How is spring treating you so far? The robins are all over my yard and watching them has been a fun thing to do for the last week or so. Here is your weekly dose of good news from Lofty Matters.

The economy has been bad but is now showing signs of improvement. The decline continues, but some experts say that the worst may be over. Evidence of this includes the price rise in commodities and some surveys that show that consumer mood is brightening. There has been higher spending in the past week. The Federal Reserve Board is meeting to discuss the economy. Citigroup and Bank of America are reporting that their firms were profitable the first two months of this year even.

85-year-old World War II vet Richard Thill was unexpectedly given his high school diploma 69 years after graduation.

Thill thought he was going to Humboldt High School in St Paul to tell the students about his experiences. But he had been lured there to be awarded an honorary diploma. It was dated June 8, 1942.

The 200 students at the assembly gave him a standing ovation.

Thill said his high school career ended because of a sailor’s white hat. A family friend had been in the Naval Reserve. He had a really cool white hat and Thill asked him for it. The reservist said no, then said: “If you join, you can get a whole uniform.”

National Honor Society students from Norwich High School are learning aboutthe basics of non-profit organizations. Their organization was asked to participate in a program that would administer $10,000 in grant funds to various non-profit organizations.

The students are learning about non-profit organizations and about specific operations in the area.

The students received nine request for proposal forms from area non-profit agencies asking for funding for specific projects.

Before they began this exercise, many of the students said they were aware of non-profits in the community but had no idea what went on behind the scenes.