Spring sprang, and now summer has set in.

For the past two years, the Husband and Wife Law Team serious injury lawyers Mark and Alexis Breyer of Ahwatukee has been sponsoring their own Teacher Appreciation Program, awarding one lucky teacher each month $250 for use in their classroom or how they wish. Their latest winner is Mr. Vico Guerrero of Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School.

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.

Selling your first home in a buyers’ market? You can get the best possible price if you know how to negotiate.

As of the day I am writing this there are 130 active rental listings on the MLS in Ahwatukee and 416 have been rented in the past six months.

American journalism has disgraced itself in the matter of the Benghazi terrorist attack.

The Department of Administration reports Arizona’s jobless rate last month was 7.9 percent. That’s the third straight month at that level.

Are you interested in cutting costs and saving money?

Cera Hassinan is one of those people who makes others feel uncomfortable with themselves.

Indie-folk artist Jay Nash will be performing in the Valley’s very own The Rhythm Room this Wednesday May 22, with fellow performer David Ramirez.

Dear Mikey,

The last time I went on the Havasupai Falls hike I left a little unfilled.

Desert Vista High School students this week presented a near-complete application for teacher evaluations to be rolled out in the fall, a project more than a year in the making.

The football coaches evidently can’t wait until August for their first showdown of the year.

The Big South Conference announced the official nominees for the Conference’s Woman of the Year award for 2012-13, with 13 student-athletes including Ahwatukee resident and Seton Catholic graduate Molly Barlow from 10 member institutions comprising this year’s candidates.

Though she’s going to miss seeing her students grow in their love of books, Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary librarian Sue Race said it’s time for her to move on.

Editor’s note: This is part one of a continuing summer series on the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Mother-daughter team Stephanie and Carley Barton spent the Saturday before Mother’s Day together at the salon, but the duo wasn’t there just to be pampered. They’ve both been growing their hair out for years to be donated to Locks of Love.

Even though “The Great Gatsby” has gotten the movie treatment several times in the past, no film adaptation has ever really stood out as the definitive version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s celebrated novel. Director Baz Luhrmann’s film is certainly the most visually arresting interpretation of “The Great Gatsby” ever produced. Catherine Martin, who previous worked with Luhrmann on “Moulin Rouge,” “Romeo + Juliet,” and “Australia,” deserves multiple Oscar nominations for her hyper sets and eye-popping costumes. As wonderful as Luhrmann’s “Great Gatsby” is to look at, the enchanting visuals are also ironically the movie’s downfall. In the midst of the art direction, costumes, and music, the story and characters that made Fitzgerald’s book a classic become a mere afterthought.

The success of the spring sports kept me away from all but one day of three weeks of spring football.

Calling the governor's proposal unacceptable and politically dead at the Legislature, House Speaker Andy Tobin unveiled his own new plan Tuesday to expand Medicaid, one that would give Arizona voters the final say.

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.