Homers: What's going right

LEAF TALK: Last year, Linn County officials banned burning leaves in a buffer zone around the Cedar Rapids metro area city limits. Some residents are pretty upset. Now Lu Barron, chair of the Linn County Board of Supervisors, tells us the county will talk with the City of Cedar Rapids about contracting for leaf pickup service from the city's new vacuum truck fleet. The city is interested. Good to see efforts among government entities to share resources.

l l l

Facebook TO THE RESCUE: When Nick Etten saw the Facebook note from a college friend, Matthew Burge, he was quick to respond. Burge was looking for a kidney donor for his dad, John Burge of Cedar Rapids. Etten offered one of his kidneys, and it proved to be a match. Transplant surgery Thursday was successful.

l l l

PAY IT FORWARD: Among many good-neighbor deeds recently was a project by North-Linn High School students. Using money raised in the school's FFA fruit sale, students offered up to $15 worth of free gas to customers at Guppy's on the Go in Marion on Dec. 13 - if the recipient agreed to do a good deed for two strangers. More than 100 takers hopefully became givers that day.