After a few years of support, the Natchez-Adams County Port appears to be fiscally afloat again and that&8217;s amazing news for the entire area.

Stunned by the loss of International Paper&8217;s business when the Natchez mill was shuttered a few years back, the port had been on a bit of governmental life support, as it were.

Adams County taxpayers subsidized the port operations. Earlier this week, through diligence and hard work, Port Director Anthony Hauer announced the life-support system was no longer needed.

In fact, Hauer presented the Adams County Board of Supervisors with a $50,000 check, proof, he said, that the port was back on its own feet.

The port has long been a key part of the industrial lure to our area. As a hub for the transportation of all sorts of good, the port can quite literally tie the Miss-Lou to the world.

And, quite frankly, not that many ports exist on the Mississippi River and in the past few years, the Natchez-Adams County Port has become increasingly more accessible.

Work to straighten and widen Government Fleet Road and a project to add a port connector road continue to make the port an integral part of our area&8217;s unique transportation system.

With the continued hard work of the port officials and leaders from city, county and state government, the port looks to be a key part of our area&8217;s future for a long time to come.