INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
The year is about to come to an end, so here’s a look at the Top 10 Scottsdale stories of 2025, according to which stories Scottsdale Independent readers were most interested in.
Neighbors against plan to partially fill in golf course in north Scottsdale with homes
Neighbors of the Starfire Golf Club in north Scottsdale were up in arms after the course’s new owners made plans to do away with several holes and put up as many as seven new homes on the site.
The owners wanted to use the revenue from the new homes to pay for upgrades to the course, though neighbors feared it was the first step in paving over the entire course. The owners have scraped the plan, at least for now.
Scottsdale City Council moves to take two positions from mayor’s office
A hearing on the 2026 city budget turned personal for Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky when the city council took steps to remove two positions from her office May 6.
Councilman Adam Kwasman moved at the end of the hearing to have City Manager Greg Caton reassign the mayor’s executive assistant and management analysis positions to report to city clerk Ben Lane, where they would serve the city council next fiscal year.
Scottsdale acting city manager unexpectedly retires
After Scottsdale City Manager Jim Thompson left for another job in Colorado at the end of 2024, Assistant City Manager Bill Murphy temporarily filled the hole left by Thompson until a new city manager could be found.
However, Murphy abruptly retired hours before the first meeting of the new City Council. Assistant City Manager Greg Caton was then named by council as the acting city manager and was ultimately chosen to fill the position permanently.
Scottsdale Plaza Resort to receive $42M renovation
Scottsdale Plaza Resort became Miralina Resort and Villas, Paradise Valley.
The resort put in a request to the town of Paradise Valley to amend its special-use permit for the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, kicking off a comprehensive $42.2 million renovation.
Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale men charged in $1B elderly health care scheme
Three men from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa faced charges along with more than 300 others throughout the country in what the U.S. Department of Justice said was a “national health care fraud takedown.”
Petition calls for elimination of Turning Point USA club at SUSD’s Saguaro High School
A petition on change.org called for the removal of the Turning Point USA chapter at Saguaro High School in the Scottsdale Unified School District.
The petition, which had 545 signers as of noon Nov. 13, called on the school and the district to remove the group from campus.
Scottsdale artist completes mural in neighboring Fountain Hills
Visitors to Fountain Hills’ iconic Fountain Park may have noticed a bold new splash of color near the Veterans Memorial.
Just in time for the Fourth of July celebration, a vibrant new mural now covers the Pumphouse wall, created by Scottsdale-based artist Laura Thurbon.
Scottsdale PD arrests three on suspicion of murder
Scottsdale Police arrested two juveniles and 18-year-old Lebron Rogers for their suspected involvement in the homicide that left two people dead on June 30.
Ramon Moraga and Nadia Mysliwiec were shot while seated in a parked vehicle around 9:45 p.m. in the area of 115th Street and East Sahuaro Drive, according to a press release from the Scottsdale Police Department.
Three Scottsdale city council members call for criminal investigation of mayor
It’s no secret to anyone who is paying attention the Scottsdale City Council does not get along.
A poll by a private facilitator for a council retreat scored the group’s culture a 13 out of 100.
After having worked with over 130 government teams at the federal, state and local levels, the score was the lowest founder/facilitator, Julie Lancaster of Lancaster Leadership, said she had ever seen.
1,100-unit senior living facility planned in Scottsdale Airpark
While it’s early in the process, Erickson Senior Living has its sights set on building a facility with 1,150 units near the intersection of North Scottsdale and Princess roads.
The proposal made to the City of Scottsdale calls for 975 independent living units and another 175 units for residents requiring assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing.