Fennemore and Gallagher & Kennedy (G&K) will join forces Dec. 1, 2026.

This landmark law firm combination will provide clients across Arizona and New Mexico access to a broader bench of lawyers and legal services, including Fennemore’s proprietary technology and innovation platforms through Project BlueWave AI.

Together, and operating under the Fennemore name, these two firms will unite their deep roots in Phoenix and long-standing relationships with the businesses, industries, and communities that have helped shape Arizona. G&K adds established relationships and significant experience in natural resources, environmental, water, business law, and litigation, as well as an established New Mexico presence through its Santa Fe office. The combined firm will include more than 300 lawyers and legal professionals in Phoenix and more than 800 across its broader platform.

“Both Fennemore and Gallagher & Kennedy have played an important role in the growth of Phoenix and Arizona for generations,” said James Goodnow, CEO of Fennemore. “It is rare to have the opportunity to bring together two firms with this much history, this caliber of talent, and such strong client relationships. We know each other, we respect what each firm has built, and we believe we will be even better together.”

“Uniting is a significant opportunity for our clients and our people,” said Kevin O’Malley, managing partner and shareholder of Gallagher & Kennedy. “Gallagher & Kennedy has built its reputation on strong relationships, practical counsel and a deep understanding of our clients and the communities we serve. Joining Fennemore will give our clients access to additional resources and capabilities, while giving two groups of people who know and respect one another the opportunity to work as one team.”

Electronic Music Duo Joins Alaskan Franks and Walter Productions for a Full Day of Music, Polo and Entertainment Nov. 7 at WestWorld

The 15th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships has found the soundtrack for a milestone anniversary, with electronic music duo Phantoms set to bring its mix of house and indie-dance to WestWorld of Scottsdale this November.

Phantoms, featuring Kyle Kaplan and Vinnie Pergola, will headline the DJ lineup at the nation’s most-attended polo event Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, bringing even more energy to a day already packed with international polo, fashion, luxury cars, live entertainment and over-the-top experiences. Local duo Alaskan Franks, which includes Ladell Ransom and Frank Terry, will join Phantoms on the DJ lineup, giving Arizona talent time in the spotlight alongside the nationally touring headliner.

The music continues after the last polo match when Walter Productions rolls out Kalliope, its massive mobile sound stage, for the Sunset After-Party. Known for creating immersive experiences on a grand scale, Walter Productions has established a strong presence in Arizona’s entertainment scene with its music venues, production and fabrication work, and unmistakable fleet of oversized art cars. Since 2009, the Walter Productions team has taken its larger-than-life creations beyond the Valley to festivals and events across the country. The full entertainment lineup gives Scottsdale Polo Party guests plenty to listen to between matches — and another reason to stick around until, and after, dark.

“Walter Productions is proud to be part of the 15th annual Polo Championships,” said Walter Productions’ Kirk Strawn. “As always, the event brings some of the most eclectic and innovative cultural contributions to our Valley.”

Kaplan and Pergola launched Phantoms in 2016 and have spent the decade since building a sound that combines house, indie-dance and alternative electronica.

“Just a Feeling” featuring Vérité, from Phantoms’ self-titled debut album, spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on U.S. Dance Radio and set a record on SiriusXM BPM’s Top 20 countdown. Phantoms followed its successful debut with the 2019 Disconnect EP featuring dance-chart hit “Say It,” and earned support from some of electronic music’s biggest names, including Pete Tong, Diplo, Duke Dumont, Martin Garrix and Jai Wolf.

This year’s event will pit England’s Select against Dark Horse Dallas in a first-ever Scottsdale matchup. The championships will also feature The Arizona Polo Club and New Orleans Polo Club squaring off in the opening match, along with Army vs. Navy in the Semper Fi Heating and Cooling Military Matchup just days before Veterans Day.

Past attendees will also find plenty of new elements at this year’s festivities, including Best of the West: The Inaugural Arizona State Acoustic Guitar Championships, and the event’s first-ever rugby match between the nationally ranked Scottsdale Blues Rugby Team and San Diego Old Aztecs.

Guests can also check out an Arizona wine tasting experience, a new on-site sports bar and cigar lounge with Million Dollar Mingle and the Scottsdale Polo Party’s first Western Pleasure Competition with the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.

Fashion will also again hit the field with Phoenix Fashion Week’s “The World’s Longest Catwalk,” Lugari Pet Salon’s Canine Couture dog fashion show and a new Cowgirl Couture show from Franklin, Tennessee-based Moo Country. Million Dollar Mingle will return as its own “event within the event,” while Riot House DayClub and the Barrett-Jackson Champagne & Jazz Lounge will give guests even more places to kick back and take in all the action.

Then, as the sun sets over WestWorld, the Sunset After-Party gets underway.

“The music has become a huge part of the Scottsdale Polo Party,” said Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships General Manager Mary Turner. “Phantoms bring exactly the kind of energy we want for our 15th anniversary, and pairing them with Alaskan Franks and Walter Productions gives people yet another reason to come out for polo and stay all day.”

Festivities will begin Thursday and Friday, Nov. 5 and 6, with welcome parties and VIP receptions for sponsors, players and ticketholders taking place before the main event hits WestWorld Saturday.

Tickets start at $45 and are on sale now at ThePoloParty.com, along with additional information about tables and sponsorship opportunities. Premium experiences include Prime, a Luxury Tent Experience by Bentley Scottsdale, Neiman Marcus, Barrett-Jackson and Maple & Ash; The Scottsdale Maserati Drivers & Players VIP Lounge; the Barrett-Jackson Champagne & Jazz Lounge; All Access passes; and Sideline Parking packages.

The Arabian Horse Association (“AHA”) today announced the appointment of Taryl O’Shea as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective May 11, 2026. O’Shea succeeds lifelong Arabian horse trainer and breeder Stan Morey, who announced his retirement earlier this year after serving the organization with distinction for six years as Executive Director and previously as Commissioner since 2009. O’Shea will lead AHA’s strategic direction, operations, and long-term growth initiatives.

“Taryl brings the leadership, vision, and operational experience—both within and outside the Arabian horse industry—required to guide AHA through its next chapter,” said Lisa Blackstone, President of the AHA Board of Directors. “During our search process, we sought a leader capable of balancing our vision for the future with the change management required to make that vision a reality. Taryl’s passion for and experience with the Arabian horse, combined with her deep executive management background, make her uniquely suited for this role.”

“I am honored and thrilled to join AHA at such an important moment,” said O’Shea. “The mandate coming out of the Convention last year was clear—we need to unite our breed and execute a growth plan. This organization has such an important mission to fulfill. I look forward to working with the Board and our dedicated staff to position AHA for success in a 21st-century world. We must become relevant to a broader audience while ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the association.”

O’Shea brings more than 25 years of experience in the Arabian horse industry. She previously served as Executive Director of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona for more than two decades, where she successfully managed and led the internationally recognized Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. She has also served as Director of the Global Champions Arabians Tour – Americas, in addition to holding leadership roles in the automotive industry. O’Shea has been a member of AHA for nearly three decades.

Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in business marketing, and executive education programs from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

As CEO, O’Shea will focus on several strategic priorities, including:

• Unite – Unifying the broad and diverse community of Arabian horse owners, breeders, and enthusiasts
• Revamp – Refreshing how the Arabian horse is perceived by highlighting its beauty, athleticism, emotional intelligence, and rich history
• Market – Providing industry leadership in the promotion and marketing of the Arabian horse
• Grow – Expanding participation and significantly growing the Arabian horse community
• Innovate – Transforming Arabian horse shows into dynamic experiences that are fun, rewarding, entertaining, educational, and competitive for exhibitors and spectators alike

The Board also extends its appreciation to Stan Morey for his leadership and contributions to AHA during his tenure and for his commitment to ensuring a smooth leadership transition.

“Elevated Fast Casual” Restaurant Pairs Mediterranean Flair and Globally Inspired Fare With a High-Profile Location Steps From ASU Gammage and ASU Art Museum

From one of the most beautiful towns in America to one of Tempe’s most prominent locations, two Phoenix-area natives with deep Arizona roots and more than a decade in Colorado’s restaurant scene have come home with a fresh take on fast casual, opening Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen on Mill Avenue.

Stanya and James Gorraiz, the husband-and-wife team behind G6 Culinary Concepts, opened the new “elevated fast casual” restaurant Monday, Aug. 10 at the corner of Mill Avenue and 10th Street. Sitting across from the Arizona State University campus and ASU Art Museum and catty-corner from ASU Gammage, Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen puts fresh salads, gyros, grain bowls and other globally inspired food within easy reach of students, faculty, neighborhood residents, theatergoers and others passing through one of Tempe’s busiest districts.

The opening also represents a homecoming of sorts for the Gorraizes, both of whom grew up in the Phoenix area. Stanya attended Xavier College Preparatory, while James attended St. Mary’s High School before later earning his degree from Arizona State University. Today, the parents of four children split their time between Telluride and Tempe.

“We’ve been watching this place evolve for years and years,” Stanya said, of Tempe and the Mill Avenue corridor. “We’ve seen how much it’s changed and how much the city has done to revitalize the area. To now be smack-dab in the middle of it all is amazing.”

The Gorraizes see plenty of parallels between their two home bases. Both Telluride and Tempe have layouts, parks and amenities that encourage people to get out, walk and explore, and while Tempe’s grown more rapidly, it maintains the same small-town feel that they’ve come to appreciate – and associate with – both communities.

The Tempe restaurant is the second location of Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen, with the first opening in Montrose, Colorado, in November 2024. No strangers to the restaurant industry, the Gorraizes also opened Steamie’s Burger Bar, a two-time winner of “Colorado’s Best Burger,” and Shake N’ Dog, both in Telluride.

Restaurants were not always the couple’s bread and butter, but the seeds of what Stanya and James are doing today took root long before they moved to Colorado. In north-central Phoenix, the Gorraizes owned a large landscape design, installation and maintenance firm as well as a public nursery. They’d long envisioned turning the nursery property into more of a neighborhood gathering place complete with a restaurant, bar and other places for people to spend time together.

The couple sold the property before moving to Telluride, but the idea they had in mind for it ultimately took shape. Today, the site at 12th Street just north of Glendale Avenue is home to The Orchard Phoenix and Luci’s at the Orchard, a neighborhood destination centered around food, drinks and gathering. For the Gorraizes, it offered an early glimpse of what culinary neighborhood development could look like. After moving to Telluride, they finally had the opportunity to pursue that vision themselves, turning their longtime interest in food and community into a growing restaurant business.

When the pair decided to open the first Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen in Montrose, they wanted to fill a gap in an area known for traditional fast food and steakhouses. They created Urban Hip-E to be quick and approachable enough for a casual lunch or dinner, but with more attention to ingredients, preparation and flavor than diners have come to expect from a typical counter-service restaurant.

“Fresh Is Hip” became both the restaurant’s tagline and the philosophy behind the concept.

Urban Hip-E’s menu centers on what the Gorraizes call “Mediterranean flair,” drawing inspiration from the cuisines and flavors of Morocco, Spain, France and other parts of the world. Salads, pastas, flatbreads, ramen and dumpling soups and fresh smoothies are just some of what’s on the expansive menu, offering plenty of choices for diners looking for fresh, filling food without a lengthy sit-down meal.

Ingredient transparency is also a key part of the concept. Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen eliminates all seed oils and high-fructose corn syrup from its offerings, and makes all of its dressings, sauces and drizzles in-house, rather than relying on premade versions.

For Stanya, who describes herself as a “culinarian,” those details matter as much as the finished dishes. Some of her personal favorites include the Urban Gyros, which include traditional and unique flavor and ingredient combinations, the Hot Honey Flatbread topped with peach, prosciutto and other goodies, and the Ruby Scarlet Salad made with beets, pomegranate molasses chicken, pumpkin seeds, feta and other mix-ins.

She’s also a big fan of the Salmon & Shrimp Cold Protein Bowl, which features both proteins served over a bed of jasmine rice with fresh veggies and a pineapple sweet chili drizzle. The menu’s global influences also extend to dessert, with sweets from Portugal, France, Italy and Spain adding more international flavor to the mix.

The restaurant also accommodates dietary preferences and restrictions, including gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Offering a full liquor license, it serves cocktails, including Aperol spritzes, with prices it intentionally keeps approachable. Its counter-service format makes it equally suited to a quick meal between classes, dinner before a performance at ASU Gammage or a casual night out on Mill Avenue.

Urban Hip-E Fresh Kitchen also offers another amenity that’s often elusive around downtown Tempe: easy parking.

About 15 employees currently staff the Tempe eatery, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For the Gorraizes, the new Tempe location is more than just a second outpost – it also ties their restaurant business back to the community where they grew up and attended school. The pair also hopes to franchise future locations of Urban Hip-E and open the elevated fast-casual model in additional markets.

For now, though, they’re focusing on their new corner of Tempe, bringing together the food they love and the standards they’ve developed over more than a decade in the restaurant business in a city that once again feels like home.

For more about Urban Hip-E Kitchen or to check out the full menu, visit UrbanHip-E.com.

More than 400 Works Will Cross the Block During Scottsdale Gallery’s Largest Art Auction to Date

From a three-dimensional work by Venezuelan master Jesús Rafael Soto to paintings by Françoise Gilot and Emily Mason, the Larsen Fall Art Auction will return to Scottsdale Saturday, Oct. 17, with works by acclaimed women artists and some of the most celebrated names in Latin American art.

Oswaldo Vigas, “Grupo Azul,” 1976

Among the 440 lots set for sale during Arizona’s largest contemporary art auction at Larsen Gallery in Scottsdale are works by three major figures in Latin American art: Jesús Rafael Soto, Chilean artist Roberto Matta and Venezuelan artist Oswaldo Vigas. The auction will also feature works by acclaimed women artists, including Françoise Gilot, Emily Mason and contemporary sculptor Beth Cavener.

Together, these works have a combined estimated value of between $580,000 and $930,000.

“This is one of those auctions where the strength really becomes apparent when you start looking closely at the individual works,” said Larsen Gallery’s Mary Holford. “We have major figures in Latin American art represented alongside women whose work has earned serious attention from collectors, and the works themselves are all very different from one another. That range is part of what makes this fall auction so interesting and the works so appealing.”

Françoise Gilot, “Springtime in the Hills,” 1992

Jesús Rafael Soto, “Variantes Vertical,” 1998

Among the Latin American selections is Oswaldo Vigas’s 1976 oil on canvas “Grupo Azul,” which is estimated to fetch between $130,000 and $180,000. The large-scale work measures 56.5 inches x 45 inches. Oswaldo Vigas’s 1985 oil on canvas, “Duende Azul,” measuring 72.5 inches x 51 inches, is also being offered.

Oswaldo Vigas’s career spanned more than six decades. Initially trained as a doctor, Vigas soon turned to art, with pre-Columbian imagery and European modernism influencing his paintings, prints and ceramics.

Jesús Rafael Soto’s “Variantes Vertical,” created in 1998, carries an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000. Made from painted wood with metal mounting hardware, the three-dimensional work measures 40.5 inches x 40.25 inches x 6.75 inches deep. The Venezuelan artist moved to Paris in 1950, where he became part of the city’s avant-garde art scene and explored movement, space and perception in his work.

Also being offered is Roberto Matta’s 1995 oil on canvas, “Untitled,” measuring 53.5 inches x 79 inches. The Larsen Gallery estimates the work will sell for between $70,000 and $100,000. A Chilean painter and sculptor, Matta worked in both Europe and the United States, with his often dreamlike work drawing from Surrealism and his interest in the subconscious mind.

The auction will also spotlight works by women artists whose careers span different generations and mediums. Among them is Françoise Gilot’s 1992 oil on canvas measuring 28.75 inches x 36.25 inches titled “Springtime in the Hills.” Gilot’s career spanned more than 70 years, with the French painter continuing to create well into her 90s while developing her own distinctive approach to color, composition and figurative work.

Emily Mason, “Starboard,” 2008

Emily Mason’s 2008 oil on canvas, “Starboard,” highlights the American painter and printmaker’s unique approach to abstract painting.

Beth Cavener, “Untitled (Barrel with Kid),” 2002

Sculptor Beth Cavener’s striking large-scale work, “Untitled (Barrel with Kid),” is also being offered. It stands more than 10 feet high and combines stoneware with acrylic, cloth, rope, iron, metal and wood. Cavener often uses life-sized animal forms and expressive poses to explore human emotions, including fear, desire and vulnerability.

These works represent just a small portion of the artwork being offered during the 21st installment of the biannual Larsen Art Auction. The sale will include contemporary, modern, Southwestern, Native American and Latin American paintings as well as limited-edition prints and sculptures, with values ranging from several hundred dollars well into six figures.

The auction comes as Larsen continues to attract collectors and consignors well beyond Arizona. The 35-year-old Larsen Gallery has generated more than $25 million in lifetime auction sales, with its most recent sale, held in April 2026, drawing buyers from more than 40 states and 20 countries.

The event has also attracted several notable consignors over the years, including rock legend Alice Cooper, who previously consigned an Andy Warhol work through Larsen Gallery.

Auction day at Larsen is also livelier than the traditional fine-art auction experience. Award-winning auctioneer Jason Brooks keeps the crowd engaged with humor and plenty of audience interaction.

Collectors can view available lots a full month ahead of the sale, and Larsen will also host a preview party Wednesday, Oct. 14. Live, telephone, absentee and online bidding will be available throughout the auction Saturday, Oct. 17.

For more about the Larsen Art Auction, visit LarsenArtAuction.com or follow developments on Facebook, X or Instagram.

From Data Orbital

Nearly eight in ten Arizona voters support updating the state’s existing tobacco-based funding model for early childhood programs to include vaping and other nicotine products, according to a new statewide survey of likely 2026 General Election voters conducted by Data Orbital.

The survey found 79.5% of voters support updating the existing funding model, compared with just 15.4% who oppose it.

Support crosses political lines, including 92.0% of Democrats, 81.5% of Independents and 68.1% of Republicans. Support is also particularly strong among women ages 18-54 (85.5%), Hispanic voters (83.2%) and parents with children under 18 in the home (82.2%).

“The breadth of support for updating the existing funding model is notable,” said Steven Sensmeier, Director of Data Services at Data Orbital. “Strong majorities of Republicans, Independents and Democrats support including vaping and other nicotine products, demonstrating broad agreement across Arizona’s electorate.”

The survey also found broad agreement about the relationship between child care and Arizona’s economy and workforce. More than nine in ten voters (90.2%) say access to child care is important to Arizona’s economy and workforce.

That view extends across demographic groups, including 97.8% of Hispanic voters and 95.0% of voters ages 18-34. There was also little to no difference between voters with children in the home and those without children, or between households currently using child care services and those that were not.

This survey was commissioned as independent market research by First Things First to better understand voter sentiment on potential funding solutions for early childhood programs.
###
This poll of 600 likely 2026 general election voters was conducted through a combination of live phone survey and text-to-web that collected 12.4% of the results from live caller landlines, 49.8% from live caller cell phones, and 37.8% via text-to-web. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.08% with a 95% confidence interval. Respondents were weighted on a number of different demographic figures based on prior general election voter turnout figures. The poll was conducted from July 30 – August 2, 2026. The questions released are verbatim from the survey provided to respondents. Toplines and demographic data can be found here. Crosstabs for this survey can be found here.

By Janice H.

The Arizona Progress Gazette has discovered a troubling new problem for Raoul Zubia: apparently he has gone silent.

There is just one small problem.

Someone should tell the Arizona Progress Gazette.

Its latest column claims Zubia has failed to offer voters “a competing version of his own” and has left an empty chair for his opponents to define him.

That is an interesting theory for a publication that has repeatedly published Zubia’s own words.

Just two weeks ago, APG published a guest editorial from Zubia responding directly to attacks involving Axon and Josh Isner.

On August 24, the site published another Zubia editorial laying out his position on Colorado River cuts, advanced water purification and Barry Graham’s water votes.

And only two days before declaring that Zubia somehow has not defined himself, APG awarded him its “Best imagery (to Date) of the 2026 Election Cycle” for a campaign message explaining why he is running and what he believes Scottsdale needs.

Apparently the definition disappeared sometime between Saturday and Monday.

The column also says Zubia has not answered the growth or short-term-rental questions. Yet his campaign platform explicitly calls for stronger enforcement of short-term-rental ordinances, more local control and development that respects surrounding neighborhoods, height and traffic impacts.

Criticizing those positions is fair.

Pretending they do not exist is something else.

The same applies to campaign contributions. Scottsdale REALTORS endorsed Zubia, along with Solange Whitehead and Ethan Knowlden, saying its selections were based on issues including property values and community character. Zubia’s relationship with donors is a legitimate subject for scrutiny, just as Graham’s and Ugenti-Rita’s relationships and records are.

But there is a difference between scrutinizing a candidate and repeatedly insisting he has not answered questions after publishing his answers.

APG’s writers are free to dislike those answers.

They are free to argue that voters should interpret them differently.

But “he hasn’t defined himself” is becoming a curious argument from a website that keeps publishing the definition.

Perhaps the problem is not that Zubia has been silent. Perhaps its that APG can’t decide on how its choosing to define him,

The Same Playbook That Built GoDaddy and PXG

Scottsdale resident and city’s Hall of Famer Bob Parsons has spent his entire career betting on things other people weren’t ready to take seriously yet. A hosting and domain company nobody thought could scale into a household name. A premium golf equipment brand launched in a crowded, brand-loyal market. Both became empires because Parsons saw value where the conventional wisdom saw risk. His entry into therapeutic psychedelics follows the exact same instinct, applied this time to a field of medicine, not a market.

A War He Never Fully Left

Parsons served as a Marine rifleman in Vietnam, where he was wounded on Hill 190 and earned a Purple Heart. What he carried home was harder to see: PTSD that followed him for nearly five decades. After reading Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind, he pursued psychedelic-assisted therapy himself, completing a supervised multi-day session with ayahuasca and psilocybin in Hawaii. As he put it, it’s been 48 years since the war and he finally came home. That’s not a marketing line. That’s a man describing the first real relief he’d found in decades.

Photo Credit: Forbes

Putting Real Money Behind It

Parsons didn’t stop at his own healing. He committed $5 million to establish the Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, plus another $2 million to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Notably, he’s stayed out of investing directly in psychedelic companies, a deliberate choice to keep his credibility as an advocate for the science rather than someone with a financial stake in the outcome.

Why This Fits Exactly Who He’s Always Been

The through line here isn’t subtle. This is the same entrepreneur who has never been content to let a good idea sit untested, now pointing that same restlessness at a treatment mainstream medicine spent decades avoiding. Veterans dealing with trauma the rest of us can barely imagine stand to benefit most directly, but the ripple effects of legitimate, well-funded psychedelic research reach a lot further than one clinic. Parsons built two companies by moving early on ideas everyone else was too cautious to touch. This time, the payoff isn’t a bigger balance sheet. It’s people getting their lives back.

Photo Credit: Forbes

By Priya Curley

Councilmember Barry Graham’s vote for the controversial Brown Avenue parking garage raises legitimate questions about the appearance of a conflict of interest.

In 2019, Legacy Gallery owner Jinger Richardson was specifically identified among gallery owners who had pushed City Hall to address downtown parking shortages.

Fast forward to April 14, 2026. Graham voted to approve a $3.8 million first-phase contract for the Brown Avenue garage, part of a project budgeted at roughly $18 million, despite substantial opposition from residents and Old Town businesses.

Then, on May 7, Richardson contributed $1,000 to Graham’s reelection campaign. Graham’s own campaign-finance filing identifies her as the owner of Legacy Gallery.

Residents deserve transparency. Did Richardson or other Graham donors advocating for additional Old Town parking communicate with him about this garage? Were meetings held before the vote? Did the Farmers Market come up?

If so, Graham should release those communications.

When elected officials approve multimillion-dollar projects benefiting priorities long advocated by political supporters without allowing there to be a study or clear justification, disclosure should not require a public-records request.

Fourteen Banners and a Decade of Fear

For most of the last thirty years, Saguaro was not just Scottsdale’s football team, it was Arizona’s. Fourteen state championships since 1995, with a run under Jason Mohns from 2011 through 2018 that turned the Sabercats into arguably the most recruited program in state history. The alumni list reads like an NFL scouting report: Christian Kirk, Byron Murphy, D.J. Foster, Denzel Burke, Kelee Ringo. Opposing coaches didn’t game plan for Saguaro so much as they braced for it.

From Dynasty to Depleted

Photo credit: AZCentral.com

Mohns left for a spot on ASU’s staff, and what came next wasn’t a rebuild, it was a collapse. Darius Kelly took over and went 1-9 in 2024, then 3-7 in 2025, before he was let go. In the gap between his firing and the hiring of new head coach Butch Goncharoff, roughly 35 players walked away from the program. Goncharoff, who built an 11-title dynasty of his own at Bellevue High School in Washington, arrived to find so few bodies left that Saguaro isn’t fielding a freshman or JV team this fall. Sophomores are simply being folded into varsity because there’s no other option.

A Cancellation Nobody Saw Coming

That shortage caught up with the program on August 31, when Scottsdale Unified School District canceled Saguaro’s rivalry game against Chaparral outright, citing too few healthy, available players to compete safely. No makeup date has been set.

This Isn’t Just Saguaro’s Story

Look past the field and the same story is playing out across the entire district. SUSD’s governing board voted 3-2 in December to close Pima Elementary and Echo Canyon, two schools with a combined 560 students, and the superintendent has already said two more will close before the 2027-2028 school year. Enrollment districtwide has fallen roughly 25 percent over fifteen years, the equivalent of losing ten elementary schools’ worth of kids, as families have drifted to charter schools and ESA-funded options. In 2010, 71 percent of students living within SUSD boundaries actually attended SUSD schools. Today it’s 56 percent. The district is now working through a budget shortfall in the millions, with families getting a chance to weigh in and a final decision on which schools close next expected in October.

Saguaro football didn’t lose its talent pipeline because Scottsdale kids stopped being good at football. It lost it for the same reason the district keeps closing schools: families with options are quietly taking them, and the institution meant to hold them has spent years giving them reasons to leave. A fourteen-time state champion running out of players and a district running out of students to fill its buildings aren’t two separate problems. They’re the same problem, showing up on a scoreboard and a spreadsheet at the same time.

Can Goncharoff Rebuild It

Butch Goncharoff

If anyone can turn the roster around, it’s probably Goncharoff, whose 206-15 record at Bellevue speaks for itself. But rebuilding a football team is the easy version of the problem SUSD is facing. Whether the district can rebuild the trust that used to keep families enrolled in the first place is a much bigger question, and it’s not one a new coach, or a new closure plan, can answer alone.

By Jan Dubauskas

By Steve Tyrrell

I am a South Scottsdale resident who takes neighborhood issues, integrity and citizen input very seriously. I know, as does Raoul Zubia, that Scottsdale is a great place to raise a family, start a business or retire. I have lived here a very long time and count former Mayor Herb Drinkwater on my list of friends.

Mayor Drinkwater once said that he learned more from listening to the citizens who disagreed with him than from those who did. He said it was his foundation to create consensus and get things done. I admired that. Raoul Zubia gets it and knows how to do it. Barry Graham and Michelle Ugenti-Rita, not so much. Unfortunately, I do not think it is in their character to do so.

A recent article criticizing Raoul Zubia’s work on behalf of our city is unwarranted, ill-fitting and exemplifies the choking off of citizen input and their value to our city. Raoul has been at the forefront of action to preserve, protect and improve Scottsdale. It is in his lifeblood to so do and I admire that. Barry Graham and Michelle-Ugenti Rita – not so much.

I was an early opponent of the Greenbelt 88 Project, but watched as citizen input was solicited/accepted that ultimately led to city council approval of a scaled-down version that   preserved more than 25,000 square feet of commercial space. Reasonable people came together to create a reasonable consensus. Raoul Zubia played a part in that process and I thank him for that.

I will vote for Raoul Zubia to help guide us back to the middle lane of city governance. He has proven he can create consensus and is the only candidate worthy of independent and common-sense votes!

By Tom Kube

Councilwoman Solange Whitehead used a Scottsdale Independent column to claim Councilman Barry Graham “killed” a $250 million water-recycling program and would eventually send costs to complete the program soaring. She voted for the budget herself, then closed by urging a vote for Raoul Zubia.

Anyone who watched the meeting knows the city is waiting on updated environmental and health regulations before moving forward. After the council unanimously voted to postpone the $250 million project, rating agencies affirmed Scottsdale’s AAA bond rating. Ms. Whitehead’s manufactured scare never happened.

The record from the years she led the council majority is even starker. More than $150 million in cost overruns sailed through, including $7M on the Miller and Osborn roundabout, $29M on Scottsdale Road roundabout, and $56M on the North Scottsdale sewer line. She waived those costs through, backed tax increases, and fought Graham’s accountability efforts.

Roads told the same story. When Councilwoman Whitehead took office they were rated 80 out of 100. By late 2024, they had fallen into the low 60s, while money went to new bureaucracies, controversial road diets, and other ideological programs.

Relief came in 2025 when the new council majority hired City Manager Greg Caton, who returned the city to core services like street maintenance and built a “TIGER” team to keep capital projects on budget and schedule. Rest assured that if cost overruns were still routine, Whitehead would now be shouting about them.

It seems Ms. Whitehead’s chosen candidate doesn’t even agree with her. Asked on a recent podcast what costs he would cut, Raoul Zubia was unable to give a single example, eventually admitting “the current Council … is very good about their spending.”

Taxpayers are thankful that Councilman Barry Graham helped restore fiscal discipline. Michelle Ugenti-Rita’s legislative record matches that discipline. Because the city’s fiscal health is on the ballot, I’ll be supporting Graham and Ugenti-Rita.

Tom Kube is a Scottsdale resident 

By Miles Cavanaugh

Somebody Fills the Silence

Every candidate gets defined by someone. The only real question is who gets there first. Right now, for Raoul Zubia, that’s Barry Graham’s coalition, and not necessarily because anyone cornered the market on him unfairly. It’s because Zubia hasn’t shown up with a competing version of his own. The story circulating about him, pro-development, backed by short-term rental money, some flavor of socialist, is starting to calcify into simple fact for a lot of undecided voters. It’s not clear Zubia has fully registered that this is happening.

Each Charge Has Something Real Attached to It

That’s what makes the story stick. A Democratic Socialists of America chapter endorsed him in the primary, whether he wanted it or not, and rejecting it after the fact reads as cleanup, not conviction. He accepted an $8,000 contribution from the Realtors of Arizona PAC while campaigning on tougher short-term rental enforcement, an issue that has genuinely reshaped neighborhoods across this city. And when Axon’s Josh Isner cut a check two days after Zubia told a public forum he’d had no contact with the company, “those two facts do not contradict each other” is a lawyer’s answer to a voter’s question, not a candidate’s.

“Council of Chaos” Answers a Different Question

Ask Zubia what he stands for on growth, on short-term rentals, on who’s funding him, and the conversation tends to land in the same place: this council is dysfunctional, and he isn’t the one who broke it. That’s a fair description of Scottsdale City Hall. It just isn’t a description of him, and that’s the gap voters are noticing.

Definition Doesn’t Wait for Permission

Politics doesn’t pause while a candidate decides whether to participate in his own story. If Zubia doesn’t answer the growth question, the rental-money question, and the donor question specifically, on his own terms, the vacuum doesn’t stay empty. Somebody else’s version fills it by default, not because of a clever strategy on the other side, but simply because voters need a narrator and Zubia has left that chair open.

Why It Matters Beyond This Race

Short-term rentals are not a side issue in Scottsdale the way they might be elsewhere. Neighborhoods across the city have felt the strain of investor-owned rentals cycling through the house next door, and residents have said so at council meetings. Whoever controls the story about a candidate’s relationship to that industry controls one of the few issues where a clear answer actually moves votes, and right now that’s not Zubia.

The clock doesn’t care who’s doing the defining. It only cares whether Zubia decides to start.

Goes to Raoul Zubia in this post

”

I was born and raised in Scottsdale. I had an amazing family, great parents, and a dad who was also my baseball coach.

What I didn’t fully appreciate as a kid was how much the leaders of our community helped make my childhood possible. They worked together, solved problems, and made sure Scottsdale had the parks, programs, public safety, open spaces, resources, and opportunities that allowed families like mine to thrive.

I worry about what we’re leaving for the next generation.

Scottsdale gave me an incredible place to grow up. I’m running for City Council because I want today’s kids, and their kids, to be able to say the same thing someday.

That means putting aside the chaos, bringing some common sense back to City Hall, and working together to protect what makes our city so special.”

Join us as we explore some of the great new things in Scottsdale this month.

Din Tai Fung at Scottsdale Fashion Square

Arizona’s first outpost of the internationally acclaimed Taiwanese chain opened its doors April 26, offering diners the rare treat of watching chefs hand-fold hundreds of dumplings through an open kitchen window. Beyond the signature xiao long bao, the menu leans into celebratory extras like pear-lychee martinis and chocolate dumplings, and the crowds it’s drawn since opening confirm it as one of the city’s most-talked-about tables this year. It’s the kind of restaurant people build a trip around, and Scottsdale now gets to claim a piece of a reputation built over decades and continents. Visit Din Tai Fung.

Hotel Solaya

Hyatt’s JdV by Hyatt brand landed in Old Town this April with Hotel Solaya, a ground-up reimagining of 194 guest rooms and suites built around a Sonoran-desert design language layered with modern Mexican influence. The hotel is designed to double as a neighborhood gathering spot, with a central pool and cabana scene, seven event spaces, and dining split between Ella on the Park and the all-day Common Ground Bistro. Rather than sit apart from the neighborhood, it was built to be part of it — a rare hotel that locals and guests alike will actually want to make a regular stop. Visit Hotel Solaya.

Salt & Sol at Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas

The centerpiece of Hilton Scottsdale’s $24 million resort-wide renovation, Salt & Sol opened this spring as an open-air, poolside restaurant built around coastal Mediterranean flavor with Southwest touches — think grilled halloumi, fig-topped pinsa, and churrasco-style steak, paired with cocktails and live music. It’s a deliberate bet on lighter, globally-inspired dining as the resort’s new social hub, rounding out a transformation that also delivered new villas and a reimagined fitness center. It turns a simple pool day into a genuine evening out, exactly the kind of elevated-yet-easy experience a luxury resort should be delivering. Visit Salt & Sol.

Starfish Scottsdale

Orange County-based Starfish Hospitality Group picked Scottsdale for its first restaurant outside California, opening in McCormick Ranch on May 5 with a menu drawing on the coastal cuisines of Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, China, and Japan. The 5,200-square-foot space pairs its Asian small plates with handcrafted cocktails across a roomy patio and dining room, giving the neighborhood a genuinely new flavor profile rather than another steakhouse or Italian spot. That a celebrated California brand chose Scottsdale, of all places, for its first leap beyond home turf says a lot about how far the city’s dining scene has come. Visit Starfish Scottsdale.

Sexy Roman at W Scottsdale

W Scottsdale’s rooftop-adjacent Italian concept opened June 2 under a James Beard-nominated chef, bringing a playful, maximalist take on Roman-style dining to the hotel’s dining program. The name signals the attitude: bold pastas and shareable plates built for a scene as much as a meal, fitting neatly into W’s design-forward, nightlife-adjacent brand. It’s confident, a little theatrical, and exactly the kind of concept that keeps Scottsdale’s dining-as-entertainment reputation moving forward. Visit Sexy Roman.

At our first Council meeting following the primary election, City Hall was filled to standing room only with residents from across Scottsdale and every political affiliation celebrating my outright re-election. The Mayor’s recognition of my victory and the residents’ applause were an incredibly uplifting way to begin the evening. Thank you to everyone who came to City Hall!

Unfortunately, the Council majority quickly turned the meeting negative.

Twice that night, with residents in the audience asking to speak, the Council’s bloc of four (Graham, Dubauskas, Kwasman and Littlefield) voted to deny Scottsdale residents a voice at the beginning of the meeting, where it had agendized for years. That should concern everyone, regardless of political affiliation. Public participation is not a partisan issue. It is a Scottsdale tradition and the foundation of representative government.

Then, my proposal to improve on Scottsdale’s political sign mess became another example of what has gone wrong at City Hall. Rather than working collaboratively to solve a legitimate problem, one Councilmember used the dais to attack perceived political opponents—namely, me and Raoul Zubia.

Par for the course, this Council majority would rather take down fellow Councilmembers than work together to win for Scottsdale. If this Council were a football team, the Super Bowl wouldn’t be in the cards—with four on the team tackling the other teammates.

Scottsdale deserves better.

That’s why I am enthusiastically endorsing and urging voters to elect Raoul Zubia to the City Council in November. Raoul is a well-respected civic leader and lifelong Scottsdale resident who will work collaboratively with his fellow Councilmembers to restore common sense and put community priorities first at City Hall.

Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky joined fellow Arizona mayors Monday, Aug. 31, for a meeting with Taiwan Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung as part of an Arizona Commerce Authority delegation traveling in partnership with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

Mayor Borowsky, a member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors, participated in the meeting alongside Scottsdale Senior Director of Economic Development Kevin Burke, Pima County Vice Chairman Matt Heinz, Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn and Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman.

The meeting provided an opportunity for direct dialogue with Minister Kung on the Arizona-Taiwan economic relationship, including investment, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and continued economic collaboration between Taiwan and Arizona communities.

“Arizona and Taiwan share a strong and growing economic partnership that is creating opportunities for innovation, investment and job creation,” Mayor Borowsky said following the trade meetings. “I appreciate the opportunity to meet directly with Minister Kung and his team to discuss how communities like Scottsdale can continue supporting the industries and partnerships that are driving economic growth in both regions.”

Taiwan has become one of Arizona’s most significant international economic partners, with collaboration spanning advanced technology, semiconductor manufacturing, supply chain development and workforce initiatives.

“As Arizona continues to attract global investment in advanced manufacturing and semiconductor production, international relationships like those with Taiwan are more important than ever,” Mayor Borowsky said. “These conversations strengthen the connections that help position Scottsdale and the broader region for long-term economic success.”

The Arizona delegation is meeting with business, government and industry leaders throughout Taiwan while attending the 2026 SEMICON Taiwan conference to strengthen trade relationships, promote investment opportunities and advance economic development partnerships between Scottsdale and Taiwan.

By Bedouin Bourdain

La Paz, Mexico sits on the wrong side of the map for most gringos chasing Baja’s tequila-and-timeshare version of a good time. That’s precisely the point. This is the Baja that predates the influencers, the one Cousteau actually meant when he called this water the world’s aquarium. Here’s what a few days wandering its edges looks like, one frame at a time.

Bells, Stars and Stone

Somewhere between La Paz and the border, a colonial mission church lights up at night like it’s been waiting a few centuries for someone to notice. Twin bell towers, a star strung between them, a clock that has clearly seen more sunsets than any of us ever will. Baja’s missions were built by men chasing souls and pearls in roughly equal measure, and the towns that grew up around them still carry that same restless, devotional energy. Step inside past the tourists posing on the steps and it’s just quiet stone and candle wax. Step back outside and it’s a postcard nobody had to stage.

The Malecón, On Fire

La Paz’s waterfront boardwalk doesn’t perform for anyone. Locals walk it at dusk the same way they did fifty years ago, past a marina stacked with sailboats waiting for wind. Then the sky does something no filter can fake, a full bleed of orange and bruised purple over the water, and every boat becomes a silhouette worth stopping for. This is the moment the Sea of Cortez reminds you it’s not just an aquarium below the surface. It’s putting on a show above it too.

Tacos as a Tasting Menu

Order the sampler and let the table decide. Marlin, shredded and bright with lime. Something briny and unidentifiable that turns out to be the best bite on the plate. A pile of grilled chicken gone sticky and dark with onions. Three hot sauces standing guard like they’re daring you to pick a side. Wash it down with a cold Bohemia and resist the urge to ask what’s actually in each taco. Some questions are better left to the kitchen.

Balandra’s Quiet Trick

Twenty minutes outside town, Balandra Beach does its famous sleight of hand: water so turquoise it looks Photoshopped, a lone mushroom-shaped rock keeping watch offshore, and cactus-covered hills standing guard behind you like they wandered in from a different climate entirely. It’s the kind of cove that makes the case for La Paz all by itself, no whale sharks required. Though they’re out there too, just past the frame.

La Paz doesn’t need to convince anyone of anything. It just sits there, two hours north of Cabo and a world away from it, being real. Go before that stops being true.

A Prominent And Prescient Democrat Warns Of Cliffs And Consequences

“Nobody likes federal deficits or debt. Poll after poll after poll finds voters want to reduce both.

Earlier this month, however, our nation’s debt hit $40 trillion. And interest on the debt will exceed spending on Medicaid ($700 billion) and defense ($1 trillion). In 20 years on the current path, interest payments will squeeze out the investments needed for families to thrive, including housing and education as well as healthcare.”

Read the full article here.

Last week marked eight years since Senator John McCain died at his Cornville ranch after a long fight with brain cancer, and if anything, the tributes have only gotten more consistent with time. Whatever else has shifted in Arizona politics since 2018, the state’s habit of pausing every August to remember him hasn’t.

Arizona Keeps the Torch Lit

Governor Katie Hobbs marked the occasion by proclaiming August 24-30 the third annual John McCain Democracy Week, a tradition her office has kept alive since 2024. The week bridges the anniversary of his death on August 25 with what would have been his 90th birthday on August 29, and it’s built around the values McCain talked about more than almost anything else near the end of his life: service, civility, and country over party. The McCain Institute at ASU carries that mission forward year-round, not just this week.

The Bipartisan Part Isn’t an Act

What still stands out is who shows up to honor him. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego had these kind words to say about him:



Arizona’s senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, have both used the anniversary in past years to describe a version of public service that’s gotten rarer, not more common. Coming from Democrats and referring to a Republican senator, that’s not a talking point as much as the whole reason the tradition still means something.

Why We’re Still Writing About Him

McCain was never a comfortable figure for either party, which is exactly why both parties keep showing up for him. Eight years on, Arizona still measures its politicians against a standard he set and plenty of them still fall short. That’s worth marking every August, not just this one.

Editor’s Note: this was in response to our earlier piece on the failed Dubauskas recall and we thought his observations deserved to be elevated above the comments section. Original article can be found here.

Jason Alexander

By Jason Alexander

Raoul Zubia has the strongest track record of supporting the Preserve. Raoul Zubia was Vice Chair of the Protect & Preserve Task Force that helped write Prop 490 two years ago, and guaranteed future funding and maintenance for our parks and Preserve. Zubia also supported Prop 420 in 2018, which put the proposed Desert Discovery Center to a vote of the citizens. I know this because I spent 3 years helping lead the PAC behind that signature drive. Prop 420 saved the residents $70 million in taxes and stopped development in the Preserve. Finally, Raoul Zubia has been endorsed by four of the City of Scottsdale’s recognized Preserve Pioneers – former Mayor Mary Manross, former Councilwoman Virginia Korte, former Mayor Sam Campana and Preserve founder Carla.

Raoul’s dedication to the Preserve has impressively earned support from leaders across the political landscape, who all have spent decades advocating and protecting Scottsdale’s unique amenity. Zubia has also spent years volunteering for other community pillars like the Coronado Promise which supports college educations for Scottsdale kids, and Partners for Paiute which helps South Scottsdale neighbors at the Paiute Neighborhood Center and senior centers.

Barry Graham’s track record is the polar opposite of Zubia’s. On April 2, 2024, Barry Graham voted against placing Prop 490 on the ballot. Graham again voted no on August 20, 2024. Denying residents a vote is typical for Barry Graham – three times he blocked sending the Axon referendum to the voters, nor did he support Prop 420 which put the Desert Discovery Center to a vote. Barry is not endorsed by our Preserve Pioneers. But most damningly, Barry’s PR merchant – Rod Pritchett of Primary Consultants – actually ran the divisive PR campaign FOR the Desert Discovery Center. Raoul Zubia is the right choice.

By HighGround Public Affairs

The latest statewide survey from HighGround Public Affairs reveals that the Democratic nominees for statewide down ballot offices have taken the lead with six weeks remaining until early voting starts.

In the same survey that showed Governor Katie Hobbs with a fifteen-point advantage in the Governor’s race, the top of the Democratic ticket is also faring well with Adrian Fontes and Kris Mayes both holding nearly 8-point leads for Secretary of State (43.0% Fontes/35.3% Kolodin) and Attorney General (48.3% Mayes/40.3% Petersen) respectively.

Further down the ballot, races also show a slight benefit for the Democratic nominees with Nick Mansour leading for State Treasurer by nearly 3 points (41.8% Mansour/39.0% Norton) and Teresa Leyba Ruiz leading the Superintendent of Public Instruction race by 1 point (42.3% Leyba Ruiz/41.2% Yee).  In both cases, the race is within the margin of error.

Across the board, Republican candidates are seeing a less solidified GOP base where they are earning between 70% and 76% support – leaking support to crossover voters and undecideds.  However, the larger problem Republican candidates are facing is among PND voters (unaffiliated and independents) who are opting for the Democratic nominees by margins that span 10 to 30 points.

Secretary of State

In the race for Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes has an early lead over Alexander Kolodin by 7.7 points with significant advantages among independent voters, female voters, and younger voters.  Kolodin holds an advantage among male respondents and a narrow lead among voters 65 and older.

Chuck Coughlin, President & CEO of HighGround Inc. said, “MAGA Republicans are on the wrong side of denying election results, eliminating vote by mail, and making it more difficult to vote.  The Democratic advantage among unaffiliated voters is more than 20-points and it’s not likely to change any time soon when it comes to election issues.”

Attorney General

For Attorney General, Kris Mayes is leading Senate President Warren Petersen by 8 points with sizable support from the Democratic base as well as a 28-point advantage among unaffiliated voters.  Petersen has a nearly five-point advantage among seniors and is performing best among Republicans gathering 76.2% of the GOP vote.  He is, however, also losing more than 12-points of Republican support to Mayes.

“Midterms traditionally favor Republicans in the State of Arizona.  However, the GOP candidates at the top of the ticket are seeing 10% or more of their own party voting for their Democratic opponents,” said Paul Bentz, Senior Vice President – Research and Strategy at HighGround Inc., “The softness among Republicans narrows their traditional advantage and makes unaffiliated voters that much more important.”

State Treasurer

The gap between the Republican and Democratic candidates begins to narrow as we move further down the ballot.  Traditionally, Arizona has seen Republicans regain their built-in registration and participation advantages as crossover votes dwindle and candidate awareness decreases.

Democratic candidate Nick Mansour holds a 2.8-point advantage over Republican Elijah Norton (41.8% Mansour/39.0% Norton) in the race for Arizona State Treasurer.  Mansour has a 10-point lead among unaffiliated voters, but the advantage is somewhat mitigated by Norton’s nearly 7-point advantage among seniors.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

The race for Superintendent of Public Instruction is the closest among the races tested in HighGround’s survey with Teresa Leyba Ruiz holding a 1-point advantage over current State Treasurer Kimberly Yee (42.3% Leyba Ruiz/41.2% Yee).  The single-point advantage makes this race a statistical dead heat.

“With the exception of the uncontested race for State Mine inspector, Yee was the highest vote-getting Republican four years ago.  Her bid for SPI is bolstered with higher Republican support and advantages in both the 50-64 and 65 and older age groups where she likely has better name ID,” concluded Bentz, “At this point, she is the best bet for Republicans to avoid a shutout in the statewide down ballot offices.”

About the Survey

The N=400 live interview survey was conducted 8/15 through 8/18.  The target population is likely Arizona 2026 General Election voters who have a history of voting in Arizona elections.  Respondents were randomly selected from the voter file maintained by HighGround.  Election Data was collected from the Arizona Secretary of State and Arizona’s fifteen County Recorders.

Individuals were randomly selected to reflect quotas for likely midterm General Election Voters in Arizona.  The poll was weighted to model the likely turnout of voters across party, age, region, and gender.  The partisan advantage was set at +8% GOP based on previous midterm election trends.

The sample frame includes voters with a valid landline and cell phone number.  Voters without a valid home phone or cell phone were not contacted.

The statewide survey was sponsored by HighGround Public Affairs on a variety of election and policy issues facing the state.  The survey was conducted in English.

The questions quoted in the release are listed verbatim.  The survey questions not released are not reasonably expected to influence the response to the question included in this release.  The margin of error is ±4.9% with a 95% confidence interval and does not take into consideration design effect.

For more information regarding the study, contact Paul Bentz at 602-528-3684.

The HighGround team has built a reputation as the “go-to” pollster for reliable and accurate polling in the State of Arizona.  HighGround and its team are seven-time winners of “Best Pollster/Best Polling Firm” by the Arizona Capitol Times, including 2026.

By Raoul Zubia

With last week’s announcement on Colorado River cuts, Scottsdale must now deal with the cut to Arizona’s share and, in turn, a cut to Scottsdale’s CAP share of about 20%—for now—according to the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. This is not fearmongering; it is fact.

Advanced Water Purification in Scottsdale is the fastest way to fill that 20% and any future losses with clean, affordable water. The next City Council must restore full funding for that program. Yes, there will be significant upfront costs, but in the long run this will guarantee our supply, making it a sound investment in Scottsdale’s future.

I’ve often talked and written about my alarm at Councilmember Barry Graham’s vote against water recycling and his efforts to remove it from the city budget. It begs the question: who wins when we vote against common-sense policies like securing our water future?

Scottsdale just approved $8.25 million to Vidler Water Company for 15,000 acre-feet of long-term storage credits in the Harquahala Valley. Meanwhile, there is already an established Arizona market where investment firms acquire land, groundwater rights, and storage credits—knowing those water assets will become more valuable as scarcity increases. Let that sink in for a minute.

Big investment firms ultimately win. You ultimately lose. And so do future generations.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. Our city already knows how to recycle water in a cost-effective, safe way. Our advanced treatment facility can handle over 20 million gallons a day. It’s actually reloaded over 70 billion gallons into regional aquifers for nearly 40 years. So why send Scottsdale taxpayer dollars to the coffers of private water sellers when we can invest those dollars in creating a drought-resistant water supply right here at home for substantially less? Phoenix is now building their own APW facility because they understand what’s at stake.

We should look at it this way: Every gallon of water we can recycle today is a gallon we do not have to buy from some outside water broker at tomorrow’s scarcity price.

But if we keep delaying and playing games with water recycling to score cheap political points, Scottsdale families will end up paying more while the people who own and trade scarce water get richer.

That may be what Barry Graham wants. But is that what you want?

By Alexander Lomax

Raoul Zubia is running one of the more thoughtful campaigns in the Scottsdale City Council runoff. His pitch to reject extremism “from the right or the left” and govern for the whole city instead of the loudest factions is exactly the kind of message Scottsdale voters have been asking for after a few too many years of City Hall drama. But his recent Facebook post lumping Turning Point USA in with the DSA as a fringe extremist outfit is a real stumble, and it’s worth calling out precisely because Zubia is otherwise running a smart race.

TPUSA Isn’t a Fringe Group

Whatever you think of Turning Point USA’s tactics or tone, it is not a fringe organization. It’s headquartered right here in the Valley, it draws sitting members of Congress and statewide elected officials to its events, and it has become one of the dominant institutions of the modern conservative movement. Equating an endorsement from TPUSA with backing from election deniers is a category error. Voters can see the difference between a mainstream conservative advocacy group and a genuinely extremist one, even when they disagree with TPUSA on specific issues.

Alienating the Voters He Needs in November

Zubia is trying to build a coalition broad enough to win a runoff, which almost certainly means picking up conservative voters who backed other candidates in the primary. Painting TPUSA as extremist reads, to a lot of those voters, as a candidate who doesn’t understand or respect the conservative world he’s asking for votes from. That’s a costly signal to send four months before a general election decided by turnout.

An Easy Fix

None of this means Zubia has to soften his actual critique of his opponents’ records or associations. He can make that case without branding an entire mainstream institution as extremist. It’s a small edit with a real payoff: the same anti-extremism message, minus the unforced error that hands his opponents an easy talking point about who’s really out of touch with Scottsdale.