Opinion

Scottsdale Unified board election matters more than you think

OPINION — You don’t need to have a child currently in a Scottsdale Unified classroom to care about who sits on our school board. As taxpayers, we certainly need to pay attention. Our public …

Opinion

Chamber supports Scottsdale Unified bond measure

OPINION — On behalf of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to express our strong support for the Scottsdale Unified School District's $375 million bond measure on the Nov. 3 …

Opinion

Vote no on Scottsdale Unified bond request

OPINION — SUSD wasted much of its two prior bonds ($347 million - 2010, 2016) renovating/rebuilding schools it has since closed and anticipates closing. Meanwhile, SUSD continues losing enrollment, …

Opinion

We know where Andy Biggs really stands

OPINION — Andy Biggs wants Arizonans to forget what he did after the 2020 election. We shouldn't, and I for certain have not. The organizer of the Jan. 6 rally said Biggs helped come up with …

Opinion

Arizona voters protected abortion rights, Washington can still threaten women’s health

OPINION — In 2024, nearly two million Arizonans voted for Proposition 139, amending our state Constitution to protect the fundamental right to abortion. It passed with nearly 62 percent of the …

Opinion

Scottsdale’s Flock discussion should be in a regular meeting

OPINION — At the Sept. 22 city council meeting, Mayor Borowsky moved to agendize a decision on the controversial Flock cameras. She said it was time for council to take a clear stand for or against …

Opinion

Support Scottsdale Unified improvements with a yes vote

OPINION — As the recently retired principal of Desert Mountain High School, I feel very strongly about voting yes for the special bond election. The infrastructure investment will allow the …

Opinion

A needed investment in Scottsdale Unified

OPINION — Join me in supporting our students by voting yes on the Scottsdale Unified School District capital bond. Across our region, strong public schools are the foundation of strong …

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

Finding hope within heartbreak

OPINION — Our daughter Collyns Belle — “Colly” — was born in 2021 after an uneventful pregnancy. She joined her two brothers and sister, and when she arrived, our family felt complete. Her first year was very typical. She did everything her three older siblings did. She rolled, sat, smiled, babbled and even crawled. Colly was overflowing with life, and her personality sparkled.

Opinion

Your politics won’t protect you from the 'surveillance state'

OPINION — Erica Schwartz, the newly appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control, made federal priorities clear during her recent confirmation hearings: “Abortion surveillance is absolutely a critical component of what the CDC is currently doing.” She assured members of Congress that she would ensure that states weren’t “hiding abortions” under the auspices of “emergency care.”

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Your Community Your Voice

Should Scottsdale ratepayers pay twice?

OPINION — Scottsdale’s council majority has gone to great lengths to work around the city’s adopted Water Strategic Plan — a plan designed to keep our water safe, secure and affordable. …

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.

Who is State Representative Matt Gress really working for?

OPINION — It was recently discovered that Matt Gress is both a State Representative and a paid lobbyist. Gress is employed as vice president of Government Affairs for Americans for Fair Treatment, …

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.

Arizona needs another generation of water leaders

OPINION — Arizona lost one of its great public servants this month with the passing of former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl. His legacy offers an important lesson at exactly the moment our state needs it: …

The importance of routine PSA testing in combatting prostate cancer

OPINION — Prostate cancer often is called a “silent disease” because it rarely causes symptoms in its early, most treatable stages. Unlike a broken bone or a bad cough, there's no obvious signal that tells a man that something is wrong. And by the time symptoms like difficulty urinating, blood in the urine and pain occur, the disease often has progressed.

Arizona’s water providers are preparing today to protect our water tomorrow

OPINION — With federal cuts reducing Arizona’s Colorado River allocation by 27% each year through 2028, many people are coming to us concerned and asking: “Will I still have water?” “Will my tap run dry?” “What should we do?”

Scottsdale’s foundation and its future

OPINION — Recently I attended a reception for the book, “Hands-on History , Residents Reflect on Scottsdale’s 75 Years.” It was filled with the Who’s Who of Scottsdale. Former mayors, local …

Why I’m supporting Carney and Beasley for Scottsdale School Board

OPINION — I grew up in SUSD and was among the first students to graduate from Desert Mountain High School. My wife and I wanted our children to follow that same path, so we bought a home within …

Freedom, freeways and Flock cameras

OPINION — Flock cameras are spreading across Arizona. The backlash is growing just as fast. What are Flock cameras? Local governments enter into contracts with private companies to attach the …

Know the record before voting on secretary of state

OPINION — For the past four years, Adrian Fontes has served as Arizona’s Secretary of State with a focus on secure, accurate, transparent and accessible elections. As Arizona’s chief …

Arizona students deserve better than Proposition 320

OPINION — As a future voter attending Arizona public schools since kindergarten and seeing, firsthand, the same slew of complaints, I know the biggest problem for students and me isn't a lack of …

Support Scottsdale Unified with a yes vote

OPINION — Join me in making a difference by voting enthusiastically yes on the Scottsdale Unified School District capital bond. As a former teacher and state legislator, I have seen firsthand …

Scottsdale candidate Ugenti-Rita’s record on local control

OPINION — Michelle Ugenti-Rita is running for Scottsdale City Council, which makes this a good time to revisit her stance on local control. As a state representative, Ugenti sponsored …

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, …

School readiness goes beyond the ABCs

OPINION — A 4-year-old who can wait for his turn walks into kindergarten better prepared than one who can recite the alphabet. That claim surprises parents, but it doesn’t surprise kindergarten teachers.

How we can expand support paths in suicide prevention

OPINION — For many people, suicide is not a distant issue. More than 2 in 5 U.S. adults report personally knowing someone who died by suicide, so it’s important to foster more open conversations about mental health and to make supportive resources easier to access.

Why do Zubia’s allies in Scottsdale avoid the issues?

OPINION — The opinion pages have been busy this election — and the pattern is impossible to ignore. Residents who support Barry Graham and Michelle Ugenti-Rita — or the many who have …

Restore common sense to Scottsdale Unified board

OPINION — Dr. Jennifer Johnson is the union-backed, Menzel-aligned progressive candidate for the SUSD Governing Board in the 2026 election. A career educator, she campaigns on the slogan …

The Raoul Zubia I know cares about Scottsdale

OPINION — Campaigns have a way of reducing people to mailers, slogans and thirty-second advertisements. But the Raoul Zubia I know is much easier to describe. He is a good man who genuinely cares …

The greater significance of Trump’s $5K election bribe

OPINION — Any claim the Republican Party had to fiscal conservatism was forfeited long ago. Any doubts should be extinguished by Donald Trump’s “dividend” proposal. At the GOP’s midterm convention, Trump said that every adult citizen would receive $5,000, but only if the GOP retained control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm election.

Join me in supporting Raoul Zubia for Scottsdale City Council

OPINION — Scottsdale is fortunate to have scenic beauty, safe neighborhoods and amenities that contribute to an enviable quality of life. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, …

What can be learned from Raoul Zubia’s campaign finances?

OPINION — Raoul Zubia-surrogate John Nelson went after Councilman Barry Graham for voting with a 6-1 majority to advance a voter-approved parking project. Nelson speculated that a $1,000 …

Scottsdale’s senior citizens are being overlooked

OPINION — A quick look through recent editions of our community newspaper leaves a distinct impression: older adults in Scottsdale are viewed primarily as consumers for healthcare products 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.

Schweikert has abdicated congressional responsibilities to Trump

OPINION — Congressman Schweikert, our national debt just hit $40 trillion. Way to go. This happened on your watch, even though your congressional website states that one of your “top priorities …

Vote yes on Scottsdale Unified capital bond

OPINION — Please join me in voting yes on the Scottsdale Unified School District capital bond. Having served on the Scottsdale Unified Governing Board, I know firsthand that maintaining …

Practice civility in Scottsdale, don’t just campaign on it

OPINION — In 2017, Scottsdale became a Golden Rule City: "Treat others as you would like to be treated." The city council’s civil dialogue principles ask us to patiently listen, speak …

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.

Arizona should get rid of grades for schools

OPINION — Since 2011, the state, pursuant to legislation, has given a grade to individual public schools on the familiar A-F spectrum. The idea was to provide parents and taxpayers with an understandable assessment of the quality of education provided by individual schools.