By The Happy Wanderer The story of Shanesha Taylor is heartbreaking. You may remember her mugshot which was broadcast on news outlets across the United States. Several years ago, the Phoenix resident had a job interview in Scottsdale. Instead of leaving her two sons, ages 2 years and 6 months at the time, with a babysitter or a daycare facility, … Read More

By The Happy Wanderer When we last discussed how the City of Tempe and its bureaucrats have attempted to stop a property owner from opening a previously-entitled medical marijuana dispensary in a retail/medical/office complex near the intersection of Warner Road and Priest Drive, we wrote that the city “still had time” to prevent a legal debacle. It now appears as … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop Breathtaking. Stunning. Ginormous. Unfathomable. These are just some of the words many have used to describe one of the seven natural wonders of the world. And as of Tuesday, the Grand Canyon reached 100 years as a designated national park, a major milestone for both the park and the state. The Grand Canyon is a reminder of … Read More

By Scottsdale Watchman Neptune is the Roman god of the seas. Recently, we noticed a majestic painting of him for sale in one of Old Town Scottsdale’s poshest art galleries. We saw that in his right hand, he has a strong grasp of a trident, pointing it towards the heavens. The next thing we noticed caught us off guard. With … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop Like in any successful business owner knows, a company only works if you are willing to reinvest and make improvements to it. The city of Scottsdale has largely stopped doing that. As a result our infrastructure is crumbling. The roads need to be repaved, facilities need to be updated and bridges need to be repaired. Thankfully, the … Read More

By The Happy Wanderer The word “mall” conjures several things in our minds. The food court. The multi-colored tile floors lining the walkways. The big-box department store with aisles that extend as far as the eye can see. Even the overweight mall cop. Shopping malls have been a staple of the American consumer experience. Despite their enduring presence, shopping malls … Read More

Every community has its dedicated citizens that pay attention more than most to the whats going ons there.  In previous days they would submit frequent letters to the editors of local newspapers.  Now, they tend more towards an ability to mobilize and influence on social media.   Scottsdale is no exception. Activists like Carla and Jane Rau once upon a … Read More

By Scottsdale Watchman Remember the hit 2010 movie “Despicable Me”? In it, the supervillain character Gru hatches a plan for the greatest heist of all times. He figures out a way to shrink and steal the moon. By the end of the movie though, he has a change of heart when three little girls he adopts make him renege on … Read More

By The Tempe Tree   I recently became aware of some interesting poll results regarding the City of Tempe. The poll was apparently conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, once of the nation’s leading such companies.   In a poll of 300 likely Tempe voters, Public Opinion Strategies found that Tempe residents feel positive about their city’s future with 74 percent … Read More

By The Happy Wanderer Scottsdale’s residents are some of Arizona’s most well-informed and eloquent citizens. But occasionally, you get a resident who expresses a preposterous perspective. AJ Germek’s recent editorial in The Scottsdale Independent fits into this category of odd critiques. Here’s a link to it. In his opinion piece, he goes on a rampage against the proposed Museum Square … Read More