Log in

Latest opinions
Opinion

Experts: Is it OK to pay your employees in Bitcoin?

A trend has emerged where some celebrities, professional athletes, or other high net worth individuals are asking to be paid...
Opinion

Will your license fly? Arizona Travel ID deadline just around the corner

Next year might feel like a long way away, but it’ll be here quickly.
Opinion

Hettick: Let’s consider the role of women in film industry

The medium of the movies helps to project information, opinions and policy.
Opinion

Robinson: It’s time for us to choose better leaders for Arizona

I don’t write this to try and tell or convince you how to vote or whom to vote for.
Opinion

Miller: Let’s raise the age for guns, voting to 21

In the wake of the Uvalde, Texas shooting, there is a very strong clamor for doing “something” about gun control.
Opinion

Breen: Does GOP really care about life? What about shooting victims?

How easy is it for us to “normalize” murder.
Opinion

Bowers: Prison sentencing reform among my key issues

District 4 voters and neighbors! I am a candidate for a District 4 seat in the Arizona House (the district was formerly 28 but was renumbered).
Opinion

Casem: You can help protect Arizona’s forests from wildfire

As our temperatures warm up, our fire activity across Arizona is picking up and we urge all Arizonans to be prepared and take preventative measures around their property, before it’s too late. So, what does that mean to you?
Opinion

Everything you wanted to know about the World Series … but were afraid to ask

Imagine you’re at an outdoor dinner party (yes, COVID-friendly). It’s October, and the conversation steers towards the World Series. While you are generally culturally literate, you know …
Opinion

Christensen: Health literacy more important than ever for Arizonans in ongoing COVID-19 crisis

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions across the country, and Arizona has not been spared. This virus and its resulting economic fallout have put a harsh spotlight on rising health care …
Take the Civility Pledge

Civility Checklist

How to engage in respectful, honest & civil dialogue about public issues.

Checkmark Take the high road.  Respond to the topic — not the person. Refrain from demonizing others for their opinions. Assume those you disagree with are, like you, genuinely interested in improving the community.

Checkmark Be respectful. Bullying, public humiliation, insults, name-calling, harassment, and threats directed at another person — or that person's race, gender, religion, ethnicity, etc. — have no place in civil discussions. Find ways to respectfully disagree without questioning someone's character or motives.

Checkmark Be truthful. Base your opinions/arguments on facts. Value honesty. Make only accurate statements when making your point and avoid exaggeration and stereotypes. When appropriate, cite your sources of information that others may question. 

Checkmark Don't misrepresent. Always identify your opinions as opinions (not stating opinions as facts). Never misrepresent the views of others or falsely claim your opinions represent someone else. If quoting the words of others, identify and credit the source.

Checkmark Listen  & learn. It's both polite and respectful to listen to those we disagree with (as well as those we support) and be genuine in our attempts to understand their point of view. Expand your mind by thoughtfully seeking out views that don't agree with your own.

CheckmarkLook for common ground. When disagreeing with others, look for even small areas of agreement — which can be the gateway to working together for the greater good.

Checkmark Respect privacy. Keep private things private — whether it involves your own information or those with whom you disagree. Revealing private information about someone else is rude, unethical, potentially harmful and, in many cases, illegal.

Checkmark Set a good example. Practice civil behavior online as well as in public and in your interaction with others. Encourage others to practice these civil behaviors. And it's OK to challenge disrespectful behavior — but be courteous, respectful and helpful in your approach.

Now that you've read the checklist, take the Civility Pledge. 

Your Community Your Voice
Latest regional, state and national issues
Michael Kleven, DO

Why it’s critical that men make physical, mental health a priority

June is Men’s National Health Month — a perfect reminder for men to make wellness a priority. Many men take care of their health, but additional work is needed to keep more men healthy. 

Why I am attending the ‘No Kings’ march

I am so angry. My fellow citizens knew what would happen. We lived through Trump’s first presidency. We were told what was coming over and over, by everyone from the most left-leaning …
Lindsay Koshgarian

Americans have a choice: Weapons and war, or food and health care?

For weeks, Congress has been wrapped up in passing President Trump’s big, brutal budget — the one that pays for tax cuts for the wealthy and a trillion-dollar Pentagon budget by taking …

Speak Up: Three Scottsdale city council members call for criminal investigation of mayor

J. Graber's  article on the rancor among the ranks of the Scottsdale City Council and a request by three council members that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office investigate the mayor …
Cara Christ, MD, MS

Why I advise Arizonans to get their free annual checkups, shots and screenings

It’s June, do you know what that means? We’re halfway through the year. This is your friendly reminder to schedule your preventive care!
Heather Menzer, MD

How to keep young athletes healthy and competitive

Participation in sports offers myriad benefits for children and teens, from cardiovascular health and reduced risk of chronic diseases to enhanced cognitive function, increased self-confidence and better social skills.
Sara Wilson

When Arizona temps rise, it’s time to check on older family, neighbors

As Arizona’s triple-digit temperatures rise, it's more important than ever to check in on the older adults in your life — whether it’s a neighbor, friend or family member. A quick visit can help ensure their safety and well-being.

Progress will come to Wittmann with BNSF, and residents should be ready

It’s hard not to feel sorry for Wittman residences who will see their quiet, rural area be transformed by the BNSF rail yard and logistic development. But I have lived in the Valley since 1952 …

Reader reminds people of their Constitutional rights

While many recent letters to the editor have been about the autism school, our country is suffering an onslaught of our rights as Americans, and most here in Sun City West, Sun City, Grand, etc. don’t notice, don’t care or don’t have the full story.
Mark Lawrence

How we can better support our seniors

The population of Arizona is aging, with over 18 percent of residents being 65 years or older, according to research by PRB. As our state’s population continues to age, an increasing number of …

Homeland Security operation near Danelle Plaza concerns reader

It is extremely disappointing and frightening for those whose skin happens to be Brown that a visit to a plaza could result in a kidnapping. It is further disappointing and difficult to believe …
Dee Stewart

A conservative case for protecting Medicaid

With our national debt in excess of $36 trillion and rising, there can be little doubt that putting America’s fiscal house in order should be our priority. As budget discussions continue, …
Thomas L. Knapp

Occupied LA: Don’t riot — boycott and shun

President Donald Trump,  Axios reports , “ is edging closer than ever to invoking the Insurrection Act, driven by a vision of executive power free from the guardrails, governors and …
Doug O'Brien

Co-ops are a cornerstone of economic security and a force for stability in migration policy

Across the U.S. and around the world, cooperatives stand as a powerful model of democratic ownership, local economic resilience and inclusive prosperity. From rural electric co-ops that power …
Nadia Kharoufeh

My Girl Scouts experiences are why I think young Arizonans should attend summer camp

The average summer break for students in the United States is roughly 12 weeks. Whether students spend their time hanging out with friends, going on vacations or simply unwinding from the school year, there’s one activity I love most: going to Girl Scout Summer Camp.
Peoria Mayor Jason Beck.

New budget continues Peoria's commitment to economic development, public safety, water future

In June, Peoria’s City Council unanimously approved the fiscal year 2026 budget.
Mike Litt

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cuts hurt service members, veterans

For too many consumers, navigating the marketplace for financial services can feel like a nightmare — a minefield of rip-off artists, usurious lenders, unresponsive credit reporting agencies …

Make America Sick Again

What do you do when you get really sick? Me, I go to my doctor. I rely on science, which dictates diagnosis and prescription for medical treatment. But this has not always been the way in the …
Robert Robb

Biggs, Musk and the ‘disgusting abomination’

After Elon Musk described the federal budget reconciliation bill as “a disgusting abomination,” Arizona U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs tweeted: “He’s not wrong. This sentiment would have been much more impactful before the vote, when my @freedomcaucus colleagues and I were catching flack for fighting tooth and nail for more spending reductions. As it was, we voted to advance President Trump’s agenda.”

Speak Up: Homelessness on the rise in Scottsdale

Scottsdale’s unsheltered population rose in 2025 for the third year in a row, according to the Point-in-Time count recently released by the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Joy Seitz

Monsoon season is almost here — is your roof ready?

A recent long-range forecast from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center states that Arizona is slated to experience “above normal” rainfall this summer. Monsoon …
Tom Patterson

Making the case for equal rights, responsibilities for America’s indigenous populations

Suppose you were an evil genius who decided to create a permanent underclass out of a particular race. What provisions would you make to ensure that they remained permanently poor and outcast? …
Diane M. Douglas was the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction 2015-2019, and Peoria Unified board member, 2005-2012, President 2008, 2009.

New arrangement at Peoria Unified dais protects dignity of office

Nothing was “amiss” at the May 29 meeting of the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board.
Brian VanDeMark

From Kent State to Los Angeles, using armed forces to police civilians is a high-risk strategy

Responding to street protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration enforcement raids, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 soldiers from the California National Guard into the city on June 7, 2025, to protect agents carrying out the raids. Trump also authorized the Pentagon to dispatch regular U.S. troops “as necessary” to support the California National Guard.

Trump sending combat troops to L.A. should worry everyone, reader says

Our president is at it again. I believe our “leader” has decided that it is in his best interest to start an insurrection where none existed prior. Trump called up 2,000 troops from …
Heavy winds from a microburst that hit the West Valley in January 2021 ripped a picnic shade structure’s heavy metal plates out of the ground at Scout Park in Litchfield Park.

Americans don’t actually know their severe weather risks, and likely won’t — here’s why

On Jan. 5, 2025, at about 2:35 in the afternoon, the first severe hailstorm of the season dropped quarter-size hail in Chatham, Mississippi. According to the federal storm events database, there were no injuries, but it caused $10,000 in property damage.
Kristin Struble, MD, FAAP

The healing power of the arts: Why creativity is medicine we can’t ignore

As a pediatrician, I’ve spent years in medicine witnessing the toll that stress, anxiety and isolation take on our minds and bodies. One thing that can help with these issues is exposure to …
Sonya Engle

I’m still here to observe National Cancer Survivors Month because early detection saves lives

As a survivor of cervical and breast cancer, I know firsthand the importance of early detection and treatment. June is National Cancer Survivors Month — a time to increase awareness about …
Donald Anderson, father of Joshua Anderson, stands by his son's casket. In addition to his parents and other family members, the 33-year-old left behind a twin brother.

Grieving mom is grateful fentanyl seized, suspects charged

Regarding the Independent’s article, Pair charged after fentanyl seizure in Phoenix, thanks for reporting this; it makes a difference to me.