It’s shocking and sad that Scottsdale voters have not backed a meaningful bond measure to fund community infrastructure in two decades, despite public opinion polls showing residents believing the city is headed in the “right direction” rather than the “wrong track” by substantial margins. A key reason for failed bond programs past was a house divided. The City Council … Read More
Small Scottsdale Rezoning But Big Symbolism
Scottsdale is a very special city and its northern reaches have a lot to do with it. There, lower densities prevail in an almost rural environment with the McDowell Sonoran Preserve anchoring its distinct character. Recent years have seen numerous rezonings and increasing densities come to parts of the area. That’s not necessarily bad, but does it mean those … Read More
Guest Editorial: Keep Calm and Carry On
By The Happy Wanderer Downtown Scottsdale merchants have played an extremely critical role in our city’s economy for decades. The art galleries that line the streets in the Arts District attract tourists from across the world and are embedded in the fabric of Scottsdale’s culture. Though each gallery and store in the Arts District sells different wares, one thing does … Read More
Scottsdale Shouldn’t Do An Impression Of Donald Sterling
Before he proffered idiotic, racial remarks, former Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling was widely considered the worst owner in the history of sports. He didn’t pay his players. He wasn’t a winner. He was cheap. Now, we don’t mean to compare the Scottsdale City Council to Donald Sterling. After all, the city is one of the great municipal … Read More
A Pig’s Lipstick
“I voted for the densest project in the history of our community.” That’s not a refrain you often see municipal elected officials put on re-election brochures. Yet, that would be the truth were anyone on the Paradise Valley Town Council to actually vote for the density dog that has become the proposed redevelopment of the SmokeTree Resort near Scottsdale … Read More
Guest Editorial: Paradise Valley Mayor’s Update – April 2019
By Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner Dear Friends and Neighbors: We’re now three months into my term as Mayor, and the experience of serving Paradise Valley residents as Mayor has been both an honor and a pleasure. I wanted to provide you with an update on some of the issues we’ve been working on, and will do so on a periodic basis going forward … Read More
Guest Editorial: How Can Scottsdale Keep Raking in the Awards?
By Scottsdale Watchman Like Michael Jordan at a post-season NBA awards ceremony, Scottsdale keeps raking in the hardware. In just the last two years, Scottsdale has been listed as the number one city in the United States for job seekers. It has been recognized for excellence in economic development. Our city has been acknowledged as North America’s top golf destination. … Read More
Guest Editorial: F*cking Finally
By The Happy Wanderer When the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series for the franchise’s first championship victory in 108 years, the sentiment expressed by Cubbies fans across the world could be summed up in two words: “F*cking finally!” That’s the reaction we had late last Friday. Almost five years after the … Read More
Guest Editorial: It Can Wait
By Scottsdale Pinetop On average, it takes five second to send or read a text message. To put that in perspective, it also takes about five seconds to travel the length of a football field while driving 55 mph. In 2017, Arizona reported 741 distracted driving related accidents according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Yet, Arizona is one … Read More
Guest Editorial: Carpetbagging
By Scottsdale Watchman Just one year ago, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni made quite the impression on the West Valley’s political scene. In last April’s special election in the 8th Congressional District, which consists of Phoenix’s north and western suburbs, she lost to Arizona state senator Debbie Lesko by a mere five points. Hiral was the talk of the town. Since that … Read More