Wall Street Journal 
By Sen. Tom Cotton

Violent insurrectionists turned areas of Los Angeles into lawless hellscapes over the weekend, with anarchists setting fire to vehicles, throwing scooters and debris at police, and looting businesses—all while waving foreign flags.

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Despite the rising chaos, Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose office likened the riots to a Philadelphia Eagles playoff victory celebration, and Mayor Karen Bass, who refuses to support federal law enforcement, haven’t taken sufficient action to restore law and order.

Meanwhile, incredibly, Democrats and the liberal media have again called this outbreak of violence “mostly peaceful protests,” while in the same breath blaming the riots, arson, and looting on President Trump for enforcing immigration law. The New York Times described “largely peaceful” riots with fireworks fired at police, cars set on fire, and more than 150 arrests.

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The threat from the radical left is clear: Don’t enforce immigration laws. If you do, left-wing street militias will burn down cities, and Democratic politicians will back the rioters. The president is absolutely right to reject this threat, enforce immigration laws, and restore civil order. 

At the risk of again sending liberals to their fainting couches, it may indeed be time to send in the troops. Let’s look at the facts for some context.

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Read the rest of the op-ed at WSJ.com.

The El Dorado School Board met on June 9, 2025, with a packed agenda that included athletics, educational equity initiatives, and the arrival of a new service animal in training. The meeting also marked a milestone moment, as it was the final board appearance for longtime Athletic Director Phillip Lansdell.

Strong Year for Athletics and a Final Presentation

In his final presentation as Athletic Director, Lansdell delivered a report filled with accomplishments and gratitude. He highlighted that ten teams advanced to post-season play during the school year. The Girls Track team stood out by securing both a conference title and a state championship. The district’s cheerleading squad also earned recognition as state runner-up.

Lansdell proposed an athletic budget of $178,911, which was approved unanimously. He also recommended EBI as the district’s provider for athletic insurance, a proposal that the board accepted.

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In a moment that captured his signature mix of professionalism and humor, Lansdell closed by telling board members, “When you’re ready to go fishing, just let me know.”

Board members and attendees acknowledged Lansdell’s years of service and leadership, thanking him for his dedication to student-athletes and the El Dorado athletic community.

Educational Assurances and Equity Initiatives Approved

Sherry Floss presented a slate of annual federal education compliance measures, including ESSA and IDEA assurances and the GEPA statement. These policies are designed to eliminate barriers to student success across factors like gender, race, and language.

Floss emphasized the district’s ongoing efforts to provide equitable access to learning, including mentoring for new teachers and supplying high-quality learning materials such as iPads to ESL students.

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The board approved the assurances and statements as presented.

Meet Ace: A Future Service Dog for the District

The board also welcomed a special new addition—Ace, a service dog in training who is now part of the El Dorado School District’s support program. Ace is a half-sibling to the current service animal at Ward Central Elementary, a program district representative recently observed firsthand.

Ace will undergo a rigorous training process before being integrated into interactions with students. The initiative reflects the district’s growing commitment to providing emotional and behavioral support resources in schools.

The next school board meeting is expected later this summer, as the district continues preparing for the 2025–2026 academic year.

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Sherry Floss holding Ace, the new service dog for the El Dorado School District.

EL DORADO – El Dorado Police Department has located a vehicle that some citizens say was marked like a police vehicle. Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 Lt. Trey Phillips with the City of El Dorado Police Department told South Arkansas Now that “… the PD had received at least two complaints on the vehicle today.” Phillips said officers were able to spot the vehicle and make contact with the driver. 

“The driver was very cooperative, he allowed us to search his vehicle to make sure there was nothing in the vehicle that would allow him to impersonate a police officer. There was not.” Phillips said the man who was stopped by police is from out of town and working temporarily in the area. He also said the man had “gear” and “tools” inside the vehicle that were consistent with the man’s vocation but again nothing that would allow him to impersonate a police officer. “The vehicle in question is a black SUV and it is a retired police vehicle from another agency.” Phillips said. He also said the vehicle is equipped with legal aftermarket fog lights that are positioned inside a push bumper, which is standard equipment on police vehicles and was most likely left on the vehicle when it was retired by the former owning agency. “He does have a light bar on the vehicle but as far as we could tell, it does not function like an emergency vehicle.”

Phillips said a number of complaints received by the Police Department mention “red & blue” lights. “No law enforcement agency in this region utilizes red emergency lights.” Lt. Phillips said the El Dorado Police Department takes impersonation of a police officer very seriously but added, “At this time there is no known impersonator in the City.”

SHREVEPORT – The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for much of the ArkLaTex region, including east Texas, northwest Louisiana, and southwest Arkansas, from 7 a.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Thursday.

Forecasters are warning of widespread rainfall totals between 1 to 3 inches, with localized areas potentially receiving more than 4 inches. With the ground already saturated from recent rainfall, the additional precipitation could quickly lead to flooding of low-lying areas, rivers, creeks, and roadways.

Communities such as El Dorado, Hope, Texarkana, and De Queen in southwest Arkansas, along with Shreveport, Monroe, and Natchitoches in Louisiana, are included in the watch area. Cities across east Texas such as Tyler, Longview, and Lufkin are also expected to see significant rainfall.

The National Weather Service urges residents to remain alert for changing conditions and to avoid driving through flooded roadways. The message is clear: “Turn around, don’t drown.”

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For the latest updates, visit weather.gov/shv or follow @NWSShreveport on social media.

EL DORADO – The Union County Sheriff’s Department is warning residents to be on high alert following renewed reports of a recurring scam involving fake bond payment requests.

In this scam, victims receive a phone call from someone posing as a member of law enforcement or a corrections officer. The caller falsely claims that a close family member has been arrested for a serious crime and urgently needs money for bond. The scammer then attempts to collect payment over the phone using various methods.

Authorities emphasize that no legitimate law enforcement agency operates in this manner.

“All bonds are established and handled in person through official channels,” the Sheriff’s Department stated. “If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately. If you’re unsure, contact the agency the caller claimed to represent using a verified phone number—but know that this is a scam attempt 100 percent of the time.”

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The department urges residents to remain cautious and spread awareness, especially to older individuals who may be more vulnerable to such schemes.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by this scam should report the incident to local law enforcement immediately.