Following the classroom portion of their training, WHAT Program participants continue with 90-days of on-site training (photo courtesy of St. Joseph The Worker). A new program is aiming to bridge the gap between Valley job seekers and career opportunities, providing a pathway to stability and self-sufficiency through quality employment and off government assistance. Phoenix-based nonprofit, St. Joseph the Worker (SJW), has launched a new free program called the Workforce Housing and Training Program (WHAT). The120-day program begins with two weeks of hands-on classroom training, after which ..read more

Pictured by row — “Get to know your local librarians” (On the Cover); Café Chat: “Miracle Mile Deli celebrates 75 years” (see Food for Thought) | “Celebrate Mom around town” (see Food for Thought); AHS Pet of the Month, Mariah Carey (see Community/Pets); “True Few makes new home above Bethany” (see Business) | “Shopping and community come together at The Frederick” (On the Cover); “These are still my kids” (see School Days) Hello, North Central neighbors! May brings with it warmer weather and summer vacation – the perfect time to visit local libraries, which house so much more than just book ..read more

Things to do in Phoenix in May, left to right by row: Mamma Coal’s Dolly Hoot at Crescent Ballroom; Electric Six at The Rebel Lounge Christina Ramirez: “Terra Form,” at FOUND:RE; Libianca at Valley Bar; “Larry Bell: Improvisations,” at Phoenix Art Museum Ballet Arizona’s “All Balanchine”; The Phoenix Theatre Company’s “Fiddler on the Roof” Summer is just around the corner and May offers the perfect opportunity to get out and explore the Valley’s arts and entertainment scene. Experience everything from local music, dance and theater performances to art exhibits, film screenings, family-friend ..read more

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department put into effect on May 1 its annual ban of open fires in the city’s desert parks and mountain preserves. The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department’s annual fire ban goes into effect the same day. In consultation with the Phoenix Fire Department, smoking and charcoal fires are included in the ban due to the extreme fire danger that the combination of low humidity, increased temperatures, excessive dry vegetation and frequent high winds create each spring. The ban applies to Camelback Mountain, Deem Hills Recreation Area, Lookout Mountain, Pa ..read more

Josh Garcia showcases cheesecake, flown in from New York, and Miracle Mile’s best-seller Straw sandwich (photo by Darryl Webb for North Central News). Josh Garcia remembers doing his elementary school homework on a pickle barrel “desk,” surrounded by servers slicing mounds of pastrami and corned beef, piling it into onion and kaiser rolls, or serving up liver and onions, savory stuffed bell peppers, coleslaw and potato salads followed by thick wedges of cheesecake. “I started serving coffee on Saturday mornings when I was 11,” he said. “I wasn’t tall enough to see over the counter, so I had to ..read more

The Phoenix Public Library system has served the community for more than 125 years through the hard work and dedication of many librarians, including local librarians (pictured left to right) Eric Rueda, Yucca Library; Matthew Rummele, Acacia Library; Matthew Dieckman, Acacia Library; and Heather Kendall, Yucca Library (photos courtesy of Phoenix Public Library). In 2023, the Phoenix Public Library system celebrated 125 years of serving residents. The venerable institution consists of 17 libraries, and during fiscal year 2022-23 those libraries hosted over two million visits. But libraries a ..read more

Pictured left to right are The Frederick’s Jessica McPhaul, founder of Naked Rebellion; Lisa Lowrie, manager at MetalMark Fine Jewelry; Samantha Lester, manager at Vida Moulin; Holly Martinez, salesperson at Cricket + Ruby; and Tammy Tisdale, manager at Form Floral (photo by Trudy Thompson Shumaker). Who is Fred and why is there a collection of shops named after him in North Central Phoenix? Wait. Make that Frederick. But most of his friends call him Fred. Regardless, Fred is competing handily with Amazon for the shopper’s dollar and attention. Architect Frederick Weaver of the firm Weaver a ..read more

Stroke, when a blood vessel to the brain becomes blocked, has no age limits and younger adults are increasingly affected (photo courtesy of Abrazo Health). May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and health care professionals are stressing the importance of knowing the warning signs of stroke — a medical emergency and a leading cause of death and long-term disabilities in this country. “Stroke is when the blood vessels to the brain become blocked by a clot or worse, burst open and bleeds out into your brain. It has no age limits, and younger adults are increasingly affected by stroke and its ..read more

The city of Phoenix Planning and Development Department held a series of public “Road Show” events to promote PlanPHX 2025, including one held Nov. 30 at Park Central (photo by Kathryn M. Miller). At its April 17 formal meeting, eight members of the Phoenix City Council heard a presentation of the General Plan Update, PlanPHX 2025, by Planning and Development Department staff and General Fund Leadership Committee member Morris Stein. The theme: “Creating a More Connected Phoenix.” After hosting a series of six “Road Show” events in late November and December to garner input from residents, P ..read more

Made in house from a fermented sourdough starter, the new pizza dough not only adds depth of flavor, but the company says that sourdough is easier to digest, naturally low in gluten, and promotes healthy gut (submitted photo). At the end of February, True Food Kitchen announced the introduction of a new house-made sourdough crust for all pizzas as part of its commitment to sourcing and serving “real food for real life.” The company says that the new sourdough crust is another key initiative deepening their commitment to their True Ingredients Standards program, ensuring that every ingredient ..read more