By Vanessa Rogers Arizona Republicans woke up Wednesday to a political earthquake. Democrats swept every top statewide office, Gov. Katie Hobbs crushed Andy Biggs, and the party is set to control both chambers of the Legislature for the first time in 60 years. In other words, it wasn’t a bad night for the GOP. It was a historic one. Amid … Read More
Finally, Some Good News From Lake Powell and Lake Mead
If you’ve followed Colorado River news at any point in the last decade, you know the script by heart. Record lows, grim projections, looming cuts, repeat. Few cities have had more reason to dread those headlines than Scottsdale. This fall, however, the script finally flipped. According to new reporting from KTAR News, Lake Powell sat at 3,533 feet on Tuesday. … Read More
Barry Graham Is Now A Republican Folk Hero
by Arlo Seeger Has any candidate anywhere ever faced the onslaught of animus than what Scottsdale City Councilman Barry Graham faced during his 2026 re-election campaign? Specious ethics investigations. Unprecedented payback attacks from a multi-billion dollar company. Constant slings from activists. Broadsides from the Mayor. A Blue Hurricane. Yet, he won. How? Why? *Authenticity Matters In Politics: Graham is disliked … Read More
Giant Crowds, Perfect Weather Anchor 2026 Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships
Packed Tents, Sold-Out Experiences Fuel Incredible 15th Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships Signature Fall Event Draws Huge Crowds for Full Day of Sports, Fashion, Music and Entertainment at WestWorld (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Perfect weather, packed tents and three action-packed polo matches made for one of the most memorable Saturdays yet when the 15th annual Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships took over WestWorld … Read More
Closed Scottsdale Unified School Could Become District’s First Arts Magnet
Arcadia Residents Excited Proposal for Scottsdale Unified’s First Arts Magnet School Could Be Headed to School Board Vote Next Week to Reopen Echo Canyon Campus Tuition-Free Magnet School Would Serve Fourth- Through Eighth-Graders With an Expanded Arts Curriculum at the Confluence of Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Declining enrollment and other structural challenges have public school districts … Read More
Kevin DeMenna and the Lost Art of Working Across the Aisle
Most Arizonans never knew Kevin DeMenna’s name. Still, if you’ve lived here any length of time, a law he helped shape has probably touched your life. The veteran Republican lobbyist attended every legislative session at the Capitol since 1980. He died on Election Day, Nov. 3, after a battle with cancer. He was 67. Over those 46 years, DeMenna represented … Read More
The Music Plays On: The Phoenix Symphony Comes Back
Two and a half weeks ago, we wrote what read like a eulogy. The Phoenix Symphony had announced it would suspend its season after a November 1 concert, leaving 66 musicians facing unpaid layoffs. In our piece we asked the companies and civic leaders betting on Arizona’s future to step up. We hoped someone would answer. Someone did. This past … Read More
Bob Littlefield Did the Math, and Put Scottsdale First
by Ronald Sampson Few people have fought for Scottsdale’s character longer than Bob Littlefield. The Army veteran and tech entrepreneur served three terms on the City Council, from 2002 into 2015, and chaired its subcommittee on water issues. He founded Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions, better known as TAAAZE, to fight against what he and many others saw as … Read More
Axon Spent Big in Scottsdale and Lost Anyway: Dissecting a Failure
By Alexander Lomax Scottsdale voters just handed Axon a lesson in the limits of money. By unofficial results, Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Barry Graham won the two open council seats. Raoul Zubia finished third. For the company and its allies, that was the worst case scenario, and it happened anyway. The Warning Signs Were There We saw this coming. In June, … Read More
Solange Whitehead Shows What Grace in Politics Looks Like
By Ronald Sampson A Gracious Note in a Rough Week Scottsdale just finished one of the more contentious council cycles in recent memory. There were attack ads, super PAC spending, a viral toilet-to-tap video and a debate where candidates traded barbs on stage. So when Councilwoman Solange Whitehead took to Facebook after Election Day, one could have reasonably expected more … Read More