Travel

Hooked!

Article by Joyce Selk I have to admit, I never dreamed of standing on the deck of a boat in Alaska with a rod in hand. My idea of “fishing” was watching Mark cast a line into the “lake” behind our home. But fishing in Alaska was on his bucket list and he has endured many beach vacations just for me. Dreading the trip a bit, I was able to entice four of our friends to join us so we wouldn’t be alone on the adventure. None of us had done an adventure like this before and the idea of organizing a...

Arts + Culture

Dancing Through the Decades

Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Chandler Celebrates an Impressive Milestone Article by Michelle Talsma | Photography by Courtesy Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Chandler Thirty-one years ago, a small ballroom studio opened its doors in Chandler with one simple promise: to enrich lives through the joy of dance. Today, Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Chandler remains a community staple, alive with music, laughter, and movement as it marks more than three decades of helping people find rhythm and...

Life + Culture

Local Teen, Global Impact

A Chandler High Schooler Turns Ideas Into Action for Literacy Article by Michelle Talsma | Photography by Provided At 15, Chandler high school sophomore Cathy (Yuxuan) Jiang is tackling an issue with worldwide consequences: illiteracy. This year, she was named a 2025 Youth Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation, joining a group of young leaders from 90 countries who are working to expand access to education across the globe. “I was inspired to apply because I believe education is a...

Education

From the Battlefield to Bookshelves

Local Author Explores Survival, Friendship, and the Aftermath of War Article by Michelle Talsma | Photography by James Patrick Chandler resident Alan Ramias has lived many lives—soldier, journalist, corporate strategist, and now, published author. The Vietnam veteran is channeling decades of memory and observation into stories that reach beyond Arizona and into the shared experience of war, survival, and human resilience. His latest book, Miss Moon , released in 2025, offers three distinct...