Vicky Long Hill stands in the living room of her childhood home on a late June afternoon. A large portrait of Hill's beloved parents — the late John and Barbara Long — hangs alone on a corner wall. With its emerald green door and manicured lawn, the Long family home in West Des Moines' historic Valley Junction stands as a symbol of hope for a community once damaged by redlining and urban renewal projects. It also serves as a lasting reminder of John and Barbara Long, who for decades advocated for the city to invest in their neighborhood — which it ultimately did, using tax incentives and targeted repair and improvement loans to help turn it into a thriving business district with sought-after homes. Their years of work now will be recognized. Earlier this month, the West Des Moines City Council unanimously voted to designate Maple Street between First and 14th streets as "Johnny E. Long, Jr. and Barbara Long Honorary Roadway." "They were impactful, attending every City Council mee...