View from the McDowell Mountains

Britney Spears Visits Scottsdale

Britney Spears spent some time shopping in Scottsdale. Want to know what Britney spends her money on? It sounds like she enjoyed herself at the Hilton Village. Another interesting tidbit learned on her visit: it's a boy!

The Wright Direction

Some of the problems besetting Taliesin West may finally be heading towards resolution. It's about time. The challenges facing the organization will not be easily overcome, but they must be handled in a pro-active manner which seeks only to further the interests of Wright's legacy in Arizona.

Welcome, Caleo

The former Sun Burst resort has been transformed into the Caleo Resort & Spa. The boutique hotel (a very popular trend in hotel development) features revamped rooms, a new spa and Baleen, the resort's restaurant. View the resort from above with Google Maps!

Sun Festival Coming to West World

A bevy of activities are planned for this year's Sun Fest. Great music, great ideas and great people will all be part of the action next weekend in Scottsdale. Get your tickets today!

More High-End Shopping for Scottsdale

Scottsdale could return to its place of prominence among Valley shoppers. The proposal will get a full review by City leaders because a revision to the General Plan is required. Stay tuned for more details as the discussion moves forward.

Scottsdale Prone to Wildfires This Year

Due to the lush desert of north Scottsdale, the city could fall victim to the 2005 wildfire season.

Iowan Loves TPC Scottsdale

Yet another Scottsdale visitor is singing the praises of the Tournament Players Club. TPC is known worldwide and it looks like we have another convert to this jewel of the desert. Hope you visit again soon, Barry!

Camelback Walk, south of Via de Ventura

Cops' Mountain Bike Competition

A mountain bike competition will be held on an obstacle course at Scottsdale's greenbelt park system on Saturday, April 23. The competition is pat of the International Police Mountainbike Association conference being hosted by the Scottsdale Police Department. The family-friendly event begins at 5 p.m.

Scottsdale Priest on Admin Leave

Robert Voss, known to many as Father Bob, is on administrative leave from his post at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Scottsdale. Rumors are swirling regarding the "personal" nature of Voss' leave. He was known to be dealing with a handful of personal issues following the death of his mother last year. We wish him and the parishioners of St. Bernard peace during this tough time.

Scottsdale Parks Embrace Recycling

A pilot project testing recycling in Scottsdale's parks has been successful and will be expanded. The program is a great way for locals and visitors to be good environmental stewards while visiting the city's many parks.

Motor Mile Campaign Looking Good

The advertising campaign promoting Motor Mile in Scottsdale is in full swing. Ads have hit the airwaves and the streets. Driving past Motor Mile on a daily basis, I instantly noticed the bright banners and neon-colored cars. I even did some business on Motor Mile at one its best dealerships. The city's support of the investment (as in providing an actual Return On Investment) for this publicity campaign was a good decision for Scottsdale's future.

Salsa Cook-Off Coming to Scottsdale

Get out those salsa recipes! The Tostitos Southwest Salsa Challenge will take place this Saturday, April 23 at Scottsdale Stadium. The Challenge is sure to be a hot and spicy event so bring your taste buds, and some water.

Rawhide 2.0

Updating Rawhide will be a challenge. However, exciting ideas are being considered for the sagging property in north Scottsdale. The (very) good news is that the current owner is not planning any overblown, big box retail.

Racing for a Good Cause

A new event is coming to Scottsdale. It's sure to a fan favorite, and it benefits local charities. Spend some quality time in Scottsdale next weekend, check out some great racing displays and help the local charities that serve our community. That is a winning trifecta!

Have Breakfast with the New Fire Chief

Willie McDonald, the new Scottsdale Fire Chief, will be the featured guest at the Mayor and City Council Breakfast on Thursday, April 21. This is a free event that is open to the public, and it's great way to learn more about Scottsdale's new municipal fire department. The breakfast starts at 7:30a.m., program at 8a.m. Who said there's no such thing as a free breakfast?

Scottsdale Culinary Festival

If you're in Scottsdale this weekend you must experience the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. Eat, drink and be merry, for if you drive on the 101 tomorrow you may die.

Love Bug Bugs Editorial Board

The Republic's editorial board is crying out for decency at The Love Bug in Scottsdale. That's great. Perhaps the same editorial board will visit downtown Scottsdale on any given Saturday night and observe the lewd behavior "that children can see." Then they will surely be nostalgic for what "used to be called common decency."

Perhaps Love Bug owner Wendy Cashaback visited downtown on one of those previous Saturday nights and concluded (with obvious reason) that the area was perfectly suited for her wares.

Love Bug Bugs Locals

A downtown store is causing some Scottsdale residents to cry, "foul." The Love Bug has offended a few people so much that the city has now stepped in and forced the store to remove some suggestive advertising from its display windows. Now the city should step in and do something about the cesspool that downtown becomes every Saturday night. Each weekend people come into our fair city, urinate and curse in public, get drunk and disrupt life on our streets. Many people are (correctly) hesitant to bring their families to downtown on Friday or Saturday night. The city should address this ongoing problem as they begin cracking down on local businesses for risque advertising.

Bicycle Races Coming Your Way

Bicycle racing for all ages will be featured in downtown Scottsdale this weekend. Sure to be a fun (and windy) event, the races are a great way to get outside and enjoy a Sunday afternoon in Scottsdale.

More Lives Lost on 101

An early-morning police chase on Route 101 ended in the death of two innocent people. This road has become a deadly ribbon of highway, and the problem needs to be addressed by city leaders. The recent effort to enforce the speed limit is a step in the right direction but it's only the first step.

The Scottsdale Blog Kicks Off

Welcome to the 1st post of The Scottsdale Blog. The blog is dedicated solely to the beautiful city of Scottsdale, Arizona, also known as "The West's Most Western Town." The blog will feature news, reviews and information from the heart of Scottsdale. If you have questions or comments about Scottsdale or this blog, please contact me.