Homers -- What's going right

HELPING HANDS: Iowans are, predictably, responding to others in need - in this case, the victims of the monster tornado that devastated Moore, Okla. Laurie Mead, mother of a Cedar Rapids Kennedy youth baseball team player, sparked a project to collect extra baseball equipment, clothing and monetary donations to send to baseball players in Moore who lost so much - including some who lost loved ones. Linn-Mar Lions players joined the cause, which continued through the weekend. Meanwhile, KCRG-TV9 and WMT radio quickly partnered for a telethon that raised more than $12,000 in just two hours to help the Red Cross fund for tornado victims. No doubt, other Eastern Iowans are pitching in, too.

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POSTVILLE POSITIVE: Postville's traumatic immigration raid five years ago caused great upheaval. But good things are happening, and one example is the Barnabas Uplift Certified Nursing assistant program. Eight low-income participants just completed their certification training, a joint endeavor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Northeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Northeast Iowa Community College, Postville Good Samaritan Society and other local groups.