Homers -- What's going right

JAZZY FLOOD EDUCATION: Kudos to the College of Engieering, Hancher Auditorium, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Iowa Flood Center, State Hygienic Lab and iExplore STEM, all housed at the University of Iowa, for coordinating an initiative, “Living with Floods,” to promote flood education for high school and middle school teachers and students, community forums on flood recovery and mitigation, and technology, math and art festivals. The effort also landed the famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans for a free concert tour of seven Iowa cities hit by the floods of 2008 and 2011. The band is in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Iowa City on Saturday and Dubuque on Sunday.

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MORE OPEN: The operating agreement between the state Board of Regents and Iowa Public Radio was renewed for six years. We're glad to see that it states IPR will conduct its meetings in line with Iowa open meetings and records laws - an issue that had been in dispute recently.

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WELCOME BACK: Jim Leach, 30-year congressman from Iowa and a steady voice of reason, will join the University of Iowa faculty as a visiting law professor and the UI Chair in Public Affairs.