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.

If you haven't been by the patio at Monti's La Casa Vieja in Tempe for a while, it's changed.

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.”

Another Italian eatery is preparing to open in the recently closed Anzio Landing restaurant space in Mesa.

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.

Popular downtown Gilbert Postino East WineCafe is set to welcome a new neighbor with some south of the border flair. Joyride Taco House is set to open June 3 on the north side of Postino’s Grainbelt building, and it will share some outdoor space with the wine bar.

In the wake of last week’s tragedy in Boston, what are the images that stayed with you? The pillowing smoke? Blood on the streets? Shell-shocked victims in wheelchairs? Our hearts have been broken again. And since the footage is shown over and over, we’re traumatized each time, just like when the twin towers burned on 9/11.

It's a boy!! Our Andean bear cub recently had its first check-up with Phoenix Zoo vets. After patiently waiting for more than three months, we received the exciting news that we have a bouncing baby boy! Rio, our mother bear, is doing an excellent job raising her young cub. Recently, for the first time in the presence of our zookeepers Rio let go of the cub, stepped away and allowed the cub to be briefly on its own! Our keepers were able to capture video of the cub taking some of his first steps.Rio quickly returned to the cub after taking some food from her keepers but this marks a huge moment in the cub's development. At this time we still believe we are a few months away from the cub going out on exhibit as our keeper staff continues to take their cues from Rio allowing her to let us know when she feels comfortable and ready to leave her den.Be sure to subscribe to us for future bear updates!http://www.phoenixzoo.org -- Visit us!http://www.facebook.com/PhoenixZoo - Like us!http://www.twitter.com/PhoenixZoo - Follow us!http://www.instagram.com/PhoenixZoo - See fun Zoo photos!

I would like to respond to a recent guest column, “SRP needs to provide vision and advance energy efficiency,” which appeared in this newspaper (March 29). The author makes inaccurate assertions regarding the ability of customers and stakeholders to provide meaningful input to SRP’s resource plan and more generally questions our commitment to sustainable resources.

Domestic violence is a problem that hits all neighborhoods.

Q: What type of business services or products do you provide?

Being a person of faith isn’t like being a football player or a plumber. In those cases, everyone knows the rules, the skills and who qualifies. Christians don’t even have universal agreement of what it means to “belong” or “get in” the club, let alone answers to life’s most pressing questions.

Summit School of Ahwatukee middle school teachers, Andrea Yocum, Christy Menard and Amy Lecky, are recipients of this year’s Xavier College Preparatory Golden Gator Award for Excellence in Teaching. Xavier High School recognizes junior high teachers who have been inspirational to Xavier freshmen students. This is the third Golden Gator for Lecky, who teaches middle school language arts and literature, and the second for both science teacher Andrea Yocum, and math teacher Christy Menard. In previous years Summit teacher Melissa France has also received this award.

Used to be, a foreclosure was something people seldom spoke about. Today, times have changed. Right now is the ideal time to buy a new home with record lows in mortgage rates and an increase in available, affordable homes. But if you’ve got a foreclosure or short sale on the books, you might be asking — how long before we can buy again?

You may better know her sister, Dakota, from box-office smashes like “War of the Worlds” and “The Twilight Saga,” but 14-year-old Elle Fanning has already made quite a name for herself among the arthouse set, appearing in such acclaimed works as “Babel,” “Somewhere” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” This month, she takes center stage in a new drama from writer/director Sally Potter entitled “Ginger & Rosa” – a coming-of-age tale set in 1962 London as the threat of the Cuban missile crisis looms overhead.

Being sick — taken out of the game of life’s commitments — is so tough. But sometimes that’s what it takes for God to show us that He’s working through us, in us, and even in spite of us.

Grand Opening Hours: Thursday through Sunday, April 4-7, 9 a.m to 9 p.m.

Calling all sushi lovers and competitive eaters: A Sushi Showdown sushi-eating contest will take place 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at RA Sushi restaurants in Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, North Scottsdale and Old Town Scottsdale.

He is Risen, Indeed!

Everyone has that one person they just can’t stand. Not for any particular reason other than “you just don’t.” That’s OK, we are human after all.

As the Internet continues its growth and small business works its way into today’s social realms, plenty of questions continue to arise.

Q. What type of business services or products do you provide?

Local golf instructor Jeff Ritter is offering a trip to Augusta. The winner receives airfare and lodging for the week of the The Masters in April.

Dean Starbuck can spin pizza dough above his head for one minute and thirty seconds. He and his co-workers from local restaurant chain Barro’s Pizza are hoping to beat that record at this year’s International Pizza Expo and World Pizza Games in Las Vegas.

This year’s Fore the Dogs Golf Event was the most successful event in Valley Dogs history, raising more than $10,000 and giving away more than 100 prizes.