Gomers -- What's going wrong

MORE HOMELESS VETERANS: While national figures show the number of homeless veterans dropping nationwide compared to a year ago, the reverse is true in Linn County. The county's Veteran Affairs office served 145 homeless veterans in 2010, up from 109 the previous years. Look for more as U.S. war activity winds down, says Linn VA director Don Tyne.

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HOLIDAY GIFT: Great. Gas prices are expected to hit $4 a gallon sometime near the Memorial Day weekend, AAA Minnesota-Iowa officials predict. Beyond that, weak demand is expected to deter any further increases and prices may well drop as summer approaches.

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SILT IN LAKES: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources studied lake silt buildup and found that 29 of 33 Iowa lakes studied have seen major increases in phosphorus levels over several decades. Much comes from fertilizer runoff, which contributes to algae blooms that kills fish and cause bacteria outbreaks. In recent years, increased corn planting is blamed for more sediment washing into some of the lakes.

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