The Food and Drug Administration will now allow women age 15 and older to buy the emergency contraceptive Plan B over the counter. Unfortunately, there is no “Plan B” for dogs and cats who find themselves in trouble — and that’s why it’s vital to have them spayed or neutered as soon as possible.

Sydney and Eryn Schmisseur found the sport of synchronized swimming somewhat serendipitously.

If you are returning to the dating world after a long time away or if you have not had the dating life you hoped for, maybe it is time to try something different.

Mini and Smokey are a bonded pair of 12-year-old pure bred Pomeranians who were surrendered by their owners who could no longer care for them. Mini is a very outgoing girl who likes to play with toys and do twirls and jump into your arms. Smokey is more reserved and timid and depends on Mini for everything. He follows her wherever she goes, lays where she lays and really needs her. Smokey has alopecia, a skin condition that is common for Poms which causes them to lose their hair, but otherwise he is healthy. Both babies are snuggle bunnies and love to be held. Both are kennel and leash trained. Even though they are approximately 12 they do not act their age. They MUST go to the same home.

It probably doesn’t show up on your calendar, but May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. And you might agree that such a month is useful, when you consider the following:

It’s no secret that Arizona offers some of the best and most luxurious AAA Four and Five Diamond resorts in the country. However, many travelers don’t realize that many of these properties also feature kid camps that aim to please even the pickiest pint-sized traveler. This provides mom and dad with a guilt-free way to indulge in some much-needed couple time, while allowing kids to make friends and create memories of their own.

George Strait is amid a two-year tour before retiring from the road, but new album “Love Is Everything” proves he still has plenty of great new country music in him.

Learning about the difference between wants and needs, students within the Kyrene School District learned the basics of finance and saving in a program through Bank of America.

Three years ago, in the wake of a new Arizona law aimed at those in the country illegally, tens of thousands converged on the Capitol with a message: Today we march, tomorrow we vote.

Brown is a sweet and quiet Sealpoint Siamese. He’s a beautiful and affectionate middle-aged male who loves to be petted, and craves a stress-free household after the passing of his owner. He is fixed, tested, and has all his shots.

Horizon Honors will be hosting a Back-2-Basics Basketball Skills Camp June 24-28 at the school, 16233 S. 48th St.

When I was a kid…heck, when all of us were kids, our mothers had a stack of aphorisms for any occasion. When I was 10 years old, I was convinced that all new moms were given a handbook of Snappy Sayings for All Occasions as they were packing their bag in the maternity ward, because all the moms said all the same things.

The 94th annual Children’s Book Week, the national celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading, officially starts May 13, but youngsters can join activities sooner at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe:

Positive Coaching Alliance has announced the official kick off of its new Phoenix Chapter. Established in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national nonprofit organization providing all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience.

If any piece of classic American literature should be depicted on film with wildly decadent and boldly inventive style, it's "The Great Gatsby." After all, who was the character of Jay Gatsby himself if not a spinner of grandiose tales and a peddler of lavish dreams?

The 2013 USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour opened with hot temperatures and even hotter action at the Desert Open on April 28 in Glendale.

Ahwatukee resident Michael Feyrer subscribes to the philosophy that his life is like a pair of shoes — to be worn out in service.

In the United States the average kid (age 8-18) spends 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen or on the phone. To counter sedentary living patterns, national physical activity guidelines for youth have been developed. The guidelines call for at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day for children and teens. The guidelines are based on the amount of physical activity necessary to promote good fitness, health, and wellness. Only 29 percent of high school students meet the 60-minute daily guideline and 14 percent don’t do any physical activity that causes them to breathe hard or that increases heart rate on any day during the week.

A smattering of butterflies have flitted through my yard this spring, loitering briefly around the lantana and aloe stalks before moving on to lusher landscapes. Those fleeting backyard glimpses are nothing compared to the up-close and personal look you get at hundreds of butterflies inside The Marshall Butterfly Pavilion at Desert Botanical Garden.

1. On April 22 around 8:30 p.m. police responded to a call of graffiti at a park in the 13200 block of South 48th Street. Unknown suspects, two adult males between the ages of 20 and 25, were seen spraying paint in the park. An officer located the pavilion and found a can of black spray paint, which was impounded for evidence and DNA analysis.

Darkness can be paralyzing.

The prom is making a big comeback.

If you work for an employer who offers a benefits package that includes life insurance and disability income insurance, consider yourself fortunate. But you can’t necessarily consider yourself fully protected. And if you don’t have appropriate life and disability insurance, your long-term financial goals could be at risk.

Tommy Martinez stands all of 5-foot-6, maybe 5-6 ½ in his cleats, hits ninth in the Mountain Pointe lineup and is just a sophomore.