Scottsdale carries a certain reputation: wealthy, white, politically conservative. But the city is more diverse than that shorthand suggests, and this June, a significant new cultural event will make that case on the public square. The Arizona NAACP State Conference is launching Scottsdale Juneteenth 2026, a two-event series designed to establish a lasting annual tradition of community celebration and civic … 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
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky continues community outreach with May 27 Granite Reef Town Hall
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky is hosting her next town hall from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, at the Granite Reef Senior Center. The Granite Reef Senior Center is at 1700 N. Granite Reef Road. The town hall is designed to create an open, welcoming setting for all residents and neighborhood leaders to engage directly with Mayor Borowsky on … Read More
Jan Dubauskas Responds to Recall Effort Highlighting Her Residents-First, Conservative Record
Scottsdale City Councilwoman Jan Dubauskas issued the following statement in response to a recall effort launched against her by a failed, former Democratic council candidate, Dan Ishac. “It’s pretty obvious that this is a partisan ploy by a failed Democratic council candidate who was in the pocket of bars and developers and who wants to kick a reliable conservative vote … 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: Negotiating Scottsdale’s Prosperity: A Tale of Two Projects
By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead On the surface, Avala Scottsdale (Modus Companies) and Old Town’s AC Marriott Hotel (PEG) don’t appear related. But both followed a similar path—and show what happens when a Council negotiates hard and delivers prosperity for all in Scottsdale. Both projects are in highly desirable locations—though in Scottsdale, that’s every site. Avala, a single-story, net-zero energy rental … 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
Q1 Money Race: Whitehead Leads the 2026 Scottsdale City Council Field
By Alexander Lomax The first campaign finance reports of the 2026 Scottsdale City Council election cycle are in, covering January 1 through March 31. Eight candidates are chasing three seats currently held by Solange Whitehead, Barry Graham, and term-limited Kathy Littlefield. The numbers tell a story of incumbency advantage, an early frontrunner, and a field where the financial gaps are … Read More
Raoul Zubia: Proud to Announce Endorsements from Local and Statewide Leaders
By Raoul Zubia Friend, I am honored to announce two more endorsements from leaders I greatly admire.
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