Did you know that April is International Jazz Appreciation Month? It’s part of a global celebration to share this unique part of Americana across the world, led by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. And Hancock himself had a role in bringing jazz to Scottsdale. The International Jazz Day in Arizona outdoor music festival takes place Saturday, April 30 at the … Read More
We Have a Race for Paradise Valley Mayor: Pace vs Bien-Willner
Paradise Valley politics have often been relatively similar to the nature of the town itself; a bit sleepy, not too much excitement happening (save a cross being stolen), just how its residents prefer. But that may be changing this year, as not only will we have competitive Town Council races, but it also looks like we will have a Mayoral … Read More
AG Brnovich Weighs In On PV STR Rules: The Good and the Bad
The issue of short-term rentals (STRs) is not a new topic here at the Arizona Progress Gazette, and regular readers will note that Paradise Valley’s rules to make business more difficult for STR operators had received a request for investigation from Sen. Warren Peterson (himself the owner of a STR property), which elicited a formal statement from the PV Town … Read More
The Scottsdale City Council 2022 Race is Now Set: How Does It Look?
As with every campaign, it’s easy to say that you’re running for office; you can even file some paperwork to make it official. However actually getting on the ballot is a very different matter, involving the collection of a significant number of signatures from voters. Since the signature deadline has now passed, unless a candidate’s signatures are challenged we have … Read More
An Interesting Potential Solution for Housing Affordability Crisis
We don’t need to tell you that the housing crisis in Arizona is one of the most important issues that impacts so many Arizonans. We have led the country in rent increases, and the median home price has risen exponentially and now tops an eye-popping $500,000. And we have spoken plenty about the need for more housing options; increasing supply … Read More
Scottsdale in the Crosshairs of Water Crisis – Will It Impact Our Livability?
In what is absolutely zero surprise to you, we all live in a desert. Water has always been and will always be an issue for Arizonans, one that we don’t shy away from talking about. But now Scottsdale is even more in the crosshairs of this significant subject. Ground Zero for this issue is currently in the Rio Verde Foothills, … Read More
Guest Opinion: Arizona Dysfunction
Dear Editor, It would be nice to think that our elected officials are the best of the best. Careful and measured individuals who will thoughtfully legislate to ensure the greatest possible outcomes for their constituents. Unfortunately, that is not what we are seeing from Arizona’s Republicans. This month, we’ve watched in awe as stories appeared detailing a considerable lack of … Read More
Paul Dembow Challenger Christine Labelle Demonstrating Leadership and Expertise with Timeshare Issue in PV
You know that us here at APG are no glowing fans of Paradise Valley Councilman Paul Dembow; ohh no, we have made our views known. That said, it is not always enough to simply want someone you find disagreeable gone from power…you need to have faith in the competence, intelligence and values of the person who is replacing them. Piggybacking … Read More
Scottsdale City Council Outlines Their Priorities – Are They In Touch With the Needs of Scottsdalians?
Last week, the Scottsdale City Council convened on a retreat in order to outline some of their priorities as they apply to the implementation of the Scottsdale General Plan 2035. It is a good window into the mind of the members of the Council, and we are here to dig deeper into them. First, we seem to get some insights … Read More
Another Old Town Shooting; Do We Have a Crime Issue?
There has been significant chatter recently about crime in and around Old Town recently, including a murder there just last month. Well here we are again, with another shooting there last week (and no arrests at the time of writing. We do not want to overreact with clickbait titles and fear tactics, but at the same time we often tend … Read More