Sadly, last week was marked by a violent incident in nearby St. Joseph, La. Fortunately such events are rare in our corner of the world.

As we mourn the loss of three people involved in the St. Joe shooting, we also pause to look back at some of the positive events from last week:

• The Delta Charter School in Ferriday opened its doors to students marking the beginning of a new education alternative in Concordia Parish. The school, which has a math, science and technology curriculum, saw a successful first week of school.
• Three British kayakers traveling the Mississippi River to raise money for a charitable organization stopped in the Miss-Lou for a quick pit stop on their 2,200-mile journey from Lake Itasca, Minn., to the mouth of the Mississippi. The kayakers are raising funds for Help for Heroes, which supports soldiers injured in war. We wish the travelers a safe voyage on the rest of their trip.
• The Delta Care Project came to an end after providing nearly 3,000 people with free medical, dental and optical care. U.S. Army and Navy personnel were welcomed guests in Ferriday as they provided essential services to residents from all across our area. We thank the troops for their work and the local officials who made this project a reality.
• Local library director Susan Cassagne is packing her bags for Jackson to become the executive director of the Mississippi Library Commission after putting in more than 11 years at the Judge George W. Armstrong Library. We’re sad to see Cassagne leave Natchez, but we thank her for all the work she put into our library over the years.

It’s back to school this week for the final group of students in the Miss-Lou — Natchez and Adams County public schools.