Years always end abruptly. As we grow older, the years seem to come and go at an ever-quickening pace. The year 2006 has certainly flown by us all.

Locally, the year was filled with great promise of good things to come. But what&8217;s ahead for the coming year?

If we had our druthers, we&8217;d like to see the following in 2007:

A design for the Roth Hill development that complements, not distracts, from the river&8217;s beauty and a financial arrangement that adequately compensates the city.

Some financial assurances that Rentech will, in fact, build a plant in Adams County. Local leaders went to bat for the project, garnering state support and funding. Now it&8217;s time for a realistic timeline.

The City of Natchez has skirted the issue of annexation and consolidation long enough. It&8217;s time to get serious about both.

Vidalia must get its utility rates under control. Its citizens deserve more fair rates.

Natchez leaders should dust off or recreate a comprehensive plan for the city. It should include plans to repair the city&8217;s crumbling infrastructure &8212; horrendous sidewalks downtown and bumpy streets top the list.

Leaders in the Miss-Lou need to put their heads and wallets together and build a state-of-the-art recreation facility. Such a facility is long overdue.

Lawmakers would push through legislation extending incentives for the production of biofuel that has already sparked business development.

Lastly, our area needs a true industrial park. Often political and territorial factions splinter our economic recruiting efforts. Focusing those energies on the creation of such a park would give us an added edge.

We hope some of these ideas take root in 2007.