The Ahwatukee Foothills Cub Scout Pack of Wolf Den 2, Pack 178 has donated and planted a Chinese oak tree as their way to earn a Conservation patch. They have been using Pecos Park this year as a meeting place and the boys wanted to give back by planting this tree. The Bears are second-graders. The scout leaders are Chris Grosjean and Brenda Covarrubias.

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.

Tyler Petcher, a 2009 graduate of Mountain Pointe High School, graduated May 12 from the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., with a bachelor’s degree in chemical/biomolecular engineering. He has accepted a position in Illinois as a field service engineer at a wastewater and reuse company.

Most first-year club sports teams often struggle to find an identity. But that hasn’t been the case for Club SPAWN, a local baseball team that is ranked nationally. In its inaugural season Club SPAWN’s record is 69-22. 

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.

Owners of The Lakes Golf Course have decided not to continue to fill a lake on Lakeside Boulevard in Ahwatukee now that the golf course has shut down for business. That is forcing the neighboring homeowners association’s pond to dry up and residents are scrambling to save stranded fish and turtles.

Members of the South Mountain Citizen’s Advisory Team (SMCAT) have until July 24 to submit the official recommendation from its group on the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).

State lawmakers were moving toward finally adjourning their 151-day session late Thursday -- but not before setting the stage for constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to a frozen berry mix sold at Costco has grown to 87 people with illnesses in eight states.

Littlejohn Engineering Associates (LEA) announced the addition of Thomas Lavalette, RLS, as Southwest survey manager in the Phoenix office. He has been surveying for more than 25 years, most recently as the vice president of surveying for Engineering Alliance, Inc. During the last 19 years, Lavalette provided civil surveying and construction staking services on more than 500 projects throughout the state of Arizona.

Humorist Dave Barry has said, “the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. The wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.”

Forget the tie. Think bespoke booze for Father’s Day, specifically a beverage tailor-made to suit the hobbies father knows best.

Father’s Day gifts have morphed over the years. It used to be a tie, a golf hat or a jazz CD. But dads are more tech-savvy these days.

Culminating the ongoing discussion between local youth sports organizations and the Kyrene School District over use of facilities rates, the district presented a lowered rate structure Monday that now heads to the governing board.

Going to need hospital care?

SEATTLE (AP) — When the United States first released its roster for a stretch of three World Cup qualifying matches in less than two weeks, Brad Evans’ name was absent.

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

She started looking into her homeowner’s association because she just didn’t think what they were doing to her was fair.

In completing the process of finalizing a new district policy manual, Tempe Union High School District administration will be reviewing policies like emergency plans and student discipline as well as others before the start of the 2013-14 school year.

What a crazy three days for area athletes.

Combining the three area ZIP codes of 85044, 85045 and 85048, April property sales totaled 172, up 8.9 percent from 158 in April of 2012 and 25.5 percent higher than the 137 sales last month. The Median Sales Price in April was $249,500, up 31.3 percent from $190,000 in April of 2012 and up .6 percent from last month. April 2013’s average sales price was at its highest level compared to 2012 and 2013.

The Ahwatukee Foothills PONY Baseball League won State Championships in both the Shetland Division (ages 4-6) and the Pinto Kid Pitch Division (ages 7-8) this past weekend at the Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School baseball fields.

Abortion foes are making a late-session push to allow health inspectors to inspect clinics without a warrant.