As of Tuesday

Some things are more precious than life itself.

Foreclosures, unemployment, underemployment and debt have affected all too many Arizonans this past year, but Valley of the Sun United Way wants the public to know that their financial doldrums may have an up side this tax season - in the form of a federal income tax credit. Families or individuals who earned $48,362 or less in 2010 may qualify to receive EITC, but they can only get it if they file federal income tax returns and specifically claim the credit.

Foreclosures, unemployment, underemployment and debt have affected all too many Arizonans this past year, but Valley of the Sun United Way wants the public to know that their financial doldrums may have an up side this tax season - in the form of a federal income tax credit. Families or individuals who earned $48,362 or less in 2010 may qualify to receive EITC, but they can only get it if they file federal income tax returns and specifically claim the credit.

Millions of tax dollars are paid out by East Valley cities each year to people who were thinking of suing them — and city lawyers approved the payoffs because it is deemed cheaper to settle than to risk greater expenses from going to trial.

Q: I’ve heard rumors that there are viruses that can take over your computer and demand a ransom to allow you back in. Can this really happen? — Kris

By profession, my brother-in-law in Saskatchewan is a farmer. His passion, however, is Buck and Charlie, a pair of Belgian draught horses that he frequently exhibits at fairs and farming demonstrations. Individually, Buck and Charlie can pull a load of about a ton. As a team, however, they are able to pull five! It is an example of the principle of non-summativity: together they are more than the sum of their parts. It is a lesson we perpetually need to relearn.

By profession, my brother-in-law in Saskatchewan is a farmer. His passion, however, is Buck and Charlie, a pair of Belgian draught horses that he frequently exhibits at fairs and farming demonstrations. Individually, Buck and Charlie can pull a load of about a ton. As a team, however, they are able to pull five! It is an example of the principle of non-summativity: together they are more than the sum of their parts. It is a lesson we perpetually need to relearn.

Dramatic changes in regional and state tournaments could be coming as early as next fall if an Arizona Interscholastic Association plan to reduce the number of participants, events and venues is approved.

The new tax burden Gov. Jan Brewer wants to impose on Arizonans is more likely to hit individuals than businesses.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals, including a man from central Illinois, and commuted the prison sentences of two others convicted of misdeeds including drug offenses, tax evasion, wildlife violations and bank embezzlement.

As a photographer and graphics designer, Arlene Gracy goes to her corporate office in Mesa to earn a living. But for Gracy, life really begins when she gets home on a county island to her husband, dogs and horses.

Approximately 15 to 20 individuals ran from a broken down pickup truck Monday morning on Interstate 10 near 24th Street.

Students can expect to see more time with counselors, additional special-education teachers on campus and plans for foreign language classes now that three north East Valley school districts have formally adopted their budgets for the coming school year.

NEW YORK - With its new Amazon Pages service, Amazon.com Inc. plans to let customers to buy portions of a book - even just one page - for online viewing. A second program, Amazon Upgrade, will offer full online access when a traditional text is purchased.

Scottsdale’s having secured San Francisco Giants spring training baseball through 2025 with the approval of a $23 million practice facility comes amid several incentivization wars in the East Valley over whether and how much public money should be used to attract private business.

Five years ago much of the East Valley was in a dither over whether to celebrate the Fourth of July on the fifth of July. Fueled by patriotism and religion, the uproar got downright ugly.

There was more grim news last week on the health-care front. The number of Americans lacking health insurance has increased by 5.7 percent to 43.6 million. While 15.2 percent of Americans were uninsured in 2002, 17.4 percent of Arizonans lacked coverage.

Sixty-two nominations from 18 Arizona communities were submitted in six categories for the 32nd annual Governor’s Arts Awards — honors given to individuals and businesses who have made substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture statewide. The East Valley has quite a few names in the running.