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• Monroe police suspect man kidnapped girlfriend

  October 15, 2012 9:25 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe police have booked a 40-year-old man into Ouachita Correctional Center on trespassing, domestic abuse battery and aggravated kidnapping charges. An arrest affidavit states the victim told police her live-in boyfriend, Paul Henry Woods, of Monroe, had returned to the residence after other officers on Saturday... more »

• Monroe Council chairman will not seek re-election

  August 1, 2012 5:03 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe City Council chairman Joe "Jay" Marx says he will not seek re-election. The News-Star reports Marx announced his plans in a statement released Monday. Marx says he felt it was time "to let someone else offer their talents to this important leadership role." He said... more »

• Monroe Council Rejects Sagging Pants Ordinance

  July 11, 2012 10:35 AM

  The Monroe City Council has rejected a proposed ordinance that called for fining people wearing sagging pants. The News-Star ( http://tnsne.ws/NnF38v ) reports that council members heard testimony Tuesday from residents who supported and opposed the measure before they unanimously voted against it. A lawyer representing the American Civil Liberties... more »

• Monroe school board approves 3 charter schools

  May 30, 2012 10:29 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The Monroe City School Board has approved three applications for charter schools. With a vote of 5-1 Tuesday, The News-Star reports the board approved Neville High School, Excellence Academy and Vision Learning Academy as charters. The schools must now work with the district to finalize contracts.... more »

• Arraignment set in Monroe mall shooting

  May 16, 2012 9:15 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The two Monroe men will be arraigned on June 25 for their involvement in a weekend shooting at Pecanland Mall that sent a 17-year-old to the hospital. The News-Star reports Christopher Coleman and Nicholus Lawson, both 18, were booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center charged with... more »

• Monroe workers benefit from surplus

  May 2, 2012 10:11 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo said the city's continued good financial standing means he'll be able to give 2 percent pay raises to all eligible employees for the third year in a row. The News-Star reports the raise has already been accounted for in the fiscal 2012-2013... more »

• Monroe mayor considers shift in airport oversight

  April 11, 2012 9:22 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo is considering a shift in oversight for the Monroe Regional Airport. Currently, the airport is under the city's Department of Public Works. The News-Star reports that Mayo may move the airport under his executive division. Mayo said he's already talked with Public... more »

• Judge reinstates Monroe councilmen's convictions

  March 30, 2012 9:10 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A federal judge in Monroe has changed his mind about whether two city councilmen should get a new trial on racketeering and bribery charges. Instead of beginning a new trial on April 16th for Arthur Gilmore and Red Stevens, U.S. District Judge Robert James said he... more »

• Monroe councilmen seek later date for trial

  March 29, 2012 10:45 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Attorneys for Monroe City Councilmen Robert Stevens and Arthur Gilmore are asking a judge to push back their trial date so they can have more time to prepare. Stevens and Gilmore, convicted in May of racketeering and bribery, are awaiting a ruling by U.S. District Judge... more »

• Monroe to pump up storm water removal stations

  March 15, 2012 10:28 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The city of Monroe is pursuing about $9 million in upgrades to its 18 storm water pump stations, with major improvements to be completed at eight of them. Charles Westrom, the city's sewer manager, tells The News-Star specific projects are planned for those eight pump stations,... more »

• Ex-director: Monroe airport needs its own board

  February 20, 2012 9:29 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe Regional Airport is the only commercial airport in the state that doesn't have an independent board or airport authority to oversee its operations. The News-Star reports the airport's former director believes an independent board could more effectively manage its operations. The City Council years ago... more »

• Monroe principal injured breaking up fight

  February 1, 2012 10:40 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The principal of Ouachita Junior High School was injured while breaking up a fight at a school. Assistant Superintendent Don Coker tells The News-Star Marsha Baker intervened in a physical altercation Tuesday between two female students. Coker did not know the cause of the fight, which... more »

• Monroe airport increases rates

  January 13, 2012 11:10 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe Regional Airport is increasing rental rates, landing fees and baggage conveyor fees charged to airlines. On Tuesday, The News-Star reports the Monroe City Council introduced three ordinances for the city to approve the airport's new lease agreements with Delta Air Lines, United-Continental and American Airlines.... more »

• Conviction, Sentence of Richwood's EX-Mayor Upheld

  December 13, 2011 5:59 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A state appeal court has upheld the conviction and sentence of former Richwood Mayor Ed Harris. Harris was convicted in 2010 of malfeasance in office after illegally writing more than $90,000 in checks to himself and other employees during the last hours of his administration. Harris... more »

• Arrest made in Monroe beating death

  September 21, 2011 9:30 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe police have arrested a man accused of the beating death of Edward Charles Scott in July. The News-Star reports 31-year-old Mori Turpin of Monroe was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center Tuesday on a charge of second-degree murder. The other suspect accused of Scott's murder, 23-year-old... more »

• New terminal at Monroe airport to open in Oct.

  September 12, 2011 9:37 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The highly-anticipated new terminal at the Monroe Regional Airport is nearing completion with the opening scheduled for mid-October. Construction on the $36 million terminal began in August 2009 and airport manager Cleve Norrell tells The News-Star workers are tying up loose ends and putting on all... more »

• Peaceful end to standoff at Monroe bus station

  July 7, 2011 7:13 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The Greyhound bus station in Monroe was evacuated for a time after two robbery suspects tried to escape police there. Monroe police told the News-Star that two suspects robbed a beauty supply store Wednesday, before fleeing to the bus station. One surrendered as soon as police... more »

• Monroe principal resigns to work with state

  June 24, 2011 9:54 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A Monroe principal has resigned her position to work for the Recovery School District and the Louisiana Department of Education. Whitney Martin will leave Lee Junior High School in two weeks to accept the position of Academic Field Coordinator. She will work with schools which are... more »

• Monroe ex-tax chief heads to jail, fined $121K

  June 22, 2011 9:32 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The former director of the city of Monroe's Revenue and Taxation Department has been sentenced to 10 years of hard labor on each of 10 felony theft counts. The sentencing was Tuesday in 4th Judicial District Court. The News-Star reports 53-year-old Patrick Onyemechara will serve each... more »

• Former Monroe tax collector gets prison

  June 22, 2011 7:15 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The ex-director of Monroe's Revenue and Taxation Department has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in state prison. Under the sentence handed down Tuesday, 53-year-old Patrick Onyemechara got concurrent 10-year sentences for each of 10 felony theft counts. He pleaded guilty in March. State District Judge... more »

• ULM Plans Benefit for Golf Programs

  June 19, 2011 12:13 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The University of Louisiana-Monroe plans a benefit golf tournament and auction July 8-9. The annual event will be held on the university's Monroe campus and at Frenchman's Bend Golf Course & Health Club. A golf tournament, dinner and auctions are planned to raise money for ULM... more »

• Monroe councilmen appeal bribery conviction

  June 17, 2011 9:51 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Two Monroe city councilmen have filed appeals to overturn their bribery and racketeering convictions. The motions filed in federal court by defense attorneys for Arthur Gilmore and Robert Stevens ask that the men's indictments and convictions be overturned and that a new trial should be granted.... more »

• 5-Year-Old Hospitalized with E. Coli

  June 5, 2011 11:04 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A 5-year-old girl from Rayville has been hospitalized for more than two weeks, suffering from an E. coli bacterial infection. The girl was taken to the LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport's pediatric intensive care unit after she became sick while attending a party in Richland Parish. The... more »

• Official: New Center in Columbia Will Help Monroe

  May 30, 2011 7:49 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The head of Louisiana's Office of Juvenile Justice says that a new detention center should open in Columbia later this year or early next year - and that should let the one in Monroe cut dorm size from 16 juveniles to 12. Deputy Undersecretary Mary Livers... more »

• $2.5M Bond Upheld for Teen Held in Parent's Deaths

  March 13, 2011 10:27 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A state district judge says bond will remain at $2.5 million for a teenager charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, who were shot in their West Monroe home in September. The News-Star in Monroe reports that Judge Daniel Ellender said Dalton Fletcher... more »

• Louisiana-Monroe introduces stadium improvements

  February 11, 2011 8:11 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The University of Louisiana-Monroe plans to add a new high-definition video display board and state-of-the-art sound system at Malone Stadium just in time for the 2011 football season. The project is pending final approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. Director of Athletics... more »

• Radar Scans at Cemetery Discovers 200 Unmarked Graves

  January 19, 2011 11:20 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A preliminary review of ground penetrating radar scans at J.S. Clark Cemetery near Monroe has found nearly 200 unmarked graves at the cemetery. The News-Star reports the scans were conducted over a 6-acre area of the cemetery in southeastern Ouachita Parish in preparation for planned drainage... more »

• Electrical Problem Will Keep Lights From Dancing

  November 27, 2010 4:53 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Christmas on the River will kick off with entertainment, a pageant and beautiful lights - beautiful, but not dancing. An electrical problem will prevent the lights over Antique Alley from dancing, but will not stop the festivities from opening on Saturday night. According to the News... more »

• Natural gas pipeline ruptures, injures 3

  November 12, 2010 9:29 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Richland Parish Sheriff Charles McDonald says three men working on natural gas lines were injured when a line ruptured. McDonald told The News-Star that none of the injuries appeared life-threatening: One man had abdominal pain, one had shoulder pain and the third had hearing trouble. McDonald... more »

• Monroe Schools Set Higher GPA for Extra Activities

  October 23, 2010 6:11 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - High school students in Monroe who want to play football, march in the band or take part in other extra activities will be held to higher academic standards next school year. The Monroe City School Board's new policy manual requires students to pass six courses each... more »

• V-Vehicle Gets New Name, CEO

  October 13, 2010 4:52 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - V-Vehicle Co., which hopes to build new cars in Ouachita Parish, has a new chief executive and a new name for the company. The company announced Tuesday that Kathleen Ligocki, a veteran auto executive, will lead the company under the new name Next Autoworks Co. The... more »

• Semifinalists for Presidency at the University of Louisiana at Monroe

  October 6, 2010 11:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Two administrators from Texas, one from South Carolina and one from the University of Louisiana System are semifinalists for presidency of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The UL system says the search committee plans to recommend at least two finalists next Wednesday, after on-campus... more »

• West Monroe student arrested

  October 5, 2010 9:40 PM

  WEST MONROE, La. (AP) - A West Monroe High School student has been arrested after he was found in class with a loaded gun. Superintendent Bob Webber says another student told a school administrator at the beginning of school Tuesday that the boy had a gun in class. Webber told... more »

• Monroe Man Enters Plea in Shooting Death

  September 30, 2010 10:46 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Authorities say 32-year-old James Edward Floyd of Monroe has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity in state district court in connection with a second-degree murder case. Bob Noel, Floyd's defense attorney, requested Wednesday's formal arraignment. A Ouachita Parish grand jury indicted Floyd on one count of... more »

• Monroe Man Convicted in 2008 Death

  August 21, 2010 4:05 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A Monroe man has been convicted in the beating and stabbing death of another man in 2008. The News-Star reports that a jury in Monroe convicted Lavern "Pee Wee" Hampton of second-degree murder on Friday. The crime O-arries a mandatory life sentence. The victim was 58-year-old... more »

• Monroe Mother Gets 10 Years in Son's Death

  August 20, 2010 9:34 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A Monroe woman has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in the beating death of her 11-month-old son. Geveva Mott was sentenced Thursday in state district court in Monroe. Mott, who was 20 years old at the time of the crime, was convicted of one... more »

• Monroe Police Chief Asks Court to Bar Demotion

  August 3, 2010 6:13 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Monroe's mayor demotes the police chief to captain, and the chief asks for a court order to remain chief while he appeals the decision. Chief Ron Schleuter (SLOO-ter) has been on administrative leave since Feb. 16, after news reports revealed he had been secretly taping Mayor... more »

• Vitter's New GOP Challenger Says ABC News Report On Violent Aide Helped Spur Primary Bid

  July 12, 2010 3:36 PM

  The last-minute primary challenger to Louisiana Sen. David Vitter told ABC News he entered the race because of what he describes as a groundswell of concern among Republicans that Vitter may be too damaged by scandal to survive the general election. "I got so many phone calls in... more »

• Miss Louisiana Pageant Under Way in Monroe

  June 22, 2010 9:30 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - The Miss Louisiana Pageant is under way in Monroe. The 29 Miss Louisiana contestants will spend the next few days preparing for the pageant, with preliminaries beginning Thursday evening and the finals set for Saturday night. Miss Louisiana 2009 Katherine Putnam said Monday she is disappointed... more »

• 18 Interested in Monroe School Job

  May 18, 2010 10:09 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Members of the Monroe City School Board should have the names of finalists for district superintendent in two weeks. The News-Star reports Monday was the deadline for applying for the position. Loe Dunn, a represenative of McPherson and Jacobson, the firm conducting the search, said that... more »

• Black Bear Is Now In The Monroe Zoo

  May 12, 2010 1:02 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A Louisiana black bear that strayed into human territory one time too many is now in the Monroe Zoo. Police and the state wildlife agents caught the 350-pound, 5-year-old animal Tuesday in woods within a mile of a major highway through Lafayette. Maria Davidson, large carnivore... more »

• Investigation: Monroe Police Chief

  May 12, 2010 10:48 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A city board has voted to open an investigation of Monroe Police Chief Ron Schleuter. The probe ordered Tuesday by the Monroe Fire and Police Civil Service Board stems from Schleuter secretly recording a meeting he had with Mayor Jamie Mayo before Lt. Virgil Parker was... more »

• Former Senator on Trial in Monroe

  April 11, 2010 10:40 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - Former state Sen. Charles Jones' federal tax fraud is set to begin in U.S. District Court in Monroe and is estimated to last one to two weeks. The News-Star reported on Sunday that the trial would begin Monday. His trial had been set for last fall,... more »

• House Fire Kills Three People Trapped Inside

  March 29, 2010 12:36 PM

  WEST MONROE, La. (AP) - State Fire Marshall Butch Browning says authorities found no working fire alarms or smoke detectors in a mobile home where a fire claimed three lives over the weekend. Browning said three unidentified men between the ages of 18-28 died in... more »

• Man Who Fell In Monroe Lake Wasn't Biten By Alligator

  March 25, 2010 11:21 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A swirl in the dark water of Black Bayou Lake followed by a sharp stabbing injury to his arm after he fell into the water, led a man to believe he was bitten by an alligator. But Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agent Capt.Alan Bankston says... more »

• Snake Fire in Monroe

  March 25, 2010 11:06 AM

  MONROE, La. (AP) - A Monroe man's attempt to get rid of snakes in his yard ended up sending his wife to the hospital and burning down his shed. The News-Star reports, the man, whose name the Monroe Fire Department did not immediately release, apparently... more »

• "Blowing Off Steam" Lands Man in Jail

  March 16, 2010 12:55 PM

  MANDEVILLE, La. (AP) - A 41-year-old Mandeville man faces felony charges after firing a shotgun at the fence around his home to "blow off steam" after an argument with his wife. Mandeville police spokesman Eric Gulino says officers were called to the home of Michael... more »

• ULM closes early; parade rescheduled in NO

  February 11, 2010 1:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - With up to seven inches of snow predicted in parts of Louisiana, universities closed early in north Louisiana and at least one Carnival parade was postponed in New Orleans. The National Weather Service said snow in much of the area was likely to be heavy and... more »

• Mom accused of punching daughter

  November 11, 2009 3:47 PM

  MONROE, La. (AP) -Monroe police have arrested a 39-year-old Monroe woman on charges of cruelty to a juvenile. An arrest affidavit obtained by The News-Star said the 14-year-old daughter of Rita Fletcher accused her mom of throwing her to the ground by her hair and punching her over a $20... more »

• UL and UL Monroe team up for Military Appreciation Day

  November 11, 2009 1:57 PM

  LAFAYETTE - In celebration of the Second Annual Military Appreciation Day, both bands from UL Lafayette and UL Monroe will perform together during the halftime entertainment on November 21st when Financial Concepts presents the Ragin' Cajuns and the Warhawks at Cajun Field. "The ULM band will perform with the Pride... more »