Homers -- What's going right

AG'S BOOST: Be grateful, Iowans, for our highly productive farm economy, which has seen net income boom over the past decade. Without that healthy sector, our state's economy and job market would have been as bad as most other states during the 2008-09 recession, says state Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald. And ag likely will be a financial cushion if the nation slips into another recession.

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LIFESAVERS: Five Corridor residents were among 26 Iowans honored with annual Governor's Lifesaving Awards: Emily Kleinmeyer and Juanita Gensley-Bader, Iowa City; Courtney Rogers, Marion; Kaitlin Mitchell, Center Point; and Ryan Ruden, Coralville. Ruden was just 12 when his prompt actions - using techniques he learned in Boy Scouts - kept his mother alive after she had a seizure and fell.

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RUMMAGING: The fifth annual Rummage in the Ramp sale in Iowa City drew another big response. It diverted about 24 tons of materials from the landfill and raised nearly $18,000 for local non-profit groups. The amount of material kept out of the landfill was down from 28.2 tons in 2010 while the amount of money raised was up about $2,700.