George Oliver Shows Scottsdale How Redevelopment Should Work

A Building That Didn’t Need to Grow Taller George Oliver, a Scottsdale-based real estate firm, bought the office building at 7272 E. Indian School Road for $42.2 million. Paired with two earlier purchases on Scottsdale Road, the assemblage now totals 360,000 square feet. In total, it spans three buildings on six acres. Most Old Town projects chase value by going … Read More

Op-Ed: The Raoul Zubia I Know

By Doreen Reinke Campaigns have a way of reducing people to mailers, slogans and thirty-second advertisements. But the Raoul Zubia I know is much easier to describe: he is a good man who genuinely cares about Scottsdale. Raoul was born and raised here. Scottsdale isn’t someplace he moved to and decided to get involved in; it is home. His memories are … Read More

Op-Ed: Barry Graham Is A Hypocrite. Bought & Paid For By Developers

By Bobby “Rob” Birmingham Barry Graham and his minions have spent weeks repeatedly criticizing Raoul Zubia over support from the Realtor Association. Their social media trolls continue to spread lies and disinformation about Realtors. Ironically, Graham’s own campaign finance reports show nearly $50,000 in contributions from people tied to real estate, development, property management, and related business interests. Want the receipts? … Read More

Op-Ed: Follow the Real Money, Mr. Nelson

By Allen Frank Raoul Zubia-surrogate John Nelson attacked Councilman Barry Graham for voting with a 6-1 majority to advance a voter-approved parking project. Nelson speculated that a $1,000 contribution from a longtime art gallery influenced Graham’s vote on a project 37,000 residents already approved.  Silly. While Mr. Nelson reviews campaign finance reports, he should look at Mr. Zubia’s. Short-term rentals … Read More

Op-Ed: In Support of Raoul Zubia

By Cynthia Wenström Scottsdale is fortunate to have scenic beauty, safe neighborhoods and amenities that contribute to an enviable quality of life. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, generously equipped libraries and senior centers, are community assets worth protecting and maintaining. The continuing question is how Scottsdale can sustain that quality of life while addressing the challenges ahead. … Read More

Saguaro Football Cancels Another Game, and the Crisis Deepens

A Second Cancellation in as Many Weeks Saguaro has called off its game against American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek, scheduled for September 11. The district cited a simple reason: there were “not enough healthy and available student-athletes to safely field a team.” This is the second straight week a Saguaro game has disappeared from the schedule. We covered the first cancellation … Read More

Guest Editorial: Practice Civility — Don’t Just Campaign on It

By Andrew Wollmann In 2017 Scottsdale became a Golden Rule City: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” The City Council’s Civil Dialogue principles ask us to patiently listen, speak respectfully, and own our words. We expect leaders to live by that. We have seen many Scottsdale elections, some more than others, in which candidates abide by that … Read More

Does Barry Graham Have a Conflict of Interest, Just Bad Optics? Or Both?

By John Nelson Councilmember Barry Graham’s vote for the controversial Brown Avenue parking garage raises legitimate questions about the appearance of a conflict of interest. In 2019, Legacy Gallery owner Jinger Richardson was specifically identified among gallery owners who had pushed City Hall to address downtown parking shortages. Fast forward to April 14, 2026. Graham voted to approve a $3.8 million first-phase … Read More

Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky pushes to expedite review of Public Safety Plan ordinance amid Old Town crime concerns

In response to a series of recent violent incidents in Old Town Scottsdale, Mayor Lisa Borowsky is pushing to expedite her recently agendized request to conduct a sweeping review of the city’s Public Safety Plan ordinance. In furtherance, the mayor is convening a summit of Entertainment District stakeholders and decisionmakers geared toward protecting public confidence in one of the country’s … Read More