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.

Indonesian authorities said they have identified a 17-year-old boy as the suspected perpetrator of an attack that shook a mosque at a high school during Friday prayers in Jakarta.

Last year's biggest winner will try to repeat his wins for song and record of the year, and add album of the year to his trophy case. Other top nominees include Lady Gaga and Bad Bunny.

The punk rock star has produced several books that braid thoughts on her newest endeavors with memories and photographs of her lost lovers and friends. Bread of Angels is her most autobiographical.