Columnists to speak at luncheon
Valley Forward Association will host USA Today political columnists from Common Ground, liberal Bob Beckel and conservative Cal Thomas, at its 39th Annual Luncheon on Dec. 18.

Restaurateur Valli dies
Jim Valli, one of the Valley’s pioneering restauranteur, died last Sunday, Nov. 30, at age 56. The cause was liver cancer.

Woman sues Taser maker over husband's death
The wife of a California man who died after stun-gun shocks in a scuffle with deputies is suing Los Angeles County and the weapon's manufacturer.

Vote paves way for school closure in Scottsdale
The Scottsdale school board voted 4-1 to approve a controversial school closing and relocation plan.
Board heard community, not just neighborhood

Montelucia is fabulous, Barcelona's Winter Affair tonight
Recently, I had one of the best dates I've ever been on at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley.

Loop 101, U.S. 60 drivers to face road work
Drivers who use Loop 101 through Scottsdale and U.S. 60 through Tempe during the overnight hours should allow extra travel time through Friday morning.

Tip leads to arrest of 2 in burglary try
A citizen's tip helps police catch car burglars

Chinese students schedule visit to Tesseract School
Students and administrators from China's Guilin Zhongshan Middle School will be visiting Tesseract School, a non-profit, independent private school next week.

A weekend of icy, hot fun
On Friday night, a man will make snow in Old Town Scottsdale.

In PV, direct election of mayor mulled
The question sounds simple enough. Should Paradise Valley voters elect their mayor, or should the council?

Epicenter hotel project wins council's approval
Developers got the green light to build two five-story hotels in north Scottsdale by a 4-3 vote from the City Council on Tuesday night.

Initiative would decide how Carefree mayor is elected
A Carefree Councilman plans to launch an initiative to place a measure on the May ballot asking that voters elect their own mayor.

Commission tackles Ritz patio homes
The Paradise Valley Planning Commission has approved a request to reduce the number of patio homes to be built as part of the Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley project.

Scottsdale's own Santa Claus
Robert Greathouse is keeping a 12-year-old tradition alive. Every December since 1996, he has bleached his beard white, put on a red suit and hat, and dished out holiday cheer and candy canes.

FH ponders 5 new public art pieces
Fountain Hills' ample collection of public art could swell, if the Town Council accepts five new art pieces this evening.

Engine fire on city bus snarls traffic
A Valley Metro bus engine fire restricted traffic near Indian Bend and Scottsdale roads for about 30 minutes Tuesday.

'Amazing recovery' ends Arabian saga
Search for Masquerade, a 7-year-old Arabian horse, has a happy ending.

Saguaro, Chaparral battle could be their last
Saguaro and Chaparral could be playing football for the last time.

Bus route to include Mayo, American Express
Employees who live in the West Valley and work at Mayo Clinic Hospital and American Express Co. in northeast Phoenix will find it easier to take express buses beginning Dec. 29.

Web site connects volunteers nationally
The Frank Edward Piccolo Foundation wants kids to help other kids.

Schools ask for tax-credit stocking stuffer
NORTHEAST VALLEY - Area schools have their own holiday wish lists.

Bentley dealer moves to Chauncey Ranch site
A new member recently joined the lineup of auto dealers at Chauncey Ranch. Scottsdale Bentley now is located in Phoenix.

40,000 photo tickets issued in first 2 months
The 40,401 speed-camera tickets issued so far by DPS could generate at least $6.6 million in fines.
Controversy | New camera map | Crackdown on camera vandalism

Cool gifts can be good for health, too
No doubt, Scottsdale's shops can provide the WOW! factor for this gift-giving season. But the most valuable gift may be the one that improves health. Here are some tips for giving healthy additions to anyone's Christmas stocking.

Attic catches fire at 2-story home
Fire crews battled an attic fire in a two-story house Tuesday morning.

Seniors lead Notre Dame title drive
It's no secret that seniors lead the Notre Dame Prep football team.

PV Artists League joins First Friday
Twenty members of the group will show their work this month in downtown Phoenix. They'll be at reception as part of the First Friday festivities.

VIP holiday shopping at Kierland
Kierland Commons has new VIP holiday shopping

Land trust's online auction site offers goodies
The Desert Foothills Land Trust has an online auction that could ease the pain of holiday shopping.

3 people, 1 firm to receive leadership awards
Three Scottsdale residents and one business will be honored Friday at Scottsdale Leadership's ninth annual Spirit of Community Leadership Awardsluncheon at Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road.

Compromise reached on horse trail, developer says
The developer of Cavallo Estates has requested a continuance on two items scheduled for the Dec. 2 Scottsdale City Council meeting.

Austin hopes smile wins over loving family
Austin is this week's Wednesday's Child.

Gifts from Nature features work of 30 artists
SCOTTSDALE - Audubon Arizona and Scottsdale Public Art present an arts and crafts sale at the Ellis family's historic artist's colony, Cattle Track Compound.

City briefs: Become member of boards
SCOTTSDALE - Residents are encouraged to get involved by becoming a member of the city's boards and commissions.

Businesses see light at end of road construction
Traffic is flowing more freely at Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, which is good news for area businesses.

Changes in fire protection services sought
Cave Creek could ask voters to approve a property tax to pay for the town's own municipal fire service in 2013.

Party continues at post-clubbing eatery
''Mike!'' thunders the man behind the counter, a hint of New Jersey accent coming through.

Babe Ruth remembered at book signing
Julia Ruth Stevens, daughter of baseball legend Babe Ruth, will be at Barnes and Noble Desert Ridge at 2 p.m. Dec. 14 to sign her book

School board scheduled to vote on consolidation
The Scottsdale Unified School District governing board is scheduled to take action Tuesday on a proposed consolidation plan

Soccer coaches eye blend of talent
Girls soccer coaches hope their teams gel quickly as they try to mix players from different club teams and add in volleyball latecomers. Here's a look at some of the other teams in the area at the season outset.

Time to pick medical plan
Medicare recipients are in the Annual Election Period (AEP).

Going green adds stylish touch to office
Producing the electricity needed to illuminate, power, and cool and heat a square foot of office space in Arizona emits 27 pounds of carbon dioxide every year, according to the government conservation agency Energy Star.

Spotlight on: Lari Thaw
Fountain Hills volunteer Lari Thaw uses his flair for graphic design to create event posters for the town.

Scottsdale council: 3 things to watch
The Scottsdale City Council will consider these issues at its next meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Scottsdale City Hall.

Sports briefs: Wild West Rugby Fest
SCOTTSDALE - The largest rugby tournament west of the Mississippi is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Scottsdale Sports Complex, 8081 E. Princess Drive.

Let's talk about sex, gynecologist says
Scottsdale Healthcare gynecologist Dr. Andrew Carter will talk to women about sex Dec. 11 in Scottsdale.

Here's the best chocolate chip cookie
All I have to say is ''chewy, sink-your-teeth-into chocolate chips cookie'' and I've gotcha, right?

Lane, Borowsky to hold campaign debt fundraiser
After spending tens of thousands of dollars to finance their bids for office, mayor-elect Jim Lane and newly elected councilwoman Lisa Borowsky are having a joint fundraiser on Tuesday to pay off campaign debts.

Video teaches parents about drugs, prevention
The Northeast Valley Coalition against Methamphetamine recently released a video titled, ''Truth and Secrets Revealed about Drug Abuse,'' that teaches parents, teachers and other educators about new drugs and substances on the market.

Birkett's display to glow brightly
Scottsdale holiday maker Chris Birkett is lighting up the way for Santa with his annual Winter Wonderland display.

Shopping centers try to tempt holiday customers
Malls and shopping centers in northeast Phoenix are working hard to get shoppers to come out this holiday season.

Police look into purse snatchings
Robbery detectives are looking for suspects who snatched women's' purses during daytime heists at Costco and Desert Ridge in northeast Phoenix.

American Express adding building at Desert Ridge
American Express is constructing a third building at its Desert Ridge campus. The campus is located at Mayo Boulevard and 56th Street, just south of Loop 101.

Traffic restrictions, closures this weekend
Scottsdale traffic restrictions and street closures.

Work begins on preserve trails
SCOTTSDALE - Work has begun on the Tom's Thumb and East End trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, city officials say.

Spotlight: Thunderbird School of Global Management
Glendale's Thunderbird School of Global Management recently launched three international business programs, two of which increase the school's presence abroad.

PV church offers divorce recovery workshop
Paradise Valley church offers divorce recovery workshop.

Business briefs: Stress expert relocates
Dr. Mark Force, an author and chiropractic physician has relocated his practice to The Village at Pinnacle Peak at the southwest corner of Pinnacle Peak and Pima Roads.

Plunging real-estate market could ax trust-land auction
Developer interest in state land in Scottsdale has fallen with the plunging real estate market.

AZ88 marks two decades of style, substance
For 20 years, AZ88 has served as a nightlife staple in a city where the average fad-driven hotspot lasts just a few years.
Check it out

Animal behaviorist offers tips on canine coaching
Crista Coppola doesn't train dogs, but the Tucson animal behaviorist, who has a Ph.D. in animal sciences, can tell you how to set your dog up for success.

Gas still above $2 a gallon in Scottsdale
Scottsdale is one of three areas in the state where the average price of gasoline remains above $2 per gallon.

Giants' home opener in spring vs. Dodgers
Spring baseball will get an early start in Scottsdale with the San Francisco Giants home opener Feb. 26 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

$10,000 missing horse found
A missing horse worth at least $10,000 was found by a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office mounted search and rescue unit around 4 p.m. Monday after he went missing Saturday.

Comparing primary and general elections
There was a lot more to this year's Scottsdale election than knowing who are the winners and losers.

Holiday play a twist on 'Rudolph'
A musical play by Rick Kilcup.

Religious artifact exhibit opens in gallery
The SoCa gallery is showcasing religious art and artifacts from around the world beginning this week.

FH celebrates Thanksgiving with annual parade
It may not have a giant Snoopy or Kermit the Frog, but today's Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day parade has two things Macy's doesn't - a 560-foot fountain, and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Dentist donates $15,000 worth of free work to cancer survivor
Dr. Bruce Schwartz donated $15,000 worth of medical care to save RaNelle Wallace, 48, a cancer survivor whose teeth had rotted due to chemotherapy

Gooding collector-car auction to return to city
A prestigious collector-car auction will return to Scottsdale in January after its inaugural event netted $21 million in sales.

SUSD board discusses Aztec as choice school
As the Tuesday vote on the school consolidation plan approaches, a new piece of the debate has emerged.

Frys.com Open raises $600,000 for charities
Scottsdale golf continues to play a key role in raising money for local charities.

Plaque honors a PVCC leader
Gina Kranitz, who died Oct. 2, 2003, still holds a fond place for students and employees at Paradise Valley Community College.

Sundial signs point to downtown Carefree
The signs - installed this month - mark the last in a series of measures to boost tourism in Carefree.

NE Valley soccer teams get ready for season
Several teams gained valuable experience in the state playoffs last year and are hoping it leads to a longer postseason this year.

Cave Creek council eliminates own pay
The Cave Creek Town Council took serious measures this week to combat the town's budget crisis, abolishing council salaries and reducing by 10 percent the wages of the town manager, prosecutor and magistrate.

Fewer buyers, high rents take toll on art scene
Galleries on Marshall Way are watching their neighbors disappear as a rough economy and rising rents take their toll on the arts district.

Treating addiction a sobering task
Former Scottsdale teenager Jay Wick is now running a full-time long-term drug abuse recovery program in Cottonwood - for teenagers.

Court promises judgment soon in CityNorth case
A challenge of Phoenix's tax agreement with the developers of CityNorth reached the Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday, with both sides arguing about where the line falls between public and private benefit.

Business briefs: Reviving strip malls
News items from Scottsdale and the Northeast Valley.

Youths make Thanksgivings happy
Scottsdale Service Learning students delivered 365 Thanksgiving meals to Scottsdale families in need this week.

Brothers want to stay together in home
Alexavon and Shantell are this week's Wednesday's Child.

Chihuly colors the desert world
Chihuly exhibit on display at Desert Botanical Garden.

Taser expects $12 million stun-gun order
An anticipated stun-gun order from the United Kingdom could result in $12 million in sales for Scottsdale-based Taser International Inc.

Maricopa County supervisor candidate Sinclaire found dead
Joel Sinclaire, a candidate for District 2, was challenging Republican Don Stapley.
Send condolences

Seminars will focus on selling to Boomers
To help companies that would like to increase sales to the Boomer audience - or hire them - Boomerz, a Scottsdale-based non-profit organization, is offering two half-day seminars on Dec. 5 at New Vision Education Center featuring national experts on Boomer consumers, Matt Thornhill and Mary Furlong.

Scottsdale wants to talk to D-Backs
Scottsdale thinks about luring Diamondbacks to move spring training operations to the city.

Try new techniques at photography workshops
Cave Creek photographic workshops will be presented in January at 2135 E. Gaffney Road, Phoenix

Sports briefs: Wild West Rugby Fest
SCOTTSDALE - The largest rugby tournament west of the Mississippi is scheduled for Dec. 6-7 at the Scottsdale Sports Complex, 8081 E. Princess Drive.

South Park: Scottsdale 'most horrible, miserable place'
Scottsdale has been named "the most horrible, miserable place on Earth."

60-and-over women to field softball team
NORTHEAST VALLEY - For active women who have the skills and interest for playing softball, the newly formed Golden Saints softball team offers the sport with a competitive edge.

Laguna 3rd-grader wins cabbage-growing prize
Kristy Thompson, a Laguna Elementary School third-grader, won a $1,000 prize as the Arizona winner of the Bonnie Plants' Third Grade Cabbage Program.

Driver of armored truck robbed at Fry's
An armored truck employee was robbed at gunpoint Monday after leaving a Bank of America inside a south Scottsdale Fry's grocery store, police said.

4A-I start time gives Chaparral scouting edge
Chaparral is playing a rare day football game in Friday's state semifinal against Tucson Canyon del Oro. But if you're going to feel sorry for anybody, feel sorry for Canyon del Oro, which has to travel two hours for the game.

$50,000 cake wows PV wedding guests
Pro golfer Billy Mayfair and his bride, former ASU golfer Tami Proctor, weren't the only couple getting guests' attention at their weekend wedding.

FH battling revenue decline
Fountain Hills continues to grapple with a drop in revenue last quarter triggered by the global economic crisis.

Land trust will host online holiday auction
The Desert Foothills Land Trust, which preserves desert land, is hosting a holiday auction starting at 12:01 a.m. Friday on the Internet at http://dflt.cmarket.com.

City still shoring up $35 million shortfall
City employees will go without cost-of-living increases and top managers will receive pay cuts as Scottsdale attempts to tackle an unprecedented $35 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year.

Jaguar gets new smile thanks to Valley team
A male jaguar from Mexico got major dental work at the Phoenix Zoo.
Jaguar's dental surgery at zoo

Youth Theater presents Willy Wonka Junior
Fountain Hills Community Theater Youth Theater is opening its third show of the 2008-2009 Season, Willy Wonka Junior