The Miss-Lou saw a tennis tournament, barbecue cook-off, golf fundraiser and knife re-enactment this weekend, and all of that can only mean one thing —it’s fall in Southwest Mississippi.

Gorgeous weekend weather highlighted the outdoor events that keep us all so busy this time of year.

But the good news in the Miss-Lou spanned beyond the community events last week.

The Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau will receive $40,000 this year from state grants. The monies will be used to promote tourism, advertise our city and putting Natchez on the tourism map.

Outside dollars such as these combined with sales tax money generated within our community can really help promote our area’s biggest industry. It’s great news to know our tourism officials will be able to do more promoting this year.

It had been a while since we’d heard news on the Rentech front, and many folks in the area were beginning to wonder if the project would ever happen. But this week, the coal-to-liquid facility put its name in the news again by committing to buy 450 acres in the county.

The deal’s not done yet, but as long as talks continue, the facility is still a possibility. This area needs a Rentech, and we are glad to hear that local officials and Rentech leaders are still plowing ahead.

As the countdown to balloon race begins, we know the Miss-Lou will stay busy and happy in the weeks to come.