Before we start the final week of April, let’s review some of the good news of last week.

4Sometimes a listening ear is all we need to get the ball rolling, and Natchez got just that this week.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River Commission spent several hours in town Thursday just to hear from local leaders and check up on past Natchez projects.

The Corps has been behind multiple grants and projects, including the bluff stabilization, and their work is valued in the Miss-Lou.

Commissioners heard from Natchez and Vidalia authorities, and said they’d consider requests for funding to help with Natchez drainage and the Vidalia port.

4 Community members hit the books this week in the Vidalia Lower Elementary school library. As part of National Library Week, the women’s club visited students, reading children’s books to them.

We all know reading is fundamental to education and life, and it is great to see the entire community get involved in sharing reading with children.

4 Never say McLaurin Elementary doesn’t know how to let its collective hair down. The school — one of the higher performing ones in the district — has spent all year preparing students for tests.

They’ve taught, reviewed and re-taught, but Friday they celebrated. Teachers in crazy costumes, custodians in wigs and students in homemade T-shirts made for a wild and crazy testing kickoff celebration.

The students, along with others in the district, will take state tests May 1-3.

The next week needs to be a relaxing one for public school children, and let’s hope the week is relaxing for the rest of us, as well.