Rattlesnake Caught in Scottsdale Home

The cute little critter below was found on a front pation and quickly removed by the Scottsdale Fire Department.

Scottsdale Home Resales Down 21%

The Scottsdale home resale market is taking a big hit, plunging 21% in May 2007 compared to May 2006. A variety of factors have resulted in a cascading impact on the real estate market across the country. But the frothy real estate market in Arizona and Scottsdale specifically, is ripe for this type of downturn. There is no question that it is a short-term correction. Scottsdale's desirability is constantly ascending. But the steep losses will no doubt leave some families in a very tough economic position.

Scottsdale Car Auctions Go Head to Head

Two car auctioneers that hold large events in Scottsdale are battling it out for control of a site near 101 and Scottsdale road. Russo & Steel has been holding an annual auto auction on a parcel of land in that area for the past few years. R&S is an upstart competitor going after Barrett-Jackson customers. However, it appears that Russo & Steel did not have the proper permits from the state to hold their auction on the particular parcel of land they were using. Barrett-Jackson uncovered this discrepancy, applied for the proper permits and could take the land right out from under Russo & Steel, effectively wiping out the underdog's event. It's a tough world out there and R&S need to be perform due diligence when producing an event. They screwed up and unfortunately for Russo & Steel, their competitor found out about it before they did.

Scottsdale Police Chief's Son Busted for Pot

The offspring of Scottsdale police chief Alan Rodbell sure are giving dad headaches. Just a few short months after his daughter, Cody Rodbell , was arrested, Rodbell's son, Michael Rodbell was arrested for possession of marijuana. The police report, released yesterday, states that after the Scottsdale cop pulled over the chief's son for driving 47 mph in a 25 mph area, Michael Rodbell proclaimed, "It's only a little marijuana." One has to wonder exactly how long Chief Rodbell can maintain his position as Scottsdale's police chief with his kids who are undeniably out-of-control and repeatedly being arrested by his own cops.

New Scottsdale Traffic Cameras Coming July 1

Drivers on Shea Boulevard, north Pima Road and McDowell Road will see new photo enforcement cameras being installed in the next several weeks as Scottsdale makes changes to the program.

The City Council last month selected a new operator, American Traffic Solutions, for the city's street photo enforcement program. ATS begins operations on July 1 with cameras in three new locations. Six current locations will remain unchanged.
Scottsdale also is working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety on a transition plan for cameras on the Loop 101 Freeway. The changes approved by the Council last month apply only to city streets.

The new Scottsdale street camera locations are:

* Northbound and southbound Pima Road between Los Gatos and Thompson Peak Parkway. These cameras, at a mid-block location between intersections, will monitor for speed only.

* Eastbound and westbound Shea Blvd. between 120th and 124th streets, also a mid-block, speed-only camera.

* Eastbound McDowell Road at Scottsdale Road. This intersection camera will monitor both speed and red-light running.

Barrett-Jackson 2007 Video Review

Here's a 10-minute review from the 2007 Barret-Jackson auction. Makes me excited for 2008!

Know Your Wines? Prove It!

Wine aficionados will be on hand tomorrow night at Armitage in Scottsdale. The wine lounge is holding their fun Brown Bag Challenge on Wednesday night. Come put your taste buds to the test and take home some wonderful wine.

Scottsdale Crime Rises Slightly

FBI data released today show that crime rose 2% in Scottsdale between 2005-2006. While the increase is small, this should not be seen as good news. Parts of Scottsdale are being overrun with criminal activity. People don't feel as safe as they used to on the streets, and for good reason. The Scottsdale Police Department and the the city's elected officials need to spend more time working on crime and blight in Scottsdale and less time quibbling over cost-of-living increases for city employees.

Free Goodies Flowing to Downtown Condo Owners

As people start moving into downtown Scottsdale condos, local marketers are falling all over themselves to offer shopping incentives to the new downtown dwellers. Goodie bags full of plush robes, wine and other top-notch gifts are being showered on new residents. The welcome wagon has never been so couture.

A Look Inside The Scottsdale Princess

Staying with the travel theme, here is video from the inside of a room at the Scottsdale Princess.

The New York Times Visits Scottsdale

Scottsdale is featured in the Sunday paper. The travel article visits some great Scottsdale restaurants, bars, hotels, resorts and attractions. The author doesn't miss a beat and correctly concludes that Scottsdale sizzles, regardless of the temperature outside.

Scottsdale Restaurant Review: Olive & Ivy

This is not actually a restaurant review. My experience at Olive & Ivy has been confined exclusively to the bar area. So with that in mind:

Olive & Ivy is a wonderfully charming marketplace/bar/restaurant. You can go there to grab and soda and sandwich, a martini or a full dinner. It's located at Scottsdale's somewhat infamous Waterfront. As you walk in to Olive & Ivy, a deli-style counter greets you with a casual, informal feeling. Wander past the large chalkboard-style menu with a great list of hearty sandwiches and you'll find the bar area. My friend and I sat a small bar table and relaxed in a couple very large, overstuffed chairs. The bar menu was perfect with a blend of refreshing summertime cocktails and delicious appetizers. Mt friend opted for a mojito and I chose a "Grape Crush" - grape vodka with grape juice. Simple, but oh so good.

Next up was the food. Our small sampling featured average hummus with warm pita bread, and above average flat bread with basil, garlic and tomatoes. The generous portion was absolutely delicious. The bread was perfectly cooked and the cherry tomatoes were big and sweet. This is a great dish to enjoy over a few drinks.

Olive & Ivy had a great, festive dynamic vibe all night. We arrived at 5pm; by 7pm the place was packed. It's roomy and can meet almost any need with the options of a deli, bar or restaurant. Next time you're hungry think of Olive & Ivy. You will not be disappointed.

Dirty Scottsdale On ABC15 News

Kudos to DirtyScottsdale! The 3-month old site has landed itself on Channel 15 in the wake of the recent Arizona Republic article. Check out the piece below.

Scottsdale's First Death Row Candidate?

Alleged killer of five, William Miller has found that Miller is mentally competent and can stand trial for trial in the killing of five people, including a fifteen-year old and a 10-year old, in February 2006. A Scottsdale resident, Miller could face the death penalty for the killings which sprang the victims' knowledge of from Miller's shady business dealings and insurance scams.