It may not be the only salon in downtown Tempe that relieves women of stray brows and smoothes upper lips, but the technique used at Jada Beauty distinguishes them from the crowd. Threading, an ancient method of hair removal that uses the precise twisting of a cotton thread to remove hair, is the process used at Jada, which opened last month at 350 S. Mill Ave., B201, at Hayden Square. Casa Grande native Alexis Smith owns the salon with her fiance Alex Nguyen and Nguyen's mother Oanh Phan, who founded the business and has practiced the Eastern technique for more than 20 years. .

Chrysler Expands CPO Program to Encompass More Dealers

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — As new-vehicle sales are expected to dip industry-wide in 2008, certified pre-owned sales are becoming increasingly important to dealers and automakers. In response to this, Chrysler officially announced late last week that it is extending its CPO program to encompass more of its dealers. All qualifying U.S. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers can be authorized for the program, whereas previously, only Five Star dealers were eligible, the automaker explained. "We are pleased to announce the extension of our certified pre-owned vehicle program to all qualifying Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge U.S. dealers," commented Darryl Jackson, Chrysler vice president of U.S. sales. "Opening the program to all of our dealers is a win-win situation, in which dealers can introduce certified shoppers to the best assortment of pre-owned Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles available, and customers are invited to experience the Chrysler brand family of vehicles at a great value," Jackson continued.

Coming Soon: SR to Release E-mail Exchanges ... (Not so fast...)

Pope Benedict XVI, left, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I appear at a balcony of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to bless the faithful, respectively in Latin and Greek, after attending together the Divine Liturgy in the nearby Church of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey, today. Benedict XVI and Bartholomew later signed a joint agreement. You write the cutline. (AP Photo)

3. In an effort to appeal to a wider audience, The Pope was on hand to tape a very special Christmas Edition of Friday Night Smackdown in which he crowned "Bad Azzzzz Bartholomew" the new "People's Champion" and Heavyweight Champion of the WWE.