Community

The city of Phoenix's efforts to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions have proven even more successful than expected. Announced at the Go Green Conference, Phoenix's rates were down by 7.2 percent since 2005, 2.2 percent higher than the original 5 percent goal.

The inaugural year of Phoenix Phabulous Experience invited guest speakers to tell stories inspired by a time period in Phoenix's history. Over a hundred gathered at the Phoenix Center for the Arts to hear the tales.

Seed Spot celebrated the growth and accomplishments of its Fall 2013 venture companies at their Demo Day event at the Orpheum Theatre Wednesday night. The companies, covering industries ranging from education to hospitality, pitched their business models to several hundred audience members.

In the first study of its kind, professors and researchers with the College of Public Programs Kristy Holtfreter and Michael Reisig looked into fraudulent scams specifically targeting the elderly. They found that the elderly are not more likely to fall victim, but are more likely to be targeted.

The local answer to fellow premium driving services in the Valley like Uber and Lyft, RubyRide aims to provide an experience that is timely and convenient. Customers can book appointment times and even specific drivers using the company's smartphone app.

The paint studio's founder and owner, Anthony Sobrino, is planning on taking over a former clothing store next to Brush Party at Fourth and McKinley streets to create a studio for kids. Sobrino also hopes to accommodate schools.

The Phoenix chapter of the nonprofit organization was established in a home on Seventh Avenue and McKinley Street, where homeless youth can get food, a shower, wash their clothes and use the Internet to check social media or search for jobs on weekends.

The Phoenix Center for the Arts event on Dec. 11 will feature guest speakers, mural artists and 3-D projectors showing the history of different downtown buildings on digital murals from eight different time periods, alongside images of the imagined future.

ASU Preparatory Academy got a makeover for its media center last week from the Pacific-12 football conference, which builds technology centers in the community of whichever university hosts the conference's championship game.

Self-proclaimed foodies Jay Veniard and Jessica Combest have brought their appreciation for food to downtown Phoenix through their Taste It Tours and their sales of olive oil and balsamics at their store in the Orpheum Lofts, Urban Olive Oils and Balsamics.