Homers -- What's going right

MORE CHOICES: Several specialty grocery stores and smaller food shops expect to open for business within the year. In addition to giving consumers more variety, most of the businesses will expand the market for locally grown foods, another boost for our regional economy.

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WORKING OUT: Kudos to the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department for its Club R.E.C. - a new program that offers workout classes to people with intellectual disabilities. The program is a spinoff of Special Olympics, and aims to help an especially at-risk population address challenges often related to obesity.

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MORE RECYCLING: A new $12 million recycling facility opened at the Site 2 landfill operated by the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency. Agency member Marion, meanwhile, also expects to see the Fiberight company break ground on a new recycling facility this spring. Too much competition? Maybe. But maybe both can make it financially while greatly reducing the amount of trash being landfilled and recovering more valuable resources.

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BALANCED APPROACH: A Johnson County-based group, Ripples 2 Waves, launched what it hopes will be on ongoing, productive community discussion about gun violence toward finding middle ground on legislation that respects gun rights while reducing tragic outcomes.

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