The Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee will meet  at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 20 at the Pecos Community Center, 17010 S. 48th St. On the agenda is a City Council update from District 6 and an update on the South Mountain Freeway Citizens Advisory Team. For more information, visit phoenix.gov.

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.

With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

Horrible, the loss of three innocent lives in the Boston bombing. Then what word could one use to express the fact that between 158,000 and 202,000 civilians have died as a result of the ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan?

The Medicaid restoration plan put forth by Gov. Brewer is a prudent economic option that helps our state stay competitive while serving those who are most vulnerable.

There's a siege mentality about Michael Bay's movies, as though viewers are the enemy holed up in a bunker and he's the guy ordering heavy-metal music around-the-clock to wear down our morale and force us to surrender.

Three years ago, a bunt, overthrow, or bobbled grounder led to a 1-0 win or loss.

In my 55-plus years as a native of Arizona, our state has always been pragmatically independent and conservative. Only lately has the pragmatism been replaced by dogmatic ideology. This ideology has become more hostile and prominent recently and unfortunately was brought to the forefront immediately before the Holy Days leading up to Easter. It is unfortunate that the vitriolic speak that Maricopa County GOP Chairman Mr. LaFaro chose when speaking at a legislative committee was to compare our governor with Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. It is my opinion that supporting Medicaid expansion to 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level does not amount to equating Gov. Brewer to Judas.

Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School in Ahwatukee attracted local government officials and representatives on Friday morning for its 20th Annual Patriotic Day honoring veterans and service members.

Love fashion but can’t exactly jet off to runway shows in New York or Milan? You can see a fashion show right here at home when The East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) hosts its parade of 150 outfits created by 53 first- and second-year fashion students.

As CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center, I applaud Gov. Jan Brewer for her plan to restore Medicaid to its previous funding levels. Restoring Medicaid funding is smart, cost-effective, and will have a lasting impact on Arizona’s economy for years to come.

On March 1, Congress failed to come to an agreement on a federal spending package, leading to the implementation of sequestration resulting in an $85 billion cut in government spending over the next seven months. Hardest hit are programs that serve our community’s most vulnerable. But, there is hope and that hope lies within us.

Although it’s not much, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” really deserves credit where credit’s due. Its 2009 predecessor was one of the dumbest action movies of the past 10 years. In this sequel, director Jon M. Chu of those “Step Up” movies makes an attempt to incorporate some humor, creative action sequences, and impressive visuals. That doesn’t mean “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” is a good movie, but at least it’s an improvement. The film could have gone down the route of the “Transformers” series, which only got worse with every entry.

Sherrelle Jordan and Ky Westbrook finished with the same impressive result on Saturday.

Aaron Windler’s return to boys basketball was a one-year stay with Mountain Pointe.

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

Gen Fitzgerald, a student at Desert Vista High School in Ahwatukee, was on top of the world after winning the Arizona Regional Brain Bee that took place in February at Midwestern University.

Aaron Windler’s return to boys basketball was a one-year stay with Mountain Pointe.

Assumptions were made, jokes were told and Larry Holmes' confidence was shaken.

As part of NASA’s outreach to get young students excited about space and science, nearly 100 seventh-graders at Kyrene Centennial Middle School met and chatted with astronauts this week during a live video call.