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Phoenix Councilmembers Face Accusations of Misappropriated Taxpayer Money

(03/14/26 2:26am)

Phoenix residents accused Phoenix City Councilmembers of misappropriation of funds concerning the Phoenix Parks and Preserves Initiative at a city council meeting. At the meeting, the speakers demanded more accountability and transparency from city officials about how Phoenix Parks and Preserves Initiative funds are being used. The initiative was approved by voters in 1999 and renewed in 2008 as a sales tax program that would allocate its funds to improve and expand the Phoenix park system as well as purchasing and maintaining desert and mountain preserves. The reason for the distrust of these officials was attributed to a situation in 2013 where $15 million of PPPI funds were used to pay off debt from the city’s municipal golf courses which did not fall under the requirements of how PPPI funds were meant to be used. While the City Council eventually agreed to return $7.5 million of the $15 million to the PPPI fund in 2017, concerned citizens like Jeremy Thacker believe that the PPPI fund “has turned into a slush fund.” The PPPI fund is separate from the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation budget. Thacker said that “the operating budget of parks remains well below the growth of the cities budget, while the PPPI budget has exponentially grown,” which raises concerns that the PPPI fund is still being misused. Another reason for the public speakers’ distrust stems from the city’s apparent unwillingness to be forthcoming with PPPI financial information. While the City of Phoenix releases an independent accountant’s report of PPPI funds yearly, public speaker Jim Sierakowski requested that he and the public be given access to see the actual checking accounts in which the PPPI funds are located. Sierakowski said he “has done record requests for this for the last six years,” and “they’ve never produced any of this information.” “We want to know where the money is going at the present time,” Sierakowski said. “We don’t want it misappropriated because you guys have no clue how to really manage anything.” The Government Oversight and Accountability team obtained a legal opinion from attorney Joshua Carden on whether the actions of the City of Phoenix have complied with the legal requirements approved by voters for PPPI in 2008. Carden said that the “use of PPPI funds for golf debt retirement was unauthorized by voters,” and the “voter-mandated annual public audit was never implemented,”both of which violated legal requirements for PPPI approved by voters in 2008. When the public speakers were given a chance for final remarks at the end of the meeting, Sierakowski said “once again, I want to see the accounts, I want to see the balance sheet, I want to see it all, and if I have to go to court to get it, I will.”

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/phoenix-councilmembers-face-accusations-of-misappropriated-taxpayer-money

Elyse Arons Honored with Hall of Fame Recognition

(03/13/26 6:03pm)

PHOENIX— Arizona State University inducted the co-founders of the global lifestyle brand Kate Spade into its Alumni Hall of Fame. The ceremony was not only a prestigious honor for the inductees, but also a time for remembering the legacy of Kate Spade, the founder of the brand who died in 2018. Elyce Arons, company co-founder and friend of Spade, accepted her award in the First Amendment Forum while Andy Spade, her husband and business partner, accepted the award on her behalf. Arons has used her brand and work to keep the memory of Spade alive and honor her. “You know, I hear her in my ear every single day,” Arons said. “When we’re working on different designs I look at it and I think would she like that color yellow? Would Katie like this? Would she wear this skirt? What would she pair it with? She’s always in my head.”After her passing, Arons also created the “Love Katie Collection” which was centered around sentimental pieces that were worn by Spade and important to Arons.“One of the things that I wanted to do as a tribute to her was make something special,” Arons said. “I feel like Katie’s still with me doing it because a lot of them were her vintage pieces and things we’ve collected together over the years.”The loss of Spade has continued to impact her loved ones, the fashion industry and students at Walter Cronkite. Student Mia Osmonbekov initially did not plan to attend the event but found herself drawn to it because of its bittersweet nature, even taking the opportunity to ask Arons how she managed to make space for her grief. For Arons, the answer came in her book “We Might Just Make it After All,” a story of her history and friendship with Spade she began working on five years after losing her. At first, Arons said she thought writing it would be difficult but it ended up helping her deal with her grief. “It was actually one of the best things I could have ever done, because I remembered all the good times we had and all the high points, and it helped me focus on her life and not on how she left us,” Arons said. The enjoyment of her time at the school was not without its hardships, as much of it was spent working waitress jobs to pay tuition and make ends meet. Despite the hardship, Arons now views it as the best time of her life. “There were so many struggles, but you look back and you think those were the best times of all,” Arons said.Arons and Spade have not only accomplished many things over their career, but also have been a source of pride for students.Pucci said that she was in the same sorority during her time at the school that Spade was once a part of and how important that was to her and her sorority sisters.“I remember when I was a new member, we were so overwhelmed with pride to be able to say, ‘well, we’re in the same sorority as Kate Spade,’” Pucci said.Arons credits much of her journey to her time as a journalism student at Cronkite.“Journalism is a fantastic training for life,” Arons said. “You learn how to listen; you learn how to read the room and to pivot when the story changes.”When talking about the two newest Hall of Fame Alumnae, Dean Battinto Batts said that both women have carried the spirit of the school with them long after their graduation in 1986.“No matter where their careers have taken them, they continue to embody the highest standards and values instilled right here at the Cronkite School,” Batts said.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/elyse-arons-honored-with-hall-of-fame-recognition

OPINION: “Undertone” Proves You Don’t Need Much to Deliver a Real Scare

(03/13/26 7:00am)

WARNING: This article contains spoilers and sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised.A lot of horror films have attempted the narrative of a demon possession, but none of them have attempted it like Ian Tuason’s “Undertone.”​“Undertone” follows podcast host Evy, played by Nika Kiri, who covers scary content with her co-star Justin (whose face we never actually see). Evy moves in to care for her dying mother, but continues to host the podcast from her mother’s home. While recording an episode, Evy and Justin receive recordings of a pregnant couple's paranormal encounters, and, slowly but surely, Evy and the audience discover that the couple’s story parallels Evy’s with each tape pushing her toward madness.While some aspects of the movie were predictable, others were obscure and felt unfinished. At the beginning of the film, the cryptic email sent to the podcast hosts included the word “tenet.” The movie doesn’t tell you this, but the word tenet is defined as a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion. Religion is a major aspect of this movie, with Evy’s mother being extremely religious and religious artifacts hanging in every corner of the house. If you’re also a cinephile, you might remember Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” which taught us the word is also spelled the same backwards as forwards, which stirred my conspiracy theorist brain into what this could mean about the plot of “Undertone.”Since the first showing of the word “tenet,” I somewhat knew where the movie was headed. In my head, we were about to see the sound recordings from the pregnant couple line up with the film's events in descending order. Another thought I had is that we would, at some point, see time reverse, especially with the steady ticking of a clock we can hear whenever Evy has her headphones off. Towards the end of the movie, we do see the wall clock in Evy’s mother’s house stop and reverse, but I wish we had seen more explicit examples of this concept.The first mention of a demon amidst all the religious context in the movie was while Evy and Justin listened to one of the voice recordings sent in the ominous email. In the voice recording, you can hear a woman say the word “Abyzou.” In Near Eastern and European folklore, Abyzou is a female demon who causes miscarriages, infant mortality and stillbirths out of jealousy for being infertile herself. ​This concept isn’t new; movies like “The Conjuring” also feature demons, but “Undertone” uniquely relies on sound to portray possession. Creating a sonic nightmare on film requires skill. This movie didn’t need jumpscares or sudden loud noises to scare the audience; its portrayal of Evy’s descent into madness left the audience unsure of what they would hear or feel next. The quiet, hushed whispers you hear in the dark can sometimes cause a lot more fear than loud, jarring sounds. In “Undertone,” we hear sounds like someone praying in the dark, a clock ticking and water dripping, which makes us more alert and almost anticipate something more. With the mention of “The Conjuring” film above, it’s important to mention that “The Conjuring” took home a budget of $20 million; “Undertone” spent $500,000. This further shows that you don’t need much to deliver a big scare; you need to know how to utilize the tools we already have, like sound. For the ultimate experience, make sure to watch this movie in a Dolby and/or IMAX screening to fully immerse yourself in the film's atmosphere, starting Friday, March 13.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/opinion-undertone-proves-you-don-t-need-much-to-deliver-a-real-scare

Phoenix to Expand Local Grocery Store to Support The Economy

(03/12/26 6:40pm)

Phoenix is set to add space to the already existing Los Altos Ranch Market grocery store with the goal of creating more jobs and strengthening the community.The Central City Village Planning Committee voted unanimously at a meeting on Monday to approve the expansion. The proposal is part of the city’s ongoing effort to recover losses sustained during the coronavirus pandemic.“The grocery store is a tenant for the whole community as part of a way to keep grocery prices lower and provide more local businesses,” Burch and Cracchiolo Attorney Madison Leake said to committee members at Emerson Court while arguing in favor of the expansion.Several small businesses already operate in the store due to the building’s size, and the planned expansion will allow more small businesses to open and create more jobs.“So many people have been gentrified, pushed out for higher-rise development,” said Committee Member Ash Uss when explaining why she voted in favor of the expansion.Committee members were optimistic about the expansion's economic impact on the area, with the opportunity to provide more jobs for local residents motivating Committee Member Rachel Frazier-Johnson to vote yes on the expansion.“It’s about impacting our community and celebrating our culture here in Downtown Phoenix,” said Frazier-Johnson.The planned expansion of the store includes a multi-purpose banquet hall that would be used for a variety of events, which also influenced Frazier-Johnson’s vote, as she hopes the hall will lead to a greater appreciation of local art.“We live right along the border and are home to multiple Native American tribes,” Frazier-Johnson said. “Regardless of where you come from, it is important to celebrate the southwest and all it has to offer.”Uss was hopeful about the potential the hall had for bringing the residents of the area together and that the hall would bring forward a greater appreciation for the arts among the community.“So many of our village, event, music and art spaces have been displaced,” Uss said. “To not only be able to keep local businesses in their spot, but also have a place where people can gather and come together is amazing.”In addition to support from committee members, the proposal also received a letter of support from a resident in the nearby Garfield neighborhood who favored the expansion.The resident who wrote the letter was excited about the project, praising the expansion for enhancing the store and expanding opportunities for people living in the area.Leake said that the only concerns she had received from residents were fears that the grocery store would be going away.“No, everything is staying the same,” Leake said. “We’re just bringing it into conformity.”To reassure residents that the project would benefit them, Leake made an effort to attend neighborhood meetings to talk with residents and directly address their concerns.The Garfield neighborhood meeting that Leake attended resulted in a “nice, long discussion” that led one of the residents in attendance to write the project a letter of support.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/phoenix-to-expand-local-grocery-store-to-support-the-economy

Creighton University Professor Challenges Modern Regulatory System

(03/10/26 9:21pm)

An economics professor at Creighton University said government regulation should be reduced to avoid creating unmanageable rules in her speech on Jan. 29.Regulations in industries such as beer and car manufacturing tend to accumulate over time, often benefiting concentrated interests while creating unintended consequences, said Dr. Diana Weinert Thomas.Thomas said that the federal government requires all cars made after 2012 to have backup cameras, which improve safety but add costs and limit consumer choice. “Regulation over time is cumulative; there is so much regulation that it becomes impossible to keep track of,” Thomas said to a room full of students at Arizona State University’s Memorial Union.Her speech highlights the broader debate over how regulation affects businesses and consumers and whether lawmakers should simplify the systems in place. With tariffs on imported goods increasing and the adoption of artificial intelligence expanding, the debate over regulation is gaining more attention. Beck Laporte, a business student at ASU, said he was surprised by the contrast between past and current regulations, noting that modern rules are more scientific but can also be exploited.“I’m really interested in seeing regulations of the past compared to regulations now; today it’s much more strategic and that makes it easier for people to take advantage of it,” Laporte said.Laporte said he agreed with the idea that concentrated beneficiaries often outweigh the broader public's interests.Another attendee said Thomas’s speech reminded him of challenges he has faced in his career.Gary Brennan, a Tempe resident with experience in healthcare and business, said companies he ran needed proof and studies to show that regulations worked and independent checks are important to ensure rules do what they should.Brennan said Thomas’s speech matches his experience running a business, where studies and independent checks were important to make sure regulations worked.Brennan also shared his view on healthcare, saying, “I’m a strong advocate for Medicare for All; as a country, we’re the only ones in the developed world that can’t figure out universal health care, which I think is a human right, it’s too expensive and our outcomes suck no matter what Congress people tell us.”Her lecture explored similar themes in other industries, showing how rules meant to help can sometimes backfire.Thomas said that the “regulatory paradox,” or when rules meant to fix a problem end up making the problem worse, happens when rules start to limit choice and waste more money. While rearview cameras save lives and cost only about $50 per car, the U.S.’s stricter safety rules make vehicles more expensive than in countries like China, illustrating the tradeoff between safety and cost, she said. Thomas said that there are two ways to look at rules: one is that government acts ‘romantically’ to help people and the other is that politics is like a market, with lobbying and money moving around.Small, focused groups that expect large private gains often get more from politics than larger, spread-out groups, she said. She was citing economist George Stigler’s 1971 theory that regulations are often designed to benefit the market being regulated rather than consumers.Thomas closed her lecture by emphasizing that lawmakers should carefully weigh the costs and benefits of rules and regulations before enforcing them. “If lawmakers could take one lesson away, it would be to regulate less,” Thomas said, leaving students with a reminder that regulation should prioritize consumer benefit.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/creighton-university-professor-challenges-modern-regulatory-system

Policymakers Negotiate Colorado River Water Rights as Arizona Looks for Solutions

(03/10/26 9:19pm)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – As state governments face a crisis over the Colorado River and negotiate over water rights, experts say local Arizona communities will need long-term strategies.With a decades-long drought across the Southwest and declining supplies of water from the Colorado River, elected officials in Arizona have long been advocating for the state’s water rights. Before meeting with other governors and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to negotiate Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water, the Office of Governor Katie Hobbs released a statement calling for the need to protect Arizona’s share.Water from the Colorado River is managed by the Central Arizona Project, delivering supplies across 336 miles to cities across the valley, including Scottsdale. According to the city of Scottsdale’s website, 70% of the water Scottsdale uses comes from the Colorado River. This year, there is a reduced allocation of water to Arizona because the Colorado River basin is in a Tier 1 Shortage.“The drought has essentially been 20 years”, Central Arizona Project spokesperson DeEtte Person said. “The real crux of the issue is that we are talking about water from the Colorado River and we are in this period where the guidelines agreed upon are expiring in 2026.”According to the city of Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan, the city needs hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water stored in the aquifers below ground. As a result, government officials in Scottsdale and other municipalities need a long-term solution for providing adequate water for the growing population.“There's a lot of pressure on the Colorado River, on the allocations to local municipalities such as the one I live in Scottsdale,” former member of the Scottsdale Environmental Advisory Commission Ryan Johnson said. “The bottom line is that cities are trying to do what they can to ensure a long term water supply because it's vital to economic development and continued growth”. Scottsdale Water, the city’s municipal water utility, is providing new technologies for water planning and recycling. Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Facility treats recycled water and then recharges the aquifer with this treated water.“Groundwater is finite. It's not going to be there forever,” Scottsdale Water Spokesperson Bryan Bouchard said. “We are looking at other every other opportunity that we have to acquire new water sources.”Long-term planning for water usage in Scottsdale is important for the health of residents and the economic growth of businesses. Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 includes a call to implement advanced purified water on a systemic basis by 2027 and Automated Meter Infrastructure Technology by 2030. The same plan states that Scottsdale Water will also propose to the Scottsdale City Council that the city invest in SRP’s Bartlett Dam and a City of Phoenix facility to draw on additional sources.In addition to recycling and seeking new sources, Scottsdale Water offers tips and educational materials to help residents and local businesses conserve water supplies. For residents seeking a more fundamental understanding of water planning and usage, Scottsdale Water offers a Water Citizen Academy.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/03/policymakers-negotiate-colorado-river-water-rights-as-arizona-looks-for-solutions