NEW YORK — It's May. Memorial Day and the end of the school year are in sight. Suddenly, you're thinking about a summer vacation. A little advance planning — and some insider tips — can save you a lot of money. Whether you're booking airfare, a car rental or a hotel room, there are questions you should ask first.

Her team found ways to stay alive for at least a few more days in the Division I state tournament, but Lindsey Collins wasn't gushing.

It’s May. Memorial Day and the end of the school year are in sight. Suddenly, you’re thinking about a summer vacation. A little advance planning — and some insider tips — can save you a lot of money. Whether you’re booking airfare, a car rental or a hotel room, there are questions you should ask first.

The number of hybrid cars in the U.S. will triple by 2015, according to J.D. Power and Associates. This change in demand and technology requires a new skill set from today’s mechanics. The premise is that drivers around the world will continue trading gas guzzling, big-body cars for lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles that are easier on the pockets and the environment.

If you’re like me, you waited until the final days of the tax season to file your returns. And if you’re like me, you’re thinking there ought to be ways to keep your finances organized throughout the year to avoid the mad scramble as April 15 approaches.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Charleston is awash in history and Southern charm and becoming widely known as a culinary town. Each year it hosts major events ranging from the Spoleto Festival USA to the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition and the Family Circle Cup Tennis Tournament. But there are a lot of free things to do for visitors drawn to the city founded in 1670. Here are some suggestions:

Residents can recycle electronics in the East Valley 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 6 in the parking lot of Whole Foods Market, 5120 S. Rural Road in Tempe.

Calling it "an important part of improving education,'' Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to eliminate the AIMS test -- including the graduation requirement -- paving the way for something else to measure the new Common Core standards already being implemented in Arizona schools.

Arizona high schoolers may soon be rid of having to pass AIMS -- or any standardized test -- to graduate.

In countless films about emergencies, crimes and police work, the 911 dispatcher is but a bit player, an anonymous, robotic voice briefly heard on the other end of a breathless call made by our movie's main players.

Many Americans have embraced outdoor decorating, filling their yards with fluffy sofas, gleaming end tables and even outdoor rugs.

Who'll stop the reign?

Our dogs are often as fat as we are, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Family cats can look like furry ottomans. At Tufts University, they've set up an obesity clinic at the vet school.

Tribune softball rankings as of March 4:

It’s time to discover an old product that is inexpensive, versatile, and effective.

Mesa chef Taylor Blackburn examined soil and watched a watering system put in place on his new garden bed early Monday evening.

Mesa residents looking for a way to get rid of old cans of paint, batteries, pesticides, electronics, tires and prescription drugs are invited to bring these and other household hazardous waste materials to the next city-sponsored collection 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the East Mesa Service Center, 6935 E. Decatur St. (east of Power Road, north of University).

Mesa residents looking for a way to get rid of old cans of paint, batteries, pesticides, electronics, tires and prescription drugs are invited to bring these and other household hazardous waste materials to the next city-sponsored collection 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the East Mesa Service Center, 6935 E. Decatur St., east of Power Road, north of University Drive.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As 21st century technology strains to become ever faster, cleaner and cheaper, an invention from more than 200 years ago keeps holding it back. It's why electric cars aren't clogging the roads and why Boeing's new ultra-efficient 787 Dreamliners aren't flying high.