Columns

Headlines today are deeply troubling and alarming. After I read about a 6-year-old taking a weapon to class and shooting his teacher, a young...

What is it about the smell of fresh-cut grass, the good feeling of a warm afternoon and the pop of a thrown baseball into...

Most of the time, my involvement with a story ends the day we upload the magazine to the printer. That's simply not the case with...

Fine arts are a funny thing. They’re often the first on the chopping block where funding is concerned, yet the movie you just watched...

Some people regarded Brian Simmons as the town nuisance, and he certainly did have a history of bizarre behavior around Maricopa. This month in our...

In the early to mid 1960s, more than half the deaths in the U.S. were caused by cardiovascular disease. To heighten awareness, the first American...

This past June, American Association of Retired Persons and National Geographic published results of their joint “Second Half of Life Study” in the AARP...

The holidays are upon us. With the chaos of running back and forth getting ready to celebrate, it is important for us to remember...

Christmas is almost here. This magical time of year means so many things as it brings people together. It’s a celebration with family and friends,...

It’s that time of year again, when we give thanks with pumpkin and squash on the holiday table. Cucurbita, Latin for gourd, is among the...

When it comes to decisions regarding housing at the time of retirement, most everyone is simply trying to decide where they want to live....

Every 11 minutes, a person dies by suicide. In 2020, 45,979 individuals took their own life. Almost as many people who live in the...

Everything I need to know about inflation, I learned in grade school — too much money chasing too few goods and services. Supply and...

Historically speaking, foreclosures have played a role in Maricopa’s housing prices. A foreclosure, in a nutshell, is when a homeowner falls behind on their payments...

Of an estimated 21,000 existing houses in the city limits of Maricopa, nearly 8,000 of them are at least 15 years old. At that age,...

It has been a few months since my last column on how the Maricopa Police Department is policing your community. In that column, I discussed...

Today’s news reports have been less than encouraging for exiting a globally traumatic event, such as the COVID crisis, to cope with.  While feelings...

Over 50 million Americans rely on Social Security for at least a portion of their retirement income. When you consider that 180 million people...

Perhaps you’ve had the same experience: onion bulbs from the big box stores that never develop into the big, dry ones like you buy...

By Amanda Rice Hibiscus sabdariffa or roselle, is known by a number of names across the world, including Jamaican sorrel, Flor da Jamaica, Florida cranberry,...

The word “elementary” has two seemingly conflicting definitions. For some, elementary means basic or simple as when Sherlock Holmes said, “Elementary, my dear Watson.”...

Let’s explore the Master Gardener program in Maricopa. But first some history on two key related organizations. The Land Grant College Act of 1862 ceded...

On average, adults need about 7-9 hours of sleep. Researchers say people can survive longer without food than without sleep! It’s a time for...

By Al Brandenburg Although we've made it through the hot, dry months of June and July, our vegetable gardens have pretty much given up the...

Many of you have been in your home for a number of years – along with the same major appliances or mechanical systems. Generally, when...

A philosophy advanced by Dave Wilson Nursery in California, wholesale supplier of fruit trees to many of the better nurseries in Arizona, espouses high-density planting,...

What is community engagement? For some it is civic engagement, or active participation in your community, perhaps voting, volunteering or joining organizations. According to Thomas...

BY AL BRANDENBURG An increasing number of COVID-19 survivors are experiencing symptoms weeks or months after the infection has cleared in what is known informally...

With a senior center opening soon here in Maricopa, it’s an appropriate time to consider what one should provide. Senior centers should: • Serve as a...

By Al Brandenburg The triple digits are upon us and the summer forecast promises more scorching temperatures. The extreme heat underscores the need for seniors...