Homers -- What's Going Right

VA MILESTONE: The Iowa City Veterans Administration Health Care System just marked 10 years of the second round of its transplant program, revived in 2001. Since then, 216 transplants have been performed there. It's one of four only kidney transplant centers in the nation's VA system and the only one that provides pancreas transplants. The Iowa City VA hospital performed the state's first kidney transplant in 1969.

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LANDFILL FUEL: Iowa City and the University of Iowa are collaborating smartly to pump methane from the city landfill to the UI Research Park in Coralville, where it will be used to generate electricity and heat within a year. It will save the UI money and also generate revenue for the city.

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MUSEUM REBOUND: The flood of 2008 caused $1.3 million dollars of damage to the African American Museum of Iowa, but one of the silver linings was a renewed focus on education. The former library now is a learning lab classroom, with two educators hired. Staff also provides traveling exhibits and public programs and classes over the Iowa Communications Network. Meanwhile, building repairs are done and paid off, with community support.