At long last, summer is almost here — which may mean it’s time to put together your traveling plans. Still, while you and your family may enjoy going on a summertime trip, there’s one part of your life that should not go on vacation — your investment portfolio.

Local school districts, including Kyrene, will now be able to pay for capital needs as bond legislation was passed in conjunction with the state’s budget early on Friday.

Interest rates are at historic lows. But they will rise eventually. If you invest in fixed-income vehicles, such as bonds, what might higher rates mean for you?

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

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.

Thanks to the Ahwatukee Chapter of the National Charity League (NCL) active seniors at Mountain Park Senior Living now have one more activity to get their heart rates pumping — a new ping-pong table.
The Ahwatukee Foothills Chapter of the National Charity League (AFNCL) presented Michelle Major, director of fun for Mountain Park Senior Living Center, with a check for $500 on May 9. Traci Tartaglio, Lauri Branch, and Katie Branch of AFNCL were on hand to present the check to Major and a few residents.
The AFNCL is a mother/daughter organization for girls from seventh grade through high school graduation. This 300-plus member organization participates in volunteer work across the metro Phoenix area. AFNCL’s mission is to strengthen the bonds between mother and daughter through the spirit of volunteerism, and has enjoyed a thriving partnership with Mountain Park Senior Living Center.
Tartaglio participates in AFNCL along with her daughter Bailee. 
For more information, visit www.nationalcharityleague.org/nclahwatukee.

Last month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a milestone, when, for the first time, it closed above 15,000. Of course, 15,000 is a nice, round number, and it sounds pretty big — but what does it mean to you, as an individual investor? Is it cause for celebration — or is it more of a “caution” flag?


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.


Apache and Cheyenne are believed to be a father and son bonded pair who were found near Ahwatukee on the Gila River Indian Reservation. They were found wandering around, scrounging for food, and being fed by construction workers there at times. These Pomeranians are possibly mixed with Sheltie. They are larger boys, closer to 20 pounds each. They are silly, sweet, and love people. These very friendly boys like to jump and play and run around and act silly. They love toys, puzzle balls and chew bones. Since they were used to running free on the reservation, a home with a big yard would be preferable. They get along well with other high-energy dogs.

Kyrene School District officials on Tuesday presented a capital plan for the upcoming 2013-14 school year to its governing board, hoping to modify its current “run to failure” effort to fund capital needs.
With its biggest challenge of funding capital items like leaky roofs, air conditioning towers and rusted water pipes, the district is modifying its “run to failure” plan to only pay for high-priority projects and maintenance projects with excessive or recurring costs.
Kyrene Superintendent Dr. David Schauer said on Tuesday that the plan is “not something we are happy about, but something we believe we can do.”
Still waiting on whether bond legislation from the state will come out in favor of school districts this summer, district chief financial officer Jeremy Calles said select schools with the high-priority capital needs will be addressed first.
“The pile is only growing bigger and bigger each year,” Calles said.


Humanity's home planet hardly merits the name-check in "After Earth," M. Night Shyamalan's sci-fi survival tale whose shipwreck action could (with the exception of a scene where our hero scrawls a crude map over Lascaux-like cave paintings) take place on any old life-supporting globe in the cosmos. The disappointingly generic film, which strands a father and son (Will and Jaden Smith) on Earth a thousand years after a planet-wide evacuation, will leave genre audiences pining for the more Terra-centric conceits of "Oblivion," not to mention countless other future-set films that find novelty in making familiar surroundings threatening. Will Smith's presence, not just as co-star but as originator of the story, seems likely to carry box office receipts beyond the benchmark of Shyamalan's previous picture, the wretched "The Last Airbender," but those hoping for a franchise should navigate elsewhere.

I subscribe to six investment newsletters. All of these newsletters have alerted me that all hell is going to break loose this coming June. If you have investments in the market be prepared to lose about 80 percent of your portfolio. It is going to start with the bond market, and move over to the stock market.

Having once again received the trifecta of AAA ratings from the three major bond rating agencies, the Maricopa Community Colleges are readying to sell $151 million in General Obligation Bonds to finance a variety of construction projects throughout Maricopa County.

On paper, J.J. Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” is one of those movies that should have crashed and burned. A reboot of a beloved franchise with younger, lesser-known actors stepping into the shoes of an iconic cast of characters. The fact that Abrams went on record stating that he was never a huge “Star Trek” fan didn’t bode well either. Against all odds, though, Abrams not only produced a great “Star Trek” picture, but quite possibly the best “Star Trek” ever made. That’s right, even better than “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Memorial Day symbolizes the start of summer for you and your pet. Before you start planning trips to the beach and summer getaways, keep in mind that it’s important to plan ahead for pet travel and always keep the best interests of your furry, four-legged friends in mind.

As part of the recently passed state budget which included an expanded Medicaid plan expected to reach some 350,000 Arizonans, local school districts are expected to receive inflation funding next fiscal year.

As I see it, the voters rejected Kyrene School District’s bond override, the Legislature has reduced school funding, the Goldwater Institute threatens lawsuits to municipalities that provide services that can be provided by the commercial market.

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.

Summer School … these two words can sound like a one- to two-month jail sentence for students in school.

Another school year is drawing to a close — so if you have young children, they’re one year closer to the day when they head off to college. And both you and your children need to prepare for that day. Your kids can do so by developing good study habits. As for you, it’s never too soon to start preparing for the high costs of higher education.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

Phoenix police arrested Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington Friday morning after he was accused of assaulting an ex girlfriend in Ahwatukee Foothills on Wednesday night.

There once was a time when having a tattoo would make a person an outsider. Now in this day and age, it seems like everyone and their mother has a tattoo somewhere on their body.

The Phoenix City Council will discuss options for the city’s food tax during a public policy meeting on Wednesday, including an idea to phase out a portion of the tax beginning January of 2014.