The results were fascinating on August 4th, as former Councilmembers Dave Ortega and Lisa Borowsky now head to the run-off in November. But a deeper dive into the results are even more fascinating. As he did when he ran for Mayor for the first time in 2004 against Mary Manross, Ortega did very well in the southern precincts that tend … Read More

Since August 4th primary, Dave Ortega is outworking rival Lisa Borowsky in race to become Scottsdale’s next Mayor.

Three Words To Describe Scottsdale’s Pending Political Riddle  The nation is divided politically.  And so is Scottsdale.  But instead of Democrats and Republicans the city has slow-growthers and pro-growthers.  Some would say pro-business and anti-business but that is a contrast bridge too far. Scottsdale’s slow growth banner over the years has been enthusiastically carried by former City Councilman and mayoral … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop The future of school funding and education reform has been a point of concern among voters and state leaders. And with the Invest in Education proposal certified to be on the upcoming ballot, conversations surrounding the public-school system are more important now than ever. Helping to expand the dialogue is Café con Chico, a weekly virtual podcast … Read More

I like Scottsdale as Scottsdale  By Jim Derouin, originally published on SCOTT  Jim Derouin is a long-time Scottsdale resident, attorney, and member of the city of Scottsdale’s Districting and Charter review task forces. There is an old song that includes the line: “Dance with the one that brought you and you can’t go wrong.” My family and I moved to … Read More

By Betty Janik Scottsdale City Council Candidate Teachers inspire students and students inspire teachers. Let’s give a shout out to all teachers for their inspiration, especially in the difficult time of COVID. They have been teaching our children from a distance, not an easy task. The biggest perk of teaching is helping a student reach a mile stone in their … Read More

Following elections, and Scottsdale’s August 4th primary is no different, there is a temptation to declare winners and losers.  We will be no exception today.  But we seek to do so in a more insightful and entertaining way. Let’s start with the Biggest Loser.  And no we are not talking about the buffoonish and defeated Scottsdale City Council candidate Michael … Read More

Paradise Valley.  Ahwatukee.  Two great communities.  Miles apart.  Yet much in common.  They both sit at the base of beautiful mountains.  And both have faced the loss of open space and a golf course. Paradise Valley neighbors and its Town Council figured out a good solution.  The “new” Mountain Shadows at 56th Street & Lincoln is nearly built out.  Once … Read More

Staff Report – A recap of the top 10 stories on Arizona Progress & Gazette for the month of July. Thank you to all of our readers for the continued support and there’s still more to come. Andrea Alley Next Generation Leader in Scottsdale Andrea Alley is one of Scottsdale’s next generation of leaders and advocates impacting the city’s path … Read More

In 2013 we launched the Arizona Progress & Gazette as a way to provide a new venue for local opinions in an age of shrinking media. We never sought to be the biggest, just an interesting place for debate and opinion. We envisioned it as a place for influencers to do their thing, make an impact and be judged. Back … Read More