American journalism has disgraced itself in the matter of the Benghazi terrorist attack.

Are you interested in cutting costs and saving money?

Summertime is full of fun, freedom and hot dogs and we don’t mean the kind you get at the ballpark! Although an exact number is difficult to find it is estimated that thousands of dogs die every year from heat-related causes. A little information and common sense can save lives.

The Ahwatukee Community Network (ACN) is bringing passionate people together again, this time on the topic of children in foster care.

In an effort to help wounded service members, Ahwatukee residents Agnes Oblas and Peggy Coomans are hosting a seven-hour knit-a-thon this weekend.

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.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12).

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:

Q: My son’s laptop was stolen from his college dorm during a party and he had the Find My Mac system setup on it, so he was able to track it to an apartment complex nearby. The problem is that the police said that they need more information to go on as they can’t just start knocking on all the apartment doors. What else can we do? — B

Mother-daughter team Stephanie and Carley Barton spent the Saturday before Mother’s Day together at the salon, but the duo wasn’t there just to be pampered. They’ve both been growing their hair out for years to be donated to Locks of Love.

Students and staff at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School are hosting a fundraiser dinner for their beloved choir teacher this week.

Seeking to keep fields accessible and available to some 4,000 kids in and around Ahwatukee, various youth sports leagues met with the Kyrene School District on Monday after add-on costs to the Ahwatukee Foothills Pony Baseball Association caused heated community concern.

It was a small turnout with a lot of passion at the Protecting Arizona’s Resources and Children (PARC) meeting on Saturday, May 11.

Our family bought a sofa a couple of years ago. It was a frustrating experience. I won’t go into it other than to say when my wife and I finally agreed on one, I thought a burden had been lifted. Then the salesman forces another decision: “So which protection plan do you want?”

Attorney General Tom Horne paid a $300 fine Wednesday -- $582 with surcharges -- to settle a criminal misdemeanor charge he left the scene of an accident without leaving a note.

A survey shows U.S. home prices rose 10.5 percent in March compared with a year ago, the biggest gain since March 2006.

No one can deny the Great Recession left a permanent mark on our nation and its economy. But what effect did it have on the American Dream of home ownership? That’s the question we set out to answer by asking Phoenix-based Benchmark Research Technologies to survey nearly 1,700 Arizona new home shoppers about their attitudes surrounding home ownership in the post-recession era.

“Hi, Mike? I am so glad I got a hold of you. My computer is running so slowly that I turn it on, make coffee, take the dog for a walk, and bake a few dozen cookies then maybe; just maybe the website will be fully loaded. This computer is running terrible! Can you help?”

For the first time ever, drivers of taxi cabs and limousines in Arizona will soon be subject to random drug testing.

Washington • Sen. Jeff Flake’s vote against expanded background checks on gun sales earlier this month caused his approval ratings to drop, making him one of the “most unpopular” U.S. senators, a new poll says.

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.

In the galaxy of big-screen superheros — a rather glum lot — Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is the snappy one.

Besides pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, a patient’s temperature is also considered a “vital sign.” The thing that makes a person’s temperature vital is that the body’s homeostasis, or ability to maintain all functions optimally, depends upon a certain range of heat. Most everyone can recite that the average body core temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit with a healthy range being anywhere from 97 to 99 degrees. Temperatures that vary below or above this average create an internal atmosphere that is not conducive to the various systems’ functioning. The term “fever” generally refers to anything over 99 degrees. In order to maintain the healthful range, the body has a regulating system that kicks in much like any thermostat. If the core temperature starts to rise, we begin a cooling mechanism through sweating. If the core temperature starts to decrease, shivering will initiate warming through muscle contractions.

When I moved to Ahwatukee 22 years ago, both golf courses in the area were green and very attractive. Now The Lakes at Ahwatukee course, I am told, is about to be closed. I live on the 11th fairway of the Ahwatukee Country Club. This course, in the last several years, has become somewhat of an eyesore. They are no longer watering up to the fence in my backyard, saying the water destroys the fence and now there is noting but dry grass/ground that is very dusty, especially when a golf cart travels along the side of the fairway. This causes a lot of dust on my patio/patio furniture and neighbors pools.

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.