The 2013 legislative session began with a unanimous vote in the House and the Senate to appropriate emergency funding for additional Child Protective Services staff. With that vote, lawmakers affirmed child safety as a top priority.

Phoenix police investigators are interested in talking with Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington after an alleged domestic violence incident on Wednesday afternoon.

On April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Phoenix Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

The United States has seen a deluge of much-needed attention to the issue of bullying in the last decade. Horrific examples of young people harassing and abusing their peers — sometimes to the point that the victims commit suicide — have forced parents and educators to begin thinking about the issue and to initiate or expand bully prevention efforts. What is often missed in these discussions, however, is the problem of adults who bully young people.

As the percentage of alcohol-related driving under the influence offenses continue to decrease in Phoenix, the number of drug-related driving offenses have increased in recent years.

The DPR Foundation, a company-wide initiative of DPR Construction to help disadvantaged kids, has awarded East Valley youth program ICAN, with a $50,000 grant. The money was awarded to support ICAN’s youth development programs, which build necessary skills in youth to avoid substance abuse, gang activity and juvenile delinquency in high risk communities.

The DPR Foundation, a company-wide initiative of DPR Construction to help disadvantaged kids, has awarded East Valley youth program ICAN, with a $50,000 grant. The money was awarded to support ICAN’s youth development programs, which build necessary skills in youth to avoid substance abuse, gang activity and juvenile delinquency in high risk communities.

Arizona State University researchers have developed a parenting-after-divorce program that has been found to substantially reduce behavior problems, mental health disorders and substance abuse among children whose parents have divorced. They are now offering the program free to divorced or separated parents, as part of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

United Blood Services has announced an urgent need for donors with O-, A-, B-, AB- and O+ blood types.

The ASHLine, a tool in providing free quit smoking support and NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) items such as the patch, gum lozenge or medication at free or reduced costs, is helping open a new Phoenix gym.

The organization that funded Arizona's 2010 medical marijuana initiative says lawmakers who now want voters to scrap the program are missing the point of a study on teen use.

Close to one out of every eight high schoolers who admitted to smoking marijuana recently say they got it from a medical marijuana cardholder.

Now that the holiday shopping season has begun one Valley charity is hoping residents will open their hearts and their wallets to help support a family in need.

On Nov. 30, East Valley nonprofit ICAN will host the ninth annual Festival of Trees at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, 5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd. in Chandler, at 6 p.m.

The state’s top health official said Wednesday there’s a simple, cost-free way to prevent dozens of children from dying each year: Let them sleep alone.

The National Family Partnership announced the national contest for its 27th annual Red Ribbon Week has been extended one more week, due to Hurricane Sandy. The online voting period has also been extended by a week, and is now rescheduled for Nov. 10 through the 24.

Students at Horizon Community Learning Center (HCLC) gathered Wednesday and Thursday morning to watch videos from older peers on how to stay drug free with “natural highs.”

No one ever expects their child to turn into a drug addict.

Phoenix rapper Frankie Peterson is gearing up for a teen rap event on Friday, stretching his reach to the youth even further.

For those needing a safe place to deal with life’s hurts, hang ups and habits, Mountain View Lutheran Church in Ahwatukee Foothills is seeking to be that sanctuary.

Diarra Hamilton, known as aVoicE, prefers the title “Urban Christian” rather than rapper.

The board responsible for protecting the public from bad counselors and non-medical therapists is slow to handle complaints, state Auditor General Debra Davenport said Friday.

Homelessness is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. I grew up in a family in which giving back and helping those in need were top priorities. I am committed to ending homelessness in Phoenix, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because our city will be better for it. I recently welcomed a senior policy adviser on homelessness to my team. Jodi Beckley Liggett has a big job ahead of her, because homelessness affects every corner of our city.

Homelessness is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. I grew up in a family in which giving back and helping those in need were top priorities. I am committed to ending homelessness in Phoenix, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because our city will be better for it. I recently welcomed a senior policy adviser on homelessness to my team. Jodi Beckley Liggett has a big job ahead of her, because homelessness affects every corner of our city.

A man was taken to a Chandler hospital Wednesday for substance abuse after authorities said he fell out of a moving car near Ahwatukee.