The decision by the IRS to take a closer look at Tea Party finances apparently did not affect some key organizations in Arizona.

For the past two years, Desert Vista High School teacher Debra Benedict has seen her students grow in writing, leadership and in their understanding of the issues within education.

With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

Ahwatukee resident Michael Feyrer subscribes to the philosophy that his life is like a pair of shoes — to be worn out in service.

"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.

According to the majority of the media and most of our elected officials we are not supposed to judge all Muslims by the acts of a few “crazies.” But the acts of a few American “crazies” are enough to judge all Americans who own guns.

Did you catch The Rev. Jesse Jackson the other night on CNN demanding a Senate hearing into why regulators never cracked down on that gruesome abortion clinic in Philadelphia?

Just after the school bell rang last Friday morning, Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary Principal Dave Maloney headed straight for his school’s media center to do live morning announcements.

I would like to respond to a recent guest column, “SRP needs to provide vision and advance energy efficiency,” which appeared in this newspaper (March 29). The author makes inaccurate assertions regarding the ability of customers and stakeholders to provide meaningful input to SRP’s resource plan and more generally questions our commitment to sustainable resources.

Claiming the measures target minorities, some groups are threatening to sue if lawmakers adopt new restrictions on early voting and who can take someone else's ballot to the polls.

The media loosely throws around the word “sociopath.” Many people don’t understand what being a sociopath means. But, if recent studies are correct, 1 in 25 people are considered to be sociopathic. That tells us that most of us will meet several sociopaths in our lifetime. The goal is meet them, work with them, pray with them, but do not get into a relationship with them. Attempting to have a relationship with an emotionally unavailable person will ultimately be psychologically destructive.

Gov. Jan Brewer is making a bid this week to salvage part of what's left of the law she signed in 2010 aimed at illegal immigration.

A House panel voted Wednesday to void parts of local anti-discrimination ordinances designed to give protections to transgendered individuals.

As the Internet continues its growth and small business works its way into today’s social realms, plenty of questions continue to arise.

Every day, emergency and public safety crews put their lives on the line to help motorists stranded along highways. Tragically, crashes involving emergency and other vehicles that are pulled over along highway shoulders claim hundreds of lives across the country each year.

The Arizona Board of Regents will start the process next month to see if there are ways that some illegal immigrant "dreamers'' can qualify for lower tuition than they now have to pay.

The state’s jobless rate jumped a tenth of a point in January to 8.0 percent.

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.

The Mesa Arts Center will have a new outdoor stage for performances and visual art demonstrations in the next year or two, as part of a transformation planned for the 8-year old facility.

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.

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.

Attorneys for Gov. Jan Brewer told a federal judge Monday there is no legal basis to order the state to immediately provide driver's licenses to certain illegal immigrants immediately since they are not being harmed.

The state House voted Thursday to scrap the generous retirement plan enjoyed by elected officials and judges — but not in a way that would affect any of them.

The state House voted to require that teacher-education programs be revamped to conform with the new Common Core Standards.

Forget the ferrets. Cancel the cats. And don't even discuss the ducks.