FSL is committed to helping seniors “My mother called me up and said they wouldn’t let me in to see Gammie. Can you do something about it?” Gov. Doug Ducey shared this story with me during the statewide Town Hall I co-moderated a few weeks ago. I asked the governor about how this pandemic is […]

The Colten Cowell Foundation offers compassion and fun to families facing life challenges The night I went to visit the Crime Fighting Cave in Phoenix, I had no idea what to expect. My friend Bruce St. James, formerly a host on KTAR, had been telling me about it for some time, and I promised I […]

Ad exec-turned artist follows signs to pursue work that she loves Imagine for a moment that you have a massive canvas in front of you the size of your living room wall. It’s blank. Close your eyes and envision what it might look like to paint your life. What colors and materials would you use? […]

Local organization helps children and families see things from a new perspective             There is a big blue heart painted on an otherwise nondescript building near 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix. The heart slants slightly to the left and has a vast open space in the center. It sends the message that […]

Speaking up for the Down syndrome community “It was kind of sad. Nobody celebrated her birth. For me, as a first-time mom, it was hard. I felt very isolated.” When Jennifer Gage gave birth to her first child, Kaitlyn, it wasn’t a “typical” new-mom experience. Kaitlyn was diagnosed with Down syndrome, and at the time, […]

Local DJ puts happiness in hand By Carey Peña             I have met a lot of great people over the years. People who are determined to do their part to spread light, love, security, food, shelter and clothing to those in need — not because they have to, but because they want to. This describes […]

Moving on from the unthinkable By Carey Peña             It was a day like any other day. Carey Conley’s husband, Ross, got up early, showered, dressed and left her a note that he had an early morning coffee appointment.             She would never see him again.                     “I went to the radio studio to record […]

JDRF is leading the effort to fight Type 1 diabetes By Carey Peña             In May 2014, the Roberts family rushed their son JD to the emergency room.             The star football player had been experiencing some alarming symptoms such as weight loss, headaches, vomiting and fast heart rate. After a search on Google, the […]

Taking a diverse approach to mental health By Carey Peña It was a busy weekday afternoon when my cell phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize. I stared down deciding whether or not I should pick it up. I’m glad I did. On the other end was Robert Meza, a well-known member of Arizona’s […]

Newscaster Brandon Lee uses the power of his voice to help others overcome addiction By Carey Peña | Contributing Writer It was nearly 5 p.m. and the news was in full swing. I was the main evening anchor at the time and that’s when I first met Brandon Lee. He was in Phoenix to interview […]