We don’t typically commend things Littlefield. After all it’s been some 330 days sense Classless Bob Littlefield has failed to call and congratulate Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane on the latter’s landslide win last November. Humility following political humiliation might have even been cathartic. But the sins of the husband should not flow to Bob’s wife Kathy, a Scottsdale City Councilmember. … Read More
Odds & Ends To The Week
*According to The Phoenix Business Journal U.S. Senator John McCain is working on a plan with Valley leaders to extend the Salt River’s “Rio Salado” experience and environment from Tempe to the West Valley. If true and if successful it sure would be a lasting legacy to Arizona, and the man. *Uncertainty reigns in the lead-up to Scottsdale City Council … Read More
Some History of the Desert EDGE
By Scottsdale City Councilman David Smith Dear Friends… During the recent Council work study session on the Desert EDGE project, I summarized the history of events that has led to locating a Discovery Center in the preserve, at the Gateway on Thompson Peak Parkway. A few listeners asked me to share that chronology. It’s a long history, so hold your … Read More
Glendale Rising
Phoenix Rising is the name of the Valley’s dynamic new soccer team with major league ambitions. But there’s another rising of note, taking place in Glendale. Just a few short years ago the city was lying prone, left for dead, on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. Fast forward to just the past few months. IKEA is coming. So is Top … Read More
Nursing Homes & Other Nattering In Scottsdale
*After the Troon North HOA’s shellacking of a Motel 6 looking, timeshare-like development at its entrance along comes a nursing home proposal for the old Sassi restaurant site near Pinnacle Peak. Good luck with that. Apparently the initial community meeting was a blood bath. *Keep an eye on Scottsdale Planning Commissioner Christian Serena as a potential city council candidate in … Read More
Milhaven For Scottsdale City Council
In advance of the Iraq War and facing profound domestic opposition, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair shied away from no one, including his fiercest critic in the media. He stood his ground and defended his position. Whether one agreed with it at the time it showed confidence, command and leadership. We feel the same way about Scottsdale City Councilwoman Linda … Read More
Principle & Principals At Work, And Not, With Phoenix’s Chinese Cultural Center
During the 2006 election season many city officials throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, campaigned against Proposition 207. They warned many things why the “Private Property Rights Protection Act” should be defeated. Chief among them were that providing too much individual protection for homeowners and commercial property owners would hamstring municipal redevelopment and historic preservation efforts. Voters rejected such arguments and Proposition … Read More
Chill Out
Whether you like or dislike Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane, and judging from his landslide re-election win in 2016 a lot of people do, it’s hard not to admire the way he leads the city with decency, integrity and class. The same can’t always be said of the respective camps vying over the fate of the Desert Discovery Center (DDC) in … Read More
Bolick v. Woods
They are two of the biggest names in the Arizona legal world. Former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods and Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick. Earlier this week Father Bolick likely would have been proud as his son, Evan Bolick, sparred with Woods. It was in Pinal County Superior Court over a profoundly dishonest effort by Woods to undercut the … Read More
Odds & Ends To The Week
*Bone-headed Branding: With the “Desert Discovery Center” becoming such a pungent name in Scottsdale over the past year plus, proponents sought to rebrand it during their reintroduction in late July with a new name of “Desert Edge.” Apparently the project’s pied piper didn’t get the memo. She still lists the Desert Discovery Center in her signature line. #Communicate *Showing they … Read More