With a passion for bilingual education, Ahwatukee Foothills resident Nicole Teyechea McNeil is opening up a preschool this summer where kids can learn and benefit from knowing a second language.

The Village Preschool • 2156 E. Liberty Lane

Are you interested in cutting costs and saving money?

If you grew up in the early 90s, you probably remember an animated feature from 20th Century Fox called “FernGully: The Last Rainforest.” It was the environmentally-conscious movie every 90s kid saw, and yet, nobody really liked. The film’s intentions might have been good, but even the youngest children seemed to find its blatant green message overly preachy. The fact that “FernGully” was lacking in any interesting characters or magic didn’t help. “Epic,” which was also coincidentally distributed by Fox, is a bit like “FernGully” if it had smarter, more imaginative filmmakers backing it. While it’s not a massive improvement, “Epic” is at least fun, energized, and subtle with its environmental themes.

The end of the school year is upon us and now the inevitable question is: “What are we going to do ALL summer long?” or the infamous: “I’m bored,” yes it is summer break! Parents are frantically searching for camps, activities, play dates, swimming lessons, movie days, etc. to fill their kid’s days to avoid the “I’m bored” trap.

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

It’s no secret that Arizona offers some of the best and most luxurious AAA Four and Five Diamond resorts in the country. However, many travelers don’t realize that many of these properties also feature kid camps that aim to please even the pickiest pint-sized traveler. This provides mom and dad with a guilt-free way to indulge in some much-needed couple time, while allowing kids to make friends and create memories of their own.

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 no secret to Realtors that fabulous kitchens sell homes. Improve the room used primarily for food preparation, and the entire house will feel homier to residents, guests and prospective buyers alike.

The best-tasting veggie burger I’ve ever met is falafel. A product of the Middle East, falafel are deep-fried fritters made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that are tucked into pita pockets and drizzled with tahini. They are delicious, hearty, inexpensive and relatively healthy.

“ISBK” and “MLB” were two of the graffiti tags appearing frequently on block walls, trash dumpsters, and road signs in Ahwatukee during 2010, particularly inside the Elliot-Warner Loop.

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.

Trees in the city of Phoenix provide $9.4 million in annual benefit to residents in air quality, storm water management, energy savings, shade and aesthetics, according to the city of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.

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.

Friday is National Pretzel Day, and a Valley restaurant known for its pretzels is celebrating in a big way: Brat Haus in Old Town Scottsdale will be super sizing their signature German-style soft pretzels all day April 26, and serving them with beer and cheese fundido or Nutella.

It’s no wonder that Carter Gladstone has shown a tremendous ability to be patient at the plate.

When Ahwatukee Foothills resident Ruth Roberts purchased her home more than six years ago she was excited to look out her back window and have a view of a beautiful green golf course. Today, her view is of browned grass and a pile of dead tree branches.

Homeowners associations are tasked with the unenviable responsibility of maintaining community standards. Personal property appearances, landscape maintenance and dog refuse in common areas fall within their purview; apparently so do banners advertising local businesses.

Hunger may seem like a problem only faced far away, but local churches say it’s a problem right here in Ahwatukee Foothills.

During a recent home remodel, Diane Wright decided the stairway leading to her garage needed some perking up.

Regular spraying of your home and some professional advice could save homeowners a lot of trouble this year as experts are predicting crickets, scorpions and ants to be a big problem this spring.

Arizona shoppers are getting a bit of a financial reprieve as prices for meat took an unexpected -- and potentially unexplained -- drop during the first quarter of the year.