With an estimated 24,000 blood donations by the end of the school year, teens have retained their status as United Blood Services largest statewide donor group for the ninth consecutive year. The D-backs honored the accomplishments of students in the 2012-13 High School Blood Drive Challenge by donating 1,000 tickets to 83 award-winning schools for their May 1 game against the San Francisco Giants. Championship banners were presented on-field during pregame ceremonies to the nine schools earning the highest honors. The team invited the top two high schools, Gilbert's Highland (most total donors) and Williams (highest percentage participation) to share a party suite at the game.

Saying that guns are public assets worth money, state senators voted Tuesday to close what they say are the last loopholes in the law allowing cities to destroy weapons that come into their possession.

As the F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security sift through the collateral damage in Boston, one thing is abundantly clear: it was an act of terrorism. Questions, like who is responsible and their motivation, remain to be determined. Along with those questions, one cannot help but ask where God is during events like this.

Runners in the East Valley are a tight community. If any two enthusiasts don’t know each other, there’s a good chance they know someone who knows someone who they’ve crossed a finish line with.

Fifty-eight-year-old Bob Schultz was found bound and beaten in his Gilbert home on February 15th.

Mesa Vice Mayor and District 6 Councilmember Scott Somers will host a free community pancake breakfast and Red Cross blood drive beginning 8 a.m. Feb. 9 at Fire Station No. 219, located at 3361 S. Signal Butte Road. The pancake breakfast will last 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., while the blood drive will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

LOS ANGELES — When Jay Mesinger heard about a study seeking golden retrievers to help fight canine cancer, he immediately signed up 2-year-old Louie.

United Blood Services is experiencing a severe shortage of blood donations as many donors cancel appointments due to the flu.

For more than five years, teams of employees at the Bank of America call center in Chandler have given what local food banks could only hope for during the season of giving while participating in a little friendly competition:

The Arizona Rattlers will host its Inaugural Holiday Drive at US Airways Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature free pictures with Santa Claus, various children’s activities and bounce houses, along with a toy drive and a blood drive.

A major fundraiser to support cancer research and programs for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children’s Hospital is continuing to build on its holiday tradition.

The Arizona Rattlers are hosting its Inaugural Holiday Drive at US Airways Center on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature free pictures with Santa Claus, various children activities and bounce houses along with a toy drive, and a blood drive.

A major fundraiser to support cancer research and programs for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children’s Hospital is continuing to build on its holiday tradition.

Rattlers to host food drive

Arizona United Blood Services needs about 300 people to donate blood, with a particular need for donors with O-negative blood types, on Nov. 10 as Thanksgiving gets closer and people get busier. “Once people get into their holiday activities many things take precedence over donating blood for many people,” said Sue Thew, United Blood Services spokeswoman.

It's a proud achievement for a certain type of traveler, and a worthy goal: Visiting all 50 states.

Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Merrill is seeing it more and more in the tough economy:

United Blood Services will honor teen donors representing 174 high schools during a luncheon at Chase Field Tuesday. Teen donors provided one out of every 10 blood transfusions needed by Arizona patients in the last year. Together, they gave 23,269 donations, the most of any age group in the state. The event next week kicks off the 2012-13 donation season and the high school blood drive challenge.

The Ben Avery Clay Busters will host its second annual sporting clays tournament and fun shoot Oct. 6 as a benefit on behalf of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Desert Vista High School’s student-led service club is seeking more community involvement for its blood drive next week.

Equipment in specially designed FIDO Bags to help treat cats and dogs after a fire will soon be deployed by the Mesa Fire Department.

Life is messy and full of unexpected twists along the way leaving even the most obsessive control freaks among us feeling a bit undone, considering so much of the change introduced into our lives is rarely invited and not always good.

One of the first New York Police Department officers on the scene the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Healing Field candle light vigil on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

ATLANTA — All baby boomers should get a one-time blood test to learn if they have the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus, U.S. health officials said Thursday.