NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Christmas wreaths and holiday parties gave way to king cakes and street parades as the Carnival season kicked off this weekend along the Gulf Coast.

Performing Arts 2012-13 theater season preview

Washington  •  Hundreds of historic U.S. post offices nationwide face uncertain futures as the U.S. Postal Service downsizes, so preservationists on Wednesday added these American institutions to the list of the country’s most endangered historic places.

Washington  •  Hundreds of historic U.S. post offices nationwide face uncertain futures as the U.S. Postal Service downsizes, so preservationists on Wednesday added these American institutions to the list of the country’s most endangered historic places.

Tempe voters will elect a new mayor Tuesday following a mudslinging, divisive battle that Michael Monti and Mark Mitchell have waged in their bids for office.

The first roadway work related to Tempe’s planned streetcar is set to begin Monday in downtown as crews start locating underground utilities.

Mesa is kicking off studies to extend the Metro light rail line to Gilbert Road and to explore linking Tempe’s planned streetcar to the new Chicago Cubs complex.

In their individual quests to become the next mayor of Tempe, there’s no denying that Linda Spears, Mark Mitchell and Michael Monti carry strong stances on a number of issues. That, notably, includes Tempe Town Lake – the 224-acre elephant in the room this election season.

Metro light rail is starting to design the look of Tempe's planned streetcar system on Mill Avenue, down to each platform, shelter and how structures will shade passengers from Arizona's relentless sun.

For two hours Monday night, Tempe residents gathered in the City Council chambers to hear five council and three mayoral candidates make their case to voters, who will head to the polls on March 13 for the primary election and May 15 for the general election.

Metro light rail ridership increased in 2011, to the tune of a 4 percent hike over the previous year. Metro handled 13.2 million riders last year, with an average of 40,712 riders on weekdays, 31,008 on Saturdays and 20,930 on Sundays/holidays.

Work to restore the historic Hayden Flour Mill should start in as little as 10 days, bringing life to an iconic building that’s sat idle since 1997.

Public transportation has long had strong support from voters and elected officials in Tempe, but now one of the city’s mayoral candidates wants to at least tap the brakes on a proposed streetcar.

After planting trees other than the iconic ficus on Tempe’s Mill Avenue, the city is returning to its roots.

Two years before construction starts on a Tempe streetcar, its proponents say recent developments could substantially change how the transit system takes shape.