Gomers -- What's going wrong

SUMMER THREATS: The latest word from federal weather experts predicts a hotter-than-average summer for three-fourths of the nation, including Iowa. And the threat of drought looms larger in much of Iowa after a very mild, dry winter and below-average rainfall so far this spring.

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VETO OUT OF ORDER: We were disappointed to see Gov. Branstad, by executive order, veto a ban on lead ammunition for dove hunters. The ban was put in place last year by the state Natural Resources Commission as part of its rule-making duties for the new dove-hunting season. State legislators, who added the dove season, did not rescind the lead-shot rule this session. The NRC's expertise is best suited to make this call. And the fewer lead pellets scattered in our environment, the better for wildlife and people.

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FEWER APPLES: March set it up - the unseasonable warmth led apple trees to blossom a month early. Then April delivered a hard freeze on several nights, killing blossoms. About 80 percent of Eastern Iowa's apple trees were damaged. That means fewer local-grown apples this year.

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