SHREVEPORT – The National Weather Service (NWS) in Shreveport has issued a Dense Fog Advisory for parts of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, in effect until 9 a.m. this morning.

Visibility is expected to drop to one-quarter mile or less in the affected areas, including Shreveport, Natchitoches, Monroe, El Dorado, and surrounding communities. Motorists are advised to exercise caution as low visibility could create hazardous driving conditions.

The NWS recommends reducing speed, using headlights, and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid accidents.

The advisory is part of ongoing weather monitoring efforts to ensure public safety during periods of reduced visibility. Drivers should remain alert for sudden changes in visibility, especially near water bodies or low-lying areas.

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For updated weather information, visit weather.gov/shv.

EL DORADO – Union County Judge Mike Loftin has announced that Mount Holly Road, just east of Willet Road, will be closed immediately for necessary bridge repairs. The closure is expected to last between five to seven days.

The repairs aim to ensure the bridge remains safe and reliable for the community. During this period, motorists are advised to plan alternative routes and exercise caution in the area.

Residents and commuters are encouraged to stay updated on road conditions and closures by following Union County’s official channels.

For further inquiries, contact the Union County Judge’s Office.

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EL DORADO, AR – Chart-topping band Train is set to play the MAD
Amphitheater with special guest Edwin McCain on Wednesday, August 27 th , 2025. Gates open
at 6:30pm with the concert starting at 8:00pm. Tickets go on sale to MAD Members on
Thursday, January 30 th at 10am, CST, and to the public on Friday, January 31 st at 10am, CST.
Tickets can be purchased at eldomad.com and at the MAD box office at 101 East Locust Street.
Ticket prices range from $45- $150 plus additional service fees.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Train back to MAD, this time at the outdoor MAD
Amphitheater. It feels especially meaningful to have them return after a sold-out performance
during our grand opening in 2017. We can’t wait to see everyone on August 27th for an
incredible evening of music.”said Joanna Benson, MAD Marketing Manager.
Train is a multi-GRAMMY Award-winning, diamond-selling band from San Francisco that has
had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and 13 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Train’s
climb to the top began in 1994, as the original 5-member band tenaciously built a loyal
hometown following, leading up to their debut self-titled album released by Columbia in 1998.
The tumbling wordplay of “Meet Virginia” gave them their first unlikely radio hit, and
2001’s Drops of Jupiter broke them to multi-platinum status thanks to the double-GRAMMY-
winning title song that spent 10 months in the Top 40, has been certified RIAA 7x platinum, and
earned the 2001 GRAMMY Award for Best Rock Song. The group won another GRAMMY in
2011 for their global hit “Hey, Soul Sister” from their multi-platinum album Save Me, San
Francisco (2009), which was the No.1 best-selling smash and most downloaded single of 2010,
achieved RIAA Diamond status in 2021 and now 11x platinum, and in 2022 surpassed one billion
streams on Spotify. Train has sold more than 10 million albums and 30 million tracks worldwide,

with multiple platinum/gold citations, including three GRAMMY Awards, two Billboard Music
Awards, and dozens of other honors. They’ve had 24 Top 10 songs across the Billboard charts
and six Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart including Drops of Jupiter (2001), My Private
Nation (2003), California 37 (2012), Bulletproof Picasso (2014), For Me, It’s You (2016), and a
girl a bottle a boat (2017). This summer, Train is taking over amphitheaters across the country
on a co-headline tour with REO Speedwagon, and most recently, released a new album, Live at
Royal Albert Hall, recorded live from their sold-out, debut performance at the iconic and
historic Royal Albert Hall in London.
Train frontman, Pat Monahan, partakes in other ventures outside of music, including his award-
winning wine portfolio, Save Me, San Francisco Wine Co, which was created in 2011 and has
sold over 10 million bottles and won over 100 medals. Proceeds from his wine business support
Family House, a San Francisco charity that supports families of children with cancer and other
life-threatening illnesses. Monahan has appeared on television and in film with credits that
include the 2021 Hallmark Channel original movie, Christmas in Tahoe, inspired by Train’s
album of the same name, which he executive produced and starred, Dr. Ken, 90210,
CBS’s Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., The Voice, American Idol, and The Bachelor.
Joining Train for this special night will be Edwin McCain. McCain has been playing his hit songs
worldwide for more than 30 years. Called a “street corner prophet” by the USA Today, an
“aching tenor” by Slate Magazine, and a “great American romantic” by the New York Times;
Edwin rides a career wave created by recording two of the biggest love songs in the history of
music (I’ll Be and I Could Not Ask For More), producing and starring in a tv series (Flippin’ Ships
on Animal Planet), and performing his songs and spinning stories. Edwin’s fans are clamoring
for more, so Edwin McCain is back at full throttle. Not that Edwin’s music ever slows down.
“American Idol” and “The Voice” contestants turn to Edwin’s ballads every year to help them
win over judges and fans. Millions more have been turned on by pop icons Justin Bieber and
Charlie Puth who have both covered Edwin’s songs. And to top it off 21 st Century-style, Edwin
has become an Internet sensation.
The MAD box office is open Monday – Friday from 9:30am – 5:00pm and is located at 101 East
Locust Street in El Dorado. Tickets may be purchased by web, on location, or by phone at 870-
444-3007. Please visit eldomad.com for additional information.

EL DORADO – “Amazing what a week brings!” That was the sentiment of more than one attendee to the ribbon cutting ceremony for El Dorado’s Southern Classic Chicken. While the morning was quite cool, a number of people were thrilled when comparing it to the temperatures that stubbornly hovered in the teens and low 20’s before noon the week prior. 

• “My favorite part …”

The El Dorado – Union County Chamber of Commerce, its ambassadors, well wishers and even the curious gathered at the newest Southern Classic Chicken location on East Hillsboro in El Dorado to celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony. Karen Hicks, VP of Membership & Events welcomed the crowd and handed the event over to Chamber CEO Bill Luther. Mr. Luther also thanked the crowd for their attendance before praising the owners of Southern Classic Chicken for their investment in the community. Mr. Luther talked about the product, fried chicken, but said his favorite thing about Southern Classic Chicken, “… is the 34 new employees you’ve put to work!”

• Deep Roots, makes for GREAT Chicken! 

The story of Southern Classic Chicken and how it evolved into what it is today began in 1976 when Leon Fanning started his first chicken restaurant. Leon then brought in his brother, Howard Fanning and his son Brandon Fanning to make what we know as Southern Classic Chicken. Today, a second generation of Fannings have taken the helm with Alan (Howard’s son), as well as Brandon and Alex Fanning (Leon’s sons) running the company’s day to day operations.

• It was basically move or else!

The El Dorado restaurant is the company’s northernmost location and their lone store in Arkansas.The new location for Southern Classic Chicken is only about a quarter of a mile west of their previous spot, where they had been for the previous 40+ years. The move was precipitated by the State of Arkansas’ plans to expand Hillsboro Street into four lanes. The proposed route of the expansion would have had hot pavement and yellow stripes going through the middle of the kitchen. 

• “You don’t leave a community that has been good to you!”

At the ribbon cutting, Alan Fanning told the crowd that when he had to abandon the previous location, at the behest of the State of Arkansas, a number of people were “suggesting” locating his new restaurant to “a different area of town.” Fanning, however, said he couldn’t imagine the restaurant being anywhere other than El Dorado’s East side, saying: “My family built our first restaurant in El Dorado in 1976. El Dorado has been a great market for me and my family and this side of town has been very good to us, that’s why we fought to stay on this side of town.” Fanning recounted that he had exhausted his searches for a location when he met with a local Realtor, Jason Reed of Century 21 United, and together they were able to make a deal happen for the current site. “To be, what, maybe 220 – 250 yards down the road from where we were? That’s perfect. There were people that wanted me to go to the Avenue (North West) but you don’t leave a community that has been good to you!”

• Get them in now and they’ll keep coming back

 Fanning does admit he anticipates the future construction of the four-lane to hamper business temporarily but said that potential slow down was all the more reason to get people in and used to the new location. He hopes the quality and taste of the chicken, along with the “Southern” sides they have become known for will compel the public to tolerate the minor inconveniences of slower traffic once that construction begins. 

• More is better

Most restaurateurs would cringe knowing that another quick serve restaurant with the same type of walk-up / drive-thru model was going to locate near them. Not Alan Fanning! He looked next door to his new restaurant at an empty lot, pointed and said, “From what I am hearing, the hamburger place is supposed to be moving in right there. There was some talk that they were going to do some kind of a food truck type thing but I believe that has changed and now they are going with a brick and mortar restaurant. I welcome it, the more development and traffic we get to this side of town, the better.”

• It starts with good people

Fanning said the move, along with the more than $1.2 Million investment, doesn’t happen without knowing you can have good employees and they will keep things going. “Miss Minnie Berry, she’s been with us, well let’s see, I think she’s been here for right at 40 years. When we closed the old location, she had said she was going to retire. Thankfully, we were able to talk her out of it for a little while longer. She brings a lot of experience and knowledge into that kitchen every day. We are really fortunate to have a really good group of employees.” 

• Don’t Stop Here

According to Fanning, the El Dorado ribbon cutting is one of many he plans to attend in the coming months and years. Currently the company operates 17 corporate locations. While talking with some locals who were in attendance, Fanning revealed plans to totally rebuild some other locations and open brand new ones. Fanning doesn’t plan growth just at the “corporate run” level, about three years ago the restaurant business was abuzz  when a former in-house lawyer for the parent company of Popeye’s Chicken announced he had assembled a team that plans to franchise the unique Drive-Thru / Walk Up business model. Tom O’Keefe, who not only worked for Al Copeland Industries, (the parent of Popeye’s and Church’s Chicken) but did a stint in the corporate office of Ruth’s Chris and was President and Chief Operating Officer of Smoothie King, announced that SCC Foods, LLC and Ikonik Restaurant Brands, LLC would begin franchises of Southern Classic Chicken, building at least 15 new locations expanding into communities within 50 – 100 miles of Shreveport, LA and had committed to the New Orleans and Lafayette areas as well. 

The El Dorado location is at 1011 E. Hillsboro, directly across from CARSTAR Laneys Collision Center.

EL DORADO – Movie lovers and music enthusiasts alike are in for a spectacular evening as the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra presents Symphony of Cinema, a celebration of legendary composer John Williams. The concert will take place on February 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium.

Audiences can expect a thrilling performance featuring iconic scores from some of the most beloved films in cinematic history, including:

• Close Encounters of the Third Kind
• Lost in Space
• Superman
• Star Wars
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

With a legacy spanning decades, John Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest film composers of all time, having created unforgettable scores that have shaped the movie industry. His music brings adventure, wonder, and emotion to life, making this event a must-see for fans of both classical music and film soundtracks.

Tickets and more information are available at www.southarkansassymphony.com. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the power of live orchestral music paired with some of Hollywood’s most legendary themes!

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