Opinion

Midterm elections were an enormous populist blowout

For years, Americans have been viciously divided according to race, religion, immigration status and gender identity by politicians dead set on making us fight each other rather than them. In a year where real people’s struggles were impossible to ignore, that effort fell short. It’s hard to overstate the scale of Democratic victories in this year’s midterm elections.

Question of the Week: How often do you fly for pleasure or work?

A new terminal is coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport west of Terminal 3 by 2033, the airport’s first new terminal since 1990. That suggests anticipated continued increase in …

Opinion

Speak up: Gilbert readers tackle cannabis, schools, food spots

Mint Cannabis opens location in Gilbert Not happy this has been allowed to open. What a terrible mistake Gilbert Mayor, Council and Planning staff made allowing this in walking …

Opinion

What first responders carry home after the call ends

OPINION — For first responders, what most of us would consider an extraordinary crisis can simply be part of a Tuesday. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, correctional officers and paramedics routinely face circumstances many people may experience only once, if ever, in their lifetime.

Question of the Week: Do you still play games in the Arizona Lottery?

The Arizona Lottery was created when voters approved Proposition 200 in November 1980. The two biggest games are Powerball and Mega Millions, both multi-state games. Odds of winning are just as …

Speak up: Gilbert readers give opinions on council, school board, more

Gilbert pulls Regional Park revote from council agenda, plans November discussion Mayor Anderson is the problem. He only knows how to spend. Parks are 100% expense with maintenance and more …

Opinion

Arizona’s fentanyl overdose statistics are alarming; free Narcan training can help

OPINION — While deaths from drug overdoses across the United States declined during each of the last three years, they have surged in Arizona. From September 2024 to September 2025, our state recorded a 17% increase in overdose deaths — twice the national average — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Opinion

Fiscal caution should apply consistently at Chandler Unified School District

OPINION — Fiscal responsibility is among a school board’s most important duties. It must be applied consistently. At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Chandler Unified Governing Board approved school resource officers for Payne Junior High and Perry High School. Board President Patti Serrano cast the lone dissenting vote, as she had on an August agreement covering nine Chandler middle and high schools.

Opinion

Healthcare shouldn’t be so hard; health literacy can help

OPINION — A visit to the doctor may get you a diagnosis. A trip to the pharmacist fills the needed prescription. Your health plan has all sorts of information about benefits. Healthcare. Straightforward and easy to understand, right? Eye roll. Laugh stifled.

Opinion

Enough of GOP from Gilbert, time for legislative change

OPINION — I’ve been a Gilbert resident for 16 years, and I’ve watched our state government go from bad to really bad. Our legislature has been controlled by Republicans for the whole time I’ve lived here, and what do we have to show for it?

Question of the Week: Does your family participate in Halloween traditions and fun?

There was a time when nothing signaled the onset of autumn like Halloween, the annual cultural celebration observed on Oct. 31, which features trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and carving …

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Your Community Your Voice

Speak up: Gilbert readers tackle GPS music, financial report

Five Gilbert music programs earn state honors I don't have first-hand knowledge of Highland so I can only speak to Campo. NO SURPRISE! Matt Kozacek and Crystal Payne, and their …

What Valley parents may be missing about bullying today

OPINION — When parents think about bullying, they may picture a confrontation in a school hallway or a cruel comment at lunch. Those situations still happen, but social media and messaging apps have extended bullying well beyond the school day. A child can be home, sitting beside a parent, while classmates target them on their phone.

Fighting hunger also means prioritizing nutrition

OPINION — When most people think about hunger, they picture an empty pantry or fridge. Yet, for families struggling to make ends meet, the challenge is often more complicated than simply having enough food to eat.

LD 14 Senate choice is crystal clear: Stephanie Walsh

OPINION — As a 16-year Gilbert resident, I’m quite concerned about the cost of, and access to, water and energy, as I’m sure many of my neighbors are. The status of the Colorado River is getting dire, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes while driving to San Diego. Energy and water costs continue to escalate, hurting middle-class Arizonans.

Question of the Week: Should the Pentagon livestream the execution of former U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan?

Former Army Medical Corps psychiatrist Nidal Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad Dec. 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, for the 2009 mass shooting that claimed the lives of 13 soldiers and wounded …

Speak up: Gilbert readers tackle bond, robotic surgery, Naval service

Gilbert Public Schools seeks voter approval for $136M bond A/C unit could be very expensive Roofs too. Building repairs and maintenance. School security is more cameras and monitors. I am …

Walsh supports increased accountability for ESAs

OPINION — Education is foundational to our community and economy, which is why I am voting for Stephanie Walsh for State Senate to represent Legislative District 14. She will provide a strong and consistent voice supporting our public schools.

Walsh believes in Arizona children, healthcare, schools

OPINION — As a pediatric registered nurse, I have spent much of my life caring for children and advocating for their well-being. I believe healthcare should be accessible to everyone, and I believe just as strongly that every child deserves access to a quality public education.

Six years later, accountability still waits

OPINION — More than six years have passed since the underlying events at a Chandler Unified School District high school, yet a serious professional-conduct matter involving a district administrator still lacks a final public resolution.

What a 100th birthday taught me about caring for seniors

OPINION — When one of my patients recently reached the remarkable milestone of turning 100, our care team invited him in for a special celebration. As is his nature, he expressed appreciation, but truth be told, we were the grateful ones.

Question of the Week: Are you voting by mail this year or going to the polls Nov. 3?

There has been plenty of bluster about mail-in voting, some of the negative coming from President Trump — who votes by mail himself. Do you believe in the integrity of voting by mail through …

Speak up: Readers zero in on school districts, road work

Gilbert Public Schools advances K-6 English curriculum search So, so much money was spent on that last curriculum. I wonder why the thought is that "new must be better!" — Bonnie N.H. …

Question of the Week: How are you observing Hispanic Heritage Month?

Arizona’s population of Hispanic or Latino heritage is 32.5% — nearly one-third, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. President Lyndon B. Johnson established Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and …

Why Stephanie Walsh is the state senator LD 14 deserves

OPINION — As a resident of Legislative District 14 for 20 years, I want leadership that reflects the everyday priorities of our community, not partisan talking points. That is why I am supporting Stephanie Walsh for the Arizona State Senate, and why I find it troubling that Mylie Biggs is being considered a viable candidate to represent our families.

Speak up: Readers opine on voucher, Freestone, townhomes

Higley board approves journalism conference travel over DEI objection ESA schools are not the only "wasted education funds" Plenty of misuse of Public Education funding, too. — D and C D. …

Stephanie Walsh is a Democrat running for the Arizona Senate from Legislative District 14.

Arizonans deserve more than family name

We are at a critical moment in Arizona. We face reduced water allocations, rising costs, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence. How we respond to these challenges will shape the future of our …

More than a paycheck: The ripple effect of employment

OPINION — On a single night this year, 9,726 people were counted as experiencing homelessness across Maricopa County. Behind that number are thousands of individual stories of parents, children, veterans and neighbors navigating circumstances that can make stability difficult to reach.

When efficiency meets resiliency in Gilbert

OPINION — For nearly 20 years, Gilbert had a reputation most communities would envy: we ran lean. We provided the services of a major American community without building the kind of expensive …

AI is already making Valley travelers’ lives miserable

OPINION — All this talk about pacing the frontier of artificial intelligence overlooks a reality that travelers experience every day. An algorithm already determines your airfare. Another sets the hotel's rate. And another answers your complaint with a non-answer, hoping you'll give up.

Arizona lawmakers should kill the legislative subpoena

OPINION — According to Arizona law, a subpoena can be issued by the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House and the chairman of any committee. The Legislature has over 30 committees.

Question of the Week: Are Valley communities planning wisely?

Metro Phoenix remains among the fast-growing areas in the country. But are its communities doing the best job of regulating growth and development? Are they planning wisely for housing, schools, …

Gen Z women don’t owe America babies

OPINION — Gen Z women like me are having fewer babies. That shouldn’t be a surprise. With prices for everything going up, our parents’ steady jobs, white picket fences and retirement packages feel much less attainable for us.

Speak up: Readers tackle Gilbert school spending, apartments, parks, water

Gilbert Public Schools details $36.2M override spending Wanna bet they give themselves raises and conferences before they fix maintenance problems. Never vote for teacher wage increases or …

The educator behind the library desk

OPINION — Public education has many people doing important work out of sight. I met one recently at Casteel High School after taking junior high students into the library to find books they might want to read. That sounds simple until you are standing next to a student who has no idea where to begin.

Substance abuse recovery isn’t the same for everyone

OPINION — Recovery on its own can mean a lot of things. Recovery after an injury. Recovery after a heartbreaking loss. Recovery after a bad flu. But this September, we’re acknowledging substance use recovery — a reality for millions of Americans and thousands of Arizonans.

Chandler school board should reconsider land acknowledgement

OPINION — To the Members of the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board: I am writing as a Chandler resident who is deeply concerned about the direction of our school district and, …

What will the Valley of the Sun look like in 2035?

OPINION — Greater Phoenix’s architectural landscape is ever-changing. For decades, we’ve seen business developments, lifestyle hubs and communities sprout up across the desert. But as we look toward 2035, the next chapter of Valley growth may look very different from the last.

Let’s make suicide something we discuss and prevent

OPINION — In my office, a conversation about suicide may start with a patient saying they cannot sleep, a parent mentioning that their teenager has withdrawn from friends or an older adult struggling with pain, illness or the loss of a spouse. None of these concerns necessarily means someone is considering suicide, but each is a reason to ask more questions.

Question of the Week: Are freeways the best way to get from here to there?

Since the mid-1980s, the Valley has built its regional freeway system, which moves tens of thousands of people every day. Population continues to grow. Lane expansion is inevitable. New freeways are …

Speak up: Gilbert readers sound off on podcast, Higley vouchers

Gilbert council members release first episode of political comedy podcast Confirms my suspicions about their motivation for public “service”. Sounds more like ego than anything else. — …

As Valley heat keeps rising, it takes all hands to keep pace

OPINION — A few weeks ago, a family of four was brought to our doors by a Phoenix firefighter who had responded to a heat-distress call in a parking lot where the family had been living out of their car. That handoff, from first responder to shelter provider, happens more often than most people realize.

Grandparents shouldn’t have to choose between running A/C, enjoying retirement

OPINION — Many Arizonans spent decades working, raising families and planning for a retirement they hoped would bring some financial security. But for too many, retirement has become another exercise in stretching every dollar. Housing, groceries, prescriptions and utility bills all compete for the same fixed income.

9/11 memories: The Valley looks back on terror attacks

You didn’t have to be in New York City, Washington, D.C, or rural Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, to be profoundly impacted by the terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and changed both America and the world forever. Here are memories shared by 14 current and former Valley residents.

Is the Independent on political podcasters’ payroll?

OPINION — Is the paper on (defeated council members) Chuck Bongiovanni and Jim Torgeson’s payroll?

Question of the Week: Should the Trump administration move forward with its border wall project in Arizona over a Native American tribe’s objections?

The Trump administration has resumed construction of a stretch of border wall in southern Arizona along part of the Tohono O’odham tribal land, despite protests from the tribe. U.S. Customs and …

Speak up: Gilbert readers have say on wells, lottery, Higley seat

Gilbert completes five new drinking water wells 715376 Are they just for humans or AI cooling? This explains the incredibly costly water increases in Gilbert. — Greg K. Since 1940 the …

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