It’s hokey.  A little run down.  The elements don’t always work.  And it certainly looks a little odd amidst the nice shopping and large offices on Scottsdale Road. It is the Cracker Jax Family Fun Park.  Birthday parties.  Batting cages.  A driving range.  Race cars.  Volleyball courts.  Video games.  Miniature golf.  Bumper boats.  The place is a throwback to a … Read More

In 2012 Arizona Speaker of the House Kirk Adams was the unquestioned frontrunner to replace Jeff Flake in the United States Congress.  Flake decided to run for the U.S. Senate that year.  Adams had done a very good job as Speaker and had the backing of John McCain, retiring U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, his fundraising apparatus and even Sarah Palin. … Read More

If Phoenix Rising is capturing the Valley’s attention as its dynamic new minor league soccer team, it’s the notion of Glendale Rising that should be getting major league notoriety. That’s because it wasn’t too long ago Glendale, Arizona was considered too financially ruinous to succeed.  It was even a municipality that considered bankruptcy. That was then.  This is now.  Look … Read More

An interesting story just got more so. We’ve previously written about the public affairs debacle in Maricopa and the professional pugilists that have come to town to upend a popular plan for a private motorsports club called Apex.  Here is the link. The project gained unanimous Planning Commission and City Council support despite their black arts, underscoring the Keystone Cops … Read More

It’s where moms and dads teach their kids to play golf and seniors can find an affordable, accommodating place to enjoy the links.  It is the beloved Coronado Golf Course, a jewel in southern Scottsdale. With its nine holes and driving range traversing the Indian Bend Wash, city property and some 7 acres of private land Coronado is a testament … Read More

Capitalism can break down caste systems.  It can also build them up.  When one is successful in technology, financial services or real estate, the latter which happens quite often in Arizona, a certain strata is achieved. But not everyone gives back.  Not everyone chooses to deploy their expertise, riches or both. But in the case of SunBelt Holdings CEO John … Read More

The Phoenix New Times champions itself as an advocate for the oppressed.  It turns out the paper also has a history of oppression, or at least making money from it. At least according to prosecutors in California and a congressional investigation. The story is finally being told.  It just took a while. Until recently, it was an underreported fact that … Read More

So Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton wants to be Arizona Secretary of State.  Or Governor. It sure sounded that way earlier this week during his State of the City address when and where he lambasted all leaders Republican for, in his opinion, abandoning public education. We didn’t hear such tones during less ambitious times last year as he was supporting Governor … Read More

BASIS Scottsdale’s recognition by U.S. News & World Reports as the #1 high school in America should be reason for all in Arizona to applaud the achievement.  Instead, we actually hear criticism, especially from the Arizona Republic and liberal special interest groups. An acute observer on Facebook labeled this cartel the “Yeah, But” crowd.  And he’s right.  They have diarrhea … Read More

A hashtag noting the city’s excellence was a hallmark of Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane’s landslide re-election win in November. Lane was right to recognize the community’s best in class from Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, Waste Management Phoenix Open and downtown restaurant and bar scene to teachers, social services and high school athletics. Now, Lane and all of Scottsdale have … Read More