For more than 30 years, two words — “East Valley” — did more than anything else to put a vibrant, growing, destination-in-an-of-itself region on the map. Without them, this area may well have remained the land of Nod: A sleepy place whose residents do little other than shift positions every few hours.

The expectations thrust upon Ky Westbrook are sometimes entirely unfair.

Some GOP lawmakers are threatening to torpedo the budget being pushed by their own leaders if $400 million in planned spending is not cut across the board.

In case you forgot, Gov. Jan Brewer has other priorities this year besides getting the Legislature to approve Medicaid expansion.

Two small planes collided and then crashed in the desert on Friday, killing all four people aboard the two aircraft, officials said.

Thanks to the Summer Splash Tour, there’s at least one hot day this summer you don’t have to think about how to entertain the kids.

Spring sprang, and now summer has set in.

Ky Westbrook’s standards are so high, it was hard for her to hide the disappointment of running an average race despite easily winning the 100-meter dash on Saturday.

Famous Dave’s BBQ locations in Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert, as well as Peoria, will thank teachers May 7 with its BBQ Two Meat Salute for "National Teacher Appreciation Day."

Several freeway-improvement projects in the Valley will require closures 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:

Devon Ryan had the game winning infield hit in the top of the 12th inning as No. 17 Perry beat No. 16 Corona del Sol in the first round of the Division I state softball tournament.

The first round of the Division I state baseball tournament saw several upsets on Saturday.

Baseball will have a grind of a playoff schedule upcoming for those not among the top eight seeds, but softball — especially Division I — appears to be deeper than ever. Or, at least, deeper than the past five years.

Outlooks for the Divisions I and II softball state tournaments: