UP: To the start of the Artsbridge Winter Music Series, Sundays at the mall — beginning yesterday and continuing through Feb. 26. Local school groups and other artists have a chance to show off their incredible talents to an audience gathered in the foyer of the mall’s south entrance. If you have not heard the wonderful music produced by students who are honing their craft right here at home, don’t miss the chance to see how much our young singers and instrumentalists (and the educators directing them) have to offer.

UP: To the many area Christmas parades, lights displays and celebrations (such as Parkersburg’s Winterfest) that mean the holiday season is truly underway here in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Organizers work diligently to provide these events for the community, and they add up to traditions families can enjoy year after year. Thank you, folks, for all your hard work.

UP: To those who gathered last week in Belpre to offer input on an eventual economic development strategic plan for Washington County. Approximately 30 residents met to give and prioritize their ideas. And planners wanted to know which priorities would overlap with those of Marietta residents, helping narrow the focus for potential planning. County and community officials can’t envision the path toward a bright future alone. They need input from residents; and it is encouraging to know so many people are willing to participate in that process.