After moving out of the Lenten season and celebrating Easter Sunday, let us stay in celebration mode this Monday and take a look back at last week’s good news.

• A bill to strengthen laws against dogfighting offenders finally passed both the Mississippi House and Senate and has moved on to Gov. Phil Bryant’s desk. Though slightly watered down after numerous changes to Sen. Bob Dearing’s original authoring of the bill, the new legislation would add two years of jail time to first-offense dogfighting convictions and mean more stringent penalties for second and following offenses. Gov. Bryant would do well to sign the bill and take a step forward in trying to prevent this heinous crime.
• Eighth-grader Cate Drane discussed last week her college ambitions, as the University of Mississippi’s Lott Institute for Rising Ninth Graders selected the Trinity student to the Lott Institute’s prestigious summer program. Drane will learn about the “Problems in American Democracy,” where students will study recent American history. She is a shining example of how the area’s youth can set themselves up for future success through hard work.
• The Natchez-Adams County Habitat for Humanity chapter dedicated last week its 21st house to a family who had nowhere else to go. Bill Harr, his two daughters Linda Harr and Carol Ann Moore, and his granddaughter Megan Moore had been without a place of their own since June, when the roof of their two-bedroom trailer caved in. Thanks to the Natchez-Adams County chapter of Habitat for Humanity and its president Andrew Calvit, the family now has a place to call “home.”

As we continue into April, let us all try to keep a positive mindset and make a positive impact on our community.