Metro’s fare hikes cheaper before boarding
On July 1, a hike in transit fares takes effect, and in the new pricing is a development that could easily get overlooked. But if you miss out on this news, it'll cost you. ...

Paradise Valley student earns perfect SAT score
An estimated 1 million high school students take the SAT each year and about 20 of them get a perfect score of 2,400, Paradise Valley Unified School District officials said. One of those with a perfect score recently graduated from the district. ...

Mortgage delinquencies up in Arizona
Arizonans carry an above-average amount of mortgage debt with the third-highest rate of home-loan delinquencies, according to a new report. About 8.5 percent of Arizona borrowers are 60 or more days late on their mortgages, said TransUnion.com, based on a sample of more than 27 million credit-bureau files. ...

Ideas for revival of downtown Tempe drive business contest
Think big? The Downtown Tempe Corporation, DTC, is asking for innovative small business ideas to help revive Tempe's urban core. DTC is a non-profit that manages downtown land. ...

West Valley home resales pick up
The West Valley may have seen the worst of the housing collapse, but one industry expert cautioned Wednesday that "we still have a ways to go." ...

Last leg of Rio Salado habitat to be completed today in Phoenix
The Rio Salado habitat project, just south of downtown Phoenix, is a hidden jewel of nature that attracts egrets, ospreys and more than 200 other bird species - but relatively few people. ...

Gilbert school gives the gift of goats
A Gilbert school is collecting spare change to buy farm animals for rural villages in Africa. ...

Bobcat sighted in Sun City Grand
Josie and Gary Lellenberg of Sun City Grand, along with granddaughter, Julie Stortz of St. Louis, encountered a bobcat on their property April 3. ...

Metro Phoenix apartment rents down 5 percent
The average apartment rent in metro Phoenix dropped 4.9 percent during the first quarter, according to the RealFacts survey released this morning. ...

When times get tough: Take a hike
The East Valley's county parks have seen a spike in attendance since this time last year, which operators attribute to the weak economy and increased offerings at the parks. ...

Interest grows for solar plant at city landfill
More than 60 people packed a tiny room at Phoenix City Hall on Thursday to learn more about a proposed solar plant at a city landfill in the far southwest Valley. ...

Wings of Freedom soar into Glendale
The Collings Foundation's Wings of Freedom Tour is bringing three refurbished World War II aircraft to the Glendale Airport Tuesday through April 24. ...

Metro lists busiest light-rail stations
Metro's end-of-line stations are light rail's busiest, the transit agency reported Wednesday in its first detailed glimpse at where most boardings are taking place. ...

New downtown Phoenix park opens today
Today is showtime for Phoenix's $34 million downtown park. ...

Business partnership to put electric-car stations in Valley
The resurgent electric-car industry plans to launch several new models in the United States next year, and Valley officials are paving the way for infrastructure to support them. ...

Trilogy at Vistancia hosts spring arts & crafts fair
... Community members will be joined by amateur and professional artists and artisans showcasing and selling their work. ...

State’s income-tax rates among lowest in U.S.
Among the 41 states and the District of Columbia that assess individual income taxes, Arizona charges less than all but a handful. ...

Napolitano to check out border in Arizona
Former Gov. Janet Napolitano makes her first official trip as a federal official back to Arizona this week to see what forces under her command are doing about smuggling, both in and out of this country. ...

Floating sculpture key to downtown’s rebirth
... Whatever people see in "Her Secret is Patience," a hanging fabric sculpture reaching 100 feet into the air, city leaders say it is a destination work of public art that will help define downtown Phoenix. ...

Surprise gears up for Community Pride Day
Surprise needs volunteers for Community Pride Day Saturday. ...

Contest on to name Scottsdale cowgirl
A fictitious Scottsdale cowgirl dreamed up to lasso tourists is about to put her no-name past behind her. ...

Light-rail ridership stays on track
Ridership of the Valley’s light-rail system in March totaled nearly 973,000 – the highest monthly total since trains began running. ...

Phoenix a finalist for Diamondbacks’ new spring home
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said the Arizona Diamondbacks have given him assurances that a northeast Phoenix parcel is one of three sites the ball club is considering for a new spring-training home. ...

Game & Fish to keep eye on young eagles
Kyle McCarty, an eagle biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, was 40 feet up a sycamore tree in the Tonto National Forest trying to gain control of a pair of young bald eagles. ...

Surprise is getting Twitter-pated
Surprise is using Twitter as the latest way to engage residents. ...