by Matthew Holloway | Jun 13, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizonans are bracing for what one online commentator called “Scottsdale Riots Round 2,” after the “No Kings Rally” was announced to take place at the intersection of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads on Saturday.
Arizona online commentator “₿ased male™,” a Scottsdale resident, called upon Arizonans to “avoid Fashion Square and look out for the self-professed organizer,” whom he identified in screen captures as Shea Najafi, founder of Scottsdale Women Rising and Civics 101 Happy Hour.
Sharing the post, Kari Lake, Senior Advisor for U.S. Agency for Global Media, commented, “They are pulling a page from their old playbook.”
The rally is being put on by “the 50501 national movement” (50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement). This is the very same group that attempted to force entry into the Arizona Capitol in February, and according to its website, has branded President Donald Trump a “traitor to the American people.”
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” the group claims. “They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”
The group accuses the President of “authoritarianism,” for enforcing federal immigration laws, and urged the American people to work for “removing the regime,” citing low approval in a single CNN poll, despite the aggregate polling from RealClear Polling showing Trump at a respectable 46.8%. A CBS poll released this week even found 54% of Americans approved of Trump’s approach to deportation, seemingly defying the ‘No Kings’ narrative.
“₿ased male™”, shared a screenshot of the rally’s purported demonstration route to X, indicating a gathering at the intersection of Tatum Blvd. and Bell Rd.
Research completed by DataRepublican indicated that funding for the No Kings Rally has flowed from a variety of radical leftist sources including George Soros’ Tides Center, Reproductive Freedom for All, Color of Change, Black Voters Matter Fund Inc, and the American Civil Liberties Union. DataRepublican further traced taxpayer funding through two layers of organizations back to the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and the National Endowment for Democracy.
In a statement to X in seeming anticipation of the rally, Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky wrote, “The right of citizens to peacefully assemble and protest is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and part of our nation’s political tradition. However, the City of Scottsdale will not tolerate mob violence, theft, destruction of property, attacks on law enforcement or other disorderly activities that endanger our community. Public safety is non-negotiable. I am in regular communication with Chief LeDuc and have full faith and confidence in @ScottsdalePD’s level of preparedness and their commitment to take whatever steps are necessary to protect our community.”
On Wednesday, a similar demonstration in Tucson turned violent, leading to the arrests of three rioters: 23-year-old Natalia Navarra, 46-year-old Sulutasen Amador, and 23-year-old Hannah Hartranett for Unlawful Assembly and Resisting Arrest, Obstructing a Public Thoroughfare and Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing a Public Thoroughfare and Unlawful Assembly, respectively according to KOLD.
At least four ‘No Kings’ rallies are planned in the Tucson area on Saturday according to the organization’s website with at least fifteen sites listed in the Valley of the Sun including planned demonstrations in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Peoria, Glendale, Surprise, and Buckeye.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Jun 11, 2025 | Economy, News
By Staff Reporter |
The inventor and top distributor of the Taser, Axon Enterprise, says it will no longer be working with the Scottsdale City Council on their new headquarters.
That’s not to say Axon will leave Scottsdale or the state. Axon leaders clarified the company only intended to keep city leaders out of discussions to establish their new headquarters going forward.
Axon President Josh Isner announced on Monday the company withdrew from negotiations with city leaders on building their new headquarters. Isner blamed the “toxic” political climate of Scottsdale City Council.
“Unfortunately, Axon is withdrawing from negotiations with the City of Scottsdale,” said Isner. “The internal politics of the City Council currently make it impossible to reach an agreement. I have never seen such a toxic environment in my life. We put a great deal on the table and we tried our best.”
Scottsdale City Councilman Adam Kwasman said he was disappointed in his fellow council members for refusing Axon’s negotiations. Kwasman said he would work on another solution to keep Axon from leaving.
“[Axon’s] offers were generous and would have benefitted both Scottsdale and Arizona as a whole,” said Kwasman. “I am saddened that my colleagues could not share in a vision that would have reduced approved density, reduced approved apartments, funded police, and built an incredible partnership between the city and one of America’s best companies.”
Isner thanked Kwasman and Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky for their efforts to keep negotiations afloat.
“You came to the table in a solution-oriented and thoughtful way,” said Isner. “It was a pleasure working with you on this and appreciate your continued support of Axon.”
Borowsky, in turn, thanked Axon for their willingness to negotiate and expressed disappointment at the impasse between the company and the council.
“Unfortunately, there were too many hurdles to overcome in order to move an agreement forward successfully,” said Borowksy. “I remain hopeful that future negotiations result in a win-win agreement that works for the community and keeps this vital employer right where it belongs – in Scottsdale.”
Not all leaders representing the area were pleased with Axon’s actions up to this point.
State Rep. Joseph Chaplik accused Axon of navigating the dealmaking process dishonestly. Chaplik told Axon to make good on their threat of leaving the state by disclosing where they planned to move their operations.
“They have divided the Republican caucus and they are now dividing the city council. They do not listen to the people of Scottsdale, who I represent. They have bypassed all proper channels to resolve their land use issues,” said Chaplik. “Their tactics included bullying, threatening and securing close door meetings. This is not how a transparent company operates.”
Although these recent negotiations didn’t go Axon’s way, the company did see wins in other areas recently. Governor Hobbs signed a bill retroactively preventing zoning decisions from becoming ballot questions. The new law nullifies a referendum effort by 27,000 Scottsdale residents challenging Axon’s planned headquarters — under that referendum, voters would have decided on the proposed headquarter’s fate in 2026.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 2, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Scottsdale’s new City Manager Greg Caton has drawn heavy criticism following the resignations of former City Manager Jim Thompson, former Public Works Director Dan Worth, former Transportation, Assistant City Manager Bill Murphy, and Streets Director Mark Melynchenko. As reported in the Scottsdale Progress, former City Councilwoman Linda Milhaven accused Caton of “creating chaos,” and added that “it’s uncharacteristic for an interim city manager to be letting people go or making changes.”
“(Caton) got to work pretty fast firing people,” Milhaven speculated. “It had to be at the direction of the City Council.”
Concern over turnover seems to be consistent in members of the previous left-leaning City Council, with incumbent Councilwoman Solange Whitehead expressing as much saying, “This year under the new council majority, we’ve lost 100-plus years of experience. These are the people who have delivered for Scottsdale. And people are continuing to leave. For me, this is a top concern.”
Both Whitehead and Councilwoman Maryann McAllen voted against the conservative majority when they approved Caton’s appointment on April 15th.
Councilman Barry Graham, one of the newly elected conservative members, denied the notion outright telling the Progress, “That’s not true. I only discuss city performance and results” with the city manager,” Graham clarified. “I don’t discuss people.”
When asked during an interview with the Progress, Caton told the outlet that “Dan Worth retired, ” adding, “I did not ask him to submit his resignation.” He continued, “I did not ask anyone to retire or resign.” However, Dan Worth contested this, telling the publication that Caton “directed me to resign or retire,” and declined to comment when asked if the move was “politically motivated.”
Vice Mayor Jan Dubauskas also expressed support for Caton saying, “Greg makes independent decisions. I happen to agree with many of them.” Dubauskas noted to the Progress, “Cost overruns and road diets were high profile issues in the community, so I’m not surprised Greg had concerns about them.”
Explaining the staffing turnover, Caton told the outlet that he discussed plans for ‘flattening’ the city’s organization. “In conversations with (Worth and Melynchenko), I discussed future plans to make changes to the organization – the ‘flattening’ we have referred to,” he said.
“Given that those future changes would affect their positions, both Dan and Mark opted to retire,” he added. “The agreements we signed are evidence of our mutual desire to determine what that transition would look like.”
Caton is remembered by Southern Arizonans as the Town Manager for Oro Valley from 2012 until he stepped down from the role to take a City Manager role in Colorado in 2016.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | Apr 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Despite opposition from local leaders and community organizers, Governor Katie Hobbs has signed SB 1543 into law, a move that will significantly curtail the ability of residents in cities like Scottsdale to refer zoning decisions to the ballot. The legislation, which passed the Arizona Legislature along party lines earlier this month, takes aim at local control.
The law applies retroactively, nullifying a referendum effort by nearly 27,000 Scottsdale residents who had petitioned to challenge a city council-approved expansion plan by public safety technology company Axon. The referendum would have placed the matter on a future citywide ballot, giving voters the opportunity to weigh in on the project’s future.
In a letter sent to Governor Hobbs prior to her decision, Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky and the full City Council warned that SB 1543 “undermines the principles of local control that are foundational to Scottsdale’s governance” and “sets a dangerous precedent.” The city emphasized that the referendum effort was not a protest against development, but rather a call for public input on a high-impact zoning change.
The controversy began after the Scottsdale City Council voted in November 2024 to approve Axon’s expanded development plans. While the company’s previously approved headquarters from 2020 remains intact, the new proposal includes nearly 2,000 multifamily residential units; over 400 hotel rooms; and approximately 47,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.
Many residents argued that the expansion warranted broader community input, prompting a grassroots petition drive that garnered tens of thousands of signatures. However, with SB 1543 now law, the referendum effort has been invalidated, and Scottsdale voters will not have the opportunity to decide on the matter at the ballot box.
SB 1543 removes the ability of residents in cities of certain sizes—including Scottsdale—to challenge zoning decisions. Supporters, including Republican legislative leaders, say the law clears the way for large-scale development projects and reduces delays caused by ballot initiatives. Critics, however, argue it silences community voices and weakens the checks and balances that local governments rely on.
City leaders have expressed concern that the legislation fails to address critical issues related to growth, including increased traffic and infrastructure strain. “These are not abstract issues—they impact the daily lives of our residents,” the city wrote in its plea to the Governor.
With the law now enacted, Scottsdale is weighing legal and procedural responses to preserve local authority, while other municipalities watch closely to see how the law will be implemented and challenged.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Feb 15, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
“Drain the swamp” is fun to say, and it makes for a great slogan for an election campaign. But too often, that’s where it stops. How many times have you heard politician after politician use such a phrase only to be elected and leave the swamp intact—or make it murkier? But now, it’s 2025. President Trump is back in office, and he is setting a standard of excellence when it comes to draining the swamp—especially on some key issues. And Scottsdale’s newly elected city council is following his lead.
President Trump unleashed a torrent of Executive Orders that have unleashed fossil fuel production in America, rolled back the Green New Deal climate cult fantasy, ended DEI and other race-based hiring and employment practices, and is taking a sledgehammer to the administrative state by letting Elon Musk identify and eliminate billions in wasteful spending.
As we have watched the Trump team move at warp speed to deliver on their campaign promises, we were curious to see if any other state or local governments would follow Trump’s lead at plowing ahead with DOGE-style meaningful reform. Here in Arizona one city has: Scottsdale…
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