By Recker McDowell — The COVID-19 pandemic has hit arts groups, galleries, and venues extremely hard. Performances, showings, fundraising events, and festivals have been canceled or postponed. Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts said during a recent digital forum that most arts organizations across the state have had to lay off workers or furlough staff because of COVID-19 … Read More

Staff Report — We came across a feature in Trendsetters magazine from 2017 on a certain Scottsdale City Council candidate who was in a ‘Sizzling Singles’ feature. City Council wannabe Michael Auerbach talked to the magazine about what he was looking for in a significant other – his ideal woman. “The woman I am searching for enjoys intellectual challenges and … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Candidates for Scottsdale Mayor and City Council have started filing campaign finance reports for the second quarter. The reports outline candidate fundraising from April 1st through June 30th. Mayoral candidates are looking to succeed term-limited Mayor Jim Lane. There are three Scottsdale City Council seats being contested. The primary election is August 4th with potential and … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Scottsdale City Councilman Guy Phillips found himself in the international spotlight after he said ‘I Can’t Breathe’ at a June 24th rally against new COVID-19 mask mandates. ‘I Can’t Breathe’ were the last words of George Floyd before he died in Minneapolis Police custody. Phillips apologized for the comments, but critics made a push for him … Read More

By Recker McDowell — The social and economic impacts of COVID-19 have increased community demand at food banks across the country. St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix and other food banks across Arizona are also challenged. Jerry Brown, director of media relations at St. Mary’s, said demand for emergency food boxes and other help tripled when COVID-19 started, and scores … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Andrea Alley is one of Scottsdale’s next generation of leaders and advocates impacting the city’s path on key issues. Alley first got engaged in Scottsdale politics and community affairs during the 2016 vote on the Desert Discovery Center. Alley, who lives in southern Scottsdale, then got involved in the redevelopment of Papago Plaza. She was also … Read More

By Don Henninger — The sounds of silence often can be damaging. That point comes to light after recent events in Scottsdale have presented an image to the national and international media that does not reflect the values embraced by the majority of community and business leaders in the city. Some of those images have harmed the city’s reputation, and … Read More

It was the landmark ABC show a few years back.  And it clearly describes landlord lobbyist David Ortega’s quinquennial-like standing for Scottsdale Mayor. There are many reasons Ortega will never be Mayor of Scottsdale. But the latest may be our favorite and take the cake. Despite Ortega’s campaign resembling one Rip Van Winkle might have run, he actually did get … Read More

Many golf courses are closing across the country and Arizona, which can be perplexing for neighborhoods. This means that innovation, adaptability, and creativity can’t just be redevelopment buzzwords these days. They are requirements. Fortunately, these ideals appear to be the approach for creating a new community park and greenbelt at the closed down Club West Golf Course in Ahwatukee. If … Read More

By Recker McDowell — Being homeless in Phoenix is brutal in the summer with the relentless heat. The situation for the homeless and transients is even more dangerous now with COVID-19 and Arizona’s rise in cases. This makes the work of shelters, social services workers, and volunteers even more essential to our communities and our neighbors in need. They are … Read More