When first elected to the Scottsdale City Council in 2012, Guy Phillips did so as a Tea Party, pissing vinegar, rage against City Hall voice. And throughout much of his first term he did little to dissuade the notion, twice leading opposition to the city’s bond requests for community infrastructure improvements and routinely voting against business and developers. There were … Read More

The old saying that politics makes strange bedfellows is becoming less relevant these days as conflict replaces consensus. There is a notable exception in Scottsdale. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane’s call for a hybrid district system has found an unlikely ally in John Greco, a frequent Lane critic. For months Lane has been advocating for reform in the way Scottsdale elects … Read More

In 2011 Auburn played Oregon for the college football national championship.  The game might have been occurred in Glendale but Scottsdale was the city overrun with events, tourists and shoppers.  At Scottsdale Fashion Square.  Along the Arizona Canal where ESPN staged.  And on an empty lot next to Olive & Ivy that was the site of concerts, special events, college … Read More

It was a great movie, La La Land that is.  But it’s not a place we desire to see members of Scottsdale’s governing body go. In the past we’ve been great fans of David Smith.  Business experience.  Financial acumen . Good person.  A balanced understanding of those things that made for Scottsdale’s uniqueness. Who wouldn’t want someone like that in … Read More

On May 6th the race for the Kentucky Derby resumes.  For two of the most exciting minutes in sports jockeying will abound during the run for the roses. But in Paradise Valley a different kind of race has already begun, almost two full years ahead of when Mayor Michael Collins will pass the baton to his successor.   That’s because … Read More

On January 7, 2014, we raised the question of why, in this age of Phoenix political correctness, Mayor Stanton wasn’t staying true to his roots, and fighting to rename Squaw Peak Drive.  Here’s a link. Well, it looks like he’s finally found time.  And stirred up a lot of controversy based on this recent front page article in the Arizona … Read More

To orchestrate an amazing comeback in the Super Bowl, as Tom Brady did, one doesn’t acquiesce to the rote.  Quarterbacks have to call new plays on the spot, based on the information and defense they are seeing. In Scottsdale, our quarterbacks are the City Council.  And some time ago they made a decision to deconstruct the “Big Tent” at WestWorld … Read More

A community spawned by the likes of William Rehnquist, Sandra Day O’Connor and Barry Goldwater is bound to be something special.  But a quick review of the tony township’s current in-box isn’t just special, it’s extraordinary. *A new version of the beloved Mountain Shadows hotel is set to open March 7th, along with an equally loved “Short Course,” the renamed … Read More

Yesterday was Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane’s birthday.  It was also his annual State of the City address, attended by a record 460 people. That’s a testament to his leadership, and the landslide election victory he had in November.   But the most surprising part of his speech wasn’t his dedicatory remarks about the “best city in America,” it was in … Read More

Partnership between ASU, Scottsdale’s Desert Discovery Center to produce research, exhibits about local environment There’s nothing new about Arizona residents looking for sustainable ways to live in the desert, but a recent United Nations report has made the matter a worldwide concern. Because of climate change, the UN says that by 2030 almost half of the global population will be living … Read More