NEW YORK — Recent high-profile attacks on tourists in India, Brazil, Turkey and Mexico — including rapes — have raised questions about personal safety for overseas travel, especially for women. But frequent travelers and those who work in the industry say a few common-sense precautions can go a long way to ensuring personal safety.

Powerful winds raked much of California on Monday, toppling trees, spreading wildfires, causing scattered power outages, whipping up blinding dust storms, and sending waves crashing ashore as a vigorous spring weather system swept through the state on its way across the West.

If you’ve never seen an ostrich race, it’s a good reason to head to Tumbleweed Park March 8-10. If you have seen an ostrich race, it’s probably a good idea to go down there and see another one to make sure it wasn’t some odd, exhilarating dream.

Two major demons were conquered, and now Xavier girls tennis could move closer to being what its Brophy boys peers have become.

Astronauts from NASA will land across the Valley to participate in events for the public in the coming weeks. The astronauts, specifically chosen by NASA for these events, are in Arizona to promote and raise awareness on space programs and exploration — just as the state’s “SciTech Festival” fires its boosters.

Five-hundred years ago, the Guarani Indians of Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia started using the plant Ka’a He’ê — translated to English as “sweet herb” — for consumption and medical treatments.

A list of America’s most popular dog breeds

The American Kennel Club has been tracking the popularity of purebred dogs for 128 years as the number of recognized breeds grew from nine to 177. A list of the country’s most popular dog breeds by the decade, according to data released by the AKC:

— 1880s: Top five breeds (English setters, Irish setters, pointers, Irish water spaniels and Gordon setters) were all working gun dogs, which helped hunters retrieve game.

— 1890s: The Saint Bernard takes the No. 1. spot, becoming the only giant breed to reach the top but never return.

— 1900s: The collie debuts at No. 1. The Boston terrier becomes the first small companion dog to reach No. 2.

— 1910s: The Boston terrier becomes the top dog and remains the only American breed to reach that spot.

— 1920s: The German shepherd takes over at No. 1 in 1925.

— 1930s: Boston terriers reclaim the top spot, and cocker spaniels begin their impressive climb. In the 1930s, the decade of the Great Depression, all top 10 breeds are small or medium-sized companion dogs.

— 1940s: Cocker spaniels (American and English, all colors) begin their reign. Influences included My Own Brucie, who won dozens of best-of-show titles and a likeness on the cover of Life Magazine.

— 1950s: The beagle becomes the nation’s top breed for most of the decade. Charles Schultz’s Snoopy makes his first appearance in national newspapers on Oct. 4, 1950.

— 1960s: Poodles take over as No. 1 in 1960 and stay there until 1982.

— 1970s: Poodles have the top spot locked up but in a harbinger of things to come, the Labrador retriever makes the top 10 for the first time.

— 1980s: Cocker spaniels return to the top.

— 1990s: Labrador retrievers take over and hold tight through at least 2012. Hollywood’s fascination with pocket pups is having an effect, as the decade marks the first appearance of the Yorkshire terrier, and the Pomeranian returns to the top 10 for the first time since the 1930s.

— 2000s: The Labrador retriever is overwhelmingly No. 1.

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. — The four-legged member of the counseling team at the high school in suburban Chicago waits patiently, as a crush of students fills the hallways. Her tail wags with the first pat on the head, then another and another.

At least Romney had binders. Binders full of qualified women to fill cabinet positions, that is. Democrats mercilessly pounded Romney for the binders comment he made during the 2012 presidential campaign, but I’ll bet the Obama campaign now wishes Romney had passed the binders on to Obama since it seems he’s having a hard time picking women to fill his second term cabinet positions.

Mesa’s Taylor Junior High School or Gilbert’s Carol Rae Ranch Elementary can win up to $15,000 for its innovative and creative educational efforts in this year’s Bookmans School Challenge.

An airport isn’t where you’d expect to find an art studio, but that’s just where one has opened up — in offices within a helicopter hangar at Falcon Field in Mesa.

That happy rainy day has arrived.

With the recent Newtown tragedy we are again forced to look at the question of our current gun control legislation. We have lost count of the victims of these horrific events and yet they continue. How can we accept the approximately 30,000 deaths each year from firearms (murders, suicides and accidents) without it screaming to us that “Enough is enough”! Have we become so immune to these events that it doesn’t matter any more? That is almost the equivalent of the U.S. Vietnam dead repeated every year.

Jodi Arias' MySpace page seems frozen in time. There are still pictures of her and one-time boyfriend, Travis Alexander, scattered throughout the page. The pictures are from happier times, documenting their travels together and their intense, even obsessive relationship lasting five months in 2006 and 2007.

IF YOU GO

This weekend is no ordinary homecoming for Phoenix native Carol Martori, but rather a cause for celebration.

In its biggest event of the year, Desert Vista High School’s orchestra will be accompanied by the symphonic band, guitar classes, and the Pointe Club for the annual holiday concert next week.