Signs

The city of San Angelo, Texas bucks a regional trend towards stricter regulations for signs used as advertising.

Giant 'supergraphics' drape over the sides of buildings in Los Angeles, usually advertising the latest blockbuster. Almost all of the signs are in violation of sign laws, and building inspectors think they may be fire hazards.

The State Department of Transportation fears that makeshift memorials for killed motorists will distract drivers, and has offered families public signs as alternatives.

Chicago preservationists are urging owners of the last of the city's neon signs to keep them intact.

Officials in Abilene, Texas, are trying to pass an electronic sign ordinance "proactively" but are facing great resistance, as has been the case for other cities.

Dallas's city council passed an ordinance restricting the percentage of window space a storefront can use for advertisements. Council members say the signs are creating or adding to blight.

Murals are under fire in Los Angeles, as city officials are painting over what they see as "illegal signs".