Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

On Jan. 16, students from 14 Valley schools gathered at Gilbert’s Higley Center for the Performing Arts for the Building Bridges program to fight bullying in schools. In May of last year, Kyrene Altadeña Middle School students participated in the Bully Academy Webquest, an online course involving reading articles, watching videos about bullying and most importantly, talking about it. After all, this is about how young people learn to express their emotions. In November 2011, students from Chandler’s Tarwater Elementary School spent a day focused on kindness, respect, and friendship.

Goodwill of Central Arizona will have a health care job fair noon to 3 p.m. March 14 at Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel.

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.

The letter asking for a dog was written in the curvy, careful handwriting of a grammar-school girl wanting to make an impression. Crumpled drafts were on the floor of her room, explorations of different arguments to press her case. In the end, my daughter used them all.

CASA GRANDE — A Casa Grande man who is a former U.S. Border Patrol agent created and patented a video game controller for people with severe spinal cord injuries.

iCoachBoomers and the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center announced that Glen Spencer will be a panelist for the expert-led workshop, Maximizing Entitlements, at "Boomers – Now What?” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 11 at the VOSJCC on Scottsdale Road and Sweetwater in Scottsdale.

Recognizing that marijuana doesn't just "happen,'' state Health Director Will Humble said Thursday said he will license new dispensaries even if their owners have nothing ready to sell.

State and county officials cannot refuse to process applications for medical marijuana dispensaries just because the drug remains illegal under federal law, a trial judge ruled today.

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.

A report released just last week predicted that Arizona will add nearly 61,000 jobs in 2013.

The local Area Agency on Aging will offer community education training in Mesa next week on medication misuse among older adults. The free workshop will be 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 for professionals, volunteers, caregivers, and family members of those 55 and older. It will be in the program room at Mesa’s Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road.

Many people think of Alzheimer’s as an “old person’s disease” and an inevitable part of aging. As my family knows too well, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Home Instead Senior Care office is offering free Alzheimer’s CARE training workshops for south East Valley families in recognition of national Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and Family Caregivers Month.

In an increasingly digital world, aspiring authors have more options — and cheaper ones at that — for self publishing. But with self publishing also comes different challenges, said a new Mesa author.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce has announced nominees for the 2012 Palo Verde Business Woman of the Year and the 10 women are well known in the community for not only their business but their service.

We are inviting everyone to the free "Help Stop Senior Financial Exploitation" presentation on Oct. 22 from 1-3 p.m. at PORA Adult Learning Center in Sun City West (RSVP (623) 584-4288 ext. 415). We are abused and exploited seniors who have been fighting for our rights and for other seniors’ rights for over three years. Our efforts have been recently rewarded by the discovery that our former slumlord is a Medicare fraud felon. His termination has stopped him from continuing to abuse and exploit more seniors. Unfortunately, he was allowed to harm seniors for nearly eight years at a local senior living facility.

_{When Ahwatukee Foothills resident Gregg Powell’s mother was diagnosed with dementia he was thrown into a world he says he didn’t even know existed.}

A 30-year-old Gilbert woman was arrested on suspicion of sexual conduct with a 15-year-old boy, police said.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident and photographer Everardo Keeme was chosen to do a photo shoot for the Arizona Young Breast Cancer Survivor Support Initiative recently through a cooperative agreement between John C. Lincoln Health Network and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This initiative will change how Arizona supports young women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. This initiative will also increase awareness among the medical community and the general public. Keeme’s photos will be featured on a website that has been created as a result of this funding. The Arizona Breast Cancer Resource guide (azbreastcancer.org) has been developed to help women diagnosed with breast cancer, their families, caregivers, and medical professionals more easily access those resources available to help navigate the journey through breast cancer. This website will help ease the burden of searching for competent assistance and services that are needed most during this frightening and uncertain time. More information can be found on the website, azbreastcancer.org, or by email, azbreastcancer@JCL.com.

WASHINGTON – Gloria Castillo will almost certainly see her grandchildren Sunday for National Grandparents Day – all they have to do to visit is take a few steps down the hall.

Danny Tyree’s recent rallying cry of “Conservatives, Let’s Save PBS!” was spot on. His column recognized that public broadcasting serves all Americans, regardless of their political persuasion. Indeed, PBS traces its roots to wealthy American industrialist Andrew Carnegie — who insisted on “excellence” as his core conservative value.

Children and their caregivers will now have a fun place to play outdoor games and activities in Chandler.