*Mayor Ortega:  Finesse.  Many remain surprised inside and outside Scottsdale that he won.  No matter.  He did.  Credit and respect are due.  Ortega deserves room to prove himself, despite his awkward ways.  But he needs to remember he is one of 7 that govern Scottsdale’s future.  Emperor, he is not.  Ideas like his to fire all of the volunteers serving … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop Almost one year ago, basketball fans from around the world were shaken to their core after the passing of legendary basketball superstar Kobe Bryant in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26. And as we eagerly look forward towards a new year, we start by saying goodbye to yet another basketball Hall of Famer. Paul Westphal, former … Read More

Staff Report – 2020 – the longest year. Faced with the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, the events of 2020 brought new obstacles no one was prepared for including an arduous political season, social injustices and an uncertain economic environment to name a few. 2020 also changed the way we live, work and how we connect with each other. … Read More

By Lincoln Shea The wrecking ball will be hitting large sections of Paradise Valley Mall at Cactus and Tatum in Phoenix. Built in 1979, the mall is long past its heyday as it continues to lose business to online sales and more up to date shopping centers such as Desert Ridge. The mall’s owner, Macerich and Red Development gave the … Read More

Water and affordable housing issues are likely to challenge and confound Arizona policymakers over the coming years. Here is a compelling piece on the latter in today’s Arizona Republic. Affordable or “attainable” housing is becoming a bigger issue in Scottsdale and nearby communities. It will be interesting to see its posture as a new city council is set to take … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop Carpe Diem – seize the day – is one of the oldest philosophical mottos in western history. First uttered by the Roman poet Horace more than 2,000 years ago, the phrase has stood the test of time and struck a special chord with adventure enthusiasts anxiously waiting to conquer the next experience. And that’s exactly what one … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop 2021 is just a few days away to the pleasure of many ready to put 2020 in the rear-view mirror. And with the start of a new year also brings the start of some new Arizona laws, most notably Arizona’s distracted driving law which will go into effect on January 1st. For us, this is a no-brainer. … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop For so many in the entertainment and event business, the cancellation or adaptation of hosting large-scale events is a recurring challenge as they navigate the uncharted waters of the pandemic. In any other normal year, the winter months would be the Valley’s peak tourism season. The social calendar filled with activities such as art walks, the Arabian … Read More

*Scottsdale Councilman-Elect Tom Durham will become an influential new voice for Scottsdale arts *The likely 2022 race to be Paradise Valley’s new mayor will become livelier than it already is *The number of people interested in running for Scottsdale Mayor in 2024 will grow to more than the current three *Scottsdale Mayor-Elect Dave Ortega will re-institute the city’s mask requirement … Read More

By Scottsdale Pinetop The cancellation or adaptation of community events seems to be a recurring theme this year as we continue to live through the pandemic. No matter how much preparation and effort goes into planning an event – sometimes things just take a wrong turn. Such was almost the case for the small town of Pinetop-Lakeside and its annual … Read More