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

By Scottsdale Pinetop As the old adage goes, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” So why the Scottsdale City Council felt the need to change the city’s flag we do not understand. To those who are not familiar with Scottsdale’s current city flag, it features the city’s seal – a mounted cowboy on a bucking bronco – with a … Read More

By Scottsdale Watchman Every week, we hear tragic story after tragic story about our military veterans and the struggles they face when readjusting to civilian life. In one 2016 study, the Department of Veterans Affairs discovered that approximately 20 veterans committed suicide daily and that veterans accounted for 14 percent of all adult suicide deaths in the U.S. It’s also … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop Governor Doug Ducey and Kirk Adams – a dynamic duo of Arizona politics. Few political pairs have accomplished so much in such a short period of time. From tackling challenging budgets, to the successful campaign of Proposition 123 and the historic 2018 session that included a 20 percent pay increase for teachers by 2020, Ducey and Adams … Read More

By Scottsdale Watchman You may have heard of a landmark development for the southern edge of downtown Scottsdale called Museum Square. It would replace the old Loloma Transit Station, currently an abandoned concrete jungle with tumbleweeds rolling through it. Museum Square would include a new hotel, a well-designed residential component and a large new community square for public events. It’s … Read More

The Lastest Newsletter from The Scottsdale Coalitions of Today and Tomorrow A solid lineup for Scottsdale In the coming days we’ll start hearing the phrase “pitchers and catchers reporting,” the alert that tells us spring training baseball is about to begin. It’s a phrase reminiscent of “drivers, start your engines,” which opens the Indy 500 race every year and unleashes … Read More