United Way of Northeast Louisiana has teamed up with Royal Family Kids NELA and the Louisiana Foster Care Support Organization to support foster children and families in the Monroe DCFS region this holiday season.

The 40th Annual Don Weems Memorial Chili Cook-Off will be held on November 15 at The Grove. Teams of up to six will prepare chili from scratch on-site, with awards for Open and Student divisions as well as a People’s Choice Award. Tastings begin at 11:30 a.m.; a wristband allows sampling and voting. Team registration closes November 13.

Doug Duffey and BADD took top honors at the 2025 Ouachita River Blues Challenge. The Monroe-based group competed in the solo/duo category and will advance to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Their win adds another milestone to Duffey's celebrated Louisiana blues career.

Local Monroe areas will be closed in honor of Veterans Day from November 11 to November 12.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) will distribute federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds to all eligible Louisiana SNAP recipients starting November 7. The Department has also ended staff furloughs and reopened SNAP offices, effective today.

The University of Louisiana Monroe College of Business and Social Sciences presents the Business Outlook Summit 2025 on Friday, November 14, at Bayou Pointe Event Center to guide local business owners and community leaders.

The City of West Monroe will host a Veterans Day program on Monday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. honoring all Veterans in the area.

Contribute to cleaning and recycling local areas. Put trash away with Americas Recycle Day!

2025 Louisiana Delta Comic Con is Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Providing a day full of all things comic, anime, gaming and pop culture.

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ouachita will host its 70th annual Pancake Day on Nov. 4 at First Methodist Church, serving breakfast to support local children’s programs, scholarships, and community initiatives.