You almost certainly have heard about the bombshell event that is making news all around the country (and putting our state in a decidedly negative light): the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a territorial-era abortion law from 1864 will soon become the prevailing law of the state. This now will make performing an abortion a felony except to save the … Read More
The Democratic Exodus from the State Legislature Continues
Remind us if you’ve heard this story before: a Democrat legislator in Arizona leaves their seat, thus providing an opening for someone else to take their place and further upending the caucus. If it sounds common, it’s because it had happened a stunning five times already in this legislative session. Now it’s six, as Representative Marcelino Quinonez announced his resignation … Read More
Three Candidates Vying for Mayor of Paradise Valley
April 1st was the deadline for political candidates to submit their nominating petitions full of signatures in order to qualify to be on the ballot. As such, that day provided clarity as to the interesting face-offs that will await us in the upcoming election. And a very interesting showdown is lining up in the race to be the next mayor … Read More
The Battle for Maricopa County Recorder May Be Fought on the Right Flank: Stephen Richer Will Have Challengers
County Recorder Stephen Richer walked a strange and fine line in his successful effort to oust former Recorder Adrian Fontes; he sometimes found himself flirting with election conspiracies, but his time in the office itself has largely been spent confirming the fidelity of our elections. One could say that his shift was political expediency, one could say that the newfound … Read More
As Thefts and STR Issues Intensify, Scottsdale Dials Up the Pressure
You heard it here, how the country’s laissez faire approach to immigration enforcement may have led to a ring of burglaries in the area (read the story here). Also, the issue of short-term rental (STR) “party houses” has long been a hot-button issue in the city. Now both of these issues are coming to a head and getting the attention … Read More
Blossom Rock at Superstition Vistas Announces the Planned Opening of Renowned Great Hearts Academies
Great Hearts Academies Owns a 5.4-acre Parcel of Land at Blossom Rock Projected Opening Fall 2026 The highly anticipated master-planned community Blossom Rock at Superstition Vistas which is scheduled to open in April 2024 recently announced Scholastic Leader Great Hearts Academies plans on building its newest school in the community. Great Hearts owns a 5.4-acre parcel within the Blossom Rock community, where they project their next … Read More
How to Preserve Town of Paradise Valley—Lessons Learned from the Short-Term Rental Experience
by Tim Dickman I have been privileged to have lived in Paradise Valley for the past 14 years with my wife. Since serving on the Planning Commission and my announced candidacy for Town Council, I am frequently asked what I believe are the biggest risks to our Town. As a retired health care CEO and leader of our short-term rental … Read More
Messiness and Chaos in Fountain Hills
Fountain Hills has generally flown under the radar recently; the quiet, wealthy enclave doesn’t make waves (except when a famous former sheriff decides that he wants to run for mayor), but a recent development is showing some serious cracks in the facade in the town. Town councilmember Allen Skillicorn has found himself in some hot water, being officially censured by … Read More
Critical Conversation in Scottsdale City Council: the Future of the City is At Stake
Many city council meetings are full of boring minutiae: zoning issues, liquor licenses, talking through budgets and small changes, things of that nature. But every once in a while, a conversation happens that is truly critical to the future of a city, and this Tuesday represented one of them. The Protect and Preserve Scottsdale Task Force was assigned the job … Read More
Can Arizona Republicans Please Stopping Sabotaging Themselves?
By Ronald Sampson All of the stars are aligning for the Republicans this year, especially in Arizona. The border is a major national issue, almost entirely because of failures by Democrats. The very top of the ticket is a Democrat President with a 33% approval rating and is running for re-election at the ripe young age of 81. This should … Read More