By Recker McDowell — Nancy Grant has volunteered at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale the past 8 years. “I’m involved in animal care and releasing animals back into the wild,” Grant said. The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center rescues, rehabilitates, and cares for wild animals including wolves, coyotes, foxes, bears, mountain lions, raccoons and javelinas. Grant said she volunteers … Read More

By Lincoln Shea — For many in the horseracing industry, travelling from city to city is part of the business. Finding a church while on the move is not easy. That is why Turf Paradise provides an on-site chapel and a chaplain for its jockeys, trainers, and extended family of those who work in the horseracing industry. Reverend John Shumaker … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Sports is known for its dynasties. The New York Yankees, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, and UCONN women’s basketball all come to mind. In Scottsdale, there has also been a family sports dynasty when it comes to soccer. And that dynasty also shows the lesson of investing in our community and our young people. The Struckman … Read More

By Recker McDowell — An interesting video is circulating on Facebook and YouTube on the races for Scottsdale City Council and Scottsdale Mayor. The video examines financial support from Sunbrella Properties to two mayoral candidates (David Ortega and Bob Littlefield) and three City Council candidates (Guy Phillips, Tom Durham and Betty Janik). Scottsdale’s primary election for Mayor and Council is … Read More

By Recker McDowell — The New York Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution today published an essay penned by U.S. Rep. John Lewis shortly before the civil rights icon died earlier this month. Lewis’ farewell essay focuses on the current state of race, class, and democracy in America in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter … Read More

By Recker McDowell — We all know planning is not easy during this time of COVID-19. School districts, universities, workplaces, and small businesses are all navigating the moving targets of COVID cases and how to protect public health. It can be a day-to-day exercise — just ask the Miami Marlins or local school districts across the country. Still, we need … Read More

By Recker McDowell — COVID-19 has upturned so many aspects of daily life. Public health, jobs, and activities we have taken for granted such as travel, going to the movies or a sporting event or church have all been changed. We are still figuring out when many things will return to some resemblance of normal. Volunteering and community work have … Read More

Staff Report — Candidates for Mayor and City Council in Scottsdale are filing fresh campaign finance reports as they head toward the August 4th primary. Suzanne Klapp and Virginia Korte lead the money race in the contest to succeed Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane who is term limited. There are three City Council seats up for grabs with John Little, Tammy … Read More

Dumb & Dumber was a slapstick comedy back in 1994. It’s an apt description of landlord lobbyist David Ortega’s campaign for Scottsdale Mayor in 2020. Stung by documented, fair critiques of his Scottsdale record, the lowlight being his vociferous opposition to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve during his first, failed run for Mayor in 2004, Ortega has resorted to attacking the … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Diane Vaszily has been volunteering at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale for the past 9 years. Southwest Wildlife is home to orphaned, injured and rescued wild animals including wolves, bears, coyotes, foxes, deer, bobcats, skunks, and mountain lions. SWCC celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. Vaszily is a retired environmental educator so the wild animal … Read More