By Steve Coluccio I have known Solange Whitehead since 2017, when we worked together to defeat the proposed Desert Discovery Center in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. We worked together again in 2024 on Prop 490, which voters approved to fund maintenance and public safety in the parks and Preserve. As a supporter of the Preserve, I value Solange’s steadfast, long-term … Read More
Breaking News: Axon Is Polling to Purchase a Scottsdale City Council
By Alexander Lomax The corporate playbook for buying local influence is not new. Scottsdale has seen it before. But the scale and audacity of what appears to be unfolding ahead of the July 21st primary deserves the full attention of every resident who cares about who actually governs this city. Several sources say Axon Enterprise is conducting active polling in … Read More
Get to Know Your Candidates: Our Exclusive Q&A with Scottsdale City Council Candidate Bob Littlefield
In the name of helping our readers make more informed decisions and better understand the people who want to lead our city, we sent out questionnaires to all Scottsdale City Council candidates. All of the questions were the same for each except for two questions that were customized for each candidate. Mr. Littlefield declined to answer two of the questions. … Read More
Guest Editorial: First Decision Handed Down in TAAAZE Lawsuits
By Bob Littlefield Dear Friends: As you may have heard a Superior Court Judge has ruled against TAAAZE in our lawsuit against the controversial “Axon Law.” While this result is disappointing, we are considering our options for appealing this bad decision. Plenty of issues over the years have been approved in Superior Court only to have them overturned later at the … Read More
Get to Know Your Candidates: Our Q&A with Scottsdale City Council Candidate Raoul Zubia
As a reminder, we sent out a similar questionnaire to every candidate for Scottsdale city council. Their submissions are being posted in the order of being received. All of the questions were the same except for the last two, which were customized to each candidate. Do you support the Axon development as originally proposed, including up to 1,900 residential units, … Read More
Unintended Consequences Coming to Scottsdale: Why the Dubauskas Recall Now Means that Anyone is Fair Game
By Ronald Sampson Scottsdale has real issues to navigate: water supply pressures, development tensions, a competitive city budget cycle, and an ongoing power struggle on the City Council that has consumed far too much oxygen for far too long. What the city does not need is a recall effort driven by a failed candidate settling ideological scores, and setting one … Read More
Get to Know Your Candidates: Our Q&A with Scottsdale City Councilmember Solange Whitehead
As a reminder, we sent out a similar questionnaire to every candidate for Scottsdale city council. Their submissions are being posted in the order of being received. All of the questions were the same except for the last two, which were customized to each candidate. Do you support the Axon development as originally proposed, including up to 1,900 residential units, … Read More
Axon’s Money Finds Its Way to Whitehead…By Another Route
By Ronald Sampson The Check That Raised Questions A recent Scottsdale Progress campaign finance review of 2026 council candidates contained a detail worth examining closely. Council candidate Solange Whitehead’s first-quarter donor list is topped by a $5,000 contribution from Mike Wagers, identified as Chief Customer Officer of Axon Enterprise. Five thousand dollars. Nearly 20% of her total first-quarter haul. From a senior … Read More
Guest Editorial: Who’s Bad For Business?
By Larry Heath With two Scottsdale City Council debates behind us, I have a few questions: Councilman Barry Graham: Is it true that you’re consulting your phone during City Council votes? If so, are you “fighting for residents” as your tagline suggests, or relying upon someone texting you, and your personal prejudices? Is it also true you’re suppressing time for … Read More
Guest Editorial: $100k Grant – Thank You Senator Werner!
By Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas Amazing news! We received an incredible $100,000 grant for the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park!! This historic grant was made possible by Senator Carine Werner – a strong champion for Scottsdale. In the spring of 2025, Senator Werner reached out to me and asked if the city had any needs she could help with? City Manager Caton and I quickly … Read More