Chief: MPD improves way it reports crime
The Maricopa Police Department has officially improved the way we report crime. We recently completed the transition from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s...
Learning to read in Maricopa schools
For several years, emphasis has been placed on the learning of mathematics and science in the elementary grades, yet nobody disputes that the most...
Hot! Hot! Hot! Gardening in July
By Al Brandenburg
Another year and again I am watching my plants wither in the 100-degree-plus heat. Gardening in Arizona in July can be difficult...
Accelerated learning program to kick off in kindergarten
In recent years, the Maricopa Unified School District has made a concerted effort to improve the assessment of the learning that occurs in its...
Master gardener: Purslane packs a nutritious punch
I love plants. They helped save my life in their own special and unique way. They have also introduced me to some of the...
Koczor: Alzheimer’s, dementia, take huge toll on families, economy
September is World Alzheimer’s Month. This year’s theme — “Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer’s” — highlights the importance of support for those diagnosed with the...
Learn how to ‘take care’ of yourself
So many posts from friends end with “take care.” It seems a simple salutation at the end of a letter or social media post,...
In the New Year, take an honest approach to relationships
Good, we have that resolution moment out of the way. Now to begin a movement of another kind.
At some time or another, we have...
Planting a garden? The merits of raised, in-ground beds
Planting a new garden? Are you torn between what type of garden bed you should use?
When establishing a garden, you can either choose a...
Koczor: Pets bring seniors unconditional love
According to the National Pet Owners Survey, more than 84 million homes in the United States have a pet. During COVID-19, pet adoption from...
Medical alert devices: Do you need one?
Last week, I was helping my wife install a home key box for a Province resident when she asked me what I knew about...
The messy business of creativity
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...
Phelps: How to keep our students safe
This month, our children will return to school. The concerns we have about safety have been heightened recently by more school shootings by mentally...
Aging in place: Is it for you?
Because there is “no place like home,” aging in place may have many benefits: it can cost less if you own your home, slow...
Recognizing the crucial contributions of women, today and always
The theme of National Women’s History Month, “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” is a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during...
Survey challenges conventional wisdom, perception about aging
This past June, American Association of Retired Persons and National Geographic published results of their joint “Second Half of Life Study” in the AARP...
Tax season is back: what seniors need to know
It’s that time of year again. There are new things to consider this income tax season and no, there is no automatic extension to...
Brandenburg: Aging population expansion will challenge all of us
Aging is inevitable. Like other transitions in life, changes can be physical, psychosocial and mental. Understanding the differences between those changes can assist in...
Squash, pumpkins carve out niche in Maricopa-area history
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...
Memory Café offered by Pinal-Gila Council for Seniors
A recent article by Ginger Fligger with Pinal-Gila Council for Seniors states 173,000 people in Arizona will live with Alzheimer’s or another condition that...
Aging-in-place: Time for the rest of the story
Over the past year, I’ve focused on reviewing recommended checklists to improve the physical setup of your home for aging-in-place. COVID-19 has helped reinforce...
Siegel: Advanced Math for elementary students, please
In January 2016, I began this education column with two purposes. First, provide readers with new ideas about teaching and learning through the lens...
Phelps: Understanding mental health – and the stigma of mental illness
Defining mental health or its opposite — mental illness — is a daunting task.
Mental health includes our emotional state: how we feel, how we...
Koczor: New driver’s license requirements in effect next year
Effective Oct. 1, 2020, driver's licenses in Arizona will not be compliant with the REAL ID Act, according to Arizona Department of Transportation. The...
Brandenburg: Are your end-of-life affairs in order?
We’re not getting any younger. So, you may want to make end-of-life decisions to protect your loved ones. This might not be the most upbeat...
Koczor: The explanation of a complex topic, inflation
Here’s a simple explanation of inflation: a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money. Inflation corresponds to a reduction...
The beauty of mathematics
What is mathematics?
To many readers of this column, it is subject matter you must learn in school with a series of rules and methods...
Smith: Long-term care system broken for those in ‘gigantic middle’
Last month, AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins wrote in the group’s bulletin “the system for helping people who can no longer care for themselves...
Brandenburg: Heat can be fatal
June has baked us to a crisp and July isn’t going to be any better with temperatures in the triple digits. As bad as...
Brandenburg: Fend off threats to Social Security now
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of the issues faced by Social Security, which provides at least 70% of income for about one in six...