From Attorney Dennis I. Wilenchik This morning the City of Scottsdale and the City Manager, in his personal and official capacity, were served with a notice of claim (attached) regarding what we claim therein to be the farcical investigation and wrongful termination of R. Lamar Whitmer and the damage caused to Mr. Whitmer and his reputation as a result. What … Read More
The Mayor’s Brother, the Strip Clubs, and the Lawsuit Nobody Asked For
By Ronald Sampson Scottsdale has always had a complicated relationship with its adult entertainment industry: a city that projects upscale resort glamour while quietly hosting a cluster of strip clubs near Scottsdale and McDowell roads that have survived ballot measures, police scrutiny, and enough controversy to fill several seasons of prestige television. Now, that long, strange history has produced its … Read More
Guest Editorial: Preserve Voting Records
By Betty Janik One can tell that it’s election time in Scottsdale because suddenly everyone’s a McDowell Sonoran Preserve supporter! Unfortunately, the truth isn’t always being told. City Council Candidate Bob Littlefield touts that he: “fought commercial development in the Preserve by opposing the Desert Discovery Center and working to pass Proposition 420”. As Treasurer of the “Protect Our Preserve” … Read More
Lake Powell and the Dam That May Not Hold: A Crisis Decades in the Making
The Colorado River has been in trouble for a long time. But a new wave of reporting suggests the situation may be moving from chronic to acute, with Lake Powell potentially reaching “deadpool” status before the end of 2026. For the 40 million people across seven states who depend on the river, this is no longer a distant warning…it is … Read More
Zoox Picks Scottsdale: A Win for the Valley’s Tech Ambitions… With Eyes Wide Open
The Greater Phoenix area has another reason to feel good about its tech credentials. Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company owned by Amazon, has announced it is opening a Fusion Center in Scottsdale to support its expanding robotaxi operations. It’s welcome news and, with a dose of healthy realism, worth putting in proper context. What Zoox Is Actually Bringing to Scottsdale … Read More
Guest Editorial: Help Me Protect Scottsdale
By Michelle Ugenti-Rita We must hold the line and protect Scottsdale. Leftist California-style policies are one council election away if we don’t hold our majority. There are candidates in this race who are pushing the same failed agenda that has turned once great cities into cautionary tales: skyrocketing homelessness, high-density apartment towers, low-income housing projects, gridlocked traffic, rising crime, and declining quality … Read More
Guest Editorial: Campaign Update
By Councilman Barry Graham
Scottsdale Is Setting the Table: The Newest Culinary Must-Eats in the City
There has always been something quietly confident about Scottsdale’s dining scene; the sense that the desert knows how to throw a party. But 2026 is different. This year, the city isn’t just keeping pace with the country’s best food cities…it’s making a genuine argument for the top of the list. The most talked-about arrival so far is Cielito, the new … Read More
Lisa Sette: A Valley Arts Institution Gets Her Due
There are people who work in the arts, and then there are people for whom the arts are simply how they exist in the world. Lisa Sette is the latter, and the recognition she is receiving right now, through the spotlight cast on her current exhibition and the broader acknowledgment of her four-decade legacy, is long overdue. A Career Built … Read More
Travel Spotlight of the Week: the Relaxed Perfection of Malta and Sicily
By Bedouin Bourdain There are destinations you visit, and then there are destinations that visit you, that take up permanent residence somewhere behind the eyes. Malta and Sicily are the latter. Malta arrives like a movie set no one told you was real. Baroque gold drips from the ceiling of St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, a vault of painted heavens so … Read More