Before we start this week in earnest, let&8217;s take a look back at the good news that made headlines last week:

Jefferson County received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a program to train and employ high school dropouts to build housing for low-income families.

Starting in July, 20 participants ages 17 to 24 will earn GED&8217;s and construction and job skills in the YouthBuild program. In the process, they will build high-quality, energy efficient housing to create homeownership opportunities for low-income families.

Sales tax figures remain strong in Natchez. The city received $443,293 this month, up 16.25 percent from the $381,320 it received the same month in 2005.

That&8217;s down from a fiscal year high of $487,726 in November, post-Katrina, but down only 1 percent from the $447,891 the city received last month.

Faye Minor, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Miss-Lou, recently received the statewide Professional of the Year Award. That award is given to someone whose club shows outstanding growth, among other factors.

We hope that Minor, her staff and volunteers continue to grow the club to serve the area youth who need it most.

Here&8217;s to another week full of good news.