Squirrel’s Stories — These days 15-year-old Sierra and Sophia Smith share more than just a bond of being twin sisters. The Hamilton High School sophomores now share a piece of art called Hands of Freedom. Art, they hope inspires change. “Hands of Freedom originally started off with my sister just putting a bunch of hands on a canvas. A painting … Read More
Inspirational Story of the Day
By Recker McDowell — We need positive and uplifting stories these days. One of those is from Boston where Danielle Geathers has been elected student body president at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Geathers, who is from Miami, is the first African American woman to be elected student body president in MIT’s 159-year history. She is majoring in mechanical … Read More
Guest Editorial: RIP Metrocenter
By Recker McDowell — Metrocenter Mall is closing. The north Phoenix mall opened in 1973, once included an ice rink and was one of the film locations for Keanu Reeves’ Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Metrocenter will close later this month. It joins Fiesta Mall in Mesa on the list of zombie malls. There are and have been redevelopment plans … Read More
Community Heroes: Partners for Paiute Navigates COVID-19, Neighborhood Needs
By Recker McDowell — For Lynn Whitman and others involved with the Partners for Paiute community and nonprofit group in Scottsdale, COVID-19 and all its impacts have hit fundraising and prompted some quick pivots. “We canceled our annual fundraiser which basically is our most significant fundraiser,“ said Whitman, who is president of the Partners for Paiute board of directors. Partners … Read More
Disqualifying David Ortega For Mayor
The Scottsdale Charlatan Led The Opposition To The McDowell Sonoran Preserve In 2004. There aren’t many things nearly everyone in Scottsdale can agree on. Good weather. The Indian Bend Wash. And the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The Preserve came about because of a courageous vision in the 1990s to increase the city sales tax to set aside the city’s most beautiful … Read More
Gloves Are Off In Scottsdale
With early voting starting in about three weeks for Arizona’s August 4th primary it’s about that time when the attacks start flying. And, Scottsdale is no exception. Intruding on the orthodoxy of not attacking another in a multi-candidate field, Scottsdale City Council candidate Betty Janik took aim at former City Manager and fellow candidate John Little in this Scottsdale Independent … Read More
Important Scottsdale Lessons Learned
Politics and development can both be important aspects of life. And, like most everything else, it helps when you live and learn. That certainly appears to be the case for a recent redevelopment proposal, tentatively labeled The Scottsdale Collective, for an area of largely non-descript buildings east of Scottsdale Road and south of Camelback. It’s mostly known today for numerous … Read More
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale Needs to Make Small Businesses Top Priority with COVID Stimulus Money
By Recker McDowell — Scottsdale needs to step on the gas and help small businesses as it looks at how to spend its $29.6 million allocation from the CARES Act. A presentation to the Scottsdale City Council shows $6 million slated to be allocated for business assistance. That amounts to 20 percent of Scottsdale’s planned distribution of its COVID-19 stimulus … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Economics of Masks and COVID
By Recker McDowell — The debate over masks and the rise in COVID-19 cases in Arizona has become very political. It shouldn’t be. The motivation for wearing a mask (if it is not about protecting the health of seniors and your neighbors) should be about the economy and jobs. We get that the lectures and pushes for mask mandates from … Read More
Signs in Scottsdale: The Best & Worst Campaign Ones So Far
Best Phoenix Suns Look: Becca Linnig Best Photo: Scottsdale Marlboro Man John Little Best Glam Shot: Lisa Borowsky Best Dropping Of First Name To Help People Think It Is My More Popular Wife Running For Mayor: Bob Littlefield Worst Design That Looks Like It Was A Cocopah Middle School Student Council Sign: Michael Auerbach Best Sign By Worst Mayoral Candidate: … Read More