Using their talents for hilarious, family-friendly improvisational comedy, Jef and Shurlin Rawls of Mesa hope to lift spirits while lightening the load for a family in their neighborhood with an event they are calling a “FUN-draiser.”

Their stories are nowhere near as harrowing.

Recently, I took one of the most refreshing phone calls I’ve received in a while.

The Foothills Women’s Club is putting together a vendor night to show off the diversity of the businesses and people that can be found in Ahwatukee Foothills.

BURBANK, Calif. — Alan Arkin is Steve Carell's idol, in reality and in their new movie.

Sorry, but Nancy Pelosi is wrong. We do have a spending problem and the heart of the matter is our inability to control medical costs. Spending on health care now consumes an astonishing 18 percent of our total economic output. Rising Medicare and Medicaid costs are the main drivers of our national debt crisis. Yet health care costs continue to shoot up relentlessly.

The waiting process was more grueling than putting in the work to get it done, but Alex Bambic finally got what he wanted.

In a previous column I discussed the PACER, a test of cardiovascular fitness that is part of the national youth physical fitness test battery (FITNESSGRAM). FITNESSGRAM, was developed at the Cooper Institute in Dallas and is now offered as a cooperative program with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN) and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD). In addition to assessing cardiovascular fitness, the FITNESSGRAM Test Battery includes tests of muscle fitness, flexibility, and body composition.

I recently became the proud owner of a new (well, new to me) car ... and I’m proud to announce that I’m still alive.

Based on Michael Morpurgo’s childrens book and popularized by Steven Spielberg’s feature film of the same name, “War Horse” follows the fate of a horse named Joey, who is sold into the British army and serves on both sides of the conflict during World War I.

Stomp, on stage Wednesday and Thursday in Phoenix, has been making international headlines since it burst onto the music scene in the early ’90s. The renowned street performers continue to wow audiences, using everything from brooms and boots to trash cans and Zippo lighters to create a percussive experience like no other.

A proposal to make it illegal for some Arizonans to enforce federal gun laws is raising concern by the nation's largest defender of the Second Amendment.

Fearing new federal laws and regulations, a state legislator wants to provide legal cover for Arizonans who do not want to obey them -- and penalties for federal officials who try to enforce them.

Abby is a sweet, mellow, and affectionate kitty with soft gray fur and a white stripe that runs straight down the bridge of her nose. Abby enjoys attention from her people and will gently head butt you in the hopes of getting some petting — head and ear rubs, chin scratches, and chest massages are some of her favorite forms of petting. Whether its being held or taking up residence in an available lap, Abby loves to snuggle and she will loudly purr in contentment the entire time. Other fun facts about Abby: she likes to play, she is very vocal, she is a social eater, and she seems fine in the company of other friendly kitties. Abby is a recent rescue so check back for updates as we get to know more about Abby’s purrsonality.

The result of the Desert Vista-Pinnacle girls soccer match was eerily the same but the impact was not.

There is a particular flow to a pre-game shootaround.

Loss has never come easy for me; be it in cards, a high school sporting event or on a personal level.

Considering the surroundings, the Mountain Pointe players held it together pretty well while everything around them probably felt like it was closing in on them.

At this time of the year everyone loves some leftovers.

Lee Wasden was the security guard — usually on cafeteria duty and keeping watch on students within the school’s gates — who was often referred to as “Bill Cosby” by students.

Leaves are changing and pumpkins are appearing on doorsteps around the country. As vibrant shades of orange fill the outdoors, they’re also becoming increasingly popular inside.

The regular season is winding down, but the recruiting games are heating up.

In her Sept. 5 (Spiritual Side) column (“‘Coming out’ for marriage equality — a letter of thanks”) Diane Meehl proclaimed her support for legal and church marriages between persons other than one man and one woman. Meehl urged Christian churches to follow suit, saying “does the church want to continue to be associated with a divisive issue about which we likely will never achieve consensus?” There are many “divisive issues” — including the divinity of Christ and the message of salvation — on which the church must take an unwavering position on principle, not on the nose count of a supposed “consensus.”

The Phoenix metro area is seeing an epidemic of Valley Fever after last summer’s massive dust storm and this year could lead to a high number of cases, too.

‘The Possession’