SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Hundreds of lightning-sparked wildfires have turned the air of Northern California into an unhealthy stew of smoke and ash, forcing the cancellation of athletic events and other outdoor activities.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Lester Leavitt has made a request of his family: oppose their church's opposition to gay marriage.

Fire officials are investigating the cause of a blaze that destroyed a Pleasant Grove house late Thursday night.

An Orem man accused of killing a 13-month-old boy pleaded not guilty on Friday.

Joe Pyrah

"Great, we have to choose between hospital food and jail food."

Brittani Lusk

The work is done; now it's time to party -- big.

Janice Peterson

In response to residents using alternative energy sources, Springville City has implemented a net metering program.

Cedar Hills council members are considering spending $72,000 to give themselves health, dental and other benefits that full-time city employees now enjoy.

Federal prosecutors had pledged to seek harsh sentences against the men convicted of lying to a grand jury that convened to investigate Kiplyn Davis's disappearance, and on Friday they got their wish as the third of three suspects in the 15-year-old's murder was sentenced for perjury.

Karl Miller was 6 when he watched LDS Church President Joseph F. Smith seal a time capsule in the cornerstone of the future Maeser Building at Brigham Young University.

MONA

• Lavender Days continues today with an array of activities, including educational sessions, craft and food vendors, rock climbing, pony and paddleboat rides and a 5K run through 140 acres of lavender in full bloom. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $4.50 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children 3 and under. More information and a schedule of events are available at www.younglivingfarms.com.

SPRINGVILLE

• A field day today at 1700 E. River Bottom Road from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will wrap up the American Radio Relay League's Amateur Radio Week. The public is invited to come and see ham radio's new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country. More than 30,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.

PROVO

• The American Red Cross Mountain Valley Chapter will be holding its annual meeting and volunteer appreciation event today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park on the grounds of the Utah State Hospital, 1300 E. Center St. There will be games, food and fun. All volunteers, members and donors, along with their families, are invited to attend. For more information contact the American Red Cross at (801) 373-8580.

• Homes located on hillsides or next to wildland with brush, small trees and grass may be at risk in the event of a fire in the area. Provo Fire and Rescue recommends that homeowners have at least 30 feet of "defensible space" around their homes to act as a barrier against an advancing fire. The Firewise Communities Web site, firewise.org, recommends keeping the area around a home "lean, clean and green." Lean -- prune shrubs and cut back tree branches, especially within 15 feet of a chimney. Clean -- remove all dead plant material from around your home, including dead leaves, dry grass and even stacked firewood. Green -- plant fire-resistant vegetation that is healthy and green throughout the year.

• BYU student Richard Palmer is among the top vote-getters in an online scholarship contest. He created a video called "Change the World" and will be awarded a scholarship if his video recieves the most online votes. To see Palmer's video and to vote, visit www.whyideserveascholarship.com.

Christopher Neal Jeppson, a suspect in the killing of Kiplyn Davis, on Friday was sentenced to five years in federal prison.