(BPT) - As summer approaches, many parents are worried about the summer learning slide, and with good reason. Students who do not participate in enrichment and learning activities during the summer break can lose roughly 22 percent of the knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year, according to the National Summer Learning Association.

April’s showers (or snow) have given way to May’s spring blossoms. The beautiful weather also means it’s time to do something truly out of the ordinary for Mom, and therefore deserving of the woman who not only brought you into this world, but fed you, clothed you and never forgot to kiss the countless bumps and bruises.

(NAPSI)If youre like most people with a mixed-breed dog, you may sometimes be surprised at certain behaviors and wonder just what breeds make up his ancestry. After all, experts on genetics contend that the dog is, at this point, the most diverse species of mammal. The many breeds recognized today are the result of careful selective breeding for functional attributes deemed beneficial to their human owners including hunting, guarding and herding, and desirable physical characteristics such as skull shape, size, and coat variation.

(BPT) - As the warmer weather is upon us, it brings many new activities: baseball, picnics, beach time and – best of all - garage sales. People are purging what they don’t need or no longer want. It’s the perfect opportunity to turn their trash into your treasure.  From outdated odds and ends to forgotten furniture, there is a wealth of worthy items just waiting to be found, re-imagined and re-purposed.

(BPT) - The economy is starting to turn around, but competition for open jobs remains fierce. For job hunters, the mental and financial stresses mount every day they remain unemployed. To keep job-search momentum high and attitudes positive, it’s important to follow a few simple steps from the experts.

“We are the 90 percent.” 

“We are the 90 percent.”

(BPT) - Need a bike to start getting into shape? Looking for a new job? Interested in renting a condo for that long-desired trip?

With influences from Sly and the Family Stone, Etta James, Ray Charles and Brian Setzer, the Shaky Bones bring back the soul to jazz.

Nothing is black and white about fashion trends, unless the trend is black and white fashion. From the streets of SoHo to the fast lanes of Los Angeles, to the downtown in every hometown in between, fashion stories are currently being told on polar ends of the gray scale: black and white blocks, herringbones, checks, prints, and the neutrals black and white make in tandem.

There is no denying that Dr. Del Kyger is a University of Arizona men's basketball fan as posters, newspaper articles and jersey's surround the walls of his orthodontist office. Although that is something he is passionate about, his patients know him best for his quality orthodontic work, his friendly personality and his professional attitude.

Best happy hour

A midtown church will fill Toumey Park next Saturday with more than 17,000 Easter eggs to celebrate a decade of inviting the public to share in its Easter festivities.

MOVIES

On Feb. 24, millions of television sets across the globe tuned in to one of the most celebrated and glamorous celebrity spectacles of the modern era: The Oscars. Yet, within the aftermath of this 85th Oscar ceremony, it is important to note that all too often viewers are somehow missing the bigger picture. Within the Oscar experience, there is a plethora of trivial and somewhat meaningless aspects of the evening that many people choose to highlight. What designer clothing is Meryl Streep going to wear as she struts down the carpet? Did Robert Downey Jr. have something done to his nose? Did you hear about Jennifer Lawrence’s wardrobe malfunction? It is a melancholy truth that these topics are brought to the forefront of discussion.

On Feb. 24, the long awaited Super Bowl of the movie season will be held as the Oscar’s will be hosted on ABC. This year’s Oscars have plenty of intrigue with some obvious snubs, but overall plenty of deserving nominations that should make for a competitive night.

Job hunting can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, as you showcase your talents for potential employers in hopes of landing that position. While you’re certainly eager to impress, and want to show that you’ll go the extra mile for your future employer, those instincts can also lead you into trouble. With so much competition for jobs as the country crawls out of a recession, employment scams have emerged as a common way for criminals to take advantage of job-seekers’ enthusiasm.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department in Tucson will hold a public meeting 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, to hear comments about developing 2013 hunt recommendations for deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears.

(BPT) - When you’re job-hunting you go to great lengths to stand out among the hundreds – even thousands – of applicants for a single open position. But while you’re working to catch an employer’s eye, have you considered the importance of protecting your information from unwanted attention? Or the need to manage the online reputation you do want employers to see?

(BPT) - Collecting relics isn’t a hobby just for Grandma and Grandpa any more. With the explosive popularity of TV shows centered around unearthing historic memorabilia and valuable pieces of Americana, searching for knickknacks and artifacts that make one-of-a-kind home decor is now a popular pastime for people of all ages. But how do you know the difference between what’s really treasure and what’s simply trash?

Date: Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013

Despite the onslaught of bashing ensuing by the movie critics, “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” nabbed the top-spot at the box office over the weekend, pulling in $19 million domestically, and another $35 million in the foreign market to more than make up its production budget of $50 million, and, in the meantime, top rival’s films “Movie 43” and “Parker.”