No Struggle, No Progress
No Struggle, No Progress
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It was only a few days into the New Year when Monroe Police said that Monquarrius Thomas was wanted for allegedly attempting to rob the Dollar General Store located on South 8th Street in Monroe. The January 2, 2023 incident was another in a string of robberies that MPD said had occurred at the store over the last five months, but this one ended tragically. Police said Thomas, the alleged robber, used a handgun while attempting to rob the store when he was shot by an on-duty store clerk....
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Back in the old days, if a guy wanted to see that special someone, he usually went by the young lady’s home. If she wasn’t living at home, he went by her apartment. Nowadays, with dating apps on the scene, it is “pick and choose”. What was once a fad has now turned into something for those who perhaps want something different, with maybe a little adventure thrown in for good measure, but sometimes, things can go horribly wrong. A local man is under arrest facing a serious...
President Joe Biden must be an even bigger threat to Republican presidential contenders than conservatives are letting on, as the latest strategy seems to anoint killers as heroes. Remember when Kyle Rittenhouse killed two people during a Black Lives Matter protest against police brutality? Notice how right-wing media and leading conservative voices came out in support of Rittenhouse calling him a “hero” for killing two people while carrying a weapon in the middle of a protest? Rittenhouse was portrayed as the “victim” even though he was arm...
A weekend shooting at the Richwood Bingo Hall Parking Lot on Saturday, May 13, 2023, has some residents wondering what Mayor Gerald Brown and the town’s board plan to do to address the issue. A lot of questions are also being asked by nightclub owners who have seen their hours of operation severely curtailed after an ordinance was passed several weeks ago. Richwood club owners do not favor the ordinance because of the manner in which the votes were secured and deem the process improperly done under state meeting laws. Now that there has been a...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A local couple is facing serious charges following the death of an infant allegedly in their care. Deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office responded to a call on May 10, 2023 of an infant in distress. When deputies arrived at an address on Worley Street in Monroe, LA the infant was not breathing. The child had severe burns on both of her legs according to officers, and was transported to a local hospital. The child...
Republicans in the House of the Louisiana Legislature, passed a bill that, if it became law, would make records of juveniles accused and convicted of crimes public. House Bill 321, along with passage in the Senate would “create an online portal where the records of juveniles convicted of certain crimes can be viewed”. Juvenile records had always been shielded from the public but now Republicans are saying that this legislation is needed in the name of “public safety”, which does not pass the smell test when a test pilot program would be cond...
Declaring that he is “ready” for another one, presidential contender Donald Trump, in the words of the hood, came out “like a fat rat” while appearing on CNN last week. Many thought that Trump was making a big costly mistake appearing on the network, but to Trump with the setup in place with friendly faces in the audience, Trump felt right at home. It didn’t matter who the moderator was at CNN asking the questions, as Trump in his usual style, did things his way. And what did you expect? By now, we(I do)should know that when Trump has the s...
A rash of shootings continues nationwide, and even many local communities are finding that they are not immune to the sound of gunshots. The same can be said here in the northeast region of Louisiana. In Ouachita Parish, Monroe Police were called to the Parkview Apartments on Friday, May 5, 2023, around 6:00 PM in response to a shooting. MPD would learn that two individuals were injured from the shooting. Officers (as of press time) are investigating the shooting that sent the two individuals to a local hospital. The two individuals were said...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The scenario is all too similar as Black-on-Black crime escalates among our youth, like another form of disguised slavery. Families are suffering as more senseless deaths plague our community with no end in sight; only God knows how and what can be done to save us from such unfortunate heartache. It was a violent start to the weekend in the Morehouse Parish area, as another shooting claimed the lives of two individuals. The...
There is a lot of anger directed at Richwood Mayor Gerald Brown and the three alderpersons who changed their votes on an ordinance that affected nightclub operating hours within the town limits. The Monroe Dispatch spoke with the owners, who said that the sudden change from 3:30 AM to 2:00 AM is severely hurting their businesses, as they have experienced steep declines in profits, where they have had to cut back on the number of employees that work in their establishments. One owner said their...
When will it happen again? The clock is ticking. The grief experienced by a Houston area family stemming from five of their loved ones being killed by the next-door neighbor has to be overbearing after hearing about the latest Texas mass shooting in the Dallas area. The latest mass shooting in Allen, TX, again underscores that the nation must somehow come together and do something constructive regulating guns. Some will say that this is “a Second Amendment” issue, while others can rightfully say that this is a “right to live” issue. Eight p...
An ordinance before the Town of Richwood Board of Alderpersons was introduced that would amend the existing ordinance (2021-02) that regulates the operating hours of businesses that sell and store alcohol for sale was up for consideration recently. The ordinance(2023-01)was before the Board, asking if the current closing time of or before 3:30 AM should revert back to the old time of or before 2:00 AM any day of the week. Richwood Mayor Gerald Brown, who chairs the town’s meeting, called for a...
James Savannah’s life has been one some may call a life of misfortune. It began when as a youth, he made some bad decisions, some of which landed him in jail. Looking back over his life, he says he would have made different choices. When he was facing serious time, Savannah made another bad choice. He was supposed to serve time in Ouachita Parish, but before he was placed behind bars, he escaped from jail, winding up in California. He stayed away for about three years, then decided to turn himself in; returning to Louisiana, he was placed b...
Monroe Southside residents have to be elated after hearing that the Monroe City Council approved the sale of land within city limits for the construction of a grocery market on Jackson Street. The sale of land located at 3901 Jackson Street will be a welcome addition to an area of the city that has hardly seen any economic development near them. District 5 councilwoman and president Kema Dawson said she is very excited about this project, as it will be in her district. It will be a new Dollar General Market that will have the same kind of...
The manhunt (as of press time) continues for the alleged killer who authorities say shot and killed five people execution-style. Simply because they asked him to stop the shooting. Media reports indicate that a family member asked the alleged suspect to stop shooting because a child was trying to sleep. Instead of being a good neighbor, the suspect named Francisco Oropeza, simply walked next door and proceeded to kill the family one-by-one, allegedly saying that “he had a right” to do whatever he wanted on his own property. A few minutes later,...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Break-ins, as a crime, happen quite often across the nation. Homes, businesses, and even churches are broken into; some places, like a church, would seem to be off-limits, but that is not the case anymore. Furthermore, there are some places where an individual isn’t expected to break in, like a jail or a funeral home. Yes, a funeral home. It would seem that a local man didn’t seem to think that breaking into a funeral home was abnormal. Never say never. According to Monroe Pol...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. When someone is visiting someone else's home, respect for that person's home is a must. Most strangers know that, and many feel they should be shown the highest level of respect in their own home. It is best to leave if one can't abide by the house rules. A local woman found out that some will violate those rules. Monroe Police got a call of a disturbance occurring at an Allen Street address where a firearm was involved. Before o...
Neighborhood residents that live on South 6th Street in Monroe LA say they are fed up with speeders using their street as a race track. They said that the speeding by young drivers has been going on for a long time, and it is only a matter of time before something tragic happens. The Monroe Dispatch was told that the latest episode happened Monday, April 24, 2023 about 6:00 PM, when a driver was in the 2000 block of South 6th driving at a high rate of speed, where he almost hit a curb that...
A community meeting held by officials of La. DOTD with NELA state representatives and members of the community was held Saturday, April 22, 2023 in an effort to seek clarification and answers on how a Hwy 165 Road/Street project will continue. The meeting held according to those connected with the proposed project was to clear up what could only be described as confusion in a community that feels that it hasn't been given sufficient information to truly understand exactly what is going on and ho...
That cheering you have been hearing since Monday is coming from the millions of Americans who are delighted and happy, knowing that Tucker Carlson is gone. Yes, that Tucker Carlson. There may be another individual with a name like Carlson, but without the notoriety, but only one worked at Fox News. Now, that Carlson is no more and to the millions of viewers that listened to Carlson every night, there is no joy in Mudville because their right-wing hero is out, gone, bye, “see you later alligator”, gone. However, to his viewers and supporters, Ca...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Another young Black man has lost his life to a violent act; these violent acts are happening more and more frequently, so swiftly those involved cannot see how every second of life is precious. It only takes a second for a gun to be produced and a life to be taken away. The tragic turn of events happened on Monday, April 17, 2023, in the Robinson Place neighborhood. Monroe Police responded to a shooting call on Long Drive to find a victim from the shooting on the ground. The...
A local family will say goodbye to one of their loved ones, who sadly was another victim of the senseless violence we see that is becoming more frequent. Terry Davis, a 20-year-old young man, was shot on Thursday, April 13, 2023, beside the Fast Stop (Valero) Store on Hwy 165, leaving a void in a family that now has to lay him to rest. Monroe Police are conducting an ongoing investigation, as several suspects are said to be in custody. Terry Davis was born in Monroe on March 12, 2003, to Brandy...
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. It’s even worse if one isn’t given the opportunity to use it when it is sharp and can absorb much knowledge. If it were left to the Louisiana Republican Party, that would have happened yesterday. According to reports, officials with the state’s Republican Party held at a recent meeting approved a resolution whereby state lawmakers would “forbid” the study of racism at colleges and universities. The reason given for such a backward request, they argued, was to stop classes from examining (teaching) “inglorio...
A local family was looking forward to spending a weekend at a get-a-way in Union Parish on a recent weekend. It was to have been a birthday celebration for a loved one, as various family members, including sisters, brothers, nephews, nieces, and small children, were all there to mark the special day and what was considered a festive occasion. It would turn out to be a weekend that the family would rather not remember but would never be forgotten. A family member contacted the Monroe Dispatch to let others know that some people around may not...
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, a life can be gone. At an unknown moment, we will transition from living and breathing to closing our eyes for the last time. There is much grief in the air as the community comes to grips with the loss of three beautiful young Black women who tragically lost their lives on Thursday, April 6, 2023 in an automobile accident. The Ouachita Parish Sheriff's office said that 23-year-old Kierra McCraw, 24-year-old Annesha Coleman, and 22-year-old Anijah...
The momentum by some conservative groups across the nation to get more involved in school board matters shows no signs of abating, as it could happen here in Monroe. At the Tuesday, April 11, 2023 meeting, board members heard from a former Monroe school member who voiced her concerns over a long-standing board policy. Nerrisa Bryant addressed board members saying that the policy that governs the curriculum process should have more involvement from parents. According to Bryant, current policy dictates that there is no requirement for parents to...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The violence continues, as many are asking, when will it stop? Will people step away, or can they, when passions become inflamed to the point where a violent solution is all that an individual sees? That seems to be the only answer for some, as another shooting incident rocks the community. This time, it came from Forrest Street, where Monroe Police Department (MPD) officers raced to a call of a discharged firearm on Saturday, Ma...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. "He wanted to be famous". Monroe Police Chief Victor Zordan said those words following the arrest of 18-year-old Issazavian Webb, who had been on the wanted list of local law enforcement since February 6, 2023 and had been on the run eluding police. Webb was alleged to have fired at three police officers using an AR-15-style rifle and was arrested on April 6, 2023. A $10,000 reward was offered for Webb's capture soon after the...
Who do some in America turn their attention to when it comes to not wanting to tackle the problems/issues that continue to divide this nation? They turn their attention to those in the LGBTQ community as their scapegoat. By now, most of us have heard about Kid Rock shooting up cases of Bud Light beer because he is unhappy over how some companies are including people in their support for those in the LGBTQ community. Kid Rock is not alone, as some others have done the same thing, all in the name of “liberal wokeness”. Wokeness is a term tha...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A local man is fighting for what he says is to restore his dignity and character following an alleged domestic incident that led to his arrest. He also said that he is fighting false charges leveled against him, stemming from a domestic altercation with his ex-girlfriend. Jo'Darius Robinson said things between the mother of his son (his ex) started when he went to pick up his son on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. According to...
A Monroe man says he is on a quest for justice, not for himself, but for others who may find themselves in similar situations where justice has been denied. Michael Johnson said his ordeal began in December 2021 when he traveled north on Hwy 139. He said he was at a red light when he noticed that a police officer had pulled behind him. This was about 1:40 AM. Johnson said that the officers activated his lights when the light changed to green. Johnson then pulled over into a parking lot. According to Johnson, the officer was a Troop F Louisiana...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A Ouachita Parish man in the Ouachita Correctional Center (OCC) faces serious consequences following the aftermath of a fatal house fire. On Friday, March 31, 2023 at around 11:50 PM, deputies from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's office, along with firefighters from the Ouachita Parish Fire Department, responded to a reported house fire on Davison Street in Monroe, LA. Firefighters extinguished the flames upon arrival, and as they...
There was a war that this nation became involved in that bitterly divided it with the men who served and died, being caught right in the middle. It was the Vietnam Conflict, where thousands of young American men went and fought for a cause many said that America should not have gotten involved. Unlike Pearl Harbor, America was not attacked as was in World War II, but leaders from presidents down to the military saw otherwise. We all know someone who has either served or died from the war, as it...
Former president Donald John Trump is expected or will be indicted in a Manhattan courtroom this/past Tuesday, April 4, 2023. There were so many people in this nation and perhaps around the world probably thinking that Trump would never be indicted. After all, how many individuals do you know of who can tie up the legal system as well as Trump has done? Trump has had many legal issues that he has dealt with over his life, having many high-paid lawyers cut deals that could otherwise have him facing some jail time. As we have seen so often, prose...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A local family is happy to be alive without anyone getting hurt after a gunman kept them inside their home, later surrendering himself to the police. On Saturday, March 25, 2023, Monroe Police received a call of a barricaded individual inside a residence on Cagle Drive, who allegedly had a firearm in his possession. According to MPD, thankfully, the victim and her four children were outside the home when officers arrived. The...
One has to wonder what Republicans in Congress and red states are going to do about trying to prevent school shooting after school shooting. The latest tragic event occurred in Nashville TN, Monday, March 27 at Covenant School, a private Christian school. What we are seeing is that it doesn’t matter if it is a public or private institution, school shootings seem to have gotten past a “normal thing” in America. The “thoughts and prayer” phase will come, as leaders, including those who are against any kind of sensible gun legislation, will bemoan...
The family of Kaci Coleman continues to mourn the death of their loved one, as the Monroe Dispatch learned more details of the tragic incident that claimed her life. The Monroe Dispatch did an initial report of Coleman's death, confirmed through family members that she had been killed in what is believed to be an automobile accident on Hwy 34 during the early morning hours on Friday, March 10, 2023. According to law enforcement's account of the incident, Coleman was walking/running in the...
“Strike the iron while it is hot” is what some may start to say regarding a proposed bill that is on Louisiana’s legislators’ plate. A pay raise authored by Joe Marino(I -85) would raise the legislator’s pay from $16,800 to $60,000. That’s a whopping almost 400% increase in pay for a job that is not full-time. You would need more than “two hands” to handle a whopper of that size. Seriously, some legislators should know that such a proposal could potentially raise the ire of many voters back home in their districts who do not have $60,000 sa...
It may have taken three decades to get it started, but it appears that persistence has paid off, as the official groundbreaking ceremony was held for construction to begin in the Kansas Lane Extension Project. Louisiana’s Gov. John Bel Edwards was in attendance as Monroe mayor Friday Ellis officially announced that the long-awaited project is off and running. It has been a project that has gone through at least three mayoral administrations and numerous gubernatorial administrations, but after hearing comments from mayor Ellis, it appears that...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A Monroe man is behind bars for his alleged role in the shooting death of a local woman. On March 16, 2023, Monroe police responded to a call of a shooting on Spurgeon Dr. The shooting, according to the police department, left a female deceased as a result of the shooting. Officers arrested Chasire Powell as the alleged gunman who fired the fatal shots. Officers say that when they arrived at the scene, Powell was allegedly...
It wasn't smooth sailing, but Monroe City Schools Superintendent Brent Vidrine will hold onto his position for another two years as a majority of board members voted to extend his contract until June 2025. The Tuesday night, March 21, 2023 vote to extend Vidrine's contract was met by one "no" vote and a vote to abstain. Before the matter came for discussion, there seemed to be no rush to make a motion to move the matter along. Board President Bill Willson asked for a motion which was done by...
A Monroe man is facing serious charges for his alleged involvement in taking a female against her will and taking her to his apartment, allegedly forcing her to perform explicit acts on him. Enderrell Hawkins, 38, is accused of allegedly taking a female victim by force from West Monroe to his apartment on Ferrand Street in Monroe. The saga all began when the Monroe Police officers were called to Glenwood Medical Center in West Monroe on March 14, 2023 for a complaint from the victim that she...
Louisiana State Senator Francis Thompson is now a Republican. At least officially. Thompson, a lifelong Democrat from Delhi, LA, made the switch to the Republican Party in Louisiana recently, saying that was something he “prayed about” with his family. Thompson is the state’s longest-serving legislator with 50 years of service as a Democrat, but in a statement, Thompson said that he had been “contemplating” switching parties for years. While no one is against Thompson for having switched parties, as former Democrat Rodney Alexander did years...
This reporter had a conversation with Tommy Ballard the other day and naturally, the subject of Carroll High School in Monroe LA came across his thoughts. I mentioned the recent high school basketball tournament for the state's high schools as they battled for championship supremacy. Ballard who is a member of the Carroll Bulldogs Booster Club "bleeds Blue and Gold", reflected back on the season of the boy's/girls' basketball teams, and said that the community was proud of what they...
If any of you look at the city's Facebook page, you will notice announcements of various street closings, as much anticipated work is slated to begin. That way, motorists that frequently travel in certain areas will not be inconvenienced by having to turn around, seek new routes, and maybe lose time if they need to go somewhere at a specific time. That's how things are done and are done in the public's interest. Now imagine a roadway that traveled through the heart of Monroe and is a major...
A local family is hurting after learning that a beloved family member is allegedly dead. The family allegedly has not received official confirmation from anyone in law enforcement concerning their relative over the last several days, leaving them hurt and confused. The family said they are frustrated with the efforts put forward by law enforcement, who may know what may have happened to their relative. It is an ordeal that has become burdensome, knowing that, as of now, there is not much that...
When an ordinance was introduced at the last Monroe City council meeting, differences of opinion ran high. So it was no surprise that when the ordinance came up for final adoption, there were few changes in how people felt about the ordinance. Many felt that it was going to be a tough vote for some city council members, as the final votes on both ordinances went back and forth between council members as lengthy discussions were had. On Tuesday night, March 14, 2023, Monroe mayor, Friday Ellis, came out the victor. Though the raise won't be effe...
Everyone at some time in their lives runs from the truth. That is a fact. When one faces the choice of telling the truth, circumstances may dictate whether one will be truthful. There is a story in the scriptures where Abraham lied that Sarah wasn’t his wife, but his sister. It didn’t turn out well for him once the king learned the truth. Abraham was apologetic as he confessed, and from then we learn that he was truthful in what he said. We all pay a price, whether small or large when we fib (snuck that one in) but it pays even more in the eye...
The times that we are currently living in offer no guarantee that any of us will live to see tomorrow. Each day that we wake up could be our last day, not through natural causes but from the violence that has become so prevalent in this world. All lives matter. Another fatal shooting occurred in the Monroe area when law enforcement responded to a shooting that killed one man. According to a report from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's office, deputies were notified on Sunday, March 5, 2023 around...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Two individuals who were strongly implicated in a local man's death were arrested on Wednesday, February 7, 2023. Deontia Moore was found dead in the parking lot of the OYO Hotel on Martin Luther King Dr. in Monroe back on November 28, 2022, according to a Monroe Police report. MPD said that the alleged suspects were identified as 17-year-old Ezekiel White and 18-year-old Anthony Sherman, who were on the premises on the day of...
