LAYTON -- Last year, the economic swoon lowered gas prices dramatically, but the trend won't happen again this year, experts say.

SALT LAKE CITY -- A renewable energy program is giving a bright, green holiday gift to Utah's Hogle Zoo and Salt Lake City's Gallivan Center.

ROY -- The city has streamlined its sign ordinances after business owners spoke out to make sure they could get the signage they wanted.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Refineries from New Mexico to New Jersey are under severe economic pressure because of falling demand for fuel, with a number of facilities shutting down in recent months.

Our politically moderate former Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman long ago left for his new job as U.S. ambassador to China, but the conservative Utah think tank, the Sutherland Institute, isn't through tussling with him.

When my youngest grandson was born, my daughter remained in the hospital in intensive care for three weeks and almost died. Three surgeries and doctors giving us grim prognosis later, she thankfully, started showing improvement.

With three surgeries and three doctors telling my daughter what medications to take, and that she had to continue them so there wouldn't be further problems, there were, and she became dependant on the medications. DCFS swooped in and took away her children.

(UNEDITED)The homeless community has grown significantly this past year, beyond the existing capacity of community shelters and support organizations. Homeless shelters are stretched to their limits this winter as resources decrease and demand increases. Our community needs to extend their assistance in every way possible.

Children at school are getting too much homework and they need to have time to live their lives once in a while. Just this past weekend, I had Spanish, social studies and science tests to study for and I had to write this essay, finish making a pinata, complete a Spanish worksheet, do math problems, write 30 vocabulary words and read part of a book.

OGDEN -- When the brackets were first announced for the Division I FCS playoffs, the initial reaction from the Weber State players was excitement at seeing their name on the screen. The next emotion, however, was confusion when they noticed their opponent.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Above everything else, Mehmet Okur is a basketball player. A 6-foot-11, 273-pound basketball player.

SNOWBASIN -- You could almost call it "Black Thursday."

OGDEN -- When Trevyn Smith first stepped on Weber State's campus, he did so with a chip on his shoulder. Five years later the chip might still be there, but it's been joined by the long list of accomplishments he has gathered while becoming one of the most dominant running backs the Big Sky Conference has ever seen. It's those sets of numbers that show how dedicated he has been to the program.

Come and watch a man blow himself up onstage.

Free science.

THEATER

Top of Utah

'ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS: A NORTH POLE MUSICAL,' 7:30 p.m. today, Thursday-Dec. 5, 10-12, 16, 18, 19, 21 and 23, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Dec. 23, Eccles Center, 1400 Old Main Hill, USU, Logan. Show only: $15.95, $9.95/children; dinner and show: $30.95, $17.95/children. (435) 755-0968.

KAYSVILLE -- The construction of snow globes became a teaching moment for a group of girls and women learning about technology and trades.