I don’t always (or even often) agree with Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton. But as one Scottsdale political icon has stated, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile. “Local control” is a precept often cited by Arizona governor Doug Ducey and Republican state legislators when pushing back against the Obama administration [disclosure: I […]
Virginia Korte: Horse Troughs and Horse Hockey
In a recent example of press release journalism in the Scottsdale “Independent,” Virginia Korte is quoted: “Putting horse troughs in front of downtown stores is not going to keep Scottsdale the ‘West’s Most Western Town.’” That one dishonest statement sums up Korte’s sincerity about the so-called “Community Conversation” about the future of Scottsdale she’s proposing. […]
Voter lines persisted throughout the state | Cronkite News
Voter John Washington of Scottsdale arrived at the Pueblo precinct location 15 minutes early and said the check-in computers crashed as soon as the polling place opened. Poll workers were able to get one computer functioning, but by the time he cast his ballot, the line of voters wrapped around the block. Thanks for the […]
Trees v Forest
My posting schedule will be a little less vigorous now that the election drama has pretty well played out. There are a lot of ballots left to count, but most of the big races are essentially decided. But for those of you who may stumble across this in years to come and wonder why Scottsdale […]
How Wells Fargo’s Problems Flourished in Arizona – WSJ
Wells Fargo Scottsdale An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal [which may be pay-walled] came to my attention courtesy of an astute ScottsdaleCitizen. The push to drive new product and account openings came from top executives in the Arizona region, the employee letter said. Lead Regional President Pam Conboy, now two executive levels below Ms. […]
Lane, Klapp, and Burple
OK, one last post for the day and then I have to get back to revenue-generating labor. Many of us citizen-advocates and even a few folks on the Dark Side of Scottsdale politics have snickered at the stumbles of Jim “Shady” Lane’s floundering mayoral reelection campaign. His original, almost-unreadable red, white, and blue signs were […]
Campaign finance law-violating Realtors are at it again
A few days ago, the Scottsdale city clerk notified 2016 candidates that the National Association of Realtors out of Chicago had donated a staggering $72,000 to their favorites in our city election: An Independent Expenditure Notification form has been filed with this office by the National Association of Realtors Fund. The notification reports independent expenditures […]
Korte: The Original Phony
Incumbent Scottsdale city council member Virginia Korte has been inundating social media with pre-election messages that suggest she invented the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Virginia–and a LOT of other folks–were “involved” in the process leading to the creation of the Preserve. But I note with some humor that in 2014 she pushed for a moratorium on […]
Shady Lane’s Legacy of Lies
I can’t remember who sent me this photo, and I have no idea where it was taken. But I’ve been saving it for an appropriate moment. Given the way the Lane4Mayor campaign has been circling the drain lately, I figured now is as good a time as any to share a photo of Mayor Swirly. […]
Scottsdale jail employees demoted, police commander suspended after investigation | 12NEWS.com
Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell seemed blindsided by the revelation that [former City of Mesa police lieutenant Rick] Van Galder [who had been convicted in Gilbert of super-extreme DUI and sentenced to three days in jail] was allowed out of his [Scottsdale] cell, had food delivered and his wife visit, and was even given a […]