Standard-Examiner correspondent

OGDEN -- The international volunteer organization Soroptimists of Ogden will hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

SYRACUSE -- Winter parking guidelines go into effect in this city as of Tuesday.

The guidelines limit parking of any kind of vehicle on city streets from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Tuesday to March 15 on any day it snows or snow is forecast.

Police Chief Brian Wallace said the intent of the rule is to clear streets for snow removal and that police cite violations only in times of a storm.

A black-necked stilt nests in flooded grasslands along the county road that...

Flooding along the county road leading to Bear River Refuge has been a curse and a blessing this year. Sometimes the deluge has closed the road. But when the road is open, birding is the finest I've seen with the extra perks of new pavement, many pull-offs and several parking areas adjacent to prime marsh habitats.

The fun begins just west of the interstate before even passing the visitor's center. White-faced ibis, marsh opportunists, graze in flooded areas that have been dry for the last few years. Cliff and barn swallows course low over the saturated marsh grasses while gathering insects. A mallard pair, alert, stretches their necks and heads like periscopes above the grass. Common ravens survey the scene and croak from power pole perches where their unkempt stick nests punctuate the crossbars.

RIVERDALE -- By a narrow vote, the city council extended the city administrator's contract through 2014.

City Administrator Larry Hansen's current four-year contract was set to expire June 30, 2012, but the council voted 3-2 this week to extend the contract by two and a half years.

SYRACUSE -- Thursday was a great day for Logan Heinze.

The third-grader walked into the Bluff Ridge Elementary School office with a friend and said, "I can't wait until field day."

A few minutes later, activities filled the playground behind the school.

The city council voted against charging extra recreation fees for those wanting to play sports in North Ogden that don’t live in the city.

The council was tied on the issue and Mayor Richard Harris broke the tie, voting to not charge extra.

Community services director Dave Nordquist advised against the change because of the other dealings the department has with other cities to use other parks and facilities in other cities. Nordquist said he doesn’t feel the trade-off would be worth it financially for the city.