You are very likely aware of the ongoing Rio Verde Foothills water crisis; hopefully you’ve read some of our coverage, but regardless you’re likely aware of the highly concerned citizenry in the unincorporated town on the outskirts of Scottsdale, as well as the political bickering between the city of Scottsdale and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. A new story … Read More
Guest Editorial: Why Golf Courses Don’t Deserve Your Blame for the Water Crisis
By Tim Peeler As most people know, Arizona and the rest of the Southwest have been experiencing water shortages for quite some time now. The long-standing drought has obviously brought some major problems to the region which will require collaboration from experts in various fields to solve. Because I am not an expert, I will not be attempting to solve … Read More
Rio Verde Foothills Update: Rep. Kolodin Does Step Up to the Plate, but Can He Stop Shooting Himself in the Foot?
We recently wrote about one of Scottsdale’s state representatives, Alexander Kolodin, and his dipping his toes into the waters of influence in the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis. Our hope has been that he steps in as a voice of reason, someone who can bridge the divide between the city and county. Recent developments show that the message seems to … Read More
Guest Editorial: Water and the Rio Verde Foothills
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead Last Friday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (BOS) voted down the intergovernmental agreement to deliver water to the unincorporated residents in Rio Verde Foothills. This is the second time in 9 months that the supervisors have voted against a water solution for these residents. I am deeply disappointed. In Scottsdale, we know that water management … Read More
The New Battle Lines with the Rio Verde Foothills Water Crisis Emerges: the City of Scottsdale v. Maricopa County
For a few moments, we thought that the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis was mostly resolved. We thought we had turned a corner, and that an agreement had been largely agreed upon. But to the detriment of the citizens of the Foothills and to the benefit of the pundits who appreciate good stories to write about, the story is clearly … Read More
Mayor Ortega Capitulates on Rio Verde Water Crisis, but Work is Left to Do
Public outrage has a way of swaying politicians. So does looking around and seeing that you’re on an island with a particular view. Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega apparently has learned this firsthand, and it seems to have shifted the conversation regarding the most notable and controversial topic so far this year. After public disagreement and obstinance, it now seems as … Read More
Rio Verde Foothills Updates: Mayor Ortega is Softening His Tone, and New AG Mayes Weighs In
The ongoing water crisis with the Rio Verde Foothills is indeed a very difficult situation for the residents there with many moving parts from the legal and legislative side, especially with summer coming. As the residents seek any good options, the battle lines had been drawn with Mayor Ortega taking a staunch position against using city resources to help. Given … Read More
Guest Editorial: Scottsdale City Council to Consider Rio Verde Foothills Agreement
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead
Mayor Ortega Earns Heat from State Legislators Over Rio Verde Foothills Water Crisis
As you know by now, the water crisis in the Rio Verde Foothills has gotten a lot of attention with powerful parties lining up on both sides of the debate (get up to date here). Mayor David Ortega has received heat for being strongly against using Scottsdale city resources to help alleviate the crisis, and now that heat seems to … Read More
Scottsdale is Leading the Way in Water Conservation: Plenty of Pain is Left Though
Photo Credit: azcentral.com Water is the most critical issue in our area, as nearly everyone knows (you can get up to speed on our perspectives about it here). To that end, we had some good news recently, but it also comes with concern and potentially even dread at what is to come. We found out recently that the city of … Read More