Things are rolling right along in the River City. With half of the fiscal year complete, the Vicksburg Convention Center reported this week they are in the black for 2015-2016 even with unforeseen repairs to the facility.

A total of $19,956 was spent on maintenance, which included repairs to the air conditioner, escalator and generator, but after lodging tax was applied, VCC executive director Annette Kirklin said, “We’re in the black $29,016.”

For the first two quarters of the fiscal year, lodging tax was up 10 percent, income was up 6.3 percent and expenditures were down 12 percent compared to last year’s numbers, Kirklin said.

In addition to the positive financial report from the VCC, Vicksburg was also busy raising money for some of the local nonprofits.

Early Saturday morning the 12th annual Bluz Cruz Kayak and Canoe Race was held. The event, which is a 22-mile race down the Mississippi River, is a fundraiser that supports Service over Self (SOS) a non-denominational youth service project that provides necessary home repairs and materials to those in need in Vicksburg and Warren County.

More than 140 paddlers signed up for the race this year, close to being a new record high, race director Wayne Pratt said.

Third-time competitor Rick Carter of Eutawville, S.C., took home the coveted first place trophy with a finish time of just over two hours and 14 minutes.

Also Saturday morning, the Exchange Club of Vicksburg Child and Parent Center hosted the sixth annual Party in the Park at Catfish Row Art Park. The event, which is held each year to commemorate National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, consisted of games, food, karaoke, a bouncy house, a petting zoo provided by Alcorn State University, a cakewalk with cupcakes donated by area churches and trackless train rides on Levee Street.

On Saturday evening, the United Way of West Central Mississippi’s fifth annual Dancing with the Vicksburg Stars was held at the Lady Luck Arena.

The event raises money for the organization’s early childhood literacy program called LEARN or Leaders Encouraging Advanced Reading Now.

The Propulsion Dance Company walked away with the Mirror Ball Trophy. Members included Abigail Walters, Amelia Brame, Andrea Tower, Elena Deyler, Laura Meyers and Stacey Massey.