would begin in their area. Citizens questioned...
Disclaimer: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A suspect in a stabbing incident, Keith Franklin, a man from Port Allen, LA, faces numerous charges for his alleged criminal activities. Monroe Police (MPD) had been actively seeking Franklin after he allegedly attacked a female victim in her vehicle. According to MPD, officers responded to a call on January 7, 2024, around 5:02 AM on Mississippi St., where the incident occurred. Court documents reveal that the victim, seated...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A local man, who had been wanted by law enforcement authorities, was apprehended during a recent traffic stop. On January 29, 2024, deputies from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO) stopped a silver Ford Fusion being driven on Highway 165 with an unreadable temporary tag. According to the deputies' report, the driver of the vehicle was identified as Patrick Tillman. Tillman was of interest to deputies because he was...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Monroe Police have upgraded the charges against two individuals identified as prime suspects in the death of a 14-year-old on October 21, 2023. The individuals, Joshua L. Smiley and a juvenile were initially charged with Second-Degree Murder, two counts of Carrying a Weapon on School property, and Aggravated Assault with a Firearm. The juvenile, not Smiley, was also charged with Possession of a Handgun by a juvenile. Court documents now reveal that both individuals face...
Prior to, Lorethie "Loe" Dunn's job loss, she devoted 34 years to the vocational and technical institution/community system, giving her more tenure than any other employee in the history of the Bastrop Campus. Part of Dunn's tenure while at Bastrop was her serving as Campus Director which she held from 2011- 2014. Dunn met the qualifications of having a Minimum of a Master's Degree in Education, Administration, or a related field and three years of experience at a senior level in management...
We can be sure that in the race to pick the next president, if it is between President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump, one thing is certain. The nation will have an old man in the White House who will have to contend with an even more dangerous and changing world. One can say that both men are “experienced” in the position of having served as president. Nonetheless, the argument will be how “competent” each man is now that both of them are past the age that most Americans would prefer their president to be. Supporters on both sides o...
In this modern era, individuals must be mindful of their surroundings. Unexpected situations can arise even in places where one wouldn't anticipate them, emphasizing the need for a consistently alert mindset. While some people may follow the same daily route without incident, it's the rare "one time" that can catch them off guard. On January 20, 2024, around 8:00 PM, a local man, accustomed to walking through his neighborhood after visiting a store on Winnsboro Rd., experienced an unsettling event. As he passed the gas pumps at a business...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A search warrant for an individual wanted by Monroe Police (MPD) developed into an altercation where three people were arrested. According to police, on January 20, 2024, MPD officers arrived at an apartment on Louberta St. to conduct arrests and search warrants. When officers knocked on the door, they made contact with a female identified as Myshella J. Smith. While at the front door of the residence, police indicated that they...
