And so it begins. After six years since the last substantive debates over immigration reform, the Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, the title of the legislation borne out of the months-long work of the bipartisan Gang of Eight, which includes Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake.

Americans are more confident in the U.S. economy than at any point in the past five years, thanks to surging home values, a brighter job market and record-setting stock prices.
Stock averages last month extended the year’s explosive rally.
Further gains in consumer confidence could help the economy withstand the effects of higher taxes and federal spending cuts that kicked in this year. Spending by consumers drives about 70 percent of economic growth.


New York -- U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year — the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Kristy Nied Jozwiak said it was like something out of a movie when her landscaper was attacked by Africanized bees in her backyard.

Since her sister’s health took a drastic downturn this past February, Mountain Pointe High School teacher Donna Sampanes is organizing a blood drive at the school this weekend in an effort to help her sibling.

The soft underbelly of a lot of volleyball teams is right in the middle of the net.

It’s a pretty good sign when the bottom of the batting order is creating havoc and driving in big runs.

Connecting to Serve and the Ahwatukee Community Network would like to extend our gratitude to our panelists and the victims of domestic violence who attended our special forum on this serious issue April 16 at Mountain Park Senior Living.

When former Scottsdale resident Mark Macias used the New York City subway’s 42nd Street Shuttle this past winter, he was transported not only between Grand Central Station and Times Square but back to his hometown.

Robert Redford does his most compelling work in some time as both actor and director in "The Company You Keep," a tense yet admirably restrained thriller about a fugitive forced out of hiding after 30 years to prove his innocence. Adapted with clarity and intelligence by Lem Dobbs from Neil Gordon's novel, and lent distinguishing heft by its roster of screen veterans, this gripping drama provides an absorbing reflection on the courage and cost of dissent.

The United States has seen a deluge of much-needed attention to the issue of bullying in the last decade. Horrific examples of young people harassing and abusing their peers — sometimes to the point that the victims commit suicide — have forced parents and educators to begin thinking about the issue and to initiate or expand bully prevention efforts. What is often missed in these discussions, however, is the problem of adults who bully young people.

Doing some catch up on track results from two big events over the weekend.

Dictionary.com defines “harmony” as: “agreement; accord; harmonious relations.” If your dog counter surfs, jumps on guests, barks incessantly, chases your cat to no end, and chews your couch, your home is in a constant state of tension. Just imagine waking up to your dog bringing you the newspaper and your slippers to start the day? It can happen.

It was nearly the storybook ending everyone at Desert Vista thought was possible.

The amount of emotion that poured out of Rachel Ressler nearly matched the sweat and dedication she put into her Desert Vista soccer career.

For eight years, the Fore Noah and Friends Charity Golf Tournament has stood as a symbol of hope for parents of children battling neuroblastoma, an aggressive pediatric cancer more common in infants than leukemia. Andy and Lara Nelson, whose son, Noah, has been disease-free for seven years, founded the event to fund neuroblastoma research, raising more than $500,000 for the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF).

Standing a full 12 inches tall and weighing in at a solid 20 pounds, Sampson the Pug used to think himself a Goliath. He would wrestle, frolic and play among the likes of German Shepherds, Boxers and Labradors.

In many respects, the Oscars feel like a sporting event as nominees tirelessly campaign to win and award analyzers place bets on which horse will cross the finish line. Even a loyal Oscar viewer such as myself is bound to make several incorrect predictions come Oscar Sunday. Regardless, I’m going to do my best to forecast who will be taking home the awards on Feb. 24.

Where everyone else spent most of last January debating which team would be victorious at Super Bowl XLVII, I was busy trying to predict which movies would win big at the 85th annual Academy Awards. In many respects, the Oscars feel like a sporting event as nominees tirelessly campaign to win and award analyzers place bets on which horse will cross the finish line.

The area baseball teams are looking for the extended stay program this year.

Attorney General Tom Horne and a Sierra Vista Republican lawmaker are pushing a plan to let principals, teachers and janitors at public schools carry guns.

As was the case back on Nov. 24 when Pinnacle and Mountain Pointe got together in the championship game of the Lady Hawk Basketball Tournament, Saturday’s Division I, Section III girls final showcased two of the bigger stars in Arizona: the Pioneers’ Sydney Wiese and the Pride’s Kayla Lupoe.

A state legislator wants to impose some new requirements on judges and attorneys in his bid to cut down on medical malpractice lawsuits.

As an investor, how can you avoid making mistakes? It’s not always easy, because investing can be full of potential pitfalls. But if you know what the most common mistakes are at different stages of an investor’s life, you may have a better chance of avoiding these costly errors.