When the weather turns warm, I find myself craving the smell and taste of a great homemade burger off the grill.

Using their talents for hilarious, family-friendly improvisational comedy, Jef and Shurlin Rawls of Mesa hope to lift spirits while lightening the load for a family in their neighborhood with an event they are calling a “FUN-draiser.”

Barbecue chicken is one of my favorite summertime dishes. I like every part of it — the tomato-based sauce (the spicier the better), the crispy skin, even the bones.

A Tempe attorney accused of shooting and wounding his girlfriend’s former boyfriend has entered a plea of not guilty.

A tapas-style meal made up of a variety of small, appetizer-like bites is something we tend to associate with evenings and cocktails. But we thought the same idea of small plates would lend itself perfectly to a Mother's Day brunch. So we came up with a variety of tapas ideas suitable for Mom's big day.

Food trucks have been popular for some time now in the Valley, but on April 13 a new class of diner will get to partake of the trend.

Easter offers an ideal opportunity to enjoy family, faith and our beautiful spring weather, especially with the plethora of activities going on around town this weekend. Events ranging from a dino egg hunt to an Easter brunch “down on the farm” provide locations and price points to suit almost everyone.

In a week when North Korea posted a homemade video showing the U.S. Capitol building being destroyed by a missile, what more logical response could Hollywood offer than a macho thriller about a Secret Service agent who takes on North Korean terrorists who attack the White House? The first of two similarly themed action dramas set for this year ("White House Down" arrives in June), "Olympus Has Fallen" will put to the test the question of whether American audiences are ready, 12 years after 9-11, to watch, strictly as disposable popcorn entertainment, a film in which the United States and some of its most prominent landmarks are devastated by foreign terrorists.

This weekend downtown Chandler will be piled high with more than 20,000 pounds of BBQ at the Great American Barbeque and Beer Festival. The roster of restaurants dishing up ribs, brisket, pulled pork and chicken includes old favorites Famous Dave’s, Honey Bear’s BBQ, Joe’s Real BBQ and Tom’s BBQ, along with some newcomers including Porkopolis.

Now that the Chicago Cubs have secured a spring-training home in Mesa well into the future, the East Valley will soon welcome to the area the first of possibly many in a long line of Windy City favorites: Portillo’s Hot Dogs.

All-Tribune First Team

As if a festival celebrating beer and barbeque couldn’t get any better, it just did: Rock bands Smash Mouth and Hoobastank will headline The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival on March 23.

A woman charged with killing her lover broke down in tears Monday as she described for jurors how her relationship with the victim included satisfying his "deviant" sexual urges and how he once beat her, kicked her in the ribs and broke her finger.

PRESCOTT VALLEY – The big-school wrestling championships had a familiar look to it.

Last year “Money Magazine” rated Chandler as one of the 50 best places to live in America — in part because of its annual mouth-watering barbecue and beer festival in AJ Chandler Park.

The day of the big game calls for big, stick-to-your-ribs grub.

First, a confession. I don't watch the Super Bowl. As a matter of fact, I rarely even know who is playing. Still, I'm well aware that it is far and away America's largest secular holiday and that the celebration requires not only watching the game on television, but also eating a hefty snack or meal while doing so.

The head of a popular Arizona winery will host a five-course wine pairing dinner in Chandler — at a rate more affordable than typical winemaker dinners.

My mouth is watering, and there’s not a thing I can do about it.

My family has always insisted that the centerpiece of our Christmas feast be some kind of show-stopping roast. We're talking a standing rib roast or whole beef tenderloin. And, as if these prizes were not already rich enough in themselves, we tend to pair them with an extravagant sauce, usually bearnaise. Hey, it's Christmas.

What do you get when you mix ugly sweaters, a horse-drawn stagecoach, BBQ ribs and a fat guy in a red suit? The Jingle Bell BBQ in downtown Mesa.

Eight of the Southwest’s most recognized and talented chefs — including one from Gilbert’s Joe’s Real BBQ — will show you how to make their favorite recipes on Eight’s Centennial Cooking Celebration.