Upton Sinclair once wrote a captivating American novel called The Jungle.  Far more recently others have written about the municipal jungle known in Paradise Valley as Mountain Shadows. It seemed to be to this community’s Los Arcos, a property always top of mind but without solution.  But just as Scottsdale eventually lanced its boil, Paradise Valley may have more elegantly … Read More

Political malpractice.  That’s a kind term to describe the decision to place both a City of Scottsdale bond package on the ballot as the same time as more money for the school district.  At a time when the stock market is high but the economy is not. Dueling taxing propositions was an effort needing to defy the gods.  Rare are … Read More

As the joint Phoenix-Paradise Valley improvements impressively conclude soon at Camelback Mountain’s Echo Canyon it sparks a new idea:  hiking access to Paradise Valley’s Mummy Mountain. Scottsdale is opening trailheads in its spectacular McDowell Sonoran Preserve daily, it seems.  Demand for hikes in and around Paradise Valley at Piestewa Peak, Cholla Trail and Echo Canyon aren’t subsiding any time soon. … Read More

Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio certainly contradicts the notion in this headline.  And he has been an exceptionally important voice railing against many excesses in Phoenix city government.  But ultimately is a city best off with five, seven or nine Sal’s? Pardon the detour. It would seem a consistent conservative message would go something like this.  The federal government is … Read More

A beautiful evening on the patio at Camelback Back Inn’s restaurant called Rita’s. The views at Sanctuary. The charm of The Hermosa Inn. The social conscience of the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. The increasing charm of Montelucia. When one thinks of and experiences Paradise Valley’s grand resorts The Cottonwoods’ hotel property along Scottsdale Road doesn’t come to mind. Most don’t even … Read More

The Arizona Republic recently announced it was abandoning local editorials and opinion pages. What a shame. In years past the Republic, Phoenix Gazette and Scottsdale Progress joined the likes of the Glendale Star, West Valley View and many others to provide robust commentary on matters of local import. The Arizona Progress & Gazette has been launched with names from the … Read More

In 2014 three seats on the Scottsdale City Council will be up for grabs, those of incumbents Dennis Robbins and Linda Milhaven and that of the loquacious voice of yesteryear, Bob Littlefield. Littlefield is term-limited, and considering a run for the Arizona State Legislature. We can dispense with the need for interviews and candidate debates when it comes to endorsements … Read More