While gearing up for the coming week, let’s take a look at some of the good news that made its way into the headlines last week:

Hundreds attended the weekend’s Great River Road Food Festival.

About 450 tickets were sold to Friday night’s Taste of the River event alone.

That’s understandable, considering that for just $25 attendees could sample gourmet favorites from a variety of chefs &045;&045; from fruit salad with cilanto to white chocolate cheesecake.

The rest of the weekend’s events were also sold out. Key events ranged from a biscuit cook-off to bocce ball games and pizza on the bluff to the Great Chefs, Great Houses event.

Festival Chairperson Regina Charboneau said she believes the event has gotten every year, adding that &uot;I really think we’re there now.&uot; We couldn’t agree more.

Legislation has been introduced to study the feasibility of two new interstates through the Deep South &045;&045; one from Savannah, Ga., to east Tennessee and one from Augusta, Ga., to Natchez.

Building the proposed Interstate 14 would give us yet another valuable of infrastructure needed to help attract industries to our area &045;&045; bringing in more good jobs with benefits. While no one knows what the future holds for the idea yet, every good thing has to start somewhere.

More than 300 people laid off from International Paper’s Natchez mill are being helped through a $1.8 million National Emergency Grant administered by the state.

The money is being used to help retrain the workers in fields ranging from welding to truck driving to floral design at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. It’s also being used to help people get the services and goods they need to get new jobs, from child care to purchasing new work uniforms. As one trainee put it, &uot;It’s a lifesaver.&uot;

Here’s to another week filled with good news.