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

A lacrosse stick is a simple piece of equipment: a metal pole, a plastic head and some coarse netting.

Hospice of the Valley has received a $100,000 grant from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to enhance end-of-life care and grief support services for children and families in Maricopa County.

While more than 62 percent of households in the U.S. have a pet, and many of the people living with those animals attend church services regularly, only a small percentage of churches serve animals and their caretakers. It was a startling thought for Ahwatukee Foothills residents Kris and Craig Haley.

I have read so many good books lately I couldn’t decide which one to review. It was a toss up between “The Obituary Writer,” by Ann Hood and “The Secret Keeper,” by Kate Norton (I don’t know about you but any title that contains the word “secret” draws me like a magnet — maybe it was that early Nancy Drew conditioning).

February is the month we glorify “love” and “The Fault In Our Stars,” by John Green, is a glorious love story. A love story not just between a boy and a girl, but with life itself. You’ll find this book in the Young Adult section, but don’t let that keep you from reading it; its message is universal to all ages because it is about living each day to the fullest, as if your days were limited.

As the stores take down the Valentine’s Day decorations and hang up shamrocks, you might be at home smiling at that fantastic flat-screen TV you bought for the big game. Between the holiday sales and the Super Bowl, prices couldn’t have been better. And the technology is, well, just so cool. The choices make my head spin and make TVs just a few years old seem like no comparison at all.

January means resolutions. My guess is that at least one of your resolutions falls under the category of being happier in some area of your life. If so, you might want to take a look at Gretchen Rubin’s new book, “Happier at Home” (2012). Her previous book, “The Happiness Project,” was No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list for months. Although I hadn’t read that one, I bought her next book as the “perfect” gift for someone. Before I wrapped it I skimmed it a little further than in the bookstore. Soon I was reading each page and knew I had to have my own copy. This is a valuable and inspirational reference for any individual, family or home — the kind of book you might not read at one sitting or from beginning to end, but snippets on a daily or weekly basis. With a highlighter.

Banner Health Centers will be offering 12-week educational programs for adults. Participants follow a structured format using a textbook with reading and writing activities. In each module, only the first few meetings are open to new participants.

As we consider New Year’s resolutions, I gladly share a story of Violet Jerome, a family friend who knew the secrets of keeping the Christmas spirit alive, year-round. Come to think of it, with our nation trapped in moral chaos, her story needs to be shared across the land.

The state's top education official said Friday it's up to parents -- and not his agency -- to ensure that local schools have threat-assessment and violence prevention programs to avoid shootings like the one in Connecticut.

It was Oct. 26, a perfect fall morning in Maryland, just days before Hurricane Sandy hit.

Mountain Park Community Church in Ahwatukee Foothills is hosting its annual “Surviving the Holidays” event Thursday night for those dealing with loss and grief.

Saturday, Nov. 24

‘Lincoln’

After a near fatal accident 18 years ago, which left my husband permanently blind, I thought the grief would never go away. The grief was so intense it permeated every cell in my body. The intense loss of sharing our dreams: seeing our twin boys play baseball, snow ski and watching them walk across the stage to receive their high school diplomas, were shattered in a single instant. The trips we had planned on taking with friends were crushed in a fleeting moment. I still miss the feeling of “I am safe” when I looked into his eyes. His gaze had always told me things would be OK.

Time waits for no man, and neither does technology.

Hospice of the Valley is hosting a six-week bereavement group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT) starting next month.

For those needing a safe place to deal with life’s hurts, hang ups and habits, Mountain View Lutheran Church in Ahwatukee Foothills is seeking to be that sanctuary.

When a spouse passes away the remaining spouse can suddenly find themselves in a world they don’t understand.

Jennifer Klingberg, a nurse and community liaison for Hospice of the Valley, is receiving a Spotlight on Success Award from ONE Community for her work in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Klingberg and 11 others will be honored Oct. 19 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown for their commitment to diversity.

The groups are 12-week educational programs for adults that can enable one to achieve a sense of meaning and joy even though life is different.

Saturday, Sept. 29

I just read an article published in the International Journal of Obesity that discussed the impact of doctors’ words on patients when talking about obesity.

Jeffrey Martinson will no longer face the death penalty in the case of his 5-year-old son’s 2004 death in Ahwatukee Foothills.