Homers -- What's going right

GRADUATION RATES: Overall, Iowa's public universities are making progress on efforts to improve graduation rates of blacks and other minorities. The rates are still well below those of all students but initiatives such as more mentoring, scholarship programs and targeted summer orientation are making an impact.

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WASTE-TO-ENERGY: Marion City Council took a big step forward by approving a more palatable, revised contract offer to Plasma Power LLC, which wants to build a cutting-edge plasma-arc plant that would convert trash to energy and reduce the amount of materials going to landfills. It's a groundbreaking project that needs due diligence by public officials but has big potential environmental and economic benefits for the metro area.

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RIGHT DIRECTION: Iowa is in the first year of a five-year initiative to become the nation's healthiest state. And Iowans apparently are headed in the right direction. The latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index showed Iowa moving up from 19th in 2010 to 16th in 2011. Iowa improved in five of the six measures of well-being.

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