Gomers: What's going wrong

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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WEEK OF LOSS: Whenever one of our soldiers dies while serving in combat, many family members, friends and other Americans share the pain and grief. Last week was an especially difficult one for our state. We lost two among the 2,800 Iowa National Guard members serving in Afghanistan. Spc. Don Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, was on patrol Wednesday when a roadside bomb hit his vehicle. On Tuesday, Spc. Brent Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, was killed in a similar incident. They became the first and second casualties since the Iowa Guard troops arrived in November.

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CAMP AT RISK: Funding cuts from two state sources have put a financial bind on the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County's summer day camp for children in three Iowa City neighborhoods, Forest View Mobile Home Park, Pheasant Ridge and Broadway. The seven-week camp helps keep kids academically engaged and also assists some with behavioral programs. The center is trying to save the camp by asking businesses and individuals to donate scholarships. To donate or get more information: www.ncjc.org/ or (319) 354-2886.

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