Homers -- What's going right

BLUE ZONES REDO: The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating a reapplication to achieve Blue Zones status. The initial application for the national program to improve residents' overall health, fitness and lifestyles failed, according to chamber officials, because it was presented as three cities applying, the media weren't fully engaged and there wasn't enough community support. This time it's one entity applying with many partners focusing on grassroots-level awareness and getting more residents to sign the Blue Zones pledge, among other activities. Go for it.

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NEIGHBORLY: At least 11 neighborhoods organized get-together events for Tuesday's National Night Out; several in Iowa City did, too. The event helps residents know their neighbors better. Police and firefighters took part at many sites and provided materials about how close-knit communities can prevent crime.

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YOUTH INSPIRES ELDERLY: Emily Bicknese, 18, of Elgin, helped elderly nursing home residents help others. She created “Grandma, Will You Read to Me?,” collecting children's books and then recording residents as they read aloud. She edited the readings, burned them on CDs and mailed them with the books to orphanages around the world.