More than 21,000 guests made their way through the gates of WestWorld of Scottsdale this past weekend as Scottsdale Art Week presented by Scottsdale Ferrari delivered increased crowds for 112 galleries across 123 booths. Ticket sales climbed 133% over its inaugural run, and a Justin BUA painting sold for $1.2 million within the first two hours, setting the tone for an unforgettable four days to follow.

This year’s fair, held Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22, 2026, brought together international galleries representing 19 countries, with thousands of blue-chip, contemporary, modern, Indigenous, Western, European and LatinX works available for viewing and acquisition.

Paintings, sculptures, glass, mixed-media creations and more started at about $3,000 and extended well into the seven figures, offering entry points for both new buyers and serious collectors. 

“We saw strong results across the floor, and they weren’t limited to any one medium or style,” said Scottsdale Art Week Co-Founder Trey Brennen. “That kind of broad activity is exactly what you hope to see at a fair like this.”

Attendance held strong from open to close each day despite unusually warm temperatures across the region, with WestWorld’s expansive and air-conditioned North Hall providing plenty of space for guests to move comfortably and circulate between booths, exhibitions, installations and scheduled programming. Many galleries reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales and outlined plans to return for future installments, with upcoming Scottsdale Art Week dates already locked in through 2029. 

“’The Arrival’ captures the last breath of a world before contact,” said Justin BUA, whose work sold for more than $1.2 million at the MRG Fine Art booth during First Look. “Native peoples standing on their land in 1605, unknowingly on the edge of everything about to change forever. I grew up in a neighborhood in New York City surrounded by chaos, economic hardship and uncertainty, so I understand in my bones what it feels like to stand on the edge of an era about to be transformed, and I painted that feeling with everything I had.”

The fair offered no shortage of things to see and do, with five Ferraris, 32 monumental sculptures and works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Alex Katz and Maynard Dixon appearing alongside those by emerging and mid-career artists. Among the emerging artists was sculptor James Doran-Webb, who had his first U.S. solo exhibition at the Gladwell & Patterson booth and sold eight out of the 12 sculptures he exhibited.

The 2026 Scottsdale Art Week beneficiary was Phoenix Art Museum and a check for $25,000 was proudly presented to Jeremy Mikolajczak, The Sybil Harrington Director & CEO of the museum during Opening Night.

The weekend also included several notable recognitions. Artist Cara Romero earned the Indigenous Artist of the Year honor during the Opening Night Vernissage, joining Phoenix Art Museum Director Emeritus James Ballinger, who received the Scottsdale Art Week Lifetime Achievement Award, and Pivotal Group Founder and CEO Francis Najafi, who secured the Philanthropist of the Year honor.

Cultural Programming was also a major draw, with nearly a dozen panel discussions throughout the fair, featuring museum directors, curators, artists, gallery owners and art experts offering insight into a wide variety of topics in the art market. Entertainment on opening night featured a musical performance by Lunar Calendar and a runway presentation by Galina Mihaleva.

“Our second edition reflected a significant evolution of Scottsdale Art Week, both in the caliber of presentations and the depth of engagement from our audience,” said Fair Director and Co-Owner Amy Gause. “Guests moved through the fair with intention, engaging meaningfully with galleries and artworks alike, resulting in strong sales and a vibrant, continuous rhythm from opening through close. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2027.”

For more about Scottsdale Art Week, visit ScottsdaleArtWeek.com or stay connected via Facebook, Instagram and X.

Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers Showcase Emerging Talent on two Arizona Bike Week Stages at WestWorld

Four rising Arizona bands are set to take the stage at Arizona Bike Week, earning opening slots for some of the biggest names in rock and country during the April 8–12, 2026 rally at WestWorld.

Selected by headlining artists themselves, the up-and-coming acts will kick off performances for Black Stone Cherry, Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, Cody Jinks and Ted Nugent—putting local talent in front of one of the largest motorcycle rally crowds in the country.

Tucson-based rock and blues band Znora is set to open for Black Stone Cherry Wednesday, April 8. Drop Diezel, a hard-rock cover band, will kick things off for Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening Thursday, April 9. Christopher Shayne, known for his Southern rock sound, will warm up the crowd for Cody Jinks Friday, April 10. Stereo Rex, a Phoenix-based rock band, will open for Ted Nugent Saturday, April 11, rounding out the lineup of emerging acts plucked from our extensive local music scene.

“This is a prime opportunity for some great local bands to step onto a major stage,” said Arizona Bike Week Co-Producer Lisa Cyr. “They’ll be performing in front of massive crowds and sharing the spotlight with nationally recognized artists.” 

Znora earned consideration for an opening slot at ABW through a competition hosted by Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers, which provides free after-school training in music, art, dance, and more for teens ages 12–20.

Each year, the teen centers hold a competition called Proof is in the Pudding. This four-round contest features over 300 young musicians annually. Since winning the competition, Znora has amassed an impressive resume of performances, including opening for Alice Cooper at his annual Christmas Pudding Concert, and will now add kicking off the four-night concert series in the RockYard, opening for Black Stone Cherry to their list of accolades. 

In addition to Znora, six other Proof is in the Pudding finalists will be performing at Arizona Bike Week this year. On Sunday, April 12, the HandleBar stage at Arizona Bike Week will showcase the talents of Annalise Mendoza, Vipera, Faultline, Piper Connolly & The Habit, and Garrett James & The Wanderers.

After placing second at Alice Cooper’s teen competition in 2025, Plum, an all-female band, went on to compete and be voted into the finals at the annual Rock Out to AZ Bike Week band competition, landing them a coveted position on the HandleBar stage on Saturday, April 11.   

In addition to four nights of headline concerts, Arizona Bike Week delivers a full-throttle festival experience with five days of entertainment, including six custom bike shows, high-energy stunt performances, racing events, interactive exhibits and a sprawling vendor marketplace featuring apparel, gear, art and more.

Tickets are available now and include single-day passes as well as Rally Passes that allow entry for all days and all concerts at Arizona Bike Week.

Fans planning their visits around a particular performance or experience should secure tickets now, as headliners and fan-favorite showcases draw large crowds. Admission is free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day for those who want to browse vendors, catch stunt shows and take in the daytime activities without staying for the concerts.

Adding to the excitement, Vitalant, the nonprofit blood collection organization, is offering one lucky blood donor a brand-new Harley-Davidson Nightster, giving anyone who donates blood at one of the Vitalant Motorcycle Drives a shot at the top prize. Organizers will announce the winner on Sunday, April 12, at Arizona Bike Week.

For more about Arizona Bike Week or to purchase tickets, visit AZBikeWeek.com.

Music theatre and mixed martial arts rarely share the same stage, but a bold new work titled “Triângulo” aims to bring those worlds together when it makes its world premiere at Arizona Broadway Theatre in April 2027 for a limited engagement.

Part fight night, part high-energy stage spectacle, “Triângulo” is designed to feel as much like a live sporting event as it does an electrifying night of theatre.

Designed to appeal to theatergoers and sports fans alike, the production is set in Rio de Janeiro and Miami in the early 1990s and follows Esperança, a young woman forging her way into the male-dominated world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts in the tradition of great underdog stories. Conceived as a modern MMA opera, “Triângulo” draws inspiration from genre-defining works such as “Tommy,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Hadestown,” which brought the scale and storytelling power of opera into contemporary musical theatre.

Crystal M. Manich – Photo Credit: Zach Mendez

The production is written and directed by Emmy-nominated writer and director Crystal Manich, whose work spans theatre, opera, film and circus. The score is by Latin Grammy–nominated Cuban-American pianist and composer Martin Bejerano, drawing from Brazilian and Afro-Brazilian musical traditions alongside the soundscape of early-1990s pop, rock and dance music. Movement and fight choreography are led by internationally renowned ballet director and martial arts expert George Birkadze, whose career bridges classical dance and combat sports.

Martin Bejerano – Photo Credit: Rafael Piñeros

The project also includes fight consulting from legendary MMA coach Greg Jackson and orchestration consulting by Tony, Grammy, Emmy and Olivier Award-winning orchestrator, music director, arranger and composer Alex Lacamoire. “Triângulo” is originally conceived and produced by Joseph Specter, former President and General Director of Arizona Opera and current President and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

The project draws inspiration from the early days of mixed martial arts in the 1990s, when the sport was first emerging on the global stage.

The creative team’s journey began a decade ago, with an exploration of how music theatre, dance and martial arts can merge into a single visceral stage experience.

Joseph Specter – Photo Credit: Faith Decker

Specter and the creative team are collaborating with Arizona Broadway Theatre to bring the world premiere production of “Triângulo” to the stage in spring 2027.

At its core, “Triângulo” is a story about family, ambition and survival. After a promising athletic path unravels, Esperança discovers Brazilian jiu-jitsu and begins a journey from Rio to Miami that ultimately tests her resilience, identity and sense of purpose.

“Triângulo” is performed primarily in English, infused with Spanish and Portuguese, to immerse the audience in Esperança’s world.

“Creating the character of Esperança has been a journey of exploring the women who helped pave the way in MMA,” said writer and director Crystal Manich. “Hers is the story we need right now, a story about the resilience and passion required to succeed in a world that hasn’t always made room. After years of development, our creative team is thrilled to be entering the final stretch together as ‘Triângulo’ prepares for its world premiere.”

“At the heart of ‘Triângulo’ is a simple idea,” said producer and original concept creator Joseph Specter. “Music theater and martial arts are both deeply primal forms of expression that have existed for centuries. Both are built on rhythm, discipline and physical mastery. Bringing those worlds together in a way that feels authentic and theatrical has been an incredible journey, and I feel very fortunate to be working with such a remarkable creative team to make it happen.”

Arizona Broadway Theatre Co-Founder, Executive Producer and CEO Kiel Klaphake noted that the production also reflects Arizona Broadway Theatre’s mission to expand its creative boundaries and challenge what viewers have come to expect from modern musicals.

“For more than two decades, Arizona Broadway Theatre has produced spectacular Broadway-caliber productions for audiences across the Valley,” said Klaphake. “Coming out of our 20th anniversary season, it’s incredibly exciting to help launch the world premiere of a bold new work like ‘Triângulo.’ With its powerful story, thrilling concept and exceptional creative team, I believe this is the kind of show that has the potential to grow well beyond its first production and take its place alongside the great titles of the American musical theater.”

Following its world premiere in Arizona, the creative team plans to continue developing the production for future commercial life. For more about the world premiere of “Triângulo” and Arizona Broadway Theatre’s 2026/27 Season, visit AZBroadway.org.

The new Louis Sands IV Center features four new exhibitions, and represents a milestone moment for Scottsdale and its community

On Tuesday, March 24^th, 2026 Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West in Old Town Scottsdale ushered in a new era and debuted a bold new chapter, transforming the museum into an even more premier cultural destination with the unveiling of its $12 million expansion. The centerpiece is the Louis Sands IV Center—a striking two-story, 12,000-square-foot addition that brings the museum to 55,000 total square feet and elevates the museum’s scale, sophistication, and visitor experience.

To mark this special milestone Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky proclaimed March 24^th, Western Spirit Day.  Mayor Borowsky joined former Scottsdale Mayors David Ortega, Jim Lane, Mary Manross and Sam Campana to cut the ribbon and officially unveil the new addition that will house four new exhibits.

“Western Spirit Museum is a coveted Scottsdale gem, a landmark and a point of pride for the ‘West’s Most Western’ town. This new 12,000-square-foot addition will ensure the stories of the West are shared with future generations for many years to come,” said Mayor Borowsky.

Following a brief press conference, Western Spirit Museum kicked off the weeklong celebration inspired by the theme “Unmistakably West”, an invitation to all to experience the North American West as it truly is: authentic, powerful, and unforgettable.

The curated lineup of receptions and special events will run through Sunday, March 29, 2026, honoring the museum’s expansion and celebrating the enduring spirit, artistry, and heritage of the North American West.

“The grand opening of the Louis Sands IV Center marks a transformative new chapter for Western Spirit Museum and a defining moment for Scottsdale. This must-see destination was designed to inspire pride in our community, spark curiosity, and deliver a powerful, immersive cultural experience that really connects with our guests,” said Todd Bankofier, CEO and Executive Director of Western Spirit Museum.

• Friday, March 27, museum members are invited to an exclusive, privately curated preview with RSVP-only tours offered in limited spots from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., featuring hosted food and beverage throughout the day. Not yet a member? Learn more and join at westernspirit.org.

On Saturday, March 28, the expansion officially opens to the public with an Opening Celebration and FREE admission all day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Western Spirit Museum. Registration is required. Guests are encouraged to reserve their free pass in advance at westernspirit.org for expedited entry, or may register at the door on event day.

Saturday’s events will be filled with immersive, family-friendly programming that brings the spirit of the West to life.  Outside the museum from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm – guests can enjoy a full slate of curated experiences, including photo opportunities with a replica stagecoach, Old West performances, featuring food vendors, live Western music by Honeygirl featuring Scotty Johnson of the Gin Blossoms, and live painting by acclaimed performer Katie Von Kral. Live artist demonstrations throughout the day with master craftsmen will create works inspired by the four new exhibits showcased in the expansion. Inside the museum, Pop-up Talks will guide visitors through the new galleries every 15 minutes, offering insights into the expansion and its exhibitions.

Inside the museum’s outdoor Sculpture Garden, select master artists will also demonstrate their craft and discuss their techniques—from bronze patina and pottery making to painting desert light, and jewelry making.

Young visitors will receive a Museum scavenger hunt encouraging exploration of all exhibits and activations with priz upon completion.

• FREE admission continues Sunday, March 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as Western Spirit Museum will also be open to all guests for free. Registration is required. Guests are encouraged to reserve their free pass in advance at org for expedited entry. Guests are invited to discover four new exhibitions that will allow visitors to experience the art, history and culture of the West.

The Louis Sands IV Center, which opens with four new exhibitions across two floors, bringing together Western American and American Indian art, painting, sculpture, jewelry, and ceramics in a dynamic new setting that reflects the breadth of the region’s creative traditions and the depth of the museum’s collections.

“The Louis Sands IV Center allows us to tell the story of the West in a new, more expansive way, placing painting, sculpture, jewelry, and ceramics into conversation across two floors. Together, these exhibitions reflect the richness and continuing vitality of Western and Indigenous art, setting the state for how our museum will move forward,” said Andrew Patrick Nelson, PhD, Chief Curator.

On the main gallery level, three interconnected exhibitions present the West through its most powerful three-dimensional art forms:

Visions in Bronze explores how sculptors have used this enduring medium to shape modern myths of the frontier. Drawing on more than a century of work—from the classical inspirations of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, through a midcentury revival led by Arizona artists, to contemporary responses by American Indian and women artists—this exhibition reveals how bronze has elevated cowboys, mountain men, American Indians, and other frontier figures into cultural icons.

From Earth to the Stars traces the evolution of American Indian jewelry, revealing how artists transform silver, turquoise, and stone into expressions of identity.

The exhibit highlights the deep relationships between land, materials, and artistry, showing how American Indian jewelers have transformed stones and metals into objects of beauty and cultural meaning. From early silverwork to bold contemporary designs, the exhibition honors generations of creativity, resilience, and artistic mastery. Featuring masterworks by artists such as Preston Monongye, Jesse Monongya, Charles Loloma, Verma Nequatewa (Sonwai), and the Yazzie family, the gallery invites visitors on a journey through lineages of technique, design, and cultural expression—from the minerals of the earth to the brilliance of the stars.

Fire of Ages explores over six centuries of American Indian ceramic traditions, showcasing how Hopi and southwestern potters have shaped clay and fire into vessels of extraordinary beauty and meaning. Fire of Ages traces this long arc of creativity through masterworks from the Allan and Judith Cooke Collection and the Arthur and Linda Pelberg Family Collection—works that reveal evolving forms, revived traditions, and lineages of artistry that span generations. From the bold innovations of the Nampeyo family to the refined designs of modern potters, the exhibition follows how fire, clay, and vision combine to create a living tradition, illuminating the deep continuity—and constant reinvention—at the heart of American Indian ceramic art.

“Moving through these galleries, visitors encounter bronze, silver, and clay as a continuous story of land, labor, and imagination,” said Nelson. Together, these exhibitions feature masterworks by artists including Remington, Russell, Preston Monogye, Charles Loloma, the Nampeyo family, and many others, offering a sweeping view of how material, culture, and creativity have defined the art of the West.”

On the upper level is Working Pardners: Masterworks from the Eddie Basha Collection, the inaugural public presentation of one of the most significant collections of Western American and American Indian art assembled. Drawn entirely from the Eddie Basha Collection, the exhibitions present paintings, sculpture, and works on paper that reflect Basha’s lifelong commitment to arts, artists, to the West, and to the relationships that sustain creative communities.

“Working Pardners reflects the depth of Eddie’s partnerships with artists,” said Tammy Fontaine, Associate Curator. “This exhibition gives visitors a rare opportunity to experience his love for the West, its land, and its people.”

The exhibition features masterworks by acclaimed artists such as Joe Beeler, David Johns, Larry Yazzie, Gary Niblett, Martin Grelle, Russell Houston, Ernest Berke, Cecil Calnimptewa, Howard Terpning, David Halbach, James Reynolds, Bill Owen, Ken Riley, and Roy Anderson—each offering a perspective on how creative expression emerges from connection and cooperation. From bronzes and paintings to prints and carvings, Working Pardners invites visitors to see the West not as a solitary frontier but as a shared landscape of labor, kinship, ceremony, and collaboration.

“The grand opening of the new expansion will not just be an unveiling, but a meaningful cultural experience,” Nelson said. “The new Louis Sands IV Center will expand the way we tell our stories at the museum, and we are delighted to invite the community to be part of this immersive museum experience.”

Western Spirit is located at 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ  85251.

For more information about the Louis Sands IV Center expansion, please visit https://westernspirit.org.

Western Spirit Memberships start at $75 and ticket prices run as following; $28 for adults, $25 for seniors and military, $12 for students and children 6 – 17 years of age and FREE for kids 5 and under.

With record heat expected across the Valley, Scottsdale Art Week presented by Scottsdale Ferrari arrives at just the right time, offering an indoor, climate-controlled alternative to outdoor events on an unusually warm March weekend. Unlike many early spring special events and festivals in Arizona, Scottsdale Art Week takes place inside, uniting 120 international galleries and showcasing blue-chip, Indigenous, Western and LatinX works ranging from around $3,000 to seven figures.

Set for Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, the four-day international art fair unfolds entirely inside WestWorld’s air-conditioned North Hall, creating a comfortable, spacious setting through which to explore world-class art, participate in cultural programming and attend special events throughout the weekend.

“With so much to see and do throughout the fair and everything happening inside, it’s a great way to spend a hot day,” said Scottsdale Art Week Director Amy Gause. “Guests can explore gallery presentations, attend panel discussions with artists and curators, and experience the full energy of the fair without ever having to step out into the heat.”

Festivities begin Thursday afternoon with the First Look preview, giving collectors and members of the media an opportunity to view works before the public opening. Thursday evening’s Opening Night Vernissage continues the celebration with live music by Lunar Calendar, a wearable-art runway show by Galina Mihaleva of ASU FIDM and award presentations, with proceeds benefiting Phoenix Art Museum.

Featured artists at the second annual edition of Scottsdale Art Week include Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Alex Katz and Maynard Dixon, among many others.

For more about Scottsdale Art Week 2026 or to purchase tickets or view a full event schedule, visit ScottsdaleArtWeek.com or follow developments on Facebook, Instagram and X.  Click here to view art images or photos from last year’s inaugural edition of Scottsdale Art Week.

By Bob Littlefield

By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas

As Chairwoman of the Public Safety Committee, I have the privilege of working closely with Scottsdale’s Police and Fire Departments. Nothing compares to the thrill of saying “yes” to rare opportunities that let me witness—and even participate in—the rigorous training for our first responders.

Last week, I joined Scottsdale Fire Department recruits for their first live flashover training in the department’s flashover chamber. Several city employees who had done it before warned me: it’s unforgettable, and so intense that they wouldn’t volunteer for it again. That only piqued my curiosity: what exactly is a flashover?

Flashover is one of the deadliest phases of a fire. It’s the near-simultaneous ignition of all exposed combustible materials in an enclosed space, often triggered when superheated gases and smoke reach their ignition point. Temperatures soar to 1,000°F (or more), thick smoke obscures everything, and introducing oxygen (air) can cause flames to erupt across the ceiling in seconds. What looks like harmless smoke can suddenly become a wall of fire. It’s visually dramatic—and utterly lethal.

We arrived at 7 a.m. on March 6, 2026. Chief Shannon and the team exuded calm professionalism from the start. They were clear: safety is non-negotiable.

• Gear fitting: We were fitted for SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) face masks—no air gaps allowed. We tested the mask with movement drills: turning, bending, jogging in place.
• Turnout gear: Pants and jackets are layered for thermal protection but kept “fluffy” and baggy to promote airflow and prevent burns.
• Vitals and hydration: Blood pressure, heart rate, and electrolyte drinks to combat dehydration in extreme heat.
• Walk-through briefing: Chief Shannon guided us through the cold chamber, explaining fire dynamics—fuel location, airflow, smoke layering, ventilation effects (doors and chimney), and flashover triggers.
• Safety briefing: Captain Dutcher gave a safety briefing describing the purpose of the exercise, the safety exits, the duration, and what he expected the training to teach these firefighters.

The final safety briefing was sobering. Captain Sasha Weller emphasized: “If it gets too intense, signal the Chief—we’ll get you out. Never remove your mask, gloves, or any gear. Exposed skin will burn severely in seconds.”

Fully kitted—helmet, mask, 60+ pounds of turnout gear and an oxygen tank—we stepped inside. The chamber is a controlled burn room with hand-held thermal imaging displays showing real-time temperatures.

Chief Shannon and I started at the back, with eight firefighters ahead; they were rotating every few minutes to experience the heat from the fire. Captain Dutcher, the instructor at the front, managed the blaze masterfully, using fuel in a can to demonstrate the stages: temperatures climbing from 200°F to over 1,000°F.

Captain Dutcher taught continuously for 25 minutes—identifying fire behavior, entry tactics, how to avoid triggering flashover, and survival steps if it occurs. His calm commands adjusted ventilation: “Open the chimney,” “Close the door.” When ventilation was restricted, the visible flames died down—but the heat built relentlessly in the smoke layer above.

Then it happened. Smoke swirled thick and dense; I couldn’t see the firefighter next to me. His thermal imager revealed what our eyes couldn’t: fire spreading overhead, hidden in the smoke. The instructor called for the door to open.

Oxygen rushed in. Instantly, orange flames rolled across the ceiling like fingers reaching out—so close, they were within arm’s length. The fire hunted for more fuel, yet the chamber contained it safely. Our gear’s thermal protection was so effective we felt only warmth, not the lethal 1,000°F reality.

This exercise drove home a critical lesson: firefighters can’t rely solely on what they see or feel. They must read conditions—smoke color, heat layering, ventilation—to anticipate dangers invisible to the untrained eye.

Exiting, we were immediately checked for burns or injuries (none, thankfully). Decontamination followed: a thorough water spray to remove carcinogens from gear, which is sanitized before it can be reused. It was a relief to take off the 60 lbs of gear, breathe fresh air, and reflect on the skilled professionalism displayed throughout this extreme training exercise.

Public safety is the foundation of Scottsdale’s success. Our residents rely on us to provide them with a safe home. And we welcome nearly 12 million visitors annually, who generate a $3.7 billion economic impact. Residents and visitors come here because they feel—and are—safe.

Firefighters run toward danger while most of us flee. They risk their lives to save others, training relentlessly in conditions like this to stay one step ahead of fire’s unpredictability.

Experiencing flashover firsthand deepened my respect and gratitude for our incredible Scottsdale Fire Department. They protect us with skill, courage, and unwavering commitment. We owe them our respect, our thanks—and our support.

The Scottsdale Firefighters Association has announced it will host a city council candidate forum this April, and it is worth paying attention to. The firefighters’ association has long been one of the most credible civic voices in Scottsdale, with a track record of endorsements that carry real weight with voters across the political spectrum. When they put candidates in a room together and ask hard questions, people show up, and more importantly, candidates tend to answer.

The obvious expectation is that the forum will focus on public safety: staffing levels, overtime costs, the department’s well-documented succession challenge as veteran firefighters retire in large numbers, and the rollout of Scottsdale’s new ambulance service. All of that matters. But a forum this close to a consequential election, with three council seats on the line, is an opportunity to push candidates on the issues that are defining Scottsdale’s future well beyond the fire station. Here is what we would love to see on the question list.

On water: the Advanced Purified Recycled Water program has effectively been stalled by City Manager Greg Caton, who removed it from the Capital Improvement Plan budget and questioned whether council ever formally approved it. Candidates should be asked directly: do you support moving forward with the “toilets to taps” program, and if so, what specific action will you take in your first year on council to get it back on track?

Photo Credit: Utah State University

On development: North Scottsdale continues to grow at a pace that strains infrastructure and frays the nerves of long-time residents. Candidates should be pressed on where they draw the line on density and height variances, and whether they believe the current General Plan is being honored or quietly eroded.

On the Axon negotiations: the long-running saga over the proposed mega-apartment complex site and what, if anything, gets built there touches on traffic, water use, and the character of the city’s northern corridor. Voters deserve to know where each candidate stands before they cast a ballot, not after.

Axon’s Apartment Plans

On the city manager: without naming names, candidates should be asked whether they believe the city manager serves the council’s policy direction or operates independently of it. The answer will tell you a great deal.

The firefighters’ association has earned its reputation by asking serious questions and holding candidates accountable. This April, the city’s voters are counting on them to do exactly that.

By Ronald Sampson

Photo Credit: Utah State University

Scottsdale has long prided itself on being one of the most forward-thinking cities in the American West when it comes to water policy. For a desert municipality that has watched the Colorado River shrink for decades, that reputation wasn’t just a point of civic pride; it was existential planning. Which is what makes a quiet but consequential development at the city’s Budget Review Commission so troubling.

At two consecutive BRC meetings this year, City Manager Greg Caton presented a Capital Improvement Plan budget with two notable omissions: the Bartlett Dam Modification Feasibility Study and the Advanced Purified Recycled Water program, the latter being Scottsdale’s much-anticipated “toilets to taps” initiative designed to supplement the city’s drinking water supply with treated, recycled wastewater. When commissioners expressed alarm, Caton’s explanation was essentially that he couldn’t put a number in the budget because he didn’t have reliable cost figures yet. “I don’t know the capital expenditure, and I don’t know the operating expenditure,” he said, “so I can’t put it in the budget.”

That is a reasonable position on its face, but it sidesteps a more pointed question: why are years of planning now being characterized as merely “aspirational”? Caton went further, asserting that Advanced Purified Recycled Water “has not been approved by a governing body to move forward,” a claim that drew swift pushback from Councilwoman Solange Whitehead, who has served on council since 2018, and former Councilwoman Linda Milhaven, who called Caton’s move an outright undermining of years of visionary investment in water security. Both point to a council-approved Water Strategic Plan 2025-2030 as clear direction to proceed.

So what is actually going on here? It is worth speculating. Caton may be running political cover for a council that is quietly divided on the issue; Councilman Adam Kwasman made his position plain, vowing to do “everything in my power” to keep recycled wastewater out of the drinking supply. If a faction of the current council is cool on the program, burying it in a budget uncertainty argument is a tidier way to stall it than taking a public vote.

The timing could not be worse. Colorado River allocations are expected to face further cuts, and Scottsdale’s existing recycled water infrastructure for golf courses, while valuable, is not a substitute for a robust residential supply solution. Removing the advanced purification program from the CIP doesn’t just delay a project; it puts the entire policy trajectory at risk at precisely the moment the city can least afford that kind of drift.

Water is not a background issue in Scottsdale. It is the issue. And the residents of this city deserve a straight answer as to whether their long-term water security is being quietly traded away for political convenience.

Photo Credit: CNN

All Candidates Submitting Requisite Number Of Signatures By March 23^rd To Be Invited

(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) The candidates for Scottsdale City Council will face each other and the public for the first time at a City Council Candidate forum on Monday, April 13th. The event is hosted by the Scottsdale Firefighters Association and will take place from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library Auditorium, located at 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd.

This forum offers Scottsdale citizens a unique opportunity to hear directly from candidates running for City Council. The discussion will focus on the candidates’ visions for the city’s future and their positions on critical public safety issues.

The event will be moderated by Sasha Weller, Scottsdale Firefighter Association President.

“Thanks to all the candidates who want to serve our community just as we try our very best to do every day. Our goal is to give candidates a platform to engage with the residents they hope to serve,” said Weller.

Weller said the forum as well as a questionnaire sent to the candidates previously will play a key role in who the Association may endorse in the July and November elections.

Admission to the forum is free and there is no registration required.Read More

By Mary Manross

Do you know Solange Whitehead? I have known her for over 20 years. That is why I am proud to serve as Honorary Chair for her campaign for Scottsdale City Council.

The first question I have for candidates is what do they believe are the most critical issues facing Scottsdale? Secondly, have they ever shown an ability and willingness to fight for what they believe is best for our community? Many folks in political office talk a good game. But when it comes to actually working to create positive change, they cave. It takes serious determination to accomplish worthwhile, long lasting, positive results. As your former Mayor, I know this firsthand.

Solange Whitehead has repeatedly demonstrated that she can deliver on good public policy. Examples – increasing open space requirements in developments, reducing the too high building heights and densities, championing protection for our McDowell Sonoran Preserve and strengthening short term rental regulations.

As a councilwoman, Solange is also leading the fight to ensure that we have adequate water resources far into the future. She stands up for fiscal conservatism, which means low taxes and AAA bond ratings. Another reason I support Solange is because she believes that public safety is the number one function of government.  She helped launch an ambulance service, increased pay for our terrific first responders and initiated a Parks and Preserve Ranger Unit to keep these open spaces safe for all of us. Solange also led our citywide, very successful 490- 491 Propositions campaign. They will allow Scottsdale to reinvest in our older parks and keep our open spaces healthy. Think how important that is to maintaining our wonderful quality of life!

Please support and vote for Solange Whitehead for City Council. We all must do our part to protect and nurture our home.

Mary Manross

Honorary Chair of Solange for Scottsdale

Former Mayor of Scottsdale

By Alexander Lomax

Dillon Brooks. Photo Credit: Scottsdale PD

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was pulled over in Scottsdale around 1 a.m. for a traffic violation and subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The part that has a lot of people raising an eyebrow: he passed a breathalyzer test, and the DUI arrest was marijuana-related.

Body camera footage released by Scottsdale PD shows an officer telling Brooks his vehicle smelled like a marijuana dispensary. Brooks responded that he had not smoked or drunk anything in the last six months. He performed field sobriety tests, was cooperative throughout, and still ended up in handcuffs.

Welcome to the peculiar world of Arizona marijuana DUI law.

Here is where things get genuinely strange. Arizona law charges drivers under two provisions: driving under the influence impaired to the slightest degree, and DUI for drugs and/or metabolites. There is no breath test for marijuana impairment, and there is currently no clear scientific standard for cannabis impairment. So officers rely on field sobriety tests that, as one Phoenix defense attorney noted, “are sort of like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole,” since they were designed for alcohol, not marijuana.

The metabolite issue is where the law gets particularly hard to defend. Arizona has not established a set nanogram level of THC that constitutes impairment, unlike states such as Colorado. Instead, the state relies on the mere presence of THC metabolites as evidence for DUI charges under A.R.S. 28-1381(A)(3), and prosecutors do not require proof of actual impairment. The problem is that carboxy-THC, the primary non-psychoactive metabolite of cannabis, can remain in the body for as many as 28 to 30 days after ingestion, meaning someone who legally consumed marijuana weeks ago and is stone-cold sober could, in theory, still face a DUI charge.

To be fair, the Arizona Supreme Court did rein things in somewhat in 2014, ruling that drivers cannot be convicted of a per se DUI offense based merely on the presence of a non-impairing metabolite reflecting prior marijuana use. But the “impaired to the slightest degree” provision of the law remains, giving prosecutors a wide lane to work with.

Whether Brooks faces formal charges depends on blood lab results and a decision by the Scottsdale City Prosecutor’s Office. He may well be cleared. But his arrest has done something useful: it has put a spotlight on a legal framework that has struggled to keep pace with a recreational marijuana landscape Arizona voters approved back in 2020. When the law cannot distinguish between someone who smoked three weeks ago and someone who smoked three hours ago, that is not good policy. It is just a trap.

Cody Reim. Photo Credit: Arizona Republic

If the name Cody Reim doesn’t ring a bell, you’re not alone. The Rio Verde Foothills small business owner wasn’t exactly a fixture of Scottsdale-area political circles before this week. But as of Tuesday, he’s your state representative.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Reim to fill the Arizona House vacancy in Legislative District 3, created when Joseph Chaplik resigned to run for Congress. The board’s vote was unanimous, 5-0, and Reim was sworn in shortly after.

So who is he? Reim is a political newcomer who lives with his family in Rio Verde Foothills, where water supply issues have been front and center for several years. He became one of the most outspoken advocates for finding a long-term, reliable water source for the community after Scottsdale announced it would shut off trucked water to the unincorporated area at the end of 2022 due to drought concerns, leaving residents scrambling for new sources. That grassroots advocacy, not a political résumé, is what got him here.

Supervisor Thomas Galvin, who nominated Reim, called him “a principled leader who has proven he will stand up and fight for his community” and “a bridge builder and consensus maker.” Water policy figures to be his top priority in the Legislature, as Arizona continues negotiations over Colorado River water allocations, which account for around 36% of the state’s water supply.

The more interesting storyline, though, may be what this appointment sets up for the November election. Both Reim and fellow nominee George Khalaf, a political consultant who actually received the most votes from precinct committeemen, are running for a full term in LD3’s two House seats. Incumbent Rep. Alexander Kolodin is not seeking re-election, as he’s running for Secretary of State, joining Chaplik in leaving his seat in pursuit of higher office. That means the Republican primary will likely feature Reim and Khalaf competing for the same two seats (if not others), with Reim now carrying the incumbent label and all the name recognition and fundraising advantages that come with it. That said, there is room for two.

George Khalaf. Photo Credit: Facebook

Supervisor Galvin said he hopes and expects both Reim and Khalaf to be in the state House in 2027: a collegial sentiment, but the voters will have the final say. For a district that covers much of northeast Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Cave Creek, the district leans red, but in a potential blue wave year this race just got a lot more interesting.

“I was informed by city management today, after a 65-day investigation, that Chief of Staff R. Lamar Whitmer, has been terminated.

To be clear, I do not condone inappropriate workplace conversations, did not witness them and would not tolerate them. Furthermore, I fully believe workplace rules should be followed, public trust should never be abused, and this has been fully communicated to my staff. My hope for the people of Scottsdale is that his replacement will be allowed to fulfill the responsibilities of a chief of staff to a mayor — including speaking with city staff. The people deserve to move past petty politics and move forward in a manner befitting the history and expectations of the city of Scottsdale.  I wish Lamar the best in his future.”

— Lisa Borowsky | Mayor of Scottsdale

Photo Credit: Arizona Republic

Some artists chase charts. Some chase radio. Roger Clyne has spent thirty years chasing something harder to pin down: the soul of a place.

This weekend, the Tempe-born singer and his Peacemakers marked two milestones at once: the release of Hell to Breakfast, his first album in nearly a decade, and the 30th anniversary of Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, the Refreshments record that started it all. And where did he choose to do it? The parking lot of the Yucca Tap Room, same as he did in 1996. Same corner of Tempe. Same spirit.

That consistency is no accident. Clyne has never left Arizona, and Arizona has never left him. He describes his creative process as literally walking into the Sonoran Desert with a tape recorder, leaving his guitar at the truck, thinking on melody and cadence among the saguaros and the silence. The desert doesn’t just backdrop his music: it authors it.

But what has always set Clyne apart in the broader Arizona story is his instinct that this place doesn’t end at the border. The Sonoran Desert is, after all, a shared landscape; one that stretches deep into Sonora, Mexico, indifferent to the line humans drew across it. Clyne absorbed that truth early and never let it go. His music has long celebrated the cultural confluence he finds here: the history, the pre-history, the characters on both sides living adventurous, complicated, fully human lives.

That spirit lives inside the new album, too. A song like “Yeh Shoobeh” closes Hell to Breakfast with a declaration that feels almost radical in the current moment: I’ll set my finest table, I’m inviting the world to dine. In a time when calling your neighbor an enemy has become disturbingly easy, Clyne is still setting the table and pouring the wine…for everyone.

He told the Arizona Republic he built “a life that was unique.” He did. But more than that, he built a trumpet for this specific stretch of desert and kept playing it, decade after decade, reminding anyone willing to listen that the Sonoran world is richer, stranger, and more connected than the headlines suggest.

We’re lucky he never stopped.

Photo Credit: Michael Duerinckx

The Water Infrastructure Financing Authority of Arizona (WIFA) has approved a $10,436,918 low-cost loan, including $1 million in principal forgiveness, to support major drainage improvements at WestWorld of Scottsdale — a key priority of Mayor Lisa Borowsky’s administration.

The investment marks a major first step forward in delivering long-needed improvements that will enhance WestWorld’s safety, operations, and economic performance, Mayor Borowsky points out.

“I appreciate the input from all of our WestWorld stakeholders, and the efforts of our city management team collectively pushing these much-needed planned improvements forward,” Mayor Borowsky said. “WestWorld is one of Scottsdale’s most important assets — a year-round driver of tourism, economic activity, and international visibility.”

City Treasurer Sonia Andrews, whose team along with city engineering staff led Scottsdale’s financing application, explains the WIFA funding is a low-cost loan and the city was able to secure $1 million in forgivable principle, which translates to the city being required to only payback $9,436,918 of the $10,436,918 loan.

The city will finalize loan terms with WIFA in the coming weeks. Loan documents and formal acceptance are expected to be presented to the Scottsdale City Council for consideration in April or May.

“WestWorld is central to Scottsdale’s identity and its economy,” Mayor Borowsky said. “This project ensures it remains strong, resilient and competitive for decades to come.”

Scottsdale has been quietly staking its claim as one of the Southwest’s premier cultural destinations, and this week offers another piece of evidence. Scottsdale Art Week returns for its sophomore outing starting today and lasting until this Sunday at WestWorld of Scottsdale, and if the buzz surrounding it is any indication, the city’s arts scene is very much arriving on a national stage.

So what should you know before you go?

The art is legitimately world-class. This isn’t a regional craft fair. More than 120 galleries from around the world will be presenting work, and the names on display read like a museum wall. Featured artists include Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Alex Katz, and Maynard Dixon. Multiple seven-figure pieces will be on offer, including a $1.2 million, 50-million-year-old fossil crocodile and a $1 million sculpture by Gino Miles that the artist spent six years creating.

The cultural programming goes deep. Complementing the gallery presentations is a full slate of programming produced in partnership with major institutions including the Phoenix Art Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Denver Art Museum, and Heritage Auctions. Topics range from photography and the Western art market to Indigenous and Latin art; there’s genuine intellectual substance here beyond the gallery floor.

Local art is meaningful. Scottsdale Art Week makes a point of acknowledging the brilliant artists in our own midst, and in that vein this year’s Arizona Artist of the Year is Cara Romero, recognized for her innovative photography. It’s a reminder that some of the most compelling contemporary art can come from your own back yard.

Thursday night is where serious collectors move. The Opening Night Vernissage on Thursday, March 19 runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and benefits the Phoenix Art Museum, offering access to the full fair before the public doors open Friday.

Public days run Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with children 12 and under admitted free. Whether you’re a collector or simply curious, this is one worth showing up for. Head to ScottsdaleArtWeek.com for tickets and the full schedule, and drink in yet another example of Scottsdale’s excellence.

By Bob Littlefield

Dear Friends:

For years overdevelopment has taken a heavy toll on Scottsdale’s special character and high quality of life. Clogged roads, blocked views, higher taxes and overburdened infrastructure have been the legacy of the overdevelopment previous City Council majorities have approved.

But now, overdevelopment poses another threat to Scottsdale’s residents – water shortages! Arizona is suffering from a 30-year drought with no end in sight. Water levels in the reservoirs are falling as a result. And our neighboring states. which draw from the same water sources as we do (and who have also allowed too much water-guzzling development) are trying to strip away portions of our water allocations for their own use.

Given these hard, cold facts you have to ask yourself, “does it make sense to allow more giant apartment complexes to be built in Scottsdale?” especially when there are already 10K apartments in the queue waiting to be built?

The answer is obviously a resounding NO! And yet just four months ago a majority of our current City Council members approved 1200 apartments for Axon. Adding insult to injury they relieved Axon of the responsibility for providing water to these apartments, a gift (never given to any other developer) that will lower the amount of water available to all other Scottsdale residents!

What’s the solution? For starters, stop electing candidates who will approve all this overdevelopment. But the problem with that is everyone who runs for Scottsdale City Council claims to be resident-friendly, but most vote for overdevelopment after they take office.

That’s why, if you want to preserve Scottsdale’s special character and high quality of life you should support me in the upcoming city election. In the last ten years I have been involved in every major resident-driven battle to preserve Scottsdale’s special character and high quality of life. Bottom line, I am the proven commodity you can trust to stay true to my resident-friendly promises once I get in office! 

If you agree with me that overdevelopment has gotten out-of-hand in Scottsdale, I need your support. The first thing I need is signatures on my nominating petition. You can conveniently sign my petition online at https://go.azsos.gov/6dmk. I also need contributions to my campaign to fight the special-interest money that will be spent to keep me off the City Council; you can contribute to my campaign here. And please spread the word about my candidacy to your friends, neighbors and family who live in Scottsdale!

Thank you for your support.

Photo Credit: Arizona Republic

Eleven seasons. Three NCAA Tournament appearances. And one absolutely brutal final exit.

Bobby Hurley’s time as Arizona State’s head men’s basketball coach is officially over, with athletic director Graham Rossini announcing that Hurley’s contract would not be renewed just hours after the Sun Devils’ blowout 91-42 loss to No. 7 Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. It was a fitting, if painful, punctuation mark on a tenure that always felt like it was one big run away from something special… and never quite got there.

To be fair, there were genuine highs. A two-time national champion at Duke and the NCAA’s all-time assists leader, Hurley led ASU to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons in 2018 and 2019, a first for the program since 1980-81, and pulled off a stunning win at Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse in 2017 as part of a 12-0 start that pushed the Sun Devils to No. 3 in the AP Top 25, matching the highest ranking in program history. For a moment, it felt like Hurley was genuinely building something in Tempe.

Then came COVID, and things were never quite the same. The Sun Devils have struggled to regain their footing since, reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2023 but finishing with a losing record in four of the remaining seasons. Fan interest cratered to the point where, at the January rivalry game against Arizona, there appeared to be more UA fans inside Desert Financial Arena than ASU’s own supporters. Hurley himself acknowledged the disconnect: “We had this place cooking before COVID. Now it’s a sterile environment.”

This season had flickers of promise: a runner-up finish at the Maui Invitational and upsets over ranked Kansas State, Cincinnati, and a final home win over No. 14 Kansas, but it wasn’t enough to mask a 7-11 conference record and a program that felt increasingly adrift.

And then came Kansas City. A 91-42 demolition at the hands of Iowa State, a staggering 49-point margin, was the kind of ending you simply can’t recover from. There was no spinning that box score.

Hurley leaves as the second-winningest coach in program history with a 185-167 record. He gave Tempe over a decade of effort and his family put down roots in the community. But ASU basketball needed a new spark. Now comes the hard part…finding one.

By Alexander Lomax

Photo Credit: Scottsdale Progress

Just when you thought Scottsdale’s most dramatic parking saga might finally find a spot to rest, the city went ahead and unveiled its grand vision for the Brown Avenue Parking Structure Expansion: a four-level, Western-style garage that will set taxpayers back a cool $18 million, or roughly $100,000 per parking stall.

Yes, per stall. Let that marinate. And read our previous coverage here.

City officials, to their credit, acknowledged with a straight face that the national average for a parking spot runs about $20,000 to $30,000. But hey, this isn’t your average parking garage. This beauty will feature textured concrete, brick accents, wood shutters, and covered walkways; essentially a luxury spa experience for your Toyota Camry. There will even be custom artwork celebrating Scottsdale’s cultural identity, because nothing says “Old West charm” like a $100K concrete box across the street from the city’s oldest church.

The project, which will sit at 1st Street and Brown Avenue (directly opposite the historic Old Adobe Mission) has drawn opposition from residents who fear it will damage Old Town’s character and displace the beloved farmer’s market. A petition to stop it has been circulating, though a similar effort last year failed to move the needle with city council. ParkingGate giveth, and ParkingGate taketh away.

Among those pushing back on the price tag (which voters approved funding for in 2019) is small business owner Crystal Carroll, who is also running for city council. Carroll’s position will surprise absolutely no one who’s followed this saga: she’s been reliably aligned with Mayor Lisa Borowsky, who has been one of the loudest and most consistent voices against the project. The mayor hasn’t minced words, calling it “not an example of a quality location for a parking garage” and flagging its proximity to the historic district, narrow streets, and busy pedestrian traffic. Her office confirmed this week that her stance hasn’t budged one inch; she’s now calling for a new parking study.

Borowsky and Carroll. Photo Credit: Scottsdale Progress

Meanwhile, supporters argue the area desperately needs more parking. Long-time resident French Thompson perhaps summed it up best: “We’re not building average America. We’re building Scottsdale.”

Construction is set to begin this summer. Stay tuned…ParkingGate is just getting started.

Something unexpected is happening in Tempe. The March 2026 city council election, a race for three seats among seven candidates including three incumbents, has produced results that few political observers saw coming, and the story isn’t over yet.

The clearest winner of the night was incumbent Arlene Chin, who cleared the majority threshold outright and earned re-election without a runoff. But for the other two sitting council members, the returns have been a rude awakening.

Challenger Brooke St. George was the second-highest vote earner in the entire field: a remarkable showing. Incumbent Jennifer Adams, meanwhile, came in fifth, a stunning result for a veteran councilwoman seeking re-election. Adams now trails badly heading into the May 19 runoff, and her path back looks difficult.

Brooke St. George

What makes St. George’s performance all the more striking is the personal dimension. She previously worked inside Tempe City Hall supporting the Mayor and Council, meaning she worked alongside Jennifer Adams in the very institution Adams now struggles to defend. Voters didn’t just prefer a newcomer over a sitting incumbent; they chose someone who had watched that incumbent up close and decided she could do better.

Incumbent Berdetta Hodge, a historic figure as the first African American woman elected to the Tempe City Council, also advanced to the runoff, but her vote total leaves her far from safe. She’s at real risk of losing her seat in May.

Then there’s Bobby Nichols, perhaps the most unconventional candidate in the field. A complete political outsider with no electoral history, Nichols is aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America and has built his campaign around economic populism: public affordable housing, free childcare, and programs to reduce everyday costs for working families. It’s a platform rarely heard on Tempe ballots, and yet Nichols is headed to the runoff.

The incumbents had every structural advantage: name recognition, endorsements, and years of relationships with local voters. The fact that two of three are now fighting for their political lives while a DSA-aligned outsider advances suggests Tempe residents may be hungry for something different. The May runoff will tell us whether that hunger translates into a genuine changing of the guard.

By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead

 

It’s Official: I am on the Ballot Get ready to vote in the July 21, 2026 Primary Election! I’m pleased to announce that my nominating paperwork is filed and I am officially on the ballot for re‑election to Scottsdale City Council. With the incredible help of volunteers—and knocking on doors and visiting neighborhoods —I proudly submitted petitions with over 2,000 Scottsdale voter nominating signatures. A huge thank you to my supporters and volunteers! I’m also honored to share that the Police Officers of Scottsdale Association has officially endorsed my 2026 campaign. Respecting and supporting our first responders will always be a top responsibility. I have been elected by Scottsdale voters twice to serve as our community voice at City Hall. Together, we’ve tackled issues big and small, and our work has delivered meaningful results: • Protecting Neighborhoods and Scottsdale’s Character: Reduced building heights and density, increased open spaces, strengthened landscaping standards, and enforced stronger short-term rental regulations while advocating for local control. I will continue to ensure development respects our neighborhoods and character. • Championing the McDowell Sonoran Preserve: Protected it from development, established a maintenance fund and advanced efforts to build a vital wildlife crossing. I will continue safeguarding this treasured resource. • Investing in Parks and Open Space: Launched a 30-year reinvestment fund, starting with our oldest parks, and created new parks. Keeping these community spaces vibrant and accessible is key. • Strengthening Public Safety: Initiated a Park Ranger unit, increased pay, launched an ambulance service, and mitigated wildfire risk. Supporting our first responders will always be a priority. • Safeguarding Your Tax Dollars: Lowered taxes, doubled city reserves, maintained our AAA bond rating, and paid down pension liabilities. I will continue to protect Scottsdale’s strong record of fiscal conservatism. • Fortifying Our Water Supply: Ended the export of Scottsdale water and expanded conservation efforts. Ensuring our water supply is a top focus. Scottsdale thrives when City Hall and residents share the same priorities. While we have accomplished much, important work remains. I respectfully ask for your support so we can keep Scottsdale strong and moving forward — together.

 

Photo Credit: Scottsdale Progress

There are moments in life when everything hangs in the balance… when the difference between tragedy and miracle comes down to the skill, the speed, and the compassion of the people in the room. In Scottsdale, those people often wear an HonorHealth badge.

A recent story shared by the City of Scottsdale captures exactly that kind of moment. A mother and her newborn, lives in jeopardy, required back-to-back surgeries in rapid succession. The HonorHealth team didn’t flinch. They moved with the kind of coordinated precision that only comes from years of preparation, the right equipment, and a genuine commitment to the people they serve. Mother and baby came through. A family stayed whole. And once again, HonorHealth proved why it is far more than a hospital system: it is a pillar of this community.

Stories like this one are not outliers. They happen regularly, quietly, in the halls of HonorHealth’s Scottsdale campuses. At Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, a 427-bed facility offering women’s services, labor and delivery, cardiology, a Level III neonatal ICU, and a dedicated pediatric emergency department, the capability to handle the most complex and critical cases is built into the very fabric of the institution. Scottsdale Osborn, meanwhile, is a leader in trauma, neurosurgery, cardiovascular services, and critical care, and has earned Magnet designation, the highest national recognition for excellence in nursing. These are not marketing claims. They are the infrastructure behind the miracles.

Photo Credit: Arizona Digital Free Press

And HonorHealth’s commitment to Scottsdale runs deeper than acute care. Through Desert Mission, with its 94-year history of neighbors helping neighbors, HonorHealth addresses hunger, supports vulnerable seniors, and gives children a head start on education. The organization has also been named the primary clinical affiliate for the new ASU School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering, cementing its role in shaping the future of healthcare not just for Scottsdale, but for Arizona and beyond.

What makes Scottsdale special is no single thing. It’s the design of the city, the character of its neighborhoods, the ambition of its people. But woven into all of it is the confidence that if something goes wrong; if a surgery is needed, if a baby arrives too early, if a family faces the unthinkable, HonorHealth will be there. Ready, skilled, and deeply human.

That’s not a small thing. That’s everything.

Photo Credit: Arizona Republic

After 32 years of service to the City of Scottsdale  and a career arc few could have scripted. Assistant City Manager Jeff Walther announced this week that he will retire on April 3, 2026. In a letter shared with city staff, Walther reflected with characteristic grace on a journey that took him from patrol officer to the highest ranks of city leadership.

“It is with profound humility and gratitude to share with you that I will be concluding my three decade career with the City of Scottsdale,” Walther wrote. “What an amazing journey in what I can only describe as the finest city with the finest municipal organization in our country.”

Those words are easy to believe when you trace the arc of his service. Walther joined the Scottsdale Police Department in 1994 as a patrol officer and spent the next two and a half decades working his way through nearly every role the department had to offer: detective, SWAT officer, district commander, and ultimately assistant chief. When he first retired in 2018, it seemed like a fitting close to an exceptional career.

But Scottsdale wasn’t done with him. In late 2019, City Manager Jim Thompson called Walther back to lead the department on an interim basis following the retirement of longtime Chief Alan Rodbell. What was expected to be a brief return became something more. Thompson recognized what the community already knew, and in 2021 made Walther the department’s seventh permanent chief. The recognition kept coming: he was named Arizona’s Chief of the Year in 2022 by the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police, and received the City of Scottsdale’s Bill Donaldson Award for Leadership and Innovation in 2024.

Photo Credit: Scottsdale Progress

Then, in early 2025, newly appointed City Manager Greg Caton elevated Walther once more, this time to Assistant City Manager, a role in which he oversaw communications, human resources, and continued to provide steady, experienced leadership during what has been, by any measure, a period of significant transition for the city.

That transition is worth acknowledging, even gently. Scottsdale’s upper ranks have seen considerable change over the past year and a half; with departures touching the city manager’s office, public works, transportation, water, and now, with Walther’s exit, the assistant city manager’s suite. Whether by design or circumstance, the city is navigating a meaningful generational shift in its leadership. The hope, shared by many in the community, is that the institutional knowledge being walked out the door is met with equally capable hands coming in.

For his part, Walther leaves on his own terms, with his reputation spotless and his legacy secure. Scottsdale is a better city for his 32 years of dedication… and that’s the kind of thing that doesn’t retire.

Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky is celebrating a fresh wave of positive economic news following last Tuesday’s financial update from the City Treasurer’s Office.

At its quarterly update, the City Treasurer’s Office is reporting the city’s sales‑tax revenues are outperforming revenue projections through the second quarter of this fiscal year.

New data presented to the City Council shows General Fund revenues running 5% above budget, driven in part by local sales taxes up 4%, including a $3.2 million boost from stronger‑than‑expected activity across major economic sectors, numbers show. Total collections from the city’s 1.1% sales‑tax rate are now 4% ahead of midyear projections, which Mayor Borowsky explains reinforce Scottsdale’s position as one of Arizona’s strongest and most stable municipal economies.

“Scottsdale isn’t just holding steady — we are accelerating,” Mayor Borowsky said.

“When you see sales‑tax growth like this across construction, dining, entertainment, and other key sectors, it tells a clear story: residents and visitors believe in this city. Our businesses are thriving, our amenities are in demand, and Scottsdale continues to shine as a premiere destination to live, work, and invest.”

The City Treasurer’s report pointed to broad‑based economic momentum, noting:

• Construction, Dining/Entertainment, and Other Activity categories all exceeded budgeted expectations.
• State shared revenues remain 6% above budget, despite a one‑time distribution adjustment in December linked to statewide allocation corrections.

Meanwhile, Scottsdale’s financial picture is further strengthened by General Fund expenditures coming in 4% below budget, thanks to personnel savings and timing in commodities and capital purchasing.

Mayor Borowsky says the combination of strong revenue performance and conservative, disciplined spending are hallmarks of common sense leadership at City Hall.

“This is what responsible governance looks like,” she said. “We’re bringing in more revenue than expected, we’re spending less than planned, and we’re delivering major capital projects without jeopardizing the long‑term stability of the General Fund. Scottsdale residents deserve nothing less.”

Major capital projects — including the Thompson Peak Parkway Bridge over Reata Wash, water‑campus infrastructure, Scottsdale Road improvements, and the Fire Station 606 renovation — all continue to advance with stable funding and no identified risks for the quarter.

“This momentum isn’t accidental,” Mayor Borowsky pointed out. “It’s the result of thoughtful planning, strategic investment, and a community that consistently chooses excellence. These numbers give us a mandate to keep moving forward — boldly, confidently, and with an unwavering commitment to Scottsdale’s future.”

By Mary Manross, Former Scottsdale Mayor and Chairwoman for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC
and Carla, Preserve Pioneer and Campaign Coordinator for Vote YES YES Scottsdale PAC

In most campaigns there are winners and losers. Not when it comes to the passage of Propositions 490 and 491 in Scottsdale which happened on November 5th. We believe everyone in Scottsdale wins.

Proposition 490 will help revitalize and maintain Scottsdale’s parks, beginning with the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, and will provide ongoing care and protection for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.  It will provide funding to prevent and fight fires in and around the Preserve, and funds for increased police rangers for the parks and the Preserve.

Almost sixty years ago Scottsdale had the wisdom and foresight to create the Greenbelt and, thirty years ago, to create the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. They are two of Scottsdale’s greatest decisions and treasures. That wisdom and foresight are still with us today as evidenced by this vote.

Proposition 490 contains legal safeguards to ensure the money is properly spent. And we think these safeguards, and the benefits of the measure will win over many who voted no and maybe even some critics. Now that the voters of Scottsdale have spoken overwhelmingly in support of Proposition 490, we look forward to working with the new Mayor and Council to see that it is implemented properly and responsibly.Read More

By Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

This year Scottsdale was fortunate when it came to wildfires. Next year we might not be so lucky.

As every summer gets hotter and drier, nature and human caused fires are a fact of life in Scottsdale and our Preserve. Thanks to the quick response and hard work of our Firefighters  – plus a little luck with wind direction  – we have avoided a catastrophic fire this year.

But next year, unless Propositions 490 & 491 pass, we won’t have as many tools to help prevent fires.

Year round our Fire Department does excellent outreach work with developments in Northern Scottsdale to address not planting invasive species and removing fire loads. They also work with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management to get grants which provide for wildfire prevention. Specifically invasive plant removal and preventative measures along our Preserve boundary and major roadways.

But Scottsdale did NOT get a grant to fund this work in 2025!

Proposition 490 would add Fire Department funding to provide quicker response times; increased Fire prevention programs; a second Technical Rescue Team; and additional resources to better protect you and your neighborhoods.

Proposition 491 – which is not a tax increase or budget override  – would allow Scottsdale to spend the money it already collects on programs and services that residents want and need. Without its passage, city services will face cutbacks, including in public safety.

Please join the Firefighters, who dedicate their lives to protecting you,  in voting YES-YES on Props 490 and 491. It’s critical to Scottsdale’s safety and future quality of life.

Carla (Carla), Preserve Pioneer

Data Orbital, in conjunction with AZ Free News, is pleased to announce the results of its latest statewide, live caller survey of likely General Election Voters. The survey was conducted from September 7th 2024 – September 9th 2024. The survey measured support for candidates in Arizona’s Presidential contest. This survey was sponsored by AZ Free News.

For President, the Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris trails Republican former President Donald Trump by a slim 46.0% to 46.2% margin. 7.7% reported as being undecided or refused the question.

Speaking with AZ Free News about the Presidential race, George Khalaf, President of Data Orbital, stated “That 7.7% undecided number, I would say, is going to be one of two things: 1.) Either individuals that are saying that they are likely to vote but don’t end up voting or 2.) People that really are truly undecided. But I would be shocked if the true undecided number is in the high single digits”. Khalaf goes on to explain, “I would guess that right now, the true percentage of people that are undecided is maybe one or two percent, if that. This is a high-profile race and so most people have made up their minds. But I think a portion of people that are undecided likely will not end up making a decision on November 5th”.

By Jeanne Beasley
Candidate for Scottsdale School Board

As students return to school this week, let’s consider what we can do to help support and strengthen our local public schools. I am running for a seat on the Scottsdale Unified School Board on November 5, alongside Gretchen Jacobs and Drew Hassler, to serve our community positively.

We are parents, professionals, and community leaders who have had students in our Scottsdale schools and believe that strong communities should have strong public schools. Families shouldn’t have to look elsewhere for the excellent academic opportunities and well-rounded extracurricular experiences they desire for their children.

Our campaign, “Just Be Honest,” will bring a new era of transparency, accountability, and integrity to SUSD. Our mission is to ensure that every decision made is in the best interest of our students, families, and teachers.Read More

With just five days remaining until Arizona’s 2024 primary election, let’s take a closer look at how Republicans and Democrats are performing across the state.

Focusing first on the Republicans, a total of 1,156,580 GOP ballots have been requested. Of these, 1,089,498 are from registered Republicans and 67,082 from Independents. These numbers surpass the total requests from both 2020 and 2022, which were 1,035,288 and 1,059,348, respectively. Currently, Republicans have a 32.7% ballot return rate, while Independents have a 49.2% return rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 33.7%.

At this stage in the election, GOP ballot returns across the state are ahead of 2022 but are behind 2020. In 2020, returns at this time were 426,571, compared to 375,714 in 2022. So far in 2024, a total of 389,458 GOP ballots have been returned.

Now looking at the Democratic side, total ballot requests stand at 1,063,267, with 1,008,909 from Democrats and 54,358 from Independents. This exceeds the totals from both 2020, which had 1,044,288 requests, and 2022, which had 1,041,271 requests. Democrats are returning their ballots at a 29.4% rate, while Independents are returning at a 48.9% rate, resulting in an overall return rate of 30.4%

At this stage in the cycle, Democratic returns are lagging behind both 2020 and 2022. In 2020, Democratic returns were 439,383, and in 2022 they were 368,745. Both figures are notably higher than the current returns in 2024, which stand at 322,984.