A lacrosse stick is a simple piece of equipment: a metal pole, a plastic head and some coarse netting.

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.

The scenes were about 20 miles and three hours apart on Thursday, but nonetheless felt much the same.

When my wife and I tried to park in the designated visitor parking area at Sen. Jeff Flake’s Phoenix office recently, we were told by security to leave or our car would be towed. When we questioned this, as we were there to join with others to hold him accountable for his vote against universal background checks for gun purchases, we were told parking there was for office tenants only. As we were pulling out of the parking lot, security people began blocking all entrances to the parking lot with pick-up trucks and chains.

Ninety feet is the perfect distance between bases, but on Thursday afternoon it must have felt more like 90 miles for Mountain Pointe.

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).

The Chaparral baseball team isn’t quite ready to give up on its dream of a third consecutive state title.

The Thunder had one last rally in a standard-setting season, but it wasn’t enough.

The Mountain Pointe baseball team began the postseason with the big-picture ideal that it would take 105 more outs to win a state title.

At one point it looked like Mountain Pointe’s boys baseball team might win its Division I first-round playoff game in a blowout.

At the time it was hard to imagine anyone at Opus Field on Saturday being more stunned then Austin “Crash” Hicks.

Jake Connell gave up lacrosse and golf since moving here from New York State.

Why does Bon Jovi crank out an unending string of relentlessly upbeat, unavoidably catchy songs in the style that made the Jersey boys famous 30 years ago and kept them there 'till now?

The play on the field wasn’t as important as the significance of the uniforms, but both were sharp.

Bill Richardson presents thoughtful perspectives on our national debate regarding gun control (“How is an illusion going to make us safer?,” AFN, March 22).

The Mountain Pointe baseball team has probably seen enough of Brophy until May.

Kaylah Lupoe is a bit shy, has a smile that can break an iceberg let alone the ice, and a nasty streak that disrupts the most cohesive of offenses.

In an uncertain economy, it’s natural for people to “tighten their belts” by cutting down on their spending. And yet by having too much cash on hand today, you could actually slow your progress toward your financial goals of tomorrow.

This month, every single resident in Ahwatukee Foothills and beyond (this means you!) is being asked to do one simple thing — give.

Still far short of the votes she needs, Gov. Jan Brewer finally gave lawmakers a peek Tuesday at details of her plan to expand the state's Medicaid program in a bid to whip up support.

Gov. Jan Brewer rallied doctors and nurses at the Capitol on Tuesday in her bid to get the necessary votes to expand the state's Medicaid program.

Even though Stan Luketich manicures the Desert Vista baseball field so much he probably has a name for every grain of dirt that covers the infield and has coached just about every inning since the program’s inception in 1997, the thing he might be most proud of is something he has no involvement in.

‘Twas not the winter of everyone’s discontent. At least not for all the basketball players, soccer studs and wrestlers who took their shots, saves and takedowns for glory’s sake and found some.

Jackson Dupps lived up to his nickname of “Action Jackson” last week as he chased his older brother, threw toy balls around his living room, connected about 12 Expo markers together and used them as a walking stick, and shot out a few coy smiles as he contentedly played during Wednesday’s stormy weather.

On Feb. 2, volunteers from Harmon Solar installed a donated solar system on a Habitat for Humanity home that is under construction for the Sabbara family, a family of four headed by a single mother in north Phoenix. This will be the fourth Habitat home that Harmon Solar will have installed with a cost-saving, solar system in Central Arizona.