Hopefully, each of you received a nice Valentine’s Day gift yesterday. What a great way to start off another week than by fondly remembering some of the good news from our community last week.

-Natchez may become a bit greener over the next several years thanks to the good works of the Adams County Soil and Water Conservation folks. The group gave away dozens of trees over the weekend along with Duncan Park Golf Course Superintendent Greg Brooking, who personally donated 300 live oak seedlings to celebrate Arbor Day. Our part of the world is blessed by abundant forest resources, but we’re only blessed as long as we work hard to replenish the forests around us.

-Natchez was honored with the No. 2 spot on the Lonely Planet’s list of the “most unexpectedly exciting places to visit in the United States in 2016.” It’s quite an accomplishment for Natchez, based in large part on the city’s ongoing tricentennial celebration. The award is just another feather in Natchez’s hat and one in which we know the local tourism leadership will take great pride.

-Natchez celebrated its black history along with its present-day musical talent over the weekend in the first hip-hop summit. The event was sponsored by the Natchez Tricentennial celebration and aimed at exploring how the hip-hop musical genre works as a form of communication.

We hope your week is filled with lots of good news for you and your family.