The State of Mississippi collectively mourned the loss of one of its great leaders last week with the passing of Natchez native and former Mississippi governor, Bill Allain.

But the entire week wasn’t spent mourning, as residents across the Miss-Lou continued doing great things.

-Jamarion and Jordan Scott will soon light up the screen as young James Brown in the biopic “Get On Up,” which is currently being filmed in Natchez. The eight-year-old twins were cast to play the role after crewmembers discovered the two at their extended day care. The boys are a shining example of the talent that can be found throughout our community and the entire state.

-Sheila Evans got involved with the Girl Scouts 15 years ago to help her daughter, Shanteria Williams, but Evans quickly became just as involved. Evans decided to stay a troop leader after Williams moved on because of how much the experience helped her daughter. We thank Evans for staying involved and continuing to mold the minds of young girls in our community.

-Brian Jackson doesn’t have to pick between playing the snare drum in the band or mathematics as his favorite part of school — the Morgantown Middle School eighth grader does both. Jackson was recently honored for scoring advanced and showing growth on two of the annual state tests in language arts and mathematics. We wish Jackson the best as he continues his academic and extracurricular activities.

-The Natchez Christmas Parade rolled through an unseasonably cold Saturday night. We thank all of the volunteers who made the parade such a treat this year.

Don’t let the cold, wet weather stop you from doing even more great things this week in the Miss-Lou.