In a week when North Korea posted a homemade video showing the U.S. Capitol building being destroyed by a missile, what more logical response could Hollywood offer than a macho thriller about a Secret Service agent who takes on North Korean terrorists who attack the White House? The first of two similarly themed action dramas set for this year ("White House Down" arrives in June), "Olympus Has Fallen" will put to the test the question of whether American audiences are ready, 12 years after 9-11, to watch, strictly as disposable popcorn entertainment, a film in which the United States and some of its most prominent landmarks are devastated by foreign terrorists.

James Hasse, 67, of Ahwatukee peacefully passed away on Jan. 4 after a courageous battle with cancer. His fortitude and strength will forever be an inspiration to his family and friends.

Arizona is once again becoming a popular place for tourists.

Text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, as provided by the White House:

Text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, as provided by the White House:

As an aircraft mechanic, Nicholas Camarillo thought it was kind of ironic that his homecoming flight from Japan to Phoenix was delayed two days due to mechanical reasons.

With the first budget surplus in years, Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday she wants lawmakers to restore funding to promote tourism.

Doc (Tom) Patterson ("Conservatives have to win this deficit stare-down, AFN, June 12), where were you when President Bush and the Republicans were spending the huge surplus built by President Clinton? How come you were not worried about the surplus/turned deficit until we had a Democrat-elected president?

Ahwatukee Foothills' Desert Vista High School qualified 10 students for the National Forensics League national tournament June 13-18 in Dallas.

Will Claye keeps on jumping.

At the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday in Eugene, Ore., former Mountain Pointe star Will Claye earned a spot on the U.S. team for the upcoming IAAF World Championships with his second-place finish in the triple jump.

Tom Patterson ("Conservatives have to win this deficit stare-down, AFN, June 12), where were you when President Bush and the Republicans were spending the huge surplus built by President Clinton? How come you were not worried about the surplus-turned-deficit until we had a Democrat-elected president?

Images of Julie Andrews dancing across the field in 1965's "Sound of Music" were among the sources of inspiration that drove Sookyoung Kim to achieve her dream. She was 5 years old and living in South Korea when she first watched the award-winnning film.

Images of Julie Andrews dancing across the field in 1965's "Sound of Music" were among the sources of inspiration that drove Sookyoung Kim to achieve her dream. She was 5 years old and living in South Korea when she first watched the award-winnning film.

Kyrene del Milenio Elementary Principal Jim Verrill believes the best way to get incoming students comfortable in a new environment is to show them that they are not alone.

In the final phases of his 50-plus year career in education, Ahwatukee Foothills resident Gary Eyre called his election to the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame the “icing on the cake.”

Twenty-five years ago Friday, one of the great tragedies in American history took place. At 11:38 a.m., only seconds after takeoff, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded across the Florida sky. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. But the families and colleagues of Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis and Judith Resnik were determined to ensure their lives were not lost in vain. And thus, the Challenger Space Center was born.

You can feel safe

You can feel safe

You can feel safe

A Desert Vista graduate will get to experience South Korean classrooms first-hand as part of the prestigious Fulbright Scholars program.