It was a week that started cold and ended wet and cold. The high on one day reached 72 degrees, but remained in the 40s on others. Lows dipped into the 20s on three nights. Hard rains fell on three days, measuring a total of almost 5 inches.

The Mississippi River continued a slow fall at the start of the week and then reversed under the pressure of upstream rains. The gauge at Vicksburg read 6.2 feet at the start of the period and 10 feet at week’s end, with a forecast of 9.7 feet today.

Workers laid off with the Yorozu plant’s closure will get benefits better than the state’s standard $210 per week maximum, but an exact amount and duration had not been calculated.

Tina Foley opened Tina’s Flowers & Gifts on U.S. 61 North.

Thousands of people flocked downtown for the sixth Parade of Lights, the city’s Christmas event that features bands and lighted floats. Rosalie Theobald was grand marshal.

Seven winners emerged from 65 individuals and groups entered in the largest-ever local caroling contest. Sponsored by radio station V105.5, the event offered $10,000 in cash prizes. Top soloists were Glentrice Johnson, Ethan Sumrall and Marquis Goodwin.

Gulfport and Ocean Springs high schools signed contracts to play in 2009 Red Carpet Bowl.

Plans were set to unveil a downtown mural remembering Koestler’s Bakery and its holiday display.

Vance Reynolds is the new CEO of River Region Health System. Reynolds is transferring here from Cheraw, S.C.

The four local governments that own Vicksburg Tallulah Regional Airport in a partnership met and agreed to renew their initial 25-year deal for a five-year period.

Warren County supervisors took bids from collection services, pondering whether to contract out seeking payment of delinquent garbage bills and justice court fines.

A contingent of 139 Headquarters Company personnel of the 168th Engineer Brigade mustered for deployment. After a period at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, they will head for Afghanistan.

The Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance asked the state Supreme Court to fine Warren County Justice Court Judge Richard Bradford III $100, have him reprimanded in public and suspended without pay for 30 days. Supporting documents accused Bradford of several violations, including phoning a fellow judge and asking him to dismiss a traffic citation.

New stained glass windows, given in memory of the late Grady Leese, were installed at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Three employees of a fast-food restaurant were charged with taking the purse of a customer who forgot it when she left the franchise and not giving it to her when she returned.

Excessive speed was said to have played a role when a car driven by Teresa Lynn Frazier, 47, left Oak Ridge Road, hit a tree and split in two. Frazier, alone in the vehicle, was killed by the impact.

Clear River Construction, the low bidder, was hired by the city for $2.8 million to perform clearing and leveling work on the site of a proposed recreation facility off Fisher Ferry Road.

Casino numbers from November showed increased activity over November 2007. The month was also the first for Riverwalk to be in business. Regulators said it was too early to say whether there’s an upward trend.

Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau directors adopted a spending plan that calls for more advertising, better salaries and increased trade show travel money.

Other than Teresa Frazier, deaths during the week included John Anthony Kelly, Charles Edward Butler Sr., Juanita Turner January, Barbara A. Blackledge, Warren Edward Grabau, Louis Robert Wrighten, Roosevelt Goodman, Phil W. Vance, Chris E. Balch, Kaylee Nichole Calvary Thomason and Tillie Underwood.