By Suzanne Klapp — Having served on the Scottsdale City Council for nearly 12 years, and having worked hands-on during the Great Recession with Mayor Jim Lane, it is very clear to me that our current city budget will be affected by a rapid revenue decline due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, unfortunately, the city’s preliminary 2020-2021 … Read More
Guest Editorial: COVID-19 Wave on Navajo Nation Compels a Call for Immediate Action, Investments
By Recker McDowell — There are more than 1,200 reported cases and 48 deaths from COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation. That is more cases than 8 U.S. states including Alaska and North Dakota. There are also more cases than Pima County. The 48 Navajo Nation deaths from the Coronavirus are more than 13 states including Nebraska and South Dakota. The … Read More
Guest Editorial: Tempe Helps Small Businesses, Scottsdale Helps The Super Bowl
By Recker McDowell — The city of Tempe and Desert Financial Credit Union have launched a new $1 million microloan program to help small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program aims to help Tempe small businesses with between 5 and 50 employees with loans to help them meet payroll, pay rent and suppliers. This is what Scottsdale … Read More
Attorney General’s Office Issues Advisory Regarding Work-From-Home Scams
PHOENIX – Attorney General Mark Brnovich advises Arizonans to properly verify work-from-home opportunities. Scammers frequently take advantage of major events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, by using the resulting economic distress to steal money and personal information from consumers. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is aware of scams in Arizona attempting to take advantage of Arizonans by posting fake work-from-home jobs. Work-from-home … Read More
Props To Diego Pops
Cleator. Oatman. Jerome. They are among the more famous Arizona ghost towns. And they are what Old Town Scottsdale and many other downtowns are starting to resemble as the government shuts down so many wonderful, legally operating businesses. Government can’t seize private property without compensation but apparently can do so to your life’s work and dreams, save for a survival … Read More
Guest Editorial: Digging Into the Scottsdale Races for Mayor and City Council
By Recker McDowell — New campaign fundraising numbers in Scottsdale show advantages for Virginia Korte and Suzanne Klapp in the mayoral race and some financial strength for City Council candidates Tammy Caputi, John Little and Bill Crawford. Candidates have filed first quarter 2020 campaign finance reports with the city of Scottsdale. In the race for mayor, Korte raised $95,071 in … Read More
Governor’s Executive Order Permits Food Trucks At ADOT Rest Areas
PHOENIX — To help the long-haul truckers keeping Arizonans supplied with food and essentials, Governor Doug Ducey has issued an Executive Order allowing food trucks to operate at eight Arizona Department of Transportation rest areas. While commercial activity is ordinarily prohibited at federally funded rest areas, the Federal Highway Administration recently permitted states to allow food trucks at rest areas while the … Read More
Recent Scottsdale Campaign Contribution Report Revelations
Due yesterday for the year’s first quarter, the campaign contribution and expenditure reports for Scottsdale mayoral and city council candidates provide fresh insights into how the various campaigns are doing. Here are some key observations: The year-end campaign finance reports for 2019 showed Councilwoman Suzanne Klapp with a commanding lead over fellow Councilwoman Virginia Korte in the mayoral race. The … Read More
Is North Peoria Smarter Or More Special Than North Scottsdale or North Phoenix?
Few other areas are booming in Arizona more than the Desert Ridge area in North Phoenix. Few locales are more desirable in the state than North Scottsdale. What do both have in common? Transfer stations for recycling and waste. It’s not the sexiest part of any city or neighborhood, but they are necessary infrastructure to reduce rates, pollution and the distance trucks … Read More
Guest Editorial: The Unseen Death Toll of Covid-19 Measures
By U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock — The accumulating death toll from Covid-19 can be seen minute-by-minute on cable news channels. But there’s another death toll few seem to care much about: the number of poverty-related deaths being set in motion by deliberately plunging millions of Americans into poverty and despair. In the first three weeks since governors began shutting down … Read More