As another year draws to a close, we all traditionally look back to the chapter of our lives closing and remember the good and the bad that’s occurred.

The Miss-Lou certainly had its fair share of ups and downs this past year.

Sadly, 2018 was among the most violent years in recent memory with an incredible 14 people murdered.

Each of those lives taken impacted likely dozens of family and friends. We hope the rival feud that criminal investigators suggest is behind most of the deaths will end soon. These kinds of senseless killings need to end. The year also saw lots of other rather gloomy news with the closure of a number of local businesses and violent weather that heavily damaged houses in the Morgantown community.

But 2018 wasn’t all bad either.

Several economic development prospects came to fruition this year, bringing positive news about new jobs on the horizon.

Chief among those announcements was a new denim plant coming to Vidalia bringing much-needed jobs to the area. Also on the horizon is Syrah Resources’ plan to bring a spherical graphite processing plant to the area as well. Other great news included a state football championship for Adams County Christian School, more than three decades after the last state title.

Truly 2018 was a year of change for our area, but the change simply refines our community and its people, makes us better and stronger as we face the future, together.