UL System approves Dr. Valerie Fields ULM’s first female vice president
The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System approved Valerie S. Fields, Ed.D., vice president for Student Affairs at the University of Louisiana Monroe at the Oct. 23, 2020, board meeting. Fields is the first woman to serve in a vice president’s position in the university’s 89-year history. Fields was appointed interim vice president in June and assumed the role July 1 upon the retirement of former Vice President Camile Currier. This appointment brought Fields back to ULM,
National Prescription Take-Back Day – October 24, 2020 – Initiative seeks to collect unused & expired
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows the majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Bring your pills for disposal to one of four locations: Bernice Pharmacy at 417 East Main Street in Bernice, Union Parish Sheriff’s Office at 710
ULM Battle of the Bayou Blood Drive set for Oct. 28-29
To help alleviate a critical shortage of blood and blood products, the University of Louisiana Monroe, ULM Medical Laboratory Science and LifeShare Blood Center is having the Battle of the Bayou Blood Drive from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and Thursday, Oct. 29. The “battle” is a friendly competition between ULM and Louisiana Tech to encourage healthy adults to donate blood. The LifeShare donor bus will be in Warhawk Circle each day from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. COVID-19 safety protocols are in place,
ULM Gerontology hosts Zoom Conference on Disability Advocacy, 1:30-4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22
The University of Louisiana Monroe Gerontology program is observing National Disability Employment Awareness Month with the third Conference on Disability Advocacy from 1:30-4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 via Zoom. Community leaders and major organizations that serve people with disabilities and older adults will participate in the panel discussion on exploring and developing employment opportunities for people with disabilities and older adults. Gerontology program Director Anita Sharma, Ph.D., stated, “Now more
ULM Online program, degrees earn top rankings for fall 2020
ULM Online has received outstanding recognition in the latest release of fall 2020 rankings. The rankings are for ULM Online as a whole and specific degrees. ULM Online offers 33 degree programs in associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Fall enrollment for ULM Online graduate and undergraduate programs is at an all-time high with 2,000 students. This marks a 23 percent increase over fall 2019. ULM Online Director Katie Dawson said ULM’s excellent faculty, infrastructure, and
#GeauxVote your voter information recap!
Election season is here and we want to empower you with the tools to make your voice heard this election cycle.Important dates:October 13th – Last Day for Voter Registration using GeauxVote Online System Early voting is Oct. 16-27 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 25) from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.October 30th – Deadline to request an absentee by mail ballotNov. 3, 2020 - Presidential General and Open Congressional Primary Election EARLY VOTING You do not need a reason to vote early! All voters may vote
Library to give away free books to children in Ouachita Parish
The Ouachita Parish Public Library will give away free books to children who complete a literary scavenger hunt during the last week of October. Even though the Library is not hosting its annual largescale Pumpkin Bash: A Children’s Book Festival for health safety reasons, it is still prioritizing the book giveaway. This year, Pumpkin Bash will be a scavenger hunt that children can complete with their families. To receive a free book, children must complete seven of the 10 items on the Pumpkin Bash
Arts Council announces ARTvent! 12 Days of Prizes to support the Arts
The Arts Council of Northeast Louisiana is excited to premier ARTvent! Starting December 1st for a total of 12 consecutive days, the Arts Council will be drawing for prizes to be given away to lucky winners. Tickets to enter are just $50 each and give you a chance to win every day. Daily winners are eligible for the grand prize drawing. Tickets available at www.nelaarts.org, the Arts Council office or from any board member. PRIZE PACKAGES... Holiday Family Feast: 1 holiday dinner, featuring 1 turkey
ULM Community Supply Drive - collecting items for McNeese hurricane recovery
The University of Louisiana Monroe is conducting a Community Supply Drive to gather much-needed items for McNeese State University in Lake Charles, which was severely impacted by Hurricane Laura in August. The campus drive is Oct. 7-16. Donation bins are located on campus at the Student Union Building (SUB), ULM Library and Schulze Dining Hall. Donations from the community will be accepted from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 12-16 in the triangle parking lot located between Bayou Pointe Event Center and
United Way NELA continues Food for our Friends to combat food insecurity in NELA
United Way of Northeast Louisiana is continuing Food for our Friends, a drive-through food distribution open to anyone in Northeast Louisiana who is experiencing food insecurity due to recent disasters. United Way aims to serve the many hard-working families in the community. Working with the Cajun Navy, the City of Monroe, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, United Way NELA will provide direct food assistance in the form of perishable commodity boxes to any individuals needing supplemental food. This
Ouachita Green names Aundi Brown as new Executive Director
The Board of Directors for Ouachita Green are excited to announce that Aundi Brown has been named as its new Executive Director. Ouachita Green is a nonprofit organization that serves as the umbrella for Keep Monroe, Keep West Monroe and Keep Ouachita Parish Beautiful. Ouachita Green is committed to cleaning and beautifying the Ouachita Parish area through litter abatement, recycling, beautification and environmental education. Brown has spent the last 12 years working in the recycling industry
City of West Monroe to host Love Local in the Park Oct. 3 at Kiroli Park
The City of West Monroe and the Kiroli Foundation will host “Love Local in the Park” this Saturday, October 3, beginning at noon at Kiroli Park. Loven Local in the Park is being presented by Paramount Healthcare Consultants and Walsworth & Company. This family-friendly outdoor event will take place on the grounds of beautiful Kiroli Park. The day will feature local musicians and performers on the Kiroli Park Bandstand. In addition to performances throughout the day, there will be food trucks as
Cooley House Fall Lecture – Live from Australia
The Cooley House Foundation will continue their award-winning Fall Lecture Series with a free virtual presentation live from Australia on Thursday, October 8. Michael Thomson, vice-president of the Walter Burley Griffin Society of Australia, will discuss “A Tale of Three Cities: The Griffins in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney”. This follows the challenges and successful projects of the husband and wife team who designed the Cooley House, after they won an international design competition in 1912 for
Arts Council hosting four free concerts in October!
The Arts Council of Northeast Louisiana emerges from quarantine to present its free Brown Bag Lunch Concert Series at noon on Wednesdays this October at Anna Gray Noe Park in downtown Monroe. Bring a picnic lunch or pick up a $5 box lunch on site from Newk’s. You will have your choice between half a chicken salad sandwich or half an oven roasted turkey sandwich both including chips and dessert. Sweet and Unsweet tea is included. Cash or credit/debit cards accepted. Come early so you do not miss
ULM announces ‘Together We Rise’ Homecoming Week activities Sept. 28-Oct. 3
The University of Louisiana Monroe kicks off Homecoming Week 2020 with this year’s theme, “Together We Rise.” Events and activities will take place Monday, Sept. 28-Saturday, Oct. 3. Monday, Sept. 28, until 4 p.m., the ULM Water Ski Showcase will take place at Bayou DeSiard by VCOM. Students and community members will have a chance to meet and greet the ULM Water Ski team. From 4-5 p.m., the SGA Cookout will be at the Student Grove. Immediately following, the Homecoming Pep Rally and the crowning of
Discover Monroe-West Monroe Hosts Twin City Marathon November 8
Discover Monroe-West Monroe along with the cities of Monroe and West Monroe will host a tour of the two cities via the Twin City Half and Full Marathon on November 8. The routes will wind runners through the historic downtowns of both cities, along majestic tree-lined neighborhoods, and over the Ouachita River. The event will start and finish at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center in West Monroe, LA. The course is USA Track & Field certified and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Runners from over 17 states will
Kayak Bass Fishing event scheduled in Monroe-West Monroe
Kayak bass fishing is the fastest-growing segment of the sportfishing industry. Over 800,000 U.S. bass anglers say kayaks are their primary means of reaching prime fishing spots. Ouachita River and Bayou D’Arbonne Lake, Louisiana, will be the tip of the spear when, on September 5 and 6, bass fishing competitors from across the southeast will meet in a two-day “SuperTRAIL” catch-photo-release tournament. Unlike conventional bass boat tournaments, in which fish are caught, placed in holding tanks, carried
Ouachita Parish: Three Additional Parishes Approved for FEMA Individual Assistance Following Laura
Residents of nine parishes eligible for aid, additional approvals expected Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today that FEMA approved his request for Individual Assistance for those in Acadia, Ouachita and Vermilion parishes that suffered damage in Hurricane Laura. This brings the total of approved parishes to nine; the governor’s request for another 14 parishes is still pending federal approval. “This approval will help the residents of Acadia, Vermilion and Ouachita parishes move forward in their
A.O. EVANS AWARD Nominations Accepted Until November 2, 2020
A.O. EVANS AWARD Nominations Accepted Until November 2, 2020The AO Evans Award recognizes one individual each year for outstanding contributions to the West Monroe and West Ouachita community. The person cannot be an elected official who currently holds office, nor can they be on the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber Board of Directors. They must also have made several contributions to the betterment of the community. The award was first presented in 1976 to Mr. AT Mitchell. When considering a
Johnny E. Huntsman Entrepreneurial Success Award Nominations Accepted Until November 2, 2020
Johnny E. Huntsman Entrepreneurial Success Award The West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce is currently taking nominations for the Johnny E. Huntsman Entrepreneurial Success Award. This award honors a current WMWO Chamber business member or individual memberthat exemplifies the true entrepreneurial spirit, using these three main areas: Employees — this company or individual will have employees that understand that it takes hard work, dedication and loyalty for their company to
Twin Cities Hosting Food Distributions in August
The City of West Monroe and the City of Monroe, in partnership with the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, will both host food distributions during the first week of August. These food distributions are open to all residents who live in Ouachita Parish who are in need of food. “We thank the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana for partnering with the cities of Monroe and West Monroe to distribute food to those in our community who need assistance,” said West Monroe Mayor Staci Mitchell. “Food security is a
ULM announces Fall 2020 course delivery methods, COVID-19 safety measures
ULM announces Fall 2020 course delivery methods, COVID-19 safety measures By ULM Office of Marketing and Communications As the University of Louisiana Monroe prepares to welcome students for the Fall 2020 semester, information is being provided regarding course delivery methods and safety measures implemented in response to COVID-19. ULM continues to focus on the campus community's health and safety while still executing its academic mission. Currently, the fall academic calendar will
Chamber Announces 2020 Small Business Award Winners
The West Monroe West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize the winners of the 2020 Small Business Awards presented by Glenwood Regional Medical Center and Paramount Healthcare Consultants. Nominations were accepted from Chamber members in the following categories: Emerging Entrepreneur, Micro Business, Small Business, Female Champion, Community Champion and the Silver Plus Award. And the winners are: · Emerging Entrepreneur - Sarah Blackwell owner of Sadie C’s Sarah began with a vision
