American journalism has disgraced itself in the matter of the Benghazi terrorist attack.

Q: What can I do to get better battery life from my smartphone? It doesn’t even get me through the afternoon on most days. — Ed

BOULDER, Colo. — Ethan Welty is thinking ahead to harvest time as he cycles through tidy Boulder streets pointing out apple, plum and mulberry trees on public and private land.

Think of it as the ultimate guy’s day out. Fantasy Father’s Day, slated for Saturday, June 15, at Salt River Fields aims to give men the kind of experiences some of us can only daydream about.

Here is a collection of thoughts and stories from those who've crossed paths (personally or professionally) with former Higley district athletic director Art Wagner, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on May 15.

Marc Kelly, one of the heavy kickers in boys soccer both in Arizona and nationally, is resigning as Brophy’s coach, according to an e-mail he sent out on Thursday.

Ron Siegel is owner of Red, White & Brew, 6740 E. McDowell Road, Mesa, (480) 807-9393 or RWBAZ.com

President Obama’s new “religious tolerance” consultant to the Pentagon, Mikey Weinstein, wants Christian military service members who openly talk about their faith in uniform to be charged with treason, which is a crime punishable by death according to military law.

The Bistro at Kokopelli Winery will close on May 26, with plans to re-open in September as Crust.

Do you have ideas that can help the Mesa City Council make decisions on major projects? Are you an engineer or planner interested in transportation? Are you interested in the cultural attractions in your community? If so, apply to be a member of one of our advisory boards and committees. Expertise from the community is needed for a host of positions opening up on boards such as transportation, museum and cultural and historic preservation, to name a few.

Fancy having Brangelina, Drew Barrymore and Dan Aykroyd over for dinner? No problem, they'll even bring the wine.

Any chance of cities or counties conducting future gun-buyback programs is about to evaporate.

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:

Q: I received a call today from a male who identified himself as Andrew Allison with Microsoft Security. He told me that “my NT wires” were installed incorrectly and were causing errors across the internet and that he could talk me through the steps needed to correct the problem. Trying to find a way to report this to Microsoft... — Dennis

Tom Horyza has been chosen as the new boys basketball coach at Notre Dame Prep, athletic director Monica Barrett said in an email.

I just bought a new car. I didn’t want to. I hate the process. But after months of my old van giving me signals it was time, I finally decided I had to cut its financial life support and move on. I spent hours comparing, emailing, researching, traveling, negotiating and complaining about how much I didn’t like doing any of it.

The long-awaited Draft Environmental Impact Study on the potential effects of the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway extension — a project that would give the East Valley another artery to the Phoenix region’s west side — is now available to the public for review and comment.

Companies that want to sue former workers who have stolen what they say are trade secrets need to prove that what was taken is truly a secret, the Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled.

"Mud" has the feel of a classic, although it's perhaps not enthralling enough to be one. The third and most elaborate feature to date from writer-director Jeff Nichols seems to have been adapted from a novel that doesn't exist -- something by James Lee Burke, perhaps, or Cormac McCarthy, or some other specialist in frequently violent tales about the challenges to masculinity and the forging of new identities that face rural people who belong to a sprawling modern world -- who might be hanging out in a supermarket parking lot one moment and falling into a creek full of deadly cottonmouths the next.

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.

I recently moved to a home with acreage, but quickly realized that even large lots have small or quirky outdoor spaces that must be designed carefully and thoughtfully.

Higley Elementary and Middle School is undergoing a transition to a back-to-basics style of instruction in 2013-14 - the inaugural school year as “The Higley Traditional Academy.”

Q: My son’s laptop was stolen from his college dorm during a party and he had the Find My Mac system setup on it, so he was able to track it to an apartment complex nearby. The problem is that the police said that they need more information to go on as they can’t just start knocking on all the apartment doors. What else can we do? — B

Fittingly for a guy who’s about to become “big time,” Dion Jordan’s life has been hectic.