In a season of many election surprises locally, few were as surprising at the Scottsdale Mayoral race, where Lisa Borowsky overcame a significant deficit in the August primary to win a decisive victory over incumbent Mayor Dave Ortega. Now that we have the value of hindsight, it’s worth considering how this significant upset happened. So how did it? First, it’s … Read More
When Politicians Can’t or Won’t Act, Residents Take on Short-Term Rentals Themselves
Excessive and problematic short-term rentals (STRs) have been a hot-button issue in Arizona for a while now, but no more so than in Scottsdale (read our coverage here). As the regional center of tourism, many come from out-of-state to party and have little concern about the people around them. And while many municipalities recognize the problem, rarely can they do … Read More
3 Clubs, 3 Nights & 1 Epic Anniversary: Gem Ray Celebrating 15 Years of Scottsdale Nights With Citywide Party Series
Scottsdale’s Premier Luxury Lifestyle Concierge Hosting Anniversary Parties at Cake, Riot House & El Hefe Nov. 14 – 16, 2024 He goes to sleep most days when the rest of The Valley is just waking up, and while he doesn’t drink, he also doesn’t miss a party at Scottsdale’s hottest night club or event venue. Soon, Gem Ray will commemorate … Read More
Join Changing Hands Book Store in Tempe for A Book Signing and Reading of the “Surf Noir” Collection including Pulitzer Prize finalists and Edgar and Shamus Award winners This Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7pm
This Thursday evening join Author David M. Olsen and Tempe Resident and Author Jeff Kronenfeld for a special book signing of Amber Waves of Autumn at Changing Hands Bookstore (6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283) on Thursday, November 14th at 7:00 pm. This is the third installment of Kelp Journal’s bestselling, award-winning Beach Noir Series. Amber Waves of Autumn is an anthology or … Read More
Guest Editorial: Thank You Scottsdale
By Councilwoman Tammy Caputi The results of the general election are complete, and the outcome is disappointing. We never let up after the primary, talking to residents and businesses all over the city. We maintained a positive, forward-thinking, Independent message and refused to get drawn in to negative campaigning, but unfortunately this was an anti-incumbent cycle that seemed to value … Read More
Pay Raises for Politicians? Sometimes It’s a Good Thing
There are few things that tick off the electorate more than self-serving politicians. That can come in a number of different forms, but one particular form that seems to truly get under the skin of voters is giving themselves pay raises. After all, the optics are horrible…pulling strings to give yourself more money never looks good. But not all such … Read More
Change is Afoot in Arizona: What the Final Elections Results Tell Us
While as of the time of writing, there are still a few votes to count in Arizona and we do not have full confirmation of how every race will play out, we do have quite a bit of insight as to how our area may change or not change. For instance, one of the most interesting and perhaps surprising results … Read More
Axon Keeps Asking You to Subsidize It While Its Stock Hits Incredible New Heights
If you read this blog at all, you know how problematically Axon has been operating in Scottsdale (read our coverage here). It keeps asking for subsidies from the city in numerous ways and dangles the threat of leaving town if it doesn’t get its way. The latest attempt for a subsidy will come at Scottsdale City Council’s meeting on the … Read More
Political Observations from the Beverly Hills and Bel Air of Arizona
What a week it was for the Valley’s toniest towns. New leadership was elected in each community, prompting numerous observations. *To the bold go the spoils. Both Scottsdale Mayor-Elect Lisa Borowsky and Mayor-Elect Mark Stanton jumped into uphill races. Yet, both prevailed for different reasons. Stanton not only outhustled Anna Thomason, he outflanked her with endorsements and benefitted from his Republican credentials in … Read More
Caesar’s Scottsdale Capitulates: Has Gambling Taken Over?
Diversification is a major key for any corporation that gets to a certain size; being solely reliant on one stream of business represents a major business threat. So when Caesar’s, the company well known for its hotel/casino in Las Vegas, started a hotel and restaurant in Scottsdale but without gaming facilities, the first of its kind anywhere, it seemed like … Read More