Hiking trails built in South Mountain won’t be destroyed by the South Mountain Freeway but many hikers fear they will never be the same.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee is preparing to defend Ahwatukee residents’ quality of life during construction of the South Mountain Freeway, should it go down Pecos Road.

Residents of Laveen are ready for the South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway to be built.

As “Opponents of Brewer’s Medicaid plan speak out” it rapidly becomes obvious that they are obsessed with forcing their personal, misguided value systems on we citizens.

Kick-off river season in style with Salt River Tubing’s annual launch event. This western-themed shindig offers free cowboy boot koozies and bandanas to the first 500 tubers, live music from 98KUPD, line dancing and lots of giveaways, not to mention a leisurely float down the scenic Lower Salt River.

It’s been eight months since I had the great opportunity to join the Ahwatukee Foothills News. Since that time we have not made radical changes to the paper or wild editorial changes to the product. What I wanted to do was listen to our readers and take note of any changes that would aid this great community.

Where are the “silver linings” for the Ahwatukee Foothills area from the proposed South Mountain Freeway?

Now that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has finally been released by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on the proposed South Mountain Freeway Loop 202 expansion, we can start doing a feasibility check on the proposed freeway.

Several freeway-improvement projects in the Phoenix area will require closures this weekend (May 3-5), according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes while the following freeway closures are in place this weekend:

The adage “truth is stranger than fiction” is proven in “The Lost Wife,” by Alyson Richman. She has succeeded in blending both for an unforgettable reading experience.

The long-awaited Draft Environmental Impact Study for the South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway will be released today and available for review and comment over the next 90 days.

It has been three years since members of the South Mountain Citizens Advisory Team (SMCAT) got together, but on Monday the group will reconvene to discuss air quality before the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS).

“Those three seconds I took my eyes off the road changed my life forever.”

In recent national news, three major car crashes claimed the lives of 15 teenagers in Ohio, Illinois and Texas. Unfortunately, that is more of a common occurrence than we realize, and those are just the ones that made national news. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recently reported that teenage driver fatalities were up in 2012 from previous years. Until now, the numbers were beginning to trend downwards and many attributed it to Graduated Drivers License (GDL) Laws that were being enacted around the country.

Arizona cities that want to place or keep photo enforcement cameras on state roads are going to have to prove they do more than generate fines.

The Arizona Department of Transportation cautions drivers to be prepared for blowing dust today.

As the percentage of alcohol-related driving under the influence offenses continue to decrease in Phoenix, the number of drug-related driving offenses have increased in recent years.

There’s still time for the public to give comment on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Tentative five-year plan.

Spreading a message to teens about the consequences of underage drinking, the Phoenix Police Department started a Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest for high school students around the Valley.

Parental custody

The college that established a “one course a month” schedule format will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 for an open house, at 13430 N. Black Canyon Highway, Suite 190, in Phoenix, for those interested in educational programs in nursing, health care and wellness, business and technology, and legal studies.

Every day, emergency and public safety crews put their lives on the line to help motorists stranded along highways. Tragically, crashes involving emergency and other vehicles that are pulled over along highway shoulders claim hundreds of lives across the country each year.

Famous Dave’s barbecue restaurants are teaming up with Arizona law enforcement officers to give some comfort to kids caught in the middle of tragedy.

A bill approved by the state House Monday could eventually force the removal of some of the most controversial red light and photo radar cameras in the state.