The City of Monroe announces a temporary northbound lane closure on North 18th Street from Adams Street to Washington Street as AL&M Railroad conducts control repairs. Traffic will be shifted to the southbound lane, and flagmen will direct vehicles through the work zone. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes and exercise caution.

Louisiana Arbor Day will be celebrated Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, with tree-planting ceremonies across Ouachita Parish led by Ouachita Green and its affiliates. The events will honor community members, promote environmental stewardship, and highlight the long-term benefits trees provide for future generations.

The University of Louisiana Monroe will host the 3rd annual KidWind Challenge, a hands-on renewable energy competition for middle school students. More than 150 students will design, build, and test wind turbines while learning about wind and solar energy through team-based challenges.

The Louisiana Old Governor’s Mansion will present a four-part public history series featuring former Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne. The series opens Thursday, Jan. 22, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with “Jazz, Culture, and the Louisiana Soundtrack: How a Nation Found Its Rhythm.” The event is free and open to the public.

As the Louisiana Integrated Criminal Justice Information System (ICJIS) Policy Board concludes its work for the year, the state is being recognized nationally for its collaborative approach to modernizing criminal justice data sharing. Led by the Louisiana Supreme Court, the initiative streamlines access to accurate, secure information across courts, law enforcement, and corrections. The ICJIS pilot phase successfully implemented a centralized data system, enhancing decision-making, public safety, and efficiency while reducing reliance on paper records.

The derailment, in northeastern Thailand, occurred on part of an ambitious planned high-speed rail project that will eventually connect China with much of Southeast Asia.

China's trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the U.S. under President Donald Trump's onslaught of higher tariffs.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance will meet Denmark's foreign minister and his Greenlandic counterpart in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the Arctic island, at the center of a geopolitical storm.