As we begin a new week, let’s take this opportunity to reflect and show our gratitude for the many good things that happened in our community in the last week. These are but a few highlights.

• Congratulations to organizers of the eighth annual Bricks and Spokes, the 33rd Old Court House Museum Flea Market and the Downtown Fall Festival. Together, these events brought thousands of residents and neighbors to Vicksburg.

Last week’s Mississippi Governor’s Conference on Tourism reinforced the importance of those dollars and what they mean to the Vicksburg and Warren County economy. One family visiting Vicksburg for a weekend deposits hundreds of dollars here. They eat at our restaurants, buy gas for their vehicles, shop at our businesses, stay at our hotels and inns, and pay admission fees at our parks and other venues.

Events like those this weekend in Vicksburg aren’t only fun, they are an important segment of our economy that, by all indications, is healthy and growing.

• By the way, congratulations to the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, which won the Social Media Strategy award at the Governor’s Conference last week. Members of that organization are doing a great job representing our city.

• Congrats to Shore Excursions of America and the American Queen Co., which earned a spot in the Most Innovative Shore Excursion of the Year category at the Seatrade Cruise Awards for their “On the Front Lines of the Civil War” excursion in Vicksburg.

• Vicksburg native Russell Morrison has a new job. He’s at work as a financial advisor with the Fenelon Group of Merrill Lynch in Ridgeland. Good luck, Russell.

• Warren Central Vikings did our county proud Friday night when they scored more than 60 points, including two defensive touchdowns, in their 63-36 whopping of Greenville. That’s a homecoming to remember.