Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky is applauding the Scottsdale City Council’s unanimous direction to move forward with developing standards for future data centers — with a focus on protecting the city’s water resources, neighborhoods and infrastructure. Scottsdale City Council unanimously gave direction at last night’s work study directing the City Attorney’s Office to examine the municipality’s existing regulatory framework and potential … Read More
Declining Enrollment: Will Public Schools Adapt or Close?
By Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board Member Amy Carney Across Arizona, public school districts are facing declining enrollment and difficult financial decisions. But how districts respond to these challenges matters. Consider two neighboring districts: Mesa Public Schools and Scottsdale Unified School District. Mesa has adapted by redesigning smaller schools, sharing resources, creating specialized academic programs, welcoming Empowerment Scholarship Account … Read More
The Music Stops in America’s Fifth-Largest City
Most of us have a Symphony Hall memory. Maybe it was a school field trip, a holiday pops concert, or a date night that went better than expected. For nearly 80 years, the Phoenix Symphony has quietly scored the life of this Valley. Now, it is about to go silent. On Tuesday, the orchestra announced it will suspend operations after … Read More
A $50,000 Machine Tells the Whole Cardinals Story
Marvin Harrison Jr. began his NFL career with about as much hype as a wide receiver can have coming out of college: the #4 overall pick in 2024 and widely considered a generational talent. Fast forward a couple years and he is now considered on the cusp of being a generational draft bust, and the Arizona Cardinals are no better … Read More
An Important Update from The Phoenix Symphony
Dear Friends, I am writing to share extraordinarily difficult news. The Phoenix Symphony will suspend 2026-27 performances and programs following its performance on Sunday, November 1, 2026, because the organization does not have the funds needed to continue the season as planned. Although ticket sales have increased, contributed revenue has grown, and administrative and operating expense reductions have been made, … Read More
One Manager, One Win, and the Future of Baseball in Arizona
Former Arizona State baseball coach Pat Murphy has done the unthinkable: as the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, they slayed Goliath and swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, thus taking them to their first World Series appearance since 1982. That is a 44-year wait. As columnist Dan Bickley argued at Arizona Sports, the stakes reach far beyond Milwaukee. … Read More
Guest Editorial: Don’t Let South Scottsdale Become North Tempe.
By Councilman Barry Graham I grew up in North Scottsdale, and now my wife and I are raising our sons in South Scottsdale. So I have a unique perspective on a situation that happened recently. Last Monday, Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Raoul Zubia and I sat on the same stage at the Arizona Republic Scottsdale City Council Candidate Forum. Michelle noted that … Read More
Scottsdale Council Forum Recap: Water, Growth and a Few Sharp Elbows
By Vanessa Rogers The Arizona Republic hosted a Scottsdale City Council forum that gave voters their clearest side-by-side look yet. On stage were Barry Graham, Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Raoul Zubia. The policy differences were real. However, the differences in tone may be what voters remember most. Opening Statements Set the Tone Graham opened on water. He said Scottsdale’s supply is … Read More
Well Said. Deserved Kudos From Capitalism’s Captain
“Does it get any cooler than a flying car? Humanity owes tech titan Elon Musk its thanks for producing that marvel, demo’d Thursday, and for many other future-delivering achievements — and above all for making visionaries . . . great again.” Read the full story here.
The Ace and the Unforced Error: Ugenti-Rita’s Tale of Two Moments
By Ronald Sampson Michelle Ugenti-Rita has had two very different moments on camera lately. One was a masterclass in how to answer a powerful opponent. The other, caught on camera at a debate, handed her rival a gift. First, the ace. Standing in front of a sign that shows her in cornrows, Ugenti-Rita said Axon could have simply opposed her … Read More