Homers -- What's going right

POWER SAVERS: The cities of Readlyn and Fairbank cut their electricity use in 2012 by 6.4 percent, winning a solar system for the Wapsie Valley schools in the Get Energized, Iowa! program, which encourages simple ideas to reduce energy consumption. Iowa Policy Project sponsored the friendly challenge to four cities along with the University of Northern Iowa Center for Energy and Environmental Education.

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ELECTION PERFORMANCE: The first-ever Pew Trust's Elections Performance Index examined election administration performance nationwide. Each state is measured on 17 indicators such as polling location wait times, availability of voting information tools online, number of rejected voter registrations, percentage of voters with registration or absentee ballot problems, how many military and overseas ballots were rejected, voter turnout, and the accuracy of voting technology. Iowa fared well, ranking No. 4. Wisconsin is No. 1. Details: www.pewstates.org/research/reports/elections-performance-index-85899445029

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POSITIVE SIGN: Iowa's state tax revenue continues to exceed predictions. This fiscal year, tax collections are 9.1 percent ahead of fiscal 2012.

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