Wednesday Morning Read: Historical Society marks 50 years; fatal fires underscore need for precautions; Iowa City Landfill bans cardboard

TODAY'S WEATHER — Mostly sunny, cold. High 10, low 4.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARKS 50 YEARS — The Johnson County Historical Society has been collecting local artifacts in an effort to preserve the community's history for 50 years. Through its collection of more than 12,000 artifacts, its programming, its role as a research facility and its management of historic properties, the historical society has been working to teach Johnson County residents about their history since its days half a century ago, as the Mormon Trek Memorial Foundation in 1967. Read more: http://bit.ly/2CbGGc1

FATAL FIRES UNDERSCORE NEED FOR PRECAUTIONS — In the span of just five days leading up to Christmas, Iowa's grim tally of people killed this year in house fires grew sharply after seven people — including children — were killed in two fires in one pocket of Eastern Iowa. The deaths raise concerns among firefighting professionals that too many people are not taking the basic precaution of having working smoke detectors in their homes, and not paying enough attention to the potentially life threatening juxtaposition this time of year of space heaters, wrapping paper and drying Christmas trees. Read more: http://bit.ly/2DfuTbK

IOWA CITY LANDFILL BANS CARDBOARD — Johnson County residents with boxes to break down after the holidays should know that, as of Jan. 2, those corrugated cardboard boxes no longer will be allowed in the trash. Read more: http://bit.ly/2C8qhot

BOWLS STILL MATTER FOR HAWKEYES — Bowl games still rate as an achievement for Iowa football. The program went bowl-less from 1960 to 1982, when Hayden Fry and an extremely talented defense broke through for a Rose Bowl berth. For how Iowa views bowl games, try to see this from head coach Kirk Ferentz's perspective. He was in his first season as Iowa's offensive line coach when Fry's team did its thing in 1981. With Wednesday's appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College (7-5), Ferentz has now taken Iowa to 15 bowl games. So, long bowl drought, Fry breaking down the bowl-less barrier, bowl games carry weight here. Read more: http://bit.ly/2lhBif4

QUOTABLE — 'We're not trying to create controversy but hope to have a community conversation, as the decision will affect the entire city.' Cindy Hadish, organizer of Save CR Heritage's upcoming forum on the Cedar Rapids Community School District's sweeping facilities proposal. Read more: http://bit.ly/2BXUwBz