Next year will present many interesting electoral races; along with a Presidential race, Arizona will showcase what is likely to be one of the most interesting Senate races in the country, as well as all of the countywide races. But there will also be a host of local races, and for those of us in Scottsdale, the headline municipal race … Read More
Where Have You Gone, Banner Health?
Regular readers likely know about the Banner Health controversy (if not, you can get up to date here). In short, Banner Health is attempting to put a hospital facility in north Scottsdale, an area well-served by existing healthcare facilities already, a facility that no one at all was clamoring for. A battle was sure to be on its plate; this … Read More
The Anticipated Sportsbook at the TPC Scottsdale is Here, are We Collectively Ready?
Legalized sports betting has washed over the United States in a gigantic way over the last few years; what once was purely the realm of Las Vegas and a few specific destinations has turned into an industry that is expected to bring in around $14 billion in the US alone in 2023. While it has been legal in Arizona for … Read More
Two People Filed Paperwork for Scottsdale City Council Campaign: Who Are They and How Might It Impact the Race?
We are just under one year out from next year’s elections, and while most eyes will be on different political races, three Scottsdale City Council seats (as well as the Mayor’s seat) will be voted on next year. The seats currently held by Councilmembers Tom Durham, Betty Janik and Tammy Caputi will be up for grabs, and we have a … Read More
Guest Editorial: Defending Scottsdale water is no vice
By Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega This week, two significant water-related issues made the headlines. First, Governor Hobbs acted to stop Fondomonte, the Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farm, to halt it from draining billions of gallons of Arizona groundwater. Secondly, the Rio Verde Standpipe District met state statutes and City of Scottsdale’s stringent requirements to operate, serving Rio Verde Foothills (RVF). Supervisor … Read More
A Match Made in Desert Paradise: Scottsdale Boosting Paradise Valley’s Tourism in a Big Way
Paradise Valley and Scottsdale may be geographically right next to each other, but in most other ways they can be worlds apart. Scottsdale is often known for its boisterous entertainment venues, and PV is known for its one-acre lots and space. Yet you probably didn’t know that Scottsdale and PV are partnered together on tourism through Scottsdale official tourist arms, … Read More
Troubling Nursing News Points to Need to Avoid Unnecessary Hospital Growth in Scottsdale
Regular readers of the Arizona Progress & Gazette likely know of the saga with Banner Health. It is attempting to unnecessarily build a hospital in North Scottsdale despite strong coverage by existing facilities and little community support for their plans (get up to date here). A recent national trend is now giving even further evidence as to how Banner’s plans … Read More
Guest Editorial: Statement from County Supervisor Thomas Galvin on Return of Reliable Water to Rio Verde Foothills
By Supervisor Thomas Galvin “I am grateful that water is once again flowing to Rio Verde Foothills (RVF), but I am still baffled why it took this long. After all, my solution to this unnecessary crisis has been on the table for the past year. Instead, there was ten months of unnecessary pain to the Rio Verde Foothills. And City of Scottsdale residents were not … Read More
Superintendent Menzel Named Superintendent of the Year from a Partisan Source, Reinforcing Battle Lines
Scottsdale Unified Superintendent Scott Menzel has had a relatively turbulent time leading the helm at SUSD. District meetings have had disruptions regarding COVID-related mitigation and content, and he has been the target of activists (you can read more about it all here). When you have plenty of enemies, it’s always good to have friends that have your back, and a … Read More
Why is Banner Health Looking to Short-Change Arizona? A Story of Zoning Chicanery
The world of zoning rules and regulations can be arcane, byzantine, and frankly…boring. That said, there are times when it truly matters, as it can impact quality of life both locally and for the entire state. A couple of recent developments demonstrate exactly how, and how some of our potential business neighbors may not be the best of neighbors. A … Read More