Homers: What's going right

WOMEN FULL-COURT PRESS: How about those women's basketball teams? The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the upstart University of Northern Iowa squads all qualified for the NCAA tournament, joining UNI in the men's field, as play opened last week. For the UNI women, it was their first-ever trip to the event.

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PLAIN AND SIMPLE: The Plain Language Act, authored by Iowa's First District congressman, Bruce Braley, was approved by the House last week. It requires the federal government to write all new publications, forms and documents, such as tax returns and college aid applications, in simple, easy-to-understand language. A companion bill has passed a Senate committee. Keep it simple, Congress.

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CANINE UNIT SCORES BIG: A Cedar Rapids police K9 unit named Marco recovered 500 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $500,000 last week. Marco and his handler, Officer Al Fear, found the marijuana on a routine business check when the dog led the officer to a garage. Marco has been with Cedar Rapids police for almost three years. The find is part of an ongoing investigation.