Scottsdale Leaders Across Political, Business, Neighborhood Spectrums Come Together for Inclusive Bond Campaign; Steering Committee Named, Scottsdale Firefighters donate $10,000

A politically and geographically diverse group of Scottsdale leaders came together Wednesday, May 8th, for the first meeting of a unified campaign in favor of new bond measures for public safety, parks and key infrastructure improvements. For The Best Scottsdale: Vote Yes On Questions One, Two and Three has named its initial steering committee for the campaign in favor of … Read More

Ending The Dispensary Desert In Southern Scottsdale

There’s no shortage of things to do or places to shop in southern Scottsdale. A quite a lot of ink (or pixels) have been spilled opining about the pluses and minuses of the situation. For residents of southern Scottsdale, there is a void. A big one. South Scottsdale has no medical marijuana dispensaries. Not one. North Scottsdale has four. It’s … Read More

Guest Editorial: Why the Big Push against Vaping?

By Recker McDowell Vaping is the new smoking — in more ways than one. Public health advocates and behavioral ‘normalists’ have vaping and e-cigarettes in their sights. In a political and social culture where left and right hold dear to and fight over liberties ranging from guns to abortion, they seem to come together when it comes to restricting vaping. … Read More

Guest Editorial: The Messy, Free Speech Truth Behind Facebook, Twitter Bans

By Recker McDowell No one is denying Facebook and Twitter have the legal rights to their recent bans and restrictions on controversial voices such as Paul Joseph Watson, Laura Loomer, Louis Farrakhan and James Woods. Their social media platforms are their property. We know all about property rights here in Arizona. The question is whether the social media giants along … Read More

Guest Editorial: See What Scottsdale is Doing Right in the Age of Data

By Recker McDowell Billionaire media mogul and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg doesn’t like soda. But Bloomberg likes Scottsdale. Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable arm of the former mayor, has put Scottsdale on its 2019 list of What Works Cities for its use of data and technology. Data and technology have their privacy drawbacks for the private sector and … Read More

Guest Editorial: Clock ticks on Sean Miller, Decision time for UofA, ABOR

By Recker McDowell The clock is ticking on Sean Miller’s tenure in Tucson as head basketball coach at the University of Arizona and the political and image pressure is on the school and the Arizona Board of Regents. ABOR and the UofA have stuck with Miller throughout a federal investigation into alleged bribes and payments to star recruits involving big … Read More

Guest Editorial: Easter Facebook post keeps on rising for Doug Ducey

By Recker McDowell That religious Easter Facebook post from Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey keeps on getting resurrected. And that is to the Republican governor’s political benefit, especially as he eyes a political future beyond his current office. Ducey posted scripture from John 11: 25 on Easter Sunday commemorating the Christian holiday.  “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and … Read More