Summer School … these two words can sound like a one- to two-month jail sentence for students in school.

Phoenix film makers Marcus A. Stricklin and Sandy Kim, of Future Legends Production, have been invited to the Cannes Short Film Corner for the production of their film, “The Last Dance,” working with children actors from Ahwatukee.

Hard rocker Tom Keifer would be among the first to say that life doesn’t go as planned. The long-time musician, best known for his lead role in the band Cinderella, released his first solo album – ”The Way Life Goes” – April 30 after a 10-year process and a long struggle with partial vocal chord paralysis — the ruination of many music careers.

The owners of the new Ginban Modern Japanese Cuisine in Ahwatukee Foothills are combining traditional technique with a modern flare.

Before the weather gets any hotter, take your pooch out for a stroll at some of Ahwatukee’s dog-friendly restaurants.

Dear Mikey,

Plot-twisting puzzlers are a bubble market in the movies these days, with an arms race of "Inception"-like reality reversals that flip like a coin until dizzy audiences lose all interest in how it lands.

The Roman Catholic Church is the oldest organization on earth at 2,000 years. It changes very slowly. In theology it only changes at the far edges. It is built on a rock (some say built of road).

After attending a political meeting the other night, I’m convinced some people have forgotten what our great nation is all about. Have we forgotten “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?” Once upon a time, those God-given rights were the reality of life for this free nation.

One of my favorite parts of scripture has always been the story of the last supper. Every spring as we move towards Holy Week, I’m always drawn back to that last night Jesus spent with his disciples around the table. But the reason I’m so fond of that part of the Gospels is because of the moment where Jesus begins to wash the feet of his friends.

Much like recent arthouse films “Weekend” and “Keep The Lights On,” “North Sea Texas” is a realistic portrait of gay life and romance – not the frequent clichés one may find on TV’s “Modern Family” or “The New Normal.” Adapted from the novel “This is Everlasting” by Flemish writer André Sollie, the film follows a young teen growing up along the Belgian coast as he falls in love with a neighborhood boy. Unlike the star-crossed lovers at the heart of “Brokeback Mountain,” this story luckily has a more hopeful ending for its burgeoning protagonist.

It seems that every culture has a probiotic food that has been made for centuries. The Koreans have Kimchi. The Japanese have Miso Soup and Kombucha. The Africans have Amasi and the list goes on and on. Our history and ancestors have fermented and preserved many types of foods. This actually benefited our health and well being. Meanwhile, in our generation we have gone away from these traditions and have added antibiotics to our bodies. These antibiotics can be found in both our medicine and our food. This has caused a great imbalance in the beneficial bacteria that belongs in our bodies. This imbalance has contributed to a wide variety of diseases. Today, we are seeing a great come back with both probiotic supplements and foods.

I made sushi at home the other day for the first time ever. And it didn’t go that badly, surprisingly. I wouldn’t have thought so just 24 hours earlier.

Birds ‘n Beer: Enjoy an educational happy hour at the Rio Salado Audubon Center, where you can sip a glass of Four Peaks beer while learning why Birds of Paradise are more fashion forward than Project Runway.

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.

Another legislative session, another day for the nanny state. The list of people whom government officials think are incapable of running their own lives now includes state lottery winners.

Ahwatukee Spine and Disc

CK’s Tavern and Grill

The most anticipated special publication of the year is here, the Ahwatukee Foothills News’ Best Of Ahwatukee. We receive calls throughout the year for extra copies of this publication and questions on when voting for the next year will begin.

If you’ve got your decor looking just about right but want that extra “wow” factor, consider painting interior doors.

Desert Vista High School graduate Chelsea Wold was named one of this year’s Fiesta Bowl court members, gaining a $5,000 scholarship.

My family has always insisted that the centerpiece of our Christmas feast be some kind of show-stopping roast. We’re talking a standing rib roast or whole beef tenderloin. And, as if these prizes were not already rich enough in themselves, we tend to pair them with an extravagant sauce, usually bearnaise. Hey, it’s Christmas.

There’s often an asterisk when athletes dominate at a lower classification level because it’s unknown how they would fare against the best.

To understand any of this, you need to understand what I look like pregnant. Not that I’m pregnant at this moment. At this moment I just look like...

For several weeks, the children in the Reese house have been poring over the holiday catalogs that arrived in the mail or through the newspaper.