Homers -- What's going right

LESS BINGING: The 2011 biennial survey of University of Iowa students shows that binge drinking dropped 8 percent in the last two years. That's encouraging. Iowa City's year-old 21-only ordinance in bars and the UI's stepped-up education efforts with parents and students, plus offering more alternative activities, get at least some credit for the decrease.

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FREEDOM FESTIVAL HEROES: Salutes to this year's Freedom Festival heroes, all of whom have contributed much to serving their community: Barbara Waychoff, Paul Michelson, Christoph Trappe, Gary Streit and Josh Holland.

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READ ON: Thanks to many area libraries and their staff who maintain summer reading programs to keep kids learning and motivated during their long break from school classes.

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GOOD MOVE: New City Manager Tom Markus proposed and the City Council in Iowa City approved elimination of the assistant city manager position, while creating a new assistant position with different duties and a lower pay grade. It will save the city $26,000-plus annually and take effect after longtime Assistant City Manager Dale Helling retires this year. Helling has served well, including a long stint as interim city manager, but his situation was unusual and the new structure makes economic and organizational sense.