Matthew Godfrey

OGDEN -- In his final address as mayor of Ogden, Matthew Godfrey stopped twice to collect himself. He spoke about how the pressures of public criticism had damaged the family name his father was proud of and how the death of his father four years ago affected him.

Thursday I had coffee at Grounds for Coffee on 25th Street, then wandered past the shops, restaurants and businesses to Ron Inkley's Imaging Depot for a roll of film I had developed.

Read that paragraph again. Twelve years ago the walk I took was vastly different.

Sadie Clifford's coffee shop didn't exist. Ron Inkley's place was a run-down bus station. Almost none of the shops, stores and restaurants in between were there.

OGDEN -- For a dozen years, Mayor Matthew Godfrey has had a near panoramic view of his administration's handiwork.

OGDEN -- Formal bribery charges have been filed against a Perry police officer as well as the friend, a former officer, the alleged bribe was meant to benefit.

OGDEN -- Weber, Davis and Morgan counties are leading major metropolitan areas in the percentage of job growth, according to research compiled by a national business publication.

OGDEN -- A recent state report revealing that Mayor Matthew Godfrey's staff spent $434,000 on three capital improvement projects between 2007 and 2009 without city council permission doesn't impact the municipality's financial stability, an auditor said Tuesday night.

This week the Standard-Examiner Editorial Board took a tour of Ogden's new crime center at the invitation of Police Chief Jon Greiner.

The impetus behind the invitation was a recent editorial in which the board called into question the need for such a center in a city the size of Ogden.