Opinion

Arizonans with dementia shouldn’t be driving

OPINION — I’ve lived in Sun City West for 17 years. I recently had a strange encounter at the Post Office. The drive-thru drop box for mail has one entrance and one exit. I was in it when suddenly there was a woman in a large sedan facing me.

Opinion

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.

Opinion

The socialist revival, why it appeals and why we should say no

OPINION — Socialism is attracting renewed attention in American politics, particularly among younger voters struggling with housing costs, medical expenses, student debt and economic uncertainty. Their concerns are real, and promises of expanded government benefits have found a receptive audience.

Opinion

Peoria reader: My values align with Rep. Hamadeh’s

OPINION — My most cherished freedom is the freedom to openly serve my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Next is my freedom to vote, a right that gives each of us a voice in the direction of our nation. This election requires each of us to exercise that freedom and choose leaders who will stand for the principles we believe in.

Opinion

Why we're painting Phoenix purple this October

OPINION — The city of Phoenix encourages everyone to join us during October in raising awareness and supporting victims of domestic violence in the 14th annual Paint Phoenix Purple Campaign.

Opinion

Bridging the gap between breast cancer awareness and action

OPINION — New American Cancer Society research reveals a gap between breast-cancer awareness and action that can save lives. In Arizona, approximately 900 women died from breast cancer in 2024, …

Opinion

Are things worse now than under Biden? I think not

OPINION — Jeff Hostetler’s recent letter regarding the state of the country argues that most things are now worse than during the previous administration. These statements require some objective review.

Opinion

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.

Opinion

Four years of tax hikes and one new cop; our community colleges need new priorities

OPINION — Most voters never reach the bottom of their ballot. This year, the Maricopa County Community College District board race deserves the trip.

Opinion

Honor Arizona heroes on I-17

OPINION — Arizona has a long and proud history of answering the nation's call, and few stories embody that sacrifice more than those of Kayla Jean Mueller and Navy SEAL Charles H. Keating IV.

Opinion

Congress should pass the Major Richard Star Act to keep its promise to combat-injured veterans

OPINION — When Americans are injured in combat, we have a responsibility to make sure they receive the benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice. For tens of thousands of veterans, we are falling short of that promise.

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Your Community Your Voice

Ashley Harder is the Phoenix councilwoman we need

OPINION — I am proud to support Ashley Harder for Phoenix City Council. Ashley was my landlord for 15 years, but that description does not come close to explaining what she meant to Revival Art Collective or to me as a small-business owner.

Fears new federal rule will harm seniors who get prescriptions by mail

OPINION — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a dangerous new rule with an Oct. 22 compliance date that will threaten the healthcare of millions of Americans. The rule, “Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments,” will effectively end Americans’ ability to personally import their prescription medicines.

Arizona business leaders: Skip the boring icebreakers at company functions

OPINION — Phoenix is having a moment as a meeting destination, recently ranking No. 4 in U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural list of the nation’s best conference cities. But filling a ballroom is only half the job. With Gallup reporting that 51% of remote-capable U.S. employees work in hybrid roles, the more important question is what happens once everyone gets together?

Senior thanks Rep. Hamadeh for tax relief

OPINION — After working and paying taxes for many years, seniors deserve a break on taxation of their retirement financial resources. Many live on fixed incomes that are affected by rising costs. Tax relief can provide the extra cushion to make the “golden years” a little more stress-free.

Prop. 144 analysis: What Arizonans should know about proposed constitutional amendment that would change how we vote

OPINION — Your vote matters. Voting is one of the rituals and privileges of our democracy. When changes are being proposed to how Arizonans vote, they should know what they’re voting for. Proposition 144, if approved, would make constitutional changes to voting in Arizona, but leaves many details to be determined by the state Legislature.

Will you vote in your own self-interest this year?

OPINION — Why do we continue to vote against our own self-interest? Is it because we are from a family of life-long Republicans or Democrats, or do we pay attention to political commercials that are fabricated and paid for by billionaires? Are we pouring all of our attention into media that manufactures outrage dividing us as a nation?

Military widow: Rep. Hamadeh’s office solved my problem

OPINION — I’m not really into opinions. Facts and actions are what count. My experience as a 40-year military widow was mightily reaffirmed recently. I must share.

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 …

Contract negotiations between unions, school boards bolster education

OPINION — I am writing in response to Joe Pasta’s recent letter citing his opposition to labor unions in Arizona, specifically in the area of education. He alleges that the nation’s second-largest education union “has done little to promote better education practices or better classroom conditions,” but he offers no proof for that claim.

Crossroads: Where does America go from here?

OPINION — The liberal American democracy we all grew up in is under severe strain. The America of strong middle class, stable jobs, predictable two big-tent party politics and national confidence has been seriously compromised. The economic and political choices of the past 40-plus years reshaped American life, and those choices are now being questioned.

Trump the only threat to mail-in voting

OPINION — When I became eligible to vote by mail, I did it. Voting by mail originally was restricted to active-duty military personnel, the disabled and elderly, election workers and voters who were temporarily out of town.

Surprise reader: Hamadeh understands importance of water security

OPINION — I am a lifelong Arizonan. Arizona’s water future is among the most urgent issues facing our state, and Congressman Abe Hamadeh has shown he understands that.  

AI companies want to self-regulate, but they’ve already proven themselves unfit

OPINION — Concerns about possible dangers of artificial intelligence are everywhere — from fear of costly data centers, to chatbots that devastate users’ mental health, to the industrial-scale theft of creative works that made these products possible. What’s less clear is how to address them.

Jobs are coming to the West Valley; our community colleges need to be ready

OPINION — The West Valley is in a period of tremendous growth. TSMC is producing advanced semiconductors in north Phoenix. Amkor is building a major semiconductor packaging and testing campus in Peoria. VAI Resort is taking shape in Glendale. Hospitals and medical facilities are expanding along with our population.

Conserving Arizona’s water one drop and one major initiative at a time

OPINION — Water is always top of mind for Arizonans, and that has never been truer than now. Our state stands to lose 760,000 acre-feet of water each year beginning in 2027 due to mandatory cuts to the Colorado River water supply under a plan from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Vote with confidence, Maricopa County elections are secure

OPINION — Free and fair elections must be protected like critical infrastructure. Those were my thoughts as I toured the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center, the nerve center where ballots are processed, verified and counted.

Why I’m taking my mail-in ballot to be ID-verified

OPINION — I will take my completed mail-in ballot to a voting center, have the sealed envelope ID-verified, drop the ballot in the drop box and await acknowledgements from the sign-up tracking system that my ballot has arrived at the processing center and has been counted.

Phoenix’s procurement process deserves council scrutiny

OPINION — Procurement is an exhausting endeavor. But it is important to get it right. For the economy, for city staff, for public trust. Next month, the Phoenix City Council is expected to vote on a major police towing contract.

Hamadeh fights for West Valley

OPINION — As a West Valley resident, I support U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh’s reelection because he has focused on results here at home.

Proposition 320 is not an investment in our public schools

OPINION — Don’t be fooled. Proposition 320 is an attack on public education. It applies only to public district schools, not to charter schools or private schools accepting tax-funded vouchers. …

Glendale reader favors Howard for House in LD 27, but urges ‘just vote’

OPINION — I feel a need for pom-poms to get this message across. Had you seen me try out for cheer in 1970, you’d know that I have the voice but not the moves. I am an optimist, one who honestly gets excited by the prospect of voting. I have voted in every general election since 1972.

When did MAGA become the price of being Republican?

OPINION — Steve Grogan’s recent letter, Trump, GOP don’t embody the Cowboy Code, struck a chord. He wrote that he once voted Republican and supported Ronald Reagan, but no longer recognizes what the party has become. He isn’t alone.

Ashley Harder understands Phoenix Council District 4

OPINION — Having known Ashley Harder for many years, one of the things that first connected us was a shared passion for historic preservation.

Greene-Placentia’s campaign finance issues raise serious questions

OPINION — We expect our representatives to handle the big picture. That doesn’t mean they get a free pass on the basics. Bernadette Greene-Placentia’s campaign-finance mess raises serious questions about her potential as a representative for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.

Why Arizonans must take charge of their health as they age

OPINION — Maintaining your health is a lifelong commitment. It’s always crucial but becomes increasingly important as we age and our health needs naturally evolve. And a big part of keeping up with these evolving needs can be more-frequent visits with your doctor.

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.

Rep. Hamadeh supports the SAVE America Act; I don’t support him

OPINION — This is in response to the writer enthralled with the One Big Beautiful Bill. I didn’t get a penny off my taxes; I checked with my accountant. And, it is temporary, as the reduction ends in two years.

‘Governor Biggs’ signs set off Surprise reader

OPINION — I am amazed at the many, many campaign signs Andy Biggs has had on most every Surprise-area street corner, even three or four on some corners. I saw a flashing neon billboard sign for him in Sun City on Grand Avenue. I get a kick out of his “Biggs will fix it” signs. He sure will fix it and in any way his leader King Trump wishes!

Honest people make for honest elections

OPINION — I have volunteered in elections since the 1960s. There is one truth: honest people make honest elections. The government can “modernize” and spend millions of our tax dollars, but only honest people can give us fair elections. It’s priceless and costs us no tax dollars.

I’m voting again for Abe Hamadeh; here’s why

OPINION — I wanted to meet with Congressional District 8’s Rep. Abe Hamadeh to form my own opinion and ask some questions which I felt were important before I could give this man my vote.

Grandparents hold Arizona families together; we must show up for them

OPINION — After my family marked the first anniversary of my grandfather’s passing in September, I found myself thinking about him, my “güelo,” more than usual.

What’s next for integrity of home health and hospice?

OPINION — Fraud in home health and hospice care is real, and it hurts everyone who touches this industry — patients, who deserve care they can trust, taxpayers, who fund the Medicare program, and the honest providers, whose reputations are dragged down every time a bad actor makes headlines.

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 …

They’re coming for our pets

OPINION — Just when you thought the cost of healthcare couldn’t rise any further, they’re coming for our pets.

What students understand about AI that adults miss

OPINION — New teachers, new classes, new notebooks and, increasingly, new conversations about artificial intelligence. With the school year underway, before we tell students how AI will transform their education and their future, perhaps we should listen to what they are telling us.

When cancer affects the whole family

OPINION — A cancer diagnosis can change the rhythm of an entire household. Parents, grandparents, siblings and caregivers often find themselves navigating new responsibilities, emotions and uncertainties while adjusting to an unfamiliar reality. For children and teens, these changes can be especially difficult to process when they sense something is different.

Rep. David Livingston’s record: Conservative or extreme?

OPINION — David Livingston entered the Arizona Legislature as a conservative voice. Fourteen years later, his record has moved beyond traditional conservatism toward extremism. His positions on disability services and reproductive rights — and his use of a term-limit loophole — show why Legislative District 28 needs a change.

Why I’m not voting Andy Biggs for governor

OPINION — As a Sun City resident, I am always happy to walk and drive through my neighborhood and see lots of solar panels and a growing number of hybrid cars and electric cars. ... Andy Biggs has fought this forward movement in sustainable energy.

Finding a home is only half the dream

OPINION — Long before a home is permitted or built, someone has imagined a life inside it. Sometimes that dream arrives at 28. Sometimes at 68. It may mean a first set of keys, a smaller home for retirement, a few quiet acres or remaining in a house that has grown unsafe without becoming any less loved.

10 things I’m not thanking Rep. Hamadeh for right now

OPINION — In response to the recent letter thanking Abe Hamadeh for his support of the One Big Beautiful Bill, I’m not thanking him for these 10 things:

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