Legislative District 4 Has a New Representative: New Boss is Same As the Old Boss

Legislative District 4 in Arizona is a massively important one, not just because many of our readers are within it (as it covers much of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley), but because it is one of the few legitimate swing districts, with one Republican Representative and one Democrat (as well as a Democratic State Senator). Representative Laura Terech announced that she … Read More

Rich Arizona Marijuana Dispensary Owners Make A Mess Out Of A Social Equity Dispensary License And Then Go On A Media Campaign To Duck Responsibility

By Rick Rillito Mohit “Moe” Asnani and Charles “Chip” Boyden are learning the hard way that writing big checks doesn’t solve everything. Sometimes it can cause big problems. Moe and Chip own multiple marijuana dispensaries in Tucson.   In 2022, after Arizona awarded 26 new “social equity” marijuana licenses related to recreational marijuana , Moe and Chip had a plan to … Read More

Guest Editorial: Arizona’s Teacher Shortage: Prop 123 Didn’t Solve the Problem

By John Coppotelli IV Teachers have the unique ability to change and shape young people’s minds. They are a vital part of ensuring that every generation has the necessary knowledge for their future endeavors. However, with costs on the rise everywhere and their salaries staying stagnant, teachers are becoming a lot scarcer, and classrooms are not getting filled. There are … Read More

Scottsdale Police Using Drones: Effective Crime-Fighting or Intrusion on Privacy?

Arizona has always had a bit of a social libertarian streak; one focused on self-reliance, of personal freedoms, and a disdain for “big government”. Sometimes that desire for personal freedom and a lack of government intrusion can clash with another aspect of much of the state, and specifically Scottsdale: a respect for the work of law enforcement. So what happens … Read More

Speaker’s Corner: Gem Ray

This is a place where free speech and public debate are welcomed and encouraged. The Speakers’ Corner originated in the mid-19th century at London’s Hyde Park. The concept spread worldwide both physically and now virtually. Here at the Arizona Progress & Gazette, we are presenting this platform in the form of question-and-answer style interviews with people who have had a … Read More

Looking Forward to November: The Scottsdale City Council Race

The recent primary in Scottsdale offered some clarity on how the next iteration of the City Council will look, as well as one surprise: instead of fundraising favorite Tammy Caputi avoiding a run-off and winning outright, it was Jan Dubauskas who finished in first with enough of a margin to avoid a run-off, and as such will be the first … Read More

AI Deep Fake Videos in Politics – Is This a Real Concern?

By John Coppotelli IV Videos during Political Campaigns are one of the most effective ways to get a message across to as many people as possible. However, with the rise of generative technology, the line between fact and fiction is becoming blurred. Videos of political candidates using AI and deep fake technology have been showing up more frequently. So what … Read More

Guest Editorial: Listen to Our Firefighters, Not the Loud Activists

By Ronald Sampson Most cities of a certain size have some kind of a loud activist minority (minority referring to their size, not any immutable traits). You know the types; they don’t have too much to hang their hat on when it comes to their personal or professional lives, so they throw everything into some political causes, consistently raise the … Read More

Is Arizona Headed Towards a Recession?

The economy is always a hot talking point when elections are approaching, and this year will be no different. However, the current economy isn’t as cut-and-dry as years past. By most traditional metrics, the economy has been in very good shape, with reasonable GDP growth and unemployment bouncing around all-time lows. That said, as all of us know, inflation has … Read More