Looking for some help in the garden? Many of nature's most useful critters lie literally at our feet, underappreciated and ignored despite their ability to eliminate insects, condition soils and pollinate plants.

A painting of large, yellow sunflowers adorns a gallery wall — living among other paintings, and sculptures, universally depicting happy scenes and bright colors.

People new to gardening ask the darndest questions: about how seeds work, about growing the perfect tomato, about waging war with insects (many of them beneficial).

A Mesa man who fired a shotgun into the forest, sparking a nearly 18,000-acre wildfire, has pleaded guilty to a pair of federal charges.

Glynis Abapo knew just what she wanted her dream wedding cake to be: simple. Three or four tiers. A rich, white confection with white peonies and peony petals cascading down the middle.

When baking season brings thoughts of savory loaves of bread hot from the oven, we often overlook egg breads. But these rich, moist - and yes, eggy - loaves deserve serious consideration. They are satisfying in a way we typically associate with quick sweet breads, yet are versatile enough to accompany dinner and make delicious sandwiches.

After years building his career and credibility on carbs, award-winning baking instructor and bread cookbook author Peter Reinhart was an unlikely candidate to become an ambassador for low-carb, gluten-free living.

Byblos (3332 South Mill Ave., Tempe [480] 894-1945). Middle Eastern cuisine doesn’t get much better in the Valley. The Mirza family’s signature tomato soup is a must-have item and their stuffed grape leaves are nearly as good. You can’t go wrong with the chicken Mediterranean or any of the kebabs. $$

Are kids drawn to dirt? Are boys drawn to jumping in mud puddles? Do kids love to walk and play in the sand? The answer is an absolute YES. Some kids LOVE it more than others and they don’t mind getting dirty.

I started loving the Queen Creek area years before I actually lived here. I heard stories about the wonderful times people would have when they would visit Schnepf Farms to pick organic peaches or visit the U Pick Garden, and the beauty of sweeping, desert vistas available only from trails in San Tan Mountain Regional Park.

The water flowing out of Tempe faucets is safe to drink despite its cloudy appearance and musty smell, according to public works officials.

Chandler and Ahwatukee Foothills grocery shoppers will have a new Sprouts Farmers Market serving the area today, as the chain opens its first new Arizona store in five years.

SUNFLOWER, Ariz. (AP) — One fire in Arizona's Tonto National Forest is 15 percent contained and another also is being slowed by rainfall.

Let’s say you just finished an intense workout, or you have a child that plays an outdoor sport. Maybe you’re a construction worker with a physically demanding job or a salesperson in and out of your vehicle during the hot, summer months.

Salt River Project hydrologists and meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Phoenix are keeping an eye on the burn area from the Sunflower Fire and the potential that runoff from heavy rains could bring unwanted debris down Sycamore Creek and, eventually, impact SRP’s canals in the Valley.

PHOENIX (AP) — A Mesa man will stand trial in September on charges that he started the nearly 18,000-acre Sunflower Fire in the Tonto National Forest after he fired a shotgun loaded with a flame-throwing shell.

“Why are people surprised about Steve Nash spitting in the face of his Sun’s fans? He spit in the face of all Arizonians when he went on National Television back in May, 2010. He said ‘I think the law (SB 1070) obviously can target opportunities for racial profiling.’ Which just showed the low esteem he had for the professionalism of Arizona’s law enforcement agencies across the state. ‘Good riddence to bad rubbish’ was a true statement years ago and is just as true today.”

WASHINGTON – Target shooters on Arizona public lands are being asked to hold their fire in the current dry weather because of fears they could spark wildfires.

A Mesa man has been charged with starting a wildfire that burned about 28 square miles near Payson after he fired a shotgun loaded with a flame-throwing shell, federal prosecutors announced Monday.

Sweet potato vines decorating window boxes? Blueberry plants prized more for their foliage than their fruit?

Tonto National Forest officials announced Monday an area closure due to impending monsoonal activity which poses the possibility of severe flooding danger in the Sycamore Creek area.

Tonto National Forest officials will conduct a volunteer flood protection event 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Sunflower Fire closure area.

The East Valley is once again playing a major role in the effort to fight wildfires in the state.