We are all certainly aware of the Magic City Carnival Association (MCCA) and the high-quality performance parade participants display every year. It’s nice to see that the rest of the region and country is starting to notice, as well.

In its January-February issue, Inside Northside magazine included an eight-page feature article on MCCA XXXVI. The article included multiple color photographs and interviews with MCAA representatives including captain Don Spiers, and directors Bill Arata and Larry Miller.

And several days ago, the website vacationsmadeeasy.com published their list of the top 10 Mardi Gras celebrations in Louisiana, not counting New Orleans. Bogalusa and MCCA was listed third on their countdown.

There will likely be many other mentions of MCCA in various media as the event draws nearer. This publicity is wonderful for our city, and the people who live here. I have no doubt that MCCA will put on another great show in February.

I would also like to applaud Bogalusa High School coach Lesley McKinley and the other administrators at BHS for their smart action. McKinley announced earlier this week that the school had decided to bar the public from all remaining athletic events in 2016 involving Bogalusa and Amite.

During the football season, the two schools were involved in an on-the-field fight at the end of their playoff game. Both Amite and BHS have received fines, game forfeitures, and other penalties from the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. Yet the two schools went even further.

This is a good idea. You hate to expect the worst, but there was certainly a chance that an angry Amite or Bogalusa supporter could have tried to start another fight at an upcoming basketball or baseball game. The LHSAA had already said no fans will attend next year’s Amite-BHS football game.

Hopefully by next winter’s basketball games, cooler heads will have prevailed and the Amite-BHS rivalry will return.

Thanks for reading The Daily News.