With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) set to begin open enrollment in October, many businesses are rushing to prepare for the changes it will bring. The Tempe Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Hot Topics and Lunch event about the ACA this Thursday, June 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Phoenix Airport, 427 N. 44th St.

Sometimes it’s best to start out small and work up to something bigger.

Three Ahwatukee Foothills track athletes saw individual age group wins and swept the top three spots in the 1,500-meter run at the 2013 USATF Masters State Championship at Mesa Community College recently.

There’s no denying that Richard Donner set the bar for the “Superman” franchise with his 1978 film. The icy landscapes of Planet Krypton, John Williams’ vigorous musical score, Christopher Reeve’s iconic performance, every aspect of Donner’s movie remains definitive. Since then, most interpretations of Superman have either drawn inspiration from or paid homage to the original classic. One has to give director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan credit for taking “Man of Steel” in the complete opposite direction. Where Donner’s “Superman” was light, funny, and colorful, “Man of Steel” is dark, serious, and brooding. The film presents a vision of Superman that’s new and bold with a satisfying payoff.

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.

The Arizona Newspapers Foundation, Inc. (ANF) announced a scholarship available to Arizona college students majoring in journalism. This summer, ANF will award scholarships to students attending Arizona State University, University of Arizona or Northern Arizona University full-time. Students must have completed at least one term and have one term remaining before graduation.

A Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson said the reasons people get stuck on local mountains is failing to stay on the hiking path and not being prepared.

A report issued by the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University indicates the recent upswing in home prices has come at a steady, sustainable pace, meaning homeowners should not expect another bubble to burst.

The Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board unanimously approved the appointment of Steven R. Gonzales, Ed.D., as president of GateWay Community College, effective July 1.

With the monsoon season officially beginning tomorrow, June 15, Arizonans should be aware of the possible dangers the monsoon can bring both on the road and at home. Thunderstorms, flash floods, heavy rain

On May 18 Everest College Phoenix celebrated the graduation of 141 students from its Phoenix campus. During the graduation ceremony, Calvin Coolidge Goode was recognized for his extraordinary leadership in Arizona and beyond as well as his dedication to the promotion of education and advancement of civil rights. He was presented with an Everest College Phoenix honorary degree, doctor of humane letters.

Jaycob Brugman hasn’t even played his first game with the Oakland A’s organization and he is already counting down the days until the season ends.

Not waiting for formal gubernatorial approval, foes of her Medicaid expansion already are moving to undo at the ballot box and in court what they could not block at the Legislature.

When it comes to fitness, some people have their own agendas on why they want to get off the coach and start shedding their unwanted body mass.

Whether you had parents that were distant or parents that were overbearing, we all likely dreamed about running away from home while growing up. These unrealistic fantasies likely involved hitting the road with one or two good friends and building a safe haven somewhere in the wildness. Naturally, we all quickly woke up from this daydream, realizing that we’d never make it on our own. “The Kings of Summer” exists in an offbeat world fueled by our youthful daydreams. The end product is funny and quirky, but also wise and nostalgic with something meaningful to say about coming of age.

Going to need hospital care?

The scores junior golfers post make most weekend hackers shake their heads.

On April 15, two pressure cooker-fashioned bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The attack left the city and entire country shaken.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) honored their 10th annual Teal & Silver award recipients during a breakfast event at the college’s Williams Campus on May 7 at the Student Pavilion Center. Nine winners were recognized for their efforts and support of CGCC students, employees, programs, services and the college community.

It’s only been a week since the 1-cent sales tax went off the books, but area economists and businesses do not expect to see much if any increase in retail sales in the foreseeable future due in part to consumers having little idea the increase ended.

ICAN, a Chandler-based youth program, is introducing a new initiative to ensure that kids returning to school do so with shoes that are not worn and torn. Throughout the month of June, ICAN will be seeking donations for its Kicks for Kids shoe drive, including shoes and socks.

Freeway-improvement projects in the Phoenix area will require closures this weekend (June 7-10), according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes while the following freeway restrictions are in place this weekend:

Some GOP lawmakers are threatening to torpedo the budget being pushed by their own leaders if $400 million in planned spending is not cut across the board.

Most of the ads for “After Earth” have neglected to mention that M. Night Shyamalan co-wrote and directed the film. Movie studios finally seem to be realizing that having Shyamalan’s name plastered above the title will no longer sell tickets. If anything, it will have audiences fleeing from the theater in revulsion. Whenever it looks like Shyamalan can’t embarrass himself any further, he always comes out with a new film that’s even more atrocious than the last. At least with his previous debacle, “The Last Airbender,” Shyamalan hit ground zero. There’s no way he could possibly make a film even more poorly written, effortlessly acted, and bleakly directed, right?


The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) is accepting applications from business leaders for its UnitED program designed to establish, build and sustain beneficial and meaningful relationships between schools and local businesses.
The program gives business leaders throughout Maricopa County a way to support local schools through available resources and expertise within the company.