Buffalo Chip to Highland for halting discussion of emergency preparedness. Volunteers organizing a preparedness fair were taken aback when the city ordered them to cancel a presentation by the county Health Department on what to do in a pandemic, which is exactly the kind of emergency people should prepare for. Despite attempts to explain away this move, city staff let it slip that some local officials feared the presentation would cause a panic, as a famous radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds" led terrified listeners to flee an attack by purported Martians. We think it's the city officials who were doing the panicking.

Beehive to Collin Jensen for his bravery in fighting off a pit bull that was attacking his mother. The Orem teen kicked and punched the dog while it bit his mother. Thanks to his efforts, she escaped the vise-like jaws. He richly deserves his award of the Boy Scouts of America Lifesaving Honor Medal.

Buffalo Chip to all those at Hill Air Force Base involved in an incident that touched off an international furor. An operation at the base, possibly involving a contractor, shipped four fuses for nuclear missiles to Taiwan, infuriating China. It also appears that the fuses, supposedly inventoried every quarter, were missing for nearly three years. We won't be surprised when a whole nuclear weapon is discovered in a Jeep behind the mess hall.

Beehive to VFW members and other supporters for launching Operation Keep in Touch. VFW Timpanogos Post 4918 of American Fork, with a grant from Mountain American Credit Union, has donated Web cams to county libraries. The cams are part of an effort to help military families contact their loved ones who are serving overseas. Letters are nice, but seeing faces and hearing voices is even better.