What do United States Congressman David Schweikert, State Senate Majority Leader John McComish, Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCicco, Kedrick Ellison of the Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department, Kyrene Superintendent Dr. David Shauer, Tempe Union High School Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Baca, and Pangea Development have in common?

Meeting city, state, faith and education leaders on Thursday, Sen. John McComish, of District 18, voiced his continued support for Gov. Jan Brewer’s plan to expand Medicaid in the state at a panel hosted by the Valley Interfaith Project (VIP).

With graduation just around the corner, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton emphasized the importance of college and answered questions about city issues as he spoke to a classroom of seniors on Wednesday at Mountain Pointe High School.

Q: What type of business services or products do you provide?

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 Only lately has the pragmatism been replaced by dogmatic ideology.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.

For an event usually drawing nearly 400 parents, education and business leaders, Desert Garden Montessori in Ahwatukee Foothills encourages residents to learn more about the school.

Parents, teachers, education leaders and activists gathered last week at the State Capitol for an informational meeting that discussed the new Common Core state standards and the possibility of replacing AIMS testing.

Arizona is on the verge of shutting the door on the ability of players for Arizona's professional sports teams to file workers' compensation claims elsewhere, even if that's where they were injured.

In the state Legislature, Sen. John McComish said the bills he usually works to pass are big-picture items that affect Arizona residents in indirect ways. So it was a nice change of pace he said to work on a bill that would have an immediate impact on a nonprofit that does a great service for the Ahwatukee Foothills community.

After the Court of Appeals ruling regarding school district inflation funding last month seemingly came out as a win for education, some school and political officials said the money is not likely to come in this fall.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce thanked influential mentors, volunteers and businesses during its 14th Annual Chamber Day of Champions awards breakfast Friday morning.

On its 10th anniversary in Ahwatukee Foothills, Vision Community Management is making a big investment in the community by taking over a 8,600-square-foot building on Desert Foothills Parkway.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce will host the 14th Annual Chamber Day of Champions Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 8 and honor local businesses, volunteers and educators who have made an impact on the community.

Legislative District 18 legislators made a commitment to Kyrene parents and teachers that they would fight for all the funding they could for education this year during a “Meet Your Legislators Night” at the Kyrene School District.