Opinion

Dental tourism may save money, but Arizonans should understand the risks

OPINION — As the cost of dental care continues to rise, more Arizonans are looking outside the United States for major dental treatments such as implants.

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 …

Opinion

Combating hunger in Arizona requires effort from all of us

OPINION — More than 1 million Arizonans currently face inadequate access to food. In some communities, about 1 in 4 residents experience food insecurity.

Opinion

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.

Opinion

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.

Opinion

A student’s perspective on Proposition 320

OPINION — Every morning, I walk into a public school in Mesa as a student. I go to class, learn from my teachers, work with my classmates and eventually go home. From the outside, it would be easy to think my education begins and ends in those classrooms. As a high school senior, I know it doesn’t.

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, …

Opinion

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.

Opinion

Reader agrees Congress must fund defense innovation

OPINION — I recently read Todd Jackson’s letter to the editor, Don’t forget local Army Reservists after 9/11 remembrances. I have to say I had no idea about many of our modern defenses such as the Integrated Battle Command System that are being built and designed to protect not only our nation, but our service members as well.

Opinion

Data center incentive moratorium risking one of Arizona’s labor success stories

OPINION — Arizona earned its title as a national leader in data center development through smart, innovation-focused policies, a highly skilled workforce and union members who have proven they can build some of the most advanced infrastructure in the world. However, the Legislature’s three-year moratorium on data center tax incentives now risks the very momentum making Arizona one of the country’s greatest labor success stories.

Opinion

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.

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.

Checkmark Look 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.

Our civility pledge member community

Your Community Your Voice

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 …

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.

Don’t forget local Army Reservists after 9/11 remembrances

OPINION — This Sept. 11, we bow our heads to the many we lost on that fateful day. Anyone who was alive that morning remembers not only what they were doing but the emotional toll it took on our entire nation.

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 …

Congress must prioritize accessibility in housing supply

OPINION — The United States has witnessed a historic level of legislative commitment to address the national housing crisis. In July 2025, Congress expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to fund an estimated 1.22 million affordable rental homes over the next decade.

Young Arizonans can contribute to their college savings — here’s how

OPINION — School is back in session across the state, making September a busy time for many Arizona families. September is also College Savings Month, and the start of the seventh-annual statewide essay writing contest where students can jumpstart college dreams by winning $529 for their AZ529 education savings plan.

Preventing burnout in the growing caregiver landscape

OPINION — For more than 63 million Americans, daily life includes providing ongoing care for adult or minor family members with a medical condition or disability. This extraordinary act of service provides much-needed support for a loved one, but it can also lead family caregivers to put their own well-being to the side, leading to burnout that affects physical and mental health.

Valley kids’ psychological assessments should be accessible, affordable

OPINION — When a child struggles in school, some of the first advice they, and usually their parents, may hear is to study harder, pay closer attention or spend more time on homework. For many students, those strategies help. For others, the problem has nothing to do with the effort being made.

Military families shouldn’t be collateral damage in PBM reform

OPINION — America asks a great deal of those who wear the uniform and their families. In return, the country makes a promise: military families will have dependable access to healthcare, and that promise is called Tricare.

Rallying against hunger in Arizona

OPINION — September is a time when food banks and meal programs across the country shine a spotlight on a problem that never takes a month off. Food insecurity in America has reached its highest level in more than a decade, affecting more than 47 million people, including 14 million children ... the Valley is no exception.

Foster care has room for every Arizonan

OPINION — Foster families make an important commitment when they open their homes to children. What is sometimes less visible, but equally important, is the difference a caring community can make by standing alongside them.

Question of the Week: Should Arizona gubernatorial candidates cross the political aisle in selecting running mates?

For the first time, Arizonans will select a lieutenant governor in November. The new office will be the No. 2 position in state government. Gov. Katie Hobbs raised eyebrows when she named former Mesa …

It’s a constitutional duty to protect all Americans from toxic chemicals

OPINION — Some people describe military deployments like scenes from an action movie. Hollywood tends to glorify war and service. That was never my experience serving in the Middle East. When …

How to spot an AI-powered scam

OPINION — Early this summer, an “advertisement” about a big sale — $1 books at Barnes & Noble — was all over social media. Any voracious reader would hoist an eyebrow. Last spring, there were widespread “offers” on the internet of deeply discounted tickets and travel packages to see the University of Arizona men’s basketball team play at the Final Four.

Brain injuries from blasts driving too many young vets to suicide

OPINION — We all get a warm glow when we hear the airline gate agent inviting active-duty service members to board early. What isn’t said, isn’t known, is that some of those young men and women will die eventually by their own hands, and at nearly three times the rate of civilians in the same under-34 age group.

Question of the Week: Have rising prices affected your back-to-school spending this year?

For many Valley families, back to school means updating their students’ wardrobes, buying backpacks, assorted gear, books, electronics and school supplies. According to reports, the average …

Korean peninsula: One small step in the right direction

OPINION — “President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea,” Matthew Lee and Ben Finley write for the Associated Press, “does not just slight a longtime ally but raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia and elsewhere.”

Oral health is the real magic behind the Tooth Fairy

OPINION — Every Aug. 22, families across the country celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day, honoring one of childhood’s most beloved traditions.

Asbestos, forever chemicals kill — Congress must renew Toxic Substances Control Act fees

OPINION — 9/11. The date is seared into our consciousness forever. We all know where we were and what we were doing when it happened. Some of us are still dealing with its aftermath.

Question of the Week: Should Arizona clergy be required to report privileged sex-abuse confessions?

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in July that religious institutions have the absolute right to define protected confessions, exempting clergy from mandatory child-abuse reporting if deemed necessary …

America made a promise to the Afghans that it's breaking on purpose

OPINION — We asked Afghans to translate for our patrols, guard our bases and stand beside our troops under fire. In return, we made them a promise, in writing: Serve with us, and we will not leave you to be hunted. For a while, we kept it.

Community health centers: A daily lifeline for Arizona’s most vulnerable

OPINION — The most-dangerous health problems often arrive without warning. Blood pressure climbs silently. Depression goes unspoken. Developmental delays go unnoticed until a child is already behind. That’s why a single appointment, a well-child visit, a primary-care check-up, a routine screening, can mean catching a problem early instead of confronting it as an emergency. But each of these outcomes depends on something easy to take for granted: having a trusted place to turn for care, regardless of your life circumstances.

The fight against Valley Flock cameras is just the beginning

OPINION — Government surveillance isn’t new, but new wide-ranging technologies that can detect our faces and track our movements are making it more ubiquitous. While the tools have changed, the purpose remains the same: to chill independent thought, free speech and dissent, bringing our country closer to 1984.

82% COVID vaccine miscarriage claim is false; broken promise to pregnant women isn’t

OPINION — Two claims about COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy are moving through the country this week, and the reflex is to pick a team. One of them is arithmetically false. The other is documented in writing. Both things are true at the same time, and an honest reading of the record has to say so.

Biggs is campaigning for governor like it’s 1986

OPINION — In choosing a lieutenant governor running mate, Andy Biggs was boxed in. He didn’t have the political space to choose someone who might marginally improve his general election chances. …

To finance Reconciliation 3.0, lawmakers should fix Medicare Advantage fraud

— Lawmakers in Washington are in the midst of trying to pass Reconciliation 3.0, a fast-tracked spending bill that would include major investments in the military and other priorities. To fund those investments, lawmakers are facing a familiar challenge: finding enough spending reductions to pay for the bill without raising taxes. Congress doesn't have to look far.

Civility is a valuable, indispensable core value in these contentious times

OPINION — Kudos to Lee Shappell and the wonderful (as well as timely) article on civility. I teach a Humanities course entitled “Leadership and Ethics.” With the challenges we face in all sectors, Lee's article addressing the critical importance of civility serves as a valuable and indispensable core value.

ICYMI: Why civility matters

OPINION — We live in an era of normalized boorish behavior. It has become OK to call an opponent names. To sway an argument with inflamed, hateful and often false rhetoric. The result may elicit a response in kind. The exchange quickly spirals out of control.

Question of the Week: How can Valley schools keep students safe from sexual predators on campus?

Valley school districts are among those put on notice that they may lose funding if they fail to comply with federal laws on sexual predators in schools. During the past year: The investigation …

College students should make personal safety a priority — here’s how

OPINION — Every August, thousands of students pack up their cars, unload boxes into dorm rooms and apartments and begin a new chapter of life. For many, it’s the first time living away from home. That independence is exciting, but it also comes with new responsibilities. As a safety instructor, I often remind people that personal safety isn’t about being fearful, it’s about being prepared.

Every Arizona school should be prepared to save a life

OPINION — Each year, thousands of Arizonans experience sudden cardiac arrest, with the vast majority happening outside of a hospital setting. When the heart stops, blood flow to the brain is cut off, and every minute without cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival. Too often, the outcome depends on whether a bystander knows CPR and whether an automated external defibrillator is nearby.

We can't leave veterans behind as America makes progress against suicide

OPINION — For the first time in several years, America has encouraging news in the fight against suicide. New data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, based on the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show that suicides have declined modestly since reaching a record high in 2022. Expanded access to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, greater public awareness and improvements in crisis response may all be contributing to that progress.