There is no short answer to the question — one which is asked by almost every gun control advocate in the U.S.

Madison Avenue Salon and Day Spa has opened its fourth location in the Valley, bringing a full-service salon and day spa to Gilbert at 81 S. McQueen Road. It has a location in Ahwatukee.

Arizona’s economic recovery is flattening out statewide, with job growth outside the Phoenix metro area for this year and next predicted to be anemic.

A zoning adjustment hearing to discuss allowing a medical marijuana dispensary to go into a location at 48th Street and Warner Road was postponed due to an application error.

Dillie Nerios is a Florida food stamp recruiter. Her job is to sign up 150 seniors monthly in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Arizona's economic recovery is flattening out statewide, with job growth outside the Phoenix metro area for this year and next predicted to be anemic.

Saying she's run out of patience, Gov. Jan Brewer will veto any bills sent to her until she sees movement on a new state budget and her pet Medicaid expansion project.

The people of "Peeples" make a better impression than most collections of oddballs in the weary mold of comedies centered on meeting the prospective in-laws.

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

Washington • Sen. Jeff Flake’s vote against expanded background checks on gun sales earlier this month caused his approval ratings to drop, making him one of the “most unpopular” U.S. senators, a new poll says.

A medical marijuana dispensary in Ahwatukee Foothills was on the agenda for a city zoning adjustment hearing Thursday but the meeting was postponed.

Several freeway-improvement projects in the Phoenix area will require closures this weekend (May 3-5), according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes while the following freeway closures are in place this weekend:

Phoenix police arrested Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington Friday morning after he was accused of assaulting an ex girlfriend in Ahwatukee Foothills on Wednesday night.

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

The adage “truth is stranger than fiction” is proven in “The Lost Wife,” by Alyson Richman. She has succeeded in blending both for an unforgettable reading experience.

I received a press release today on the Brothers in Arms Classic the Desert Vista football team is participating in the fall.

New York • When he first started working with Imagine Dragons, music producer Alex da Kid was looking for some inspiration for the Broadway musical, “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.”

Centennials are normally cause for celebration, a chance to applaud some thing or person standing the test of time. But not so for the income tax. Even the IRS is declining to mention that this year is the 100-year anniversary of the 16th Amendment of the Constitution, which authorized the tax.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that 22 of its local attorneys have been named by Southwest Super Lawyers magazine as among the top 5 percent of attorneys in Arizona for 2013. Included among them is Jon E. Pettibone, who is both an Ahwatukee resident and office managing partner for the firm. Pettibone’s practice experience includes advising management on labor and employment strategies and representing it before federal and state courts and agencies, before arbitrators and in collective bargaining.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense operational committee, announced that three Arizona employers have been selected as semifinalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

On Sunday, the popular PBS restaurant review show, “Check, Please! Arizona,” hosts its first food festival at CityScape in Phoenix. While attendees enjoy a plethora of food and wine samples and live demonstrations from award-winning chefs like Robert McGrath and Chris Bianco, one humble festival booth — Pittsburgh Willy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs — takes the next step in its Cinderella story.

Local chefs featured on the Eight, Arizona PBS show “Check, Please! Arizona” gather at the inaugural Check, Please! Arizona Festival, where fans and foodies can sample some of the Valley’s best restaurant fare and audition for upcoming episodes of the show. Cuisine from at least 36 of the independent restaurants – from five-star dining establishments to tucked-away cafes – previously featured on the show will be offered.  Among event highlights are cooking demonstrations, panel discussions and the chance to audition in front of cameras.

On April 17, a bi-partisan piece of legislation, which included “common sense reforms” to help address gun violence, was defeated in the U.S. Senate.