Spring (training) is in the air
Judy Savage stood in line for spring training tickets at Surprise Stadium at 6 a.m. Saturday, two hours before the box office opened. ...

Arizona hoping green initiatives will blossom into new jobs
The outlook for green jobs in Arizona is looking brighter than it has in years, though the prospects would be better if it weren't for that other pesky green situation: the economy and a shortage of money. ...

Fort McDowell Nation bids for big-league training site
The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation is involved in a preliminary relationship that could bring a baseball stadium and training facility to the Northeast Valley. ...

Big parties await you tonight in Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe
There are plenty of ways to celebrate the new year tonight and say goodbye - or maybe good riddance - to 2008. ...

Giving Gilbert’s Old West look the boot
A handful of business owners in downtown Gilbert are injecting a touch of modernity into the historic business district by disassembling their wooden awnings — a key element of the area’s Old West look. ...

Car scuffs light-rail train in Phoenix
The Valley's new light-rail system saw its first reported collision during regular service Tuesday afternoon, when a car hit the train and sped off, according to Phoenix authorities. ...

Glendale gears up for Fiesta Bowl with Gridiron Jam
Glendale is partnering with the Fiesta Bowl for a football-themed fan festival two days before the city hosts the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl championship game. ...

East Valley commuters take to the rails
Suzy Phoenix never used public transportation before Monday, the first day that Metro, the Valley’s new light rail system, hit the tracks to move commuters to and from work. ...

Soleri Bridge on track for spring start in Scottsdale
Though Scottsdale's $40 million budget shortfall is forcing the city to carefully review its spending, a pedestrian bridge more than 10 years in the making is still on track to be built downtown. ...

Surprise residents can learn about city government
The next semester of the Surprise City Academy begins Feb. 17. ...

West Valley Recreation Corridor pushed
The decade-old dream of a West Valley Recreation Corridor is gaining momentum, but the bleak economic reality could hurt its ability to meet key deadlines. ...

Metro now ready to take on serious commuters
The opening weekend of light rail in the Valley was mostly given over to spectators - the politicians, journalists and locals who were just plain curious. ...

Wildlife World Zoo unveils aquarium
After nearly seven years of planning and construction, the only public aquarium between Albuquerque and San Diego opened its doors last weekend. ...

Local real estate agents see healthy signs in home sale numbers
The Valley's struggling real estate market may be on the eve of finally bottoming out, according to a new forecast by real estate brokerage Grubb & Ellis/BRE Land Group. ...

Light-rail stations have riders covered
Metro light-rail incorporates three elements into a shading system it hopes will keep light-rail passengers comfortable at its stations as they await trains in warm weather. ...

Final building opens at Phoenix Convention Center
Light rail will have to share its Saturday kickoff party with the grand opening of the 569,000-square-foot addition to the Phoenix Convention Center. ...

Palo Verde plant applies for new nuclear permit
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix has applied to renew all three of its reactors' licenses, which will begin expiring in 2025, according to regulators. ...

6 Valley Metro stations to host opening parties
Saturday morning's grand opening of Metro light rail will be celebrated all along the 20-mile track, from central Phoenix to Mesa. Once the trains are in service, people will have the opportunity to ride end to end for free. ...

All aboard: Light rail ready to change Valley
Light rail already has changed the look of transportation in the Valley, and it might alter the look of the Valley itself. After decades of debate and years of laying tracks, the debut of the system, called Metro, is at hand. ...

Chandler Center for the Arts getting face-lift
The Chandler Center for the Arts, which has played host to stars like Bill Cosby, Jay Leno and Dionne Warwick over the last 20 years, is about to get a nearly $7 million face-lift. ...

Entrepreneurs reveal traffic-cam locations
... Two college-age entrepreneurs are homing in on traffic cameras as a business opportunity. ...

Phoenix’s CityNorth deal ruled unlawful
A major economic development agreement between Phoenix and the CityNorth development has been ruled unconstitutional, possibly affecting the future progress of the multibillion-dollar project. ...

2 large home builders in Valley contemplating merger
Standard Pacific, Engle, both with a major Valley presence, say they are discussing the possibility. ...

University Square project changes direction
University Square developers dramatically retooled their proposed multimillion-dollar project near Arizona State University, changing it from a mostly residential development to a hotel and convention center. ...

Forecast: Valley real estate close to bottom
The Valley's struggling real estate market may be on the eve of finally bottoming out, according to a new forecast by real estate brokerage Grubb & Ellis/BRE Land Group. ...