Spring is in the air, and good news has arrived with it. The pages of The Daily Leader have been full of positive stories this past week. Below is a look back at some of those stories.

• Brookhaven’s John Edwards Post 12 celebrated 100 years of the American Legion Thursday with a party for all veterans and their spouses. Chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization, the American Legion has grown to have more than 2 million members in 13,000 posts worldwide, including the post in Brookhaven.

• Kathleen Black, a fourth-grade math teacher at Brookhaven Elementary School, recently earned recognition as the Brookhaven School District’s Teacher of the Year. “The feeling is overwhelming,” she said. “I’m just honored to represent every teacher and principal who has always supported and believed in my efforts.”

• The United Methodist Men’s annual fish fry will be Thursday in the church parking lot. The United Methodist Men have organized this fish fry for more than 25 years. “This is our one fundraiser for the year,” treasurer Paul Baham said. “We stay involved all year long.” Baham said the money raised from the fish fry allows the men’s group to contribute to several causes not only around the community, but around the state as well.

• The West Lincoln Lady Bears placed second in the the MHSAA 2A state basketball finals. While they were disappointed in not winning the championship trophy, they have much to be proud of. The championship game appearance was the first for the Lady Bears since 1957. “I’m proud of what we accomplished this season,” said coach Brooks Smith. “The seniors set the bar high and I hope this leads to bigger and better things in the future. I had a great group of ladies both on and off the court. County champs, back-to-back region champs, and playing for a state title all this season, I’m very proud to coach this group of girls.”

• A Brookhaven native has been appointed to lead a charity dance marathon at the University of Mississippi.

Jamie Sproles, 20, was appointed to serve as the president of RebelTHON for the 2019-2020 school year at Ole Miss. RebelTHON is part of a network of dance marathons held throughout the country at various high schools and colleges. Sproles is a double major in secondary English education and public policy at Ole Miss. She is a member of the Honors College, the MS Excellence in Teaching Program and the Trent Lott Institute. She is the daughter of Tommy and JoAnna Sproles of Brookhaven and a 2016 graduate of Brookhaven High School.