Standard-Examiner

BOUNTIFUL — A day-long, off-and-on argument ended late Tuesday night when police say a 43-year-old woman fatally stabbed her boyfriend in his townhome.

OGDEN -- Utah politicians from here to Washington D.C., are using legislation to recognize the sacrifice of the officers involved in the Jan. 4 Jackson Avenue shooting.

Editor,

The 2013 Defense Department budget presented by the Obama administration cuts military spending by $487 billion over 10 years, which translates into eliminating six Air Force fighter squadrons, cutting 16 ships from the Navy, and reducing the Army and Marine Corps by 80,000 to 100,000 troops over five years. Our erroneous thinking is that future wars will be fought with more high technology weapons and fewer troops. The problem is we could lose highly qualified military personnel because of the cutbacks in the size of our military and changes to their benefits.

DENVER -- The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Dewey Mackay must go to prison while his conviction is appealed.

The court ruled Wednesday in denying the former Brigham City doctor's bid to remain free pending the appeal.

Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney for Utah's office, in a press release said, "We will be filing a motion in the next day or two asking U.S. District Judge Dee Benson to set a new date for (MacKay) to report to begin serving his federal prison sentence."

Editor,

There has been much written lately concerning the Davis County cities that are seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency funds from the Federal Government (Feb. 9, "FEMA briefing set for Davis relief"). Kaysville is seeking $500,000 in relief from FEMA for the damages from the recent winds. In Tuesday night's Kaysville City Council meeting, Mayor Steve Hiatt, with support from Councilman Gil Miller, said that we should be thankful for this "insurance policy" that we pay into and that the funds are there for us (Feb. 15, "FEMA explains relief process").

SALT LAKE CITY -- The NBA announced Wednesday that Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans has been added to the 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk that will be held on Saturday at Amway Center in Orlando (TNT, 6 p.m.). He replaces New York's Iman Shumpert.

The Utah Legislature should soundly defeat an effort by some members that would allow billboard companies to upgrade to electronic signs without authorization from local communities.

Senate Bill 136, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, also would end traditional community standards for billboards. For example, to terminate a billboard placed in a municipality, eminent domain would be the only recourse. There is a similar bill in the House.

Billboard firms may be frustrated at cities that terminate their billboard rights, but this kind of regulation is not the Legislature's business to "fix." Cities are the correct entity to regulate billboards. Let sign companies negotiate with cities.

If local officials don't want electronic billboards or billboards encroaching too far into the community, they should be able to say no without having to invoke eminent domain.