This is your brain on sugar — for real. Scientists have used imaging tests to show for the first time that fructose, a sugar that saturates the American diet, can trigger brain changes that may lead to overeating.

After nearly five years of planning and design, Heritage Village Assisted Living has begun construction of phase one with three additional phases planned over the next two years.

Hospital emergency rooms in the East Valley “exploded” with patients in the last two weeks, health officials reported.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital was named among the top 12 children’s hospitals in the nation this week by the Leapfrog Group.

Members of the Senior Advocacy Group of Ahwatukee (SAGA) would like to extend our gratitude to the Ahwatukee Foothills community for making our Inaugural Symposium on Nov. 3 a tremendous success. Over 175 seniors, caregivers, industry experts, vendors and volunteers attended SAGA Symposium 2012, a first-time educational forum on important local resources hosted by the Pecos Community Center.

Hospice of the Valley is hosting a six-week bereavement group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT) starting next month.

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved classic cars, especially Chevrolets.

The Third Annual Don’t Stop the Music event to help music therapy services will be in Tempe next month, featuring Ahwatukee Foothills musicians and music therapists.

Think you can show up at work with your clothes reeking of marijuana and get away with it just by saying the doctor told you to inhale?

Hospice of the Valley is seeking volunteers to assist patients and support their families. The agency is holding a two-session volunteer orientation from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 8 and Sept. 15 at the agency’s Central Phoenix office, 1510 E. Flower St. in Phoenix. The class will be conducted in Spanish for participants in Hospice of the Valley’s Hispanic volunteer program.

LOS ANGELES -- Five years ago, the Los Angeles City Council thought it had reined in an explosion of pot businesses across this sprawling metropolis with a moratorium against new medical marijuana dispensaries.

Francis (Frank) William Thraen Jr., 80, of Ahwatukee, passed away on Tuesday, July 24 from Parkinson’s disease, after a long, wonderful, and fulfilling life. He was born on Aug. 30, 1931 in Miami, Ariz., to Virginia and Frank Thraen, Sr.

A number of years ago, my job involved teaching children in the woods of Illinois about the solar system. Helping kids visualize the distance from Earth to Pluto was much easier — and more fun — when the kids became the planets, walking a prescribed number of paces into the meadow or forest and arranging themselves at the equivalent placement of objects in space. The vastness of the universe hit home when youngsters could see — or not — how far away their friends, i.e. the other planets, were.

East Valley Hospice, a transitional care organization focusing on providing care and comfort while fulfilling a patient’s end-of-life wishes, is seeking volunteers in the East Mesa area.

When her father’s health was deteriorating after being diagnosed with cancer, Ahwatukee Foothills resident Doreen Myles found comfort from the staff at Hospice of the Valley, and from her new yorkie puppy, Riley. Now that her father has passed away, Myles is giving back to Hospice of the Valley by volunteering her time and her dog’s sweet spirit visiting other patients in hospice care.

When her father’s health was deteriorating after being diagnosed with cancer, Ahwatukee Foothills resident Doreen Myles found comfort from the staff at Hospice of the Valley, and from her new yorkie puppy, Riley. Now that her father has passed away, Myles is giving back to Hospice of the Valley by volunteering her time and her dog’s sweet spirit visiting other patients in hospice care.

Hospice of the Valley is seeking Spanish speaking volunteers to assist patients and support their families.

Hospice of the Valley is seeking Spanish speaking volunteers to assist patients and support their families.

With the hood propped up again on Vickie Hull’s 1996 champagne-colored Dodge Caravan, Corona del Sol High School Automotive Technology teacher Larry Huff shook his head. It seemed Huff like that’s becoming a normal position for the vehicle to be in.

Mountain Pointe High School graduate Garrett Frantz is 22 years old and graduates from Arizona State University on May 3, Summa Cum Laude, from the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He is being honored by Dean Johnson with the Moeur Award for having a 4.0 GPA in all of his classes while attending the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. Garrett has participated in biomedical research throughout his engineering degree program at ASU. He has volunteered his skills and time at the Hospice of the Valley and the Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic to help patients in need. For his many hours of community service, he was honored with a Gold Presidential Community Service Award and letter of appreciation from President Obama. This year, Garrett has accepted an invitation from the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine at Phoenix to attend their medical school program. He will be a member of the incoming class of 2012.

Mountain Pointe High School graduate Garrett Frantz is 22 years old and graduates from Arizona State University on May 3, Summa Cum Laude, from the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He is being honored by Dean Johnson with the Moeur Award for having a 4.0 GPA in all of his classes while attending the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. Garrett has participated in biomedical research throughout his engineering degree program at ASU. He has volunteered his skills and time at the Hospice of the Valley and the Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic to help patients in need. For his many hours of community service, he was honored with a Gold Presidential Community Service Award and letter of appreciation from President Obama. This year, Garrett has accepted an invitation from the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine at Phoenix to attend their medical school program. He will be a member of the incoming class of 2012.

Hospice of the Valley volunteers and staff are available for free, no-obligation presentations throughout the Valley. The nonprofit agency’s speakers’ bureau addresses important health-related topics that are appropriate for all audiences.

Jamie Copland is CEO of Phoenix-based Sentry Enterprises, Inc., and Publisher of local Phoenix publications TRAVELHOST magazine of greater Phoenix, and MyLIFE magazine. He is also the author of “Life’s Observations By An Everyday Nobody,” published in 2010 by Eloquent Books of the Strategic Book Group.