Rock-star Ted Nugent has extravagant praise for National Rifle Association (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre’s alleged patriotism. “LaPierre,” says Nugent, “resembles our forefathers who stood on Concord bridge and risked all to give birth to a truly free, independent America.”

1. On May 9 police took a report of criminal damage in the 13600 block of south 44th Street. The victim told police he had a 2001 two-door Honda that his son usually drives parked on the street overnight. When his son went to go to work in the morning he noticed a scratch down the side of the car.

The 2013 legislative session began with a unanimous vote in the House and the Senate to appropriate emergency funding for additional Child Protective Services staff. With that vote, lawmakers affirmed child safety as a top priority.

An anonymous donation is keeping the Phoenix gun buyback program going for one final Saturday, May 18.

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

1. On April 29 at 8:52 a.m. police responded to a residential burglary in the 4200 block of East South Fork Drive. Between Sunday and Monday morning the victim had his or her vehicle parked in the driveway. Entry was made into the 2007 Hummer and sunglasses and a garage door opener were taken. There were no signs of forced entry.

They aren't close to going home.

I’d like to thank Bryan Brinkley (“Richardson’s arguments are absurd,” AFN May 3) for taking the time to respond to the “absurd” arguments in my many gun control articles.

Now that the Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) for the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway expansion has been released, local environmentalists are planning to use the 90-day comment period to tear it apart.

Gov. Jan Brewer has cleared one hurdle for new research on the possible medical benefits of marijuana.

"Had I known about the crime problems around Arizona State University I would have never let Kyleigh move to Tempe.” Those are the words of Karen Montenegro, the mother of murdered ASU student Kyleigh Sousa.

Any chance of cities or counties conducting future gun-buyback programs is about to evaporate.

1. On Monday, April 15 at 10 p.m. police reported a false reporting to law enforcement. A man near the 13000 block of South Wakial Loop initially reported his wife had been kidnapped, police said. An investigation indicated the wife was having drinks with another male subject, the man knew that and was trying to file a false report, police said.

I enjoyed Dennis Tierney’s commentary (“Limiting magazine sizes just a step in trying to reduce gun violence,” AFN, March 31), which responds to my earlier commentary. His arguments appear thoughtful and completely reasonable.

Centennials are normally cause for celebration, a chance to applaud some thing or person standing the test of time. But not so for the income tax. Even the IRS is declining to mention that this year is the 100-year anniversary of the 16th Amendment of the Constitution, which authorized the tax.

When Arizona voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2010, Steve Cottrell saw a way to combine his laboratory background and his interest in the plant he’d been studying since his 11-year-old son died of cancer more than a decade before.

On April 17, a bi-partisan piece of legislation, which included “common sense reforms” to help address gun violence, was defeated in the U.S. Senate.

In the months of February and March Cerritos students made appreciation cards for Ahwatukee firefighters and police officers. More than 100 firefighters and 40 police officers cards were made using Cerritos student’s handprint and their own personal note of why they are thankful for firefighters and police officers. Students from the Kids Care Club then delivered the cards to their local police and fire stations 43, 46 and 38.

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

Rebuffed in his bid for oversight of Colorado City marshals, Attorney General Tom Horne now wants taxpayer funds for another police agency to patrol the polygamous community.

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.

Week of March 25 through April 1

House Bill 2204 helps to continue health care benefits to families that have lost a police officer, firefighter, or corrections officer in the line of duty. The bill was signed into law Friday by Gov. Jan Brewer.

Kyrene de los Cerritos elementary students made appreciation cards for Ahwatukee’s firefighters and police officers. It took about a month for the students to make appreciation cards for more than 100 firefighters and 40 police officers in the area. Each card was made using the child’s handprint and their own personal note of why they are thankful for firefighters and police officers.

The chief of the Phoenix Police Department is working to get the word out to the public that the city of Phoenix’s crime reduction plan for 2013 requires a shared responsibility between residents and officers.