Fall is in the air and balloons are on the horizon. As we wait for the annual Great Mississippi River Balloon Race to lift off, let us look at some of the highlights from this past week.

-Celebrating its 300th birthday, the City of Natchez continues to gain attention from national and regional media outlets. Two Mississippi Public Broadcasting programs spotlight the city with episodes about the area. Last week, “Mississippi Roads” aired an episode featuring Emerald Mound and featured an interview with local best-selling author Greg Iles. Another program will feature interviews with four Natchezians. Thanks to MPB for showing other public television viewers across the state how special our town is.

-Three local filmmakers unveiled a documentary film chronicling one of the darkest chapters in Natchez’s history. The film produced by Mark LaFrancis, Darrell White and Robert Morgan features interviews with survivors of the “Parchman Ordeal,” when local residents were arrested 51 years ago and sent to the Mississippi Penitentiary to face unimaginable abuses and humiliation. The film also includes interviews with former Gov. William Winter and Civil Rights leader Charles Evers to bring perspective to the film’s subject matter. Thanks to all who have helped tell this important story that went untold for far too long.

-The checks are almost in the mail for former Natchez Regional Medical Center employees who have been waiting to have a gap in payments hospital officials missed during the bankruptcy process. Supervisors promised hospital employees that everything would be taken care of.  The board said they expect the funds next week and will meet with Mississippi Public Employees’ Retirement System officials to make sure that former employees will have access to full retirement benefits. Thanks to supervisors for fulfilling their promise.

As we hope for more beautiful weather ahead, let us remember to give thanks to everyone who is striving to make our community great.