I have always had a wonderful dad. I have a dad who is caring, understanding, patient, talented, full of good advice and most of all loves me, even with all of the faults and downfalls that I have. I also have a husband who mirrors all of the good qualities that my dad has. My husband is the reason all of the neighborhood kids envy our children. He plays with the kids whether it is a game of ball, flying kites, riding four-wheelers, or just playing a game of wrestling. On more than one occasion the neighborhood kids have commented that our kids have a "cool dad." I hope our children still think that in the years to come as they turn into teenagers with their own opinions.

Cancer touches us all. In today's modern world, one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer sometime during their lifetime. In the core of such fierce despair one can find inspiration to act, assist, and fight back.

Before last weekend, everything I knew about tornados I learned from watching "Twister" and "The Wizard of Oz."

Orem approved an $85.4 million 2008-09 budget Tuesday -- a budget termed "status quo" and "conservative" by city manager Jim Reams due to a downturn in the economy.

AGGRAVATED RE-ENTRY ARREST -- Orem Gang Task Force officers spotted a group of known gang members congregating Friday night, June 6, in the Smith's grocery store parking lot at 45 S. State. They contacted the group and begin checking them for warrants and other violations of law. An Immigrations & Custom Enforcement (ICE) agent working with the task force identified 19-year-old Jose Ramirez-Lopez, of Springville, as being already once deported from the US and back illegally. Ramirez-Lopez was arrested on an Aggravated Re-entry hold for ICE and booked into the Utah County jail. Officers also identified a 15-year-old American Fork boy wanted on a juvenile court pickup order. He was taken to the Slate Canyon Juvenile Detention Facility.

UDOT TO RESURFACE UNIVERSITY PKWY. IN OREM BETWEEN GENEVA ROAD AND 400 WEST -- The Utah Department of Transportation advises motorists of construction work on University Parkway (State Route 265) from Geneva Road to 400 West in Orem. Beginning next week, construction crews will begin rotomilling and resurfacing a mile and a half section of University Parkway between Geneva Road and 400 West.

Orange -- as in road barrels and safety cones -- will be the color of Orem this summer as the city tackles a number of road projects throughout town.

Editor:

I found myself this past weekend thinking, "If I only had a genie in a bottle, I would wish for two things." I would wish that I were a morning person and that I could feel peace and calm when my life and home were messy and unorganized.

Utah County Academy of Sciences called campus police to track down their honored guest speaker, UVSC President William Sederburg. It was a simple mistake -- he thought the academy's second graduating class began its commencement exercises at 7:30, not a half hour earlier.

Service-oriented professor wins two Best of State awards -- Marty Val Hill, a professor in UVSC's Woodbury School of Business, was recently nominated and won two Best of State awards in the category of Community Development. He walked away with the Individual Volunteer award for his volunteer service in the community and Appointed Official award for his service on the Utah State Board of Pharmacy for the past six years.