The balance between the police and the policed is getting way out of whack — and we better restore it now.

The American Society of Newspaper Editors dedicate this week each year as Sunshine Week. Its purpose is to remind Americans that public officials must conduct public business openly for all to see.

States starting to turn the corner on their Great Recession budget woes are taking the cautious approach, socking away millions of dollars in rainy day funds rather than restoring spending for education, health care and social services.

Tina Dupuy, guest commentary

State officials must act quickly to impose tougher environmental restrictions if they hope to reverse the rapid global warming-related pollution increase in Arizona, an environmental policy report released Monday says.

State officials must act quickly to impose tougher environmental restrictions if they hope to reverse the rapid global warming-related pollution increase in Arizona, an environmental policy report released Monday says.

The recently publicized raise to $500,000 a year for the manager of the Maricopa County Hospital System along with a host of other outlandish pay raises for local public servants can only be described as legalized robbery. Those raises and associated benefits (pensions) are terrible burdens to pass on to the next generations. The pitiful rationale given for all the publicized raises, “This puts our officials on a salary par with comparable office holders,” is ludicrous.” When the U.S. president earns $400,000 per year, the Supreme Court chief justice earns $223,500 per year, and a senator earns $174,000 per year, one wonders why some public officials earn more than that and why they should.

WHEELING, W.Va. - President Bush said Wednesday he feels Iraqi political figures need to urgently get a representative government together that can unify a nation now embroiled in civil strife.

BEIJING - The note posted in July on the Web site of China's food safety inspection agency came from a doctor: There had been a sudden rise in infants turning up at his hospital with kidney stones after drinking the same brand of formula.

Some comment on the utter futility, lawlessness and lunacy of those occupying a park near Wall Street and the nearly countless others across the nation and around the world who claim to be the forgotten “99 percent,” left behind by 1 percent whom they view as having corralled the majority of wealth and privilege.  Laissez-faire capitalism, the unbridled exercise of control over assets, is viewed by many as the single most important characteristic of Western Civilization. And those who are seen to apparently question this notion are demonized as socialists or communists, and certainly as misguided fools. But are they?

The fate of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) will be determined within the next few months. We’ll soon know if America will be saddled permanently with an unaffordable, unworkable, unpopular entitlement when we can least afford it.

A Phoenix company is taking extra steps to make sure every employee is working legally here in the Valley.

Arizona lawmakers are once again challenging federal authority despite warnings it will just land the state on the Daily Show -- again.

Requiring local governments to post audited comprehensive financial reports or the equivalent information on their websites would make it easier for citizens to see how tax dollars are spent, a state lawmaker said.

Charging that Congress has exceeded its authority, state Attorney General Tom Horne asked a federal court Thursday to void a 36-year-old law governing how Arizona runs its elections.

Manuel Espinoza-Vazquez has lived in the United States since he was 3 years old. A longtime Gilbert resident, the 20-yearold Arizona State University junior never planned to become the poster child for the growing immigration debate in Gilbert.

WASHINGTON - The General Services Administration suspended federal business with MCI on Thursday after an investigation concluded the bankrupt telecommunications giant lacks necessary internal controls and ethics.

As a local Ahwatukee Foothills business owner I feel it is in part my responsibility to educate people in the community on the benefits of shopping local.

As a local Ahwatukee Foothills business owner I feel it is in part my responsibility to educate people in the community on the benefits of shopping local.

As a local Ahwatukee Foothills business owner I feel it is in part my responsibility to educate people in the community on the benefits of shopping local.

If your household income is under $50,000, taking the “EZ” path to tax-return preparation could cost you dearly. Mesa United Way invites you to use its free tax service to ensure you get all the tax credits you may be entitled to.

Prepared text of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's State of the State speech:

The news on Monday that Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman had sent a letter to Mesa United Way inquiring about the feasibility of joining forces is welcome news for East Valley leaders working for more effective use of human services dollars.

Valley Iraqis were jubilant Wednesday after many spent a near-sleepless night watching television images of thousands of Baghdad residents cheering in the streets.