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Hi East Valley, hope you’re having a great weekend!

In today’s in-case-you-missed-it edition: Nite Creamery’s five-location expansion, Arizona baseball museum debut, and Tasty Nights Street Food Festival + the top stories from this week & a sneak peek at next week.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around East Valley protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 Most-clicked stories this week

Franchising milestone announced: Nite Creamery signed a five-location deal to expand across Phoenix over the next three years, adding shops in Chandler, Surprise, Buckeye, Peoria, and Goodyear after a popular 2025 Tempe debut — see where it’s expanding.

Fish tackle plant overgrowth: SRP is adding 1,000 carp from Asia to its Tempe canal, joining about 44,000 systemwide munching aquatic plants to keep water flowing, a cheaper option with safeguards to prevent escapes — get the details on safeguards.

Unearthing a diamond legacy: Arizona’s first baseball museum opened in Mesa on February 21, showcasing more than a century of the game with photos, memorabilia, and stories, including spring training roots and Arizona milestones — see what’s on display.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

All the crowd favorites:

• Shop local with live music
• Run to feed Arizona families
• Enjoy all-ages cosplay, games, and fandoms
• Save on self-care during the CVS Epic Beauty Sale

🏆 Gold and silver are heating up

Together with our sponsor American Hartford Gold

Gold just posted its strongest run in decades… and the momentum is carrying into 2026. Silver has become one of the most talked-about assets as investors look for ways to stay ahead of market volatility.

While many are still sitting on the sidelines, others are quietly repositioning.

If you’re wondering whether you’re missing something, AHG has a free guide explaining what’s driving the renewed interest… and how investors are approaching precious metals right now.

It’s free and worth reading before the next move.

🫶 This week’s top finds

Twirl-worthy pasta night: Eatalio Pasta & Wine serves homemade classics with bold flavors, saucy bowls you actually crave, cozy neighborhood energy, and an Italian-leaning wine lineup. It turns any weeknight into a quiet win…think rich ragùs, bright sauces, and pours that play nice with pasta.

Vintage racks, refreshed: Hunting a standout jacket or perfectly broken-in tee? Double Dare keeps things lively with daily drops and rotating vendors. When the “nothing to wear” spiral hits, this Mesa shop delivers easygoing vintage finds, good vibes, and zero pressure to grab something just because.

Desert oasis, 27 holes: Need a midweek reset? At Ocotillo Golf Club, 27 holes wind through lakes and waterfalls, keeping things interesting and your short game honest. Paired with a friend, it’s the kind of round that makes errands feel optional.

Thinning hair? It only gets worse: A few months ago, I noticed my ponytail getting thinner. I tried the usual stuff (biotin, shampoo, etc.) but mostly just hoped it would fix itself… until I learned that active follicles can permanently go dormant if you don’t do something about it. The good news? You can get treatment that actually works with no office visits or trips to the pharmacy. Learn more about my favorite online options here.

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🛍 Simply Spring Vintage Market @ Old Brick House Vintage Market (Mesa) | Wednesday (3/11) at 7:00 PM – Take a break from the big box aisles and swing by Old Brick House’s vintage market. Curated rooms, designers ready to coach, cookies, sourdough, salsa, a clearance out back, maybe a $100 spree if you line up early Wednesday, plus free entry and parking.

🩺 Breast Ultrasound Screening @ Vitality Med Spa (Mesa) | Thursday (3/12) at 10:30 AM – Self-care that actually matters, not another jade roller. HerScan’s breast ultrasound pop-up at Vitality Med Spa in Mesa is painless, no radiation, implant friendly, and read by a radiologist, all for $295. Catches what mammograms can miss, especially for dense breasts, so book it.

🎭 Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts @ Downtown Tempe | Friday (3/13) at 11:00 AM – Consider this your annual excuse to swing through Mill and somehow stay until your phone begs for battery saver. 350+ artists, chalk murals in progress, wine and spirits tastings, Pedal Haus and Four Peaks gardens, a classic car stroll, plus young artists showing off.

🌮 Tasty Nights Street Food Festival @ Arizona Athletic Grounds (Mesa) | Friday (3/13) at 3:00 PM – Ready to graze your way through Mesa without arguing over dinner plans? This street food fest hits Arizona Athletic Grounds with bites, desserts, sips, DJs, a market, and family-friendly fun, plus free parking and tickets online only, no door sales, so click before you cruise.

🐦 Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival @ Rawhide Western Town & Event Center | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – The Ostrich Festival is strutting into its new home at Rawhide for a bigger, better run over two weekends, which means you might find parking. Expect rides, music, and fried things, with the birds still the divas we pretend not to photograph.

☕ Afternoon Tea and Tour @ Chateau de Vie (Chandler) | Saturday (3/14) at 3:00 PM – Stroll a charming Chandler mansion, then settle in for afternoon tea featuring lavender farm blends, delicate finger sandwiches, warm scones, and decadent desserts. It is the classiest Kyrene detour you will take all year. Tables book as a group, ages 12+, reserve at thelavenderfarms.com.

🏺 Clay Mosaic Bowl Workshop @ Tempe Center for the Arts | Saturday (3/14) at 4:30 PM – This hands-on workshop makes a mosaic bowl your keys will finally respect, with air-dry clay, natural textures, and all the tiny shiny bits. It’s free, no registration, and leans equal parts tradition, creativity, and bragging rights. Low stress, high satisfaction, and totally counter-worthy.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• Industry-leading home warranty protection ($150 off right now)
• This free tool helps connect you with the right financial advisor
• 62+? See how much tax-free cash your home could unlock → free calculator
• Got debt? You may be able to pay less than you owe
• Protect your pet from disaster with this pet insurance plan
• You can own physical gold and silver in your retirement account

📻 East Valley report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 89°F – Low: 58°F – Precip: 1%

Sunny, with a high near 89. East wind around 5 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. East southeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 79°F – Low: 54°F – Precip: 54%

A chance of rain showers between 11am and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Later: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 5am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Someone Googled you this week 👀

It may feel like an invasion of privacy, but unfortunately It’s the new normal. Whether you’re joining a committee, selling something locally, dating again, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up online.

Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are.

Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you – or someone you care about – to clean up outdated results that no longer tell the real story. Learn more here.

Most popular house this week

Set on 7.4 private acres against rugged mountains and sculpted rock, this desert estate pairs refined luxury with wide-open serenity. A long gated drive leads to a 4-bed, 7-bath residence that flows outdoors and showcases panoramic city lights and sunsets. Amenities include parking for 13, two pickleball courts, a pool, putting green, yoga lawn, and a covered pavilion.

Take a peek inside →