Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue Louisiana and Entergy Louisiana will host a Million Meals for MLK pack party in Monroe as part of a statewide effort to fight food insecurity. Volunteers will pack red beans and rice meal kits made with Louisiana-grown rice to support families in northeast Louisiana. The event is part of Volunteer Louisiana and Feeding Louisiana’s annual MLK Day of Service initiative. Special guest Miss Louisiana will participate.

Discover Monroe-West Monroe has released its 2026 Mardi Gras Guide, a colorful digital resource packed with parade details, local traditions, royal courts, interactive features, and planning tips to help visitors and locals make the most of the Mardi Gras season.

Ouachita Green’s 2025 annual report showcases the impact of 2,152 volunteers who contributed over 600,000 hours to litter abatement, recycling, environmental education, and beautification projects across Ouachita Parish.

A new statue in Avoyelles Parish honors Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped and enslaved for 12 years in the 19th century. The sculpture commemorates his journey to freedom and preserves his legacy, famously told in his autobiography 12 Years a Slave.

Alsaysia Bates, a former LSP corrections sergeant, was arrested for malfeasance in office after contraband cell phones were found in her possession.

A new photo series from Filipino photographer Macy Castañeda Lee offers a visually striking view of the mundane task of doing laundry and the role it plays in a rural economy.

Critic at large Eric Deggans says that in 2026, audiences have more power than they realize to determine the future of news and entertainment.

Federal officials are targeting Democratic-led states over alleged safety-net fraud. Critics worry a drumbeat of unfounded accusations could undermine public trust.