Good morning, Monroe.

Retired police chief Deb Brown in West Monroe welcomed Fico (a former explosives detection dog from Afghanistan) as her new partner after years in law enforcement; she hopes his adoption helps other retired working dogs.

Meanwhile, Jonesboro Police will host its first scooter safety class today, offering instruction and gear.

Center for Children and Families was named 2026 Non-Profit Organization of the Year by the T.H.

Scott Awards of Excellence. Officials said the honor recognizes the center's (over 25 years of) commitment to providing safe, healthy environments for children and families in the community.

The Masur Museum of Art will host a public reception for the Summer Emerald exhibition featuring interdisciplinary artist Summer Emerald (also known as Salesforce Child) from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 4 during the Monroe-West Monroe Gallery Crawl; the exhibition will be on view through July 18.

The New Music On The Bayou festival returns for its 10th edition as experts discuss this year's lineup and local venues on Lagniappe, offering Monroe audiences a preview of the event's fresh performances.

Northeast Louisiana economic leaders are recruiting Japanese investors during the Louisiana Economic Development Japan Trade Mission to boost local business and create new jobs - they highlighted the region's strengths, including recent data center growth and over $100 billion in statewide investments. The trade mission aims to bring investors to see firsthand the opportunities in Monroe.

The Monroe Downtown Economic Development District has unveiled a master plan that will invest about $50 million in street and riverfront improvement projects to revitalize downtown.

Officials say the plan will boost the local economy and enhance community spaces.

Officials are working to complete a 17,000 sqft animal shelter on Ellington Road that will include dog & cat kennels, adoption rooms and outdoor trails to boost adoptions.

The nearly $5 million project, supported by a $1 million donation from SOS Pets, is set to open by the end of 2026.

Monroe officials and energy leaders met Thursday to review a grid that causes long outages and explore local solar & wind options to support growing energy needs from planned data centers and agriculture.

Ochsner LSU Health announced that its new 7th Street Multispecialty Clinic in West Monroe will open on Thursday, June 4 at 10:30 a.m. (1801 N.

7th St.) to offer primary care, sports medicine and pulmonology to expand coordinated care.

The Monroe Greenheads held a media day May 29 to introduce their new arena football team led by former ULM head coach Terry Bowden.

They will play their first game at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in Iowa before hosting a home opener in Monroe on June 6.