Gomers - What's going wrong

NO DISCLOSURE: Iowa City School officials finally settled last month a lawsuit alleging they ignored two parents' Freedom of Information Act requests for details about bids for several district maintenance projects.

Parents say they ultimately did receive the public documents. But we can't help but wonder if other requests may have been improperly denied to people without the time and resources to take their case to court.

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WRONG MESSAGE: Students at Dunkerton Schools got an earful of hate this week at a school assembly featuring the controversial Minnesota-based group You Can Run But You Cannot Hide.

Dunkerton Community School Superintendent Jim Stanton apologized, saying the group's anti-gay remarks don't fit with the district's philosophy. He held a second school assembly to clear up the confusion.

But a quick Internet search reveals the group's anti-tolerance message is no secret. If the district had done its homework, officials could have avoided this mess in the first place.

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UNDER WATER: Nearly 10 percent of Iowa homeowners owed more on their mortgage in the last quarter of 2011 than their home or condominium is currently worth, according to a recent report. That's better than national figures, but still cause for concern.

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