Here it comes again — that deep longing to go home. I usually get homesickness in faster rolling waves as the weather heats up in the desert, and I’m really looking forward to our trip to Wisconsin this summer.

An invitation from a friend eight years ago is all it took for Ahwatukee Foothills resident Teresa Akrish to get involved in the YMCA’s Outreach Program for Ahwatukee Seniors (YOPAS).

And so it begins. After six years since the last substantive debates over immigration reform, the Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, the title of the legislation borne out of the months-long work of the bipartisan Gang of Eight, which includes Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake.

Volleyball was Kyle Pitman’s secondary sport, but it was hard to tell with his effort and influence on the court.

A Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson said the reasons people get stuck on local mountains is failing to stay on the hiking path and not being prepared.

The Phoenix City Council has approved a sweeping ethics reform package for elected officials that Mayor Greg Stanton says gives the city some of the toughest ethics rules in the nation.

Thank you for sticking around when the going got tough.

During Arizona’s hot summer months hiking is still possible, but experts agree that early morning is the time to be on the trails.
“At night the sun has baked on the asphalt all day long and as the sun goes down the asphalt releases that heat,” said Elizabeth Smith, park ranger at South Mountain Park. “Even though the sun is down and you may not have direct sun on you, it’s still hot out. In the morning it’s 80 degrees. I would suggest looking at what the temperature is throughout the day before you make your plans.”


On May 18 Everest College Phoenix celebrated the graduation of 141 students from its Phoenix campus. During the graduation ceremony, Calvin Coolidge Goode was recognized for his extraordinary leadership in Arizona and beyond as well as his dedication to the promotion of education and advancement of civil rights. He was presented with an Everest College Phoenix honorary degree, doctor of humane letters.

It’s unfortunate, but true: The elderly population may be the most vulnerable group in our society. In fact, in an effort to call attention to the problems of physical, emotional and financial abuse of the elderly, the United Nations has designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. If you have older parents, or even grandparents, can you do to anything to help prevent them from being victimized, especially with regard to their finances?

I received a postcard in the mail several weeks ago announcing a public hearing on May 21 to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Study on the proposed South Mountain Freeway. None of my neighbors received the same postcard when I talked to them. Why were some of the public left out of the mailing? They may not have been informed of this public hearing, but I have comments to make.

Before every Desert Vista football game that I covered the last two years one of the first things I did when I hit the sidelines was find Benny Hinds, especially before a big game like Hamilton and the Ahwatukee Bowl.

Jaycob Brugman hasn’t even played his first game with the Oakland A’s organization and he is already counting down the days until the season ends.

REALITY TIME is fast approaching on the conclusion of the public comment period on the proposed Loop 202 for the South Mountain Freeway, as we have just until July 24 to submit our opinions.

State lawmakers were moving toward finally adjourning their 151-day session late Thursday -- but not before setting the stage for constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

Humorist Dave Barry has said, “the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. The wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.”

All though Ian Kennedy took a very dangerous route to get it accomplished, it was pretty cool seeing some of baseball tough guys square off on Tuesday night.

Whether you had parents that were distant or parents that were overbearing, we all likely dreamed about running away from home while growing up. These unrealistic fantasies likely involved hitting the road with one or two good friends and building a safe haven somewhere in the wildness. Naturally, we all quickly woke up from this daydream, realizing that we’d never make it on our own. “The Kings of Summer” exists in an offbeat world fueled by our youthful daydreams. The end product is funny and quirky, but also wise and nostalgic with something meaningful to say about coming of age.

Pogo is a male “Beagle blend,” about 6 years old. He’s a sweet and loving little guy. Friends for Life rescued Pogo from the Yuma Humane Society where he was turned in several times as a stray. The last time he was turned in, however, his family never came to claim him. His outlook for finding a home was not good. Pogo was adopted from Friends for Life a few months ago, however, the family determined they didn’t have enough time for a dog. He’s hoping this time around for a family that will be dedicated to keeping him safe, sound, and loved. Pogo enjoys a good cuddle, going for walks when it’s cool, and just look at that face!

Mohammed Saleem bet one brother instead of chasing another.

Tired of waiting for action, Gov. Jan Brewer forced lawmakers back to the Capitol late Tuesday to approve her budget and Medicaid expansion.

As the saying goes, “Good things come to people who wait.” For some time I have been suggesting to anyone who is in the market for a new computer to wait a while for Windows 8 to be improved, and that time may be around the corner. This is welcome news to those of you who have had the misfortune of either purchasing a Windows 8 computer or have received a gift with the ill-fated operating system installed on a new computer.

Father’s Day gifts have morphed over the years. It used to be a tie, a golf hat or a jazz CD. But dads are more tech-savvy these days.