Homers -- What's going right

WALKING'S BENEFITS: Kudos to Garner Elementary School in North Liberty, where a Johnson County pilot program to reduce obesity is off and walking. On Wednesday mornings, students can join the Walking School Bus groups escorted by parents - a natural way to increase the children's physical activity (and it can help parent volunteers, too).

lll

IN KADYN'S HONOR: Gov. Terry Branstad recently signed Kadyn's Law. It's named after Kadyn Halverson, the Northwood student who was hit by a pickup as she attempted to board a school bus in May. Recently we've heard more complaints and seen more news reports about drivers ignoring school bus stop-arm laws. Hopefully, the new law's stepped-up penalties and fines will remind Iowans to take seriously this rule of the road.

lll

WELL WORK: Whether Cedar Rapids ever builds flood protection on both sides of the river is up in the air. Meantime, it's good to see the city adding another 10 feet to the top of 43 vertical well heads as extra protection of the city's drinking water system, which was nearly shut down by the 2008 flood. Well worth the

$2.1 million expense for such a critical service.