Scottsdale Unified Superintendent Scott Menzel was recently on the hot seat in his recent assessment, where his performance pay came under light fire by board members perhaps trying to look tough in the face of potential recall elections and re-election campaigns. Superintendent Menzel recently showed why he deserves the benefit of nearly any doubt, and how he plans to help … Read More
The Absurdity is Over: All 4 SUSD Recall Attempts Fail
By Alexander Lomax Could it be? Common sense reigns over irrational anger? Someone get the fainting couch, I am getting the vapors! Yes, it is with a certain degree of jubilation and relief that I can announce that the four attempted recall elections of Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board members have all failed, None of them got the nearly … Read More
Open ICU Beds in AZ at their Lowest Since Beginning of Pandemic; It’s Not Too Late for Common Sense Though
By Alexander Lomax So you’re over Covid? Same here. I’m pretty confident that the only thing that isn’t sick of Covid yet is the virus itself, which seems to be reinventing itself down the Greek alphabet. We segued smoothly from Delta to Omicron, and while the deadliness of this particular strain seems to be lesser than the last, the cheerful … Read More
The Waste Management Phoenix Open is About to Get Even Wilder: With Sports Betting
By Ronald Sampson We all know the reputation of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the biggest golf event in Arizona every year: wild, raucous, salacious, and whatever other adjective you’d use to describe an excellent party. And now, they’re about to turn the volume up to 11…with sports betting. The Scottsdale City Council, in conjunction with the Tournament Player’s Club … Read More
Guest Editorial: the Month in Review
By Councilwoman Betty Janik It has been my pleasure to serve the Scottsdale residents as a member of City Council in 2021. The first year of my term has gone by quickly. I ran to be a voice for the citizens and I will continue to listen to you, meet with you, and work for the best Scottsdale. I welcome … Read More
Scottsdale Police Executing a Gigantic Sting Against Sinaloa Cartel, Keeping Valley Streets Safe
Many people might think that being a part of the Scottsdale police department involves little more than breaking up drunken bar fights in Old Town and picking up a few impaired drivers. But in a major development with statewide repercussions, the SPD directly facilitated a huge opioid bust against a major drug cartel. Yes, you read that right, the Scottsdale … Read More
Scottsdale City Council Living Up to Promises and Doing What the State Won’t: Regulating Short-Term Rentals
We have recently written about the town of Paradise Valley’s attempts to curb short-term rentals (STRs) in the face of inaction by our state government. Now Scottsdale is getting in on those attempts in the fight for preservation of a high quality of life. The Scottsdale City Council recently unanimously voted to close loopholes in STR laws in the city, … Read More
A Crisis In Part Caused By Scottsdale (But Also One That Can Be Cured By It Too)
If there is one defining characteristic of Arizona, save the desert, it’s our natural disdain for the government telling us what to do. But every once in a while, they feel like their hand is forced and that they need to do something. Well we are quickly hurtling towards that point with rent prices in Arizona. Rent prices have risen … Read More
SUSD Board is Feeling Heat, Putting Superintendent Menzel Through a Wringer
It’s been a strange last few months for Scottsdale Unified; between protests and swarms of angry parents to the Greenburg fiasco, it’s safe to say that all of SUSD’s leadership is under intense pressure. That may be manifesting itself in a conversation about compensation, as SUSD members are talking about changing metrics for Superintendent Scott Menzel’s pay. All this is … Read More
Scottsdale a New Soccer Mecca? Phoenix Rising Looking to Use Vacant Scottsdale Space, Why That’s a Good Idea
Scottsdale as the center of the Arizona soccer universe? It sounds crazy, but it may be closer to becoming reality, as the Phoenix Rising soccer team is considering purchasing or leasing the vacant lot near Oak and 68th Street for their junior league to use. The Phoenix Rising Football Club is the highest-league soccer club in Arizona and is one … Read More