Desert Vista High School students this week presented a near-complete application for teacher evaluations to be rolled out in the fall, a project more than a year in the making.

The Phoenix Fire Department is giving the community a chance to get to know local firefighters by hosting an open house at four fire stations this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, including Ahwatukee Foothills Fire Station No. 43, 4110 E. Chandler Blvd.

The law firm of Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. announced that Martha C. Patrick and Wendi A. Sorensen have been selected as two of the “Top 25 Women Attorneys” in Arizona by Southwest Super Lawyers in 2013.

Music therapists

Resign to run

Home-decorating television shows and shelter magazines have many Americans dreaming about inviting an expert interior designer into their homes.

Dr. Stuart Hetrick never planned to open New Image Med Spa in Ahwatukee Foothills.

The Phoenix affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has hired Phoenix resident Lee San Miguel as its community health and mission programs director. In this position, Lee will oversee the Komen Phoenix affiliate’s current and future mission programs, including grant making, community outreach, education programs, community partnerships and public policy initiatives.

Future bids to oust public officials through recall could get a lot harder under the terms of legislation given preliminary approval Tuesday by the Senate.

Conceding their lobbying arguments are inconsistent with those in court, state prosecutors have given up in their bid to regulate how products with marijuana are labeled.

California has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. In addition to the over 9,000 federal gun laws, California has also enacted many laws at the state level, including ban on high-capacity magazines, ban on “assault weapons,” waiting period on gun purchases, an approved handgun list — handguns must be certified by the state before they can cross the state line, private party sales require transfer via a licensed dealer, identification of “gun free zones” and many others.

Lottery confidentiality

Procrastinators can get free last-minute help filing their taxes at four Phoenix Public Library locations from 6 p.m. to midnight on Monday, April 15.

Athletes of all ages have become more specialized.

Kyrene del Milenio Elementary teacher Greg Broberg has been striking up education conversation lately, and hopes more teachers and parents can get involved.

About once a month my daughter and I have a very sweet daddy/daughter ritual that we have followed for the last six years. Typically on a lazy weekend afternoon, we drive over to the Ahwatukee Foothills Car Wash off Ray Road and when we get the car washed we grab a delicious, all natural fruit Popsicle. I tend to go with the piña colada flavor, especially in the hot Arizona summers when I like to imagine being in a tropical environment. My daughter tends to go with good-old natural strawberry and the little seeds are actually in the Popsicle. My daughter reminds me of this fact every time we go and I respond with enthusiasm and amazement as though this is new information.

It’s that time again. Between the flurry of the holidays and the energy of spring is tax season, the chance for people, including young people, across the country to organize their finances and prepare their returns.

For years yoga has been a way to escape the pressures of life for Sandra Lassiter, but three years ago she made yoga a way of life by opening Hot Yoga in Ahwatukee Foothills.

For all the flak that our state’s education system has taken over the years (I’ve dealt some of it), we proudly lead the nation in an important segment: career and technical education.

Did you know that the most common causes of knee pain are treated non-operatively? The most common cause of non-traumatic knee pain is due to patellofemoral pain or knee cap pain. This occurs in all age groups from teenagers to adults for different reasons. In teenagers, this is often associated with rapid growth during the teenage years that results in relative tightness of the knee cap. In middle-aged patients and older adult, this is caused by the cartilage on the underneath surface of the knee cap getting thinner, which is essentially the onset of arthritis.

It may not be a question of knowing whether Beethoven is better for you than the Beastie Boys.

Jeff Bryant and Joe Campbell admit they heard it more than once when they decided to open Desert Eagle Brewery in downtown Mesa last October.

Joe Arpaio is the best sheriff ever in the history of Maricopa County! No, he’s the worst Maricopa County sheriff ever!

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.