Megalopolitan Life

How lucky were we? “Barbie” was a summer blockbuster film last year, but even before that happened, Phoenix Art Museum had already contracted to bring the “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” exhibit to town. So while everyone was thinking pink, we had a Barbie wonderland at our fingertips. The exhibition traces the way that Barbie and American culture have influenced each other for 65 years, and included dozens of well-preserved dolls from Barbie’s long history. In addition, fun photo ops like Barbie and Ken boxes and a real pink Corvette visitors could sit in created long lines on busy days. The exhibit was a heck of a lot of fun, but the real win was the way it brought generations together. Seeing grandmothers, moms and daughters peruse the show and exclaim over the dolls was a heartwarming sight.

All due respect to Steven Spielberg and his three Oscars, but he only spent a slice of his childhood in Phoenix. Emma Stone is Valley-born and Valley-raised. She spent her formative years treading the boards of the Valley Youth Theatre before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. And what a career it is. After breaking out in coming-of-age flicks such as “Superbad” and “Easy A,” Stone has established herself as one of the industry’s top actors. She owns two Oscars for Best Actress, for “La La Land” and “Poor Things.” She consistently pursues challenging roles, commanding the camera’s attention with her big, expressive eyes. And she’s only 35. Plenty of time, Emma, to produce and star in a Best Picture winner about Phoenix.

There are lots of reasons why the Phoenix Film Festival is so vital to the local arts and culture scene. It could just be that the fest, which began in 2001, has grown to 11 full days with nearly 300 films screened for 20,000-plus attendees. Or, that it’s been honored by MovieMaker magazine on several well-received lists of important national fests. Or even that the festival has always championed smaller filmmakers and especially people of color, enacting real diversity and inclusion in a meaningful way. But perhaps the best reason is that the festival has always worked to really honor the value and significance of truly great films. The event celebrates the power and connection that comes when you sit in a dark room for 120 minutes and let another soul speak to you about life, love, politics and whatever else matters in the world. The festival brings people together who share the most important thing: an appreciation for how art defines and uplifts communities while commemorating singular ideas and achievements. The fact that it’s important in those other metrics only adds to the fest’s legacy of engagement and culture-sharing.

A talented inker and penciler based in Scottsdale, Morales is known for his lifelike art. He has an extensive background as a professional fine artist and a comic book artist. Morales studied graphic design and comic book illustration at Al Collins Graphic Design, and his notable pieces include contributions to Fleer Ultra Spider-Man, Marvel Premier 2017, Fleer Ultra X-Men, Spider-Man: Homecoming, U-Haul International and Game On Expo. Morales’s skill and dedication to his craft have earned him recognition and a loyal following. Earlier this year, Morales was at Phoenix Fan Fusion, where he inked headshots or torso-up shots of attendees’ favorite comic book characters. His breathtaking art continues to captivate audiences and solidify his reputation as a leading comic book artist in metro Phoenix.

Reppin’ metro Phoenix, Decoy Muñoz is celebrated worldwide as a top popping and pop-locking dancer. Always seen sporting a fedora hat and dark sunglasses, Decoy’s dance journey began with family backyard boogies, where he honed his craft under the guidance of his cousins. His distinctive style, shaped by his time in both Los Angeles and Arizona, is a testament to his versatile background. Decoy’s signature technique features the art of locking, characterized by rapid movements followed by sudden, sharp pauses. This involves fluid wrist and hand circles, punctuated by brief freezes in striking poses, creating a eye-catching robotic effect. Complementing this, his popping style includes sharp muscle contractions, and his footwork gives the illusion of floating. Each performance is a dynamic showcase of precise muscle control, set to electrifying electro, funk and rap music. Decoy’s exceptional talent has earned him appearances on the BET Awards, “America’s Got Talent” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Rain isn’t just a cosplayer; she’s a creative force at Phoenix Fan Fusion, Saboten Con and the International District Night Market. While cosplay, short for “costume play,” typically involves dressing up as characters from video games, anime and movies, Rain elevates this art form to new heights. Her recent portrayals of Kai’Sa from “League of Legends” and Eijiro Kirishima (Red Riot) from “My Hero Academia” are nothing short of stunning, but she doesn’t stop there. Rain collaborates with other talented cosplayers to create ultrarealistic group ensembles, such as the iconic Sailor Scouts from “Sailor Moon.” Adding another layer of authenticity, Rain pairs her costumes with Itasha vehicles — cars decked out with extensive decals and accessories representing characters and anime series. Rain’s dedication to detail and her passion for bringing characters to life make her a star in the cosplay community.

This recognition is no surprise to those familiar with Gonzales’ exceptional work, particularly his recent project painting the Phoenix Suns’ 1957 Chevy Bel Air in the basketball team’s iconic purple and orange color scheme. Before the project began, the Phoenix Suns’ staff closely observed Gonzales’ custom jobs for two years before deciding to entrust him with building their “lolo,” or lowrider. The final product was captured on video being driven by Devin Booker; the video was shared on mainstream news and went viral. Since 1987, the Mesa-born and -raised car customizer has left his “Bugs Did It” signature on the top lowriders in the Valley and beyond. Gonzales is renowned for his proficiency in implementing advanced paint techniques such as pearl tape shades, flake pinstriping, water drops and silver leafing with candy clearcoats. His super-steady hands have earned him numerous accolades, including the opportunity to pinstripe a lowrider owned by Joe Ray, the former editor of Lowrider magazine. This year, we recognize Gonzales’ dedication to his craft and ability to create stunning custom paint jobs that have solidified his reputation as the premier lowrider painter in metro Phoenix.

Grand Avenue Arts & Preservation Director Beatrice Moore owns a billboard near Grand and 11th avenues. But she doesn’t use it for advertising. Back in March 2017, the billboard made national news when Moore commissioned Los Angeles artist Karen Fiorito to cover it with a controversial piece of art depicting then-President Donald Trump surrounded by mushroom clouds and dollar signs that resembled swastikas. Since then, the billboard has been used to decry Trump’s nominees to the Supreme Court and to celebrate Black History Month, among other topics. But in March, a new work by Fiorito went up on the billboard. Titled “Dictator Diaper Don Destroying Democracy,” the piece depicts Trump as three infants on a picnic blanket surrounded by things like a cake decorated with a Confederate flag, “I Love Fascism” spelled out with baby blocks and a bucket of fried chicken bearing the image of Adolf Hitler. Fiorito and Moore intended the work to remind people of the damage Trump has wrought in the U.S. and to encourage people to vote. Moore has stated that the image will stay up through the November presidential election.

As devoted moviegoers, we’re so glad that so many local multiplexes have made moves toward a more luxurious cinematic experience. Now, amenities like reclining chairs, full bars and upscale food options are fairly easy to find, but when the selection and showtimes are right, we still prefer to watch the latest blockbuster at Landmark Theatres. The Scottsdale Quarter location puts us right in the middle of plenty of shopping and dining options before and after the show. Inside, Landmark’s eight screens have great sound and picture, and we can catch all the action from supremely comfortable seats. In addition to mainstream movies and indie flicks, Landmark offers classic films at low prices, special film series and other one-off events.

We made a critical error when we visited “Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising From Minneapolis to Phoenix” at ASU Art Museum early this year: We didn’t bring tissues. The powerful and heartbreaking exhibit included hundreds of signs collected from the streets of Minneapolis after protests related to the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police officers. Signs that read “My Black Family Matters,” “Justice for George” and “You Don’t Need Tear Gas – We’re Already Crying” reflect the sorrow, anger and frustration felt in the wake of Floyd’s murder. ASU professor Dr. Rashad Shabazz was integral in bringing the exhibit to the Valley and did so, in part, because of the ongoing problem of police violence in Arizona. For months, the public came to see the signs, bearing witness to one city’s anguish and leaving inspired to effect change in their own.

It’s a laudable accomplishment for any business to celebrate a 25th anniversary. We’re especially happy to see it when the business is an art gallery, and downright thrilled when said gallery is on Roosevelt Row, a part of town that has seen a lot of change — not all of it good — over the past decade. Kimber Lanning’s Modified Arts has been a staple of downtown Phoenix for a quarter-century, and its anniversary show included works by 25 artists “who have left an indelible mark on the gallery’s rich history,” according to the gallery statement. Ann Morton, Jeff Falk, Christopher Jagmin, Monica Martinez — some of the Valley’s most influential and well-known artists contributed to the show, which made the exhibit both a meaningful look at our local art scene and a well-deserved celebration of Modified.

Want to talk to local artists and learn about their work? Go to Eye Lounge on a First or Third Friday. The artist-run gallery is one of our must-stop spaces during the Roosevelt Row artwalks. The exhibits are always worth seeing; 2024 offerings included “Sex and Sovereignty,” a photography exhibition by Amanda Mollindo about the ongoing issue of reproductive freedom, and “Your Money & Your Life” by Amy Bird, a collection of currency collages that challenged viewers to think about money in different ways. But here’s what we love about Eye Lounge on a First Friday: More likely than not, you’ll find the artist whose work is on the walls greeting you at the entrance. The tiny space inspires conversation, allowing those of us who may usually be too shy to talk to an artist to feel comfortable interacting. We invariably leave Eye Lounge a little more knowledgeable about the work and a little more connected to the Valley’s art scene.

Grand Avenue is one of Phoenix’s most colorful and artistic thoroughfares, with plenty of stores, restaurants and bars to stop into. Just east of Bacanora, which has garnered accolades from national food critics, walk past trees covered in yard afghans and look up at what hangs from them: flowers, plush toys and … trolls. The gang of trolls on Grand are the cutest and most formidable public gang of stuffed animals that we’ve seen. Placed together among a diverse array of other toys, the trolls seem to have their own special society. It’s a joy to see them all in solidarity, against the odds, weathering Phoenix’s summers and basking in the glory of its winters.

When Valley Metro’s Thelda Williams Transit Center and the light rail’s northwest extension debuted earlier this year, it provided riders with both new destinations and a collection of dynamic, vibrant public art to enjoy. Seven pieces were added to stations along Valley Metro’s Northwest Light Rail Extension, including such standouts as Oregon-based sculptor Pete Goldlust’s playful UFO-themed work “The Travelers” at Dunlap and 25th avenues and local artist Mary Shindell’s divine “Ocotillo Rise” murals inspired by desert botanicals at the Metro Parkway Station. The crown jewel is Tempe artist Oliverio Balcells’ evocative and vibrant “On a Journey with You,” a multipart tile mosaic adorning 66 risers of the stairs leading to the second level of the Thelda Williams Transit Center. The colorful work features Costa’s hummingbirds taking flight amid desert flowers, a flowing river and symbols inspired by the Wixárika, an Indigenous culture native to western Mexico. According to Balcells, the birds represent “relationships, admiration, community and love,” while the water symbolizes the light rail and the journeys it will lead people on. It creates a stunning, eye-catching sight for visitors to the transit center heading out on their own journeys.

It’s likely that you’ve never noticed the walls and floors throughout Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Blame it on the frustrating push through security and the sprints across the cavernous hallways to one of the 86 gates of Terminal 4. But the airport’s two terminals, the terrazzo floors of the PHX Sky Train corridors and even the Rental Car Center might surprise you. Why? Because of the impressive number of public art installations showcasing the work of Arizona artists and curated by the Phoenix Airport Museum. It started in 1962 with Paul Coze’s “The Phoenix,” a giant, three-panel, 75-foot mural that was originally located over the main hall in the Terminal 2 lobby when it opened in 1962. When the terminal was decommissioned in 2020, the mural — the first piece of city-commissioned public art chosen by a public vote — eventually made its way to the rental car center in 2021. The iconic work includes 52 different materials and 15 canvases and pays tribute to the first prehistoric inhabitants of the region, depicts a blazing phoenix and, with outstretched hands, honors Arizona’s agriculture, ranching and mining history.

The tiny stretch of central Phoenix road known as the Oak Street Alley is one of the most delightful parts of the city. The concrete walls that line the street are canvases for the city’s artists, turning the area into an open-air gallery any time of the day or night. You could drive through at a snail’s pace, but we prefer to park nearby and check out the murals on foot. Some of the pieces, like Maggie Keane’s charming ode to A-ha’s “Take on Me” music video, have been up for years. But many sections of wall get a new look each spring during the Oak Street Alley Mural Festival, a weekend in which the public crowds the alley while artists paint new creations. It’s one of our favorite events of the year.

Do we love Canal Convergence because it takes place the second week of November? No, but the gorgeous weather doesn’t hurt. The blessedly crisp air is the perfect setting for Scottsdale Public Art’s annual festival dedicated to art and sustainability, which is part of the reason it draws so many people down to the Scottsdale Waterfront. But the main appeal is of course the art and the extensive schedule of activities. Scottsdale Public Art brings innovative, interactive works from around the world to the Valley to the delight of patrons of all ages. In recent years, pieces have included a giant octopus to climb on, floating lotuses that shoot fire in time to music and a light-up bridge. All the art is free to see, as are Canal Convergence’s many musical performances and a good number of the tours and art activities. It all adds up to an event we eagerly anticipate each fall.

You’ve seen them, even if you haven’t been bold enough to ride in one. They cruise through Valley streets and neighborhoods — and recently, the highways — cameras a-whirring, empty and unnervingly silent. Sometimes they turn from the wrong lane, run into a pole or even get pulled over. Mostly, though, they roll around town ferrying passengers to and fro while the driver’s seat sits unoccupied. Pulling up next to one at a stop light is to gaze into a singularity, a disturbing peek at a sterile and post-human existence. Kids might call them “magic cars,” and we might call them creepy as hell, but they’re probably not going away. Like WALL-E, they’ll amble along our desiccated roadways long after civilization has ended.

Every Independence Day, the Valley becomes a literal boom town as colorful cannonades of fireworks burst above cities from Apache Junction to Avondale. But there’s one display that shines brighter than the rest: the annual Fabulous Phoenix 4th at Steele Indian School Park. Boasting the largest free fireworks display in Arizona, the event sets off more than 7,800 aerial effects each year over midtown Phoenix. A local tradition since the 1980s, the Fabulous Phoenix 4th draws anywhere from 40,000 to 80,000 people to the park for a 25-minute spectacle that dazzles and delights. It’s a stunning and soul-stirring celebration of America’s birthday, with each explosion a marvel unto itself. Rivulets of golden fire rain down like molten sparks from a celestial forge. Glowing serpentine streaks shimmer and sparkle while twisting through the warm evening air. And thunderous booms echo as dazzling blue stars erupt before painting the heavens in sapphire light. A cacophonous grand finale caps off the fireworks display with a luminously vibrant barrage of hundreds of fireworks detonating within a minute or so, evoking author (and Arizona resident) Alan Dean Foster’s declaration that “freedom is just chaos, with better lighting.”

The Halloween season brings out the spooky side in many mortals. Some plan elaborate costumes or binge scary movies. Others adorn their homes with a few kitschy decorations. Then there’s Chris Birkett, who transforms the exterior of his Scottsdale residence into an epic Halloween display that’s the best in the Valley. Rivaling professional haunted houses in production value and genuine scares, it’s a multimedia-powered experience inspired by macabre illustrator Edward Gorey, Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion and similarly spooky source material. The front yard is bathed in orange and purple light and features animatronic headstones, singing pumpkins and ghoulish figures on projection screens while a fire-breathing dragon and a black castle are perched on the roof. A dank and creepy abandoned mine runs along the side of the house, while inside the garage, a claustrophobic maze contains freakish fiends, illusions, jump scares and plenty of twists and turns. The Haunted Graveyard has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1986, when it started as a small pumpkin patch and a few tombstones crafted by Chris and his brother Steve. These days, it draws tens of thousands of people each year from Oct. 25 through Halloween night, all of whom are in the mood for a good scare.

Many local holiday displays include Jack Skellington and characters from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” including the one adorning the home of Bob Spacy Jr. The Glendale resident takes things to a level of holiday grandeur that only the Pumpkin King himself could appreciate. The result is the Scary Christmas House, a massive holiday display and tribute to the animated film encompassing the exterior and front yard of his three-bedroom home. Epic in size and imagination, it contains multitudes of handmade props, characters and scenes from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” many created by Spacy himself. There’s Spiral Hill and Ooogie Boogie’s Lair. Monstrous wreaths and Jack’s Christmas formulae. Skeletal reindeer and a kidnapped Sandy Claws hanging from the rooftop. And elsewhere, Zero flies through the air and characters like Lock, Stock and Barrel lurk amid 125,000 lights. The display has been visited by tens of thousands locally since its debut in 2016 and was viewed by a nationwide audience when it was showcased on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” last year. Spacy might not have taken home the show’s bulb-shaped trophy, but he more than earns the honor of being the best Christmas house in town.

The holidays are a time for cherished traditions. With almost no chance of a White Christmas here in the desert, we embrace uniquely Arizona experiences like feasting on tamales, decorating cactuses or marveling at awe-inspiring light displays. One of the most spectacular examples of the latter is the annual APS Electric Light Parade, our favorite local Christmastime tradition. A staple of the holiday season for more than 35 years, the parade transforms a portion of midtown Phoenix into a glowing wonderland as floats, vehicles and performers adorned with illuminated bulbs roll along a 2.3-mile jaunt down Central Avenue, Camelback Road and Seventh Street while lighting up the night with festive energy. Stake out a spot along the route and experience the parade’s twinkling magic. It’s a moment to bond with fellow Valley residents while sharing a sense of joy, wonder and holiday cheer. After all, those are some of the reasons for the season.

One of Phoenix’s iconic midcentury houses was almost demolished early this year. White Gates, or Beadle House #6, is a 1954 home designed by beloved local architect Al Beadle. The long one-story dwelling with the instantly recognizable ellipsoid screen is a jewel that is appreciated by locals and architecture students alike. It’s changed hands a number of times; most recently, the house was sold for $1.7 million in early 2024 to a buyer who then submitted an application for a demolition permit. The move drew the ire of historic preservationists, Beadle fans and neighbors of the house, and the outcry became so large that the permit application was withdrawn. Until Beadle House #6 is designated a landmark by the Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission, a demolition permit can always be re-requested. But for now, the White Gates are still with us.

The story of The Abbey on Monroe begins in 1883, when Phoenix First Baptist Church was founded. The congregation’s first building began construction in 1903 and was replaced by the current structure in 1930. The congregation left the building for digs uptown in 1968, but in 1984, the structure, which by then had been added to the National Register of Historic Places, succumbed to a fire that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, including destroying the ceiling of the sanctuary. Enter former Phoenix mayor and Arizona attorney general Terry Goddard, who helped a nonprofit legal client, Housing Opportunity Center, purchase the building in 1993, right before it was due to be demolished. Over the next 30 years, some low-income housing was built on the property, but the gorgeous ruin of the church lay empty. But now, 40 years after the fire, the building has reopened and has a second chance at life, and has been renamed The Abbey on Monroe. It’s a wedding and event venue, and Walter Productions co-owner Kirk Strawn and concert promoter Danny Zelisko are in talks to bring concerts and other forms of entertainment to the space. Future plans include a restaurant as well. It’s a happy ending for one of the most beautiful buildings in Phoenix.

Of all the places one expects to find a rare example of 17th-century poet John Milton’s handwritten reading notes, a downtown Phoenix library is not on the list. And yet that’s exactly what happened earlier this year. Visiting scholars who were examining books in the Burton Barr Central Library’s Rare Book Room came across what they thought were notations by Milton in a 1587 history tome. After an expert at the University of Cambridge authenticated the find, Burton Barr could now call itself the owner of only one of three English-language books containing Milton’s handwriting. The visiting scholars had been brought to the Valley by the Arizona Book History Group, an organization founded by ASU professors Brandi Adams and Jonathan Hope to inspire new ways to do literary research. “We don’t get time to kind of meander with a book,” Adams said in an ASU News article. “So we decided that this would be a good way to think about how do we kind of break some of those structures and work in community and conversation.” Mission accomplished.

There’s much more to Tempe history than just Legend City, Hayden Flour Mill and Monti’s La Casa Vieja. (Remember Greasy Tony’s? How about Incredible Universe?) The East Valley suburb has a rich heritage dating back to the late 1800s filled with stories of Indigenous peoples, early settlers, cultural landmarks and the growth of a vibrant community. The Tempe History Museum’s staff work hard to catalog and showcase as much of the city’s past as possible, preserving its legacy for future generations. Its 8,000-square-foot space offers exhibit areas, galleries and themed sections, such as “College Town” and “Surviving in the Desert.” What sets Tempe History Museum apart from other local historical institutions are its engaging and fun exhibitions. In 2014, it presented “The Tempe Sound,” a rip-roaring collection of nostalgic photos and artifacts of the city’s music history with a focus on Mill Avenue’s late ’80s/early ’90s jangle-pop heyday. Other standout exhibits include 2021’s game-themed “Video Invaders” and last year’s fascinating and evocative “Guadalupe: Where Three Cultures Flourish.” The museum also offers a robust online archive (emuseum.tempe.gov) containing countless photos of Tempe bars, restaurants, businesses and institutions that have long since become distant memories.

Once upon a time in the decadent ’70s, nearly every city had at least one revival movie theater where you could catch classics like “The Maltese Falcon” or “Breathless” on the big screen. VCRs, cable, DVDs and now streaming services have made revival houses about as rare as landline telephones, but Michael Pollack’s Pollack Tempe Cinemas is a bit of a throwback, with six theaters where moviegoers can watch classics such as “Fantasia,” “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and “Star Wars.” Pollack also shows new releases several weeks after they debut; if you can wait a bit, you can catch 2024 blockbusters for a low price (usually $3.50). Concessions are dead cheap as well. Video games and movie memorabilia fill the theater’s recently renovated lobby, so for a cheap date night or family outing, it’s a perfect package. And even if you’re an antisocial cuss and like to watch movies solo, it won’t dent your wallet. So, what are you waiting for?

To the extent that our system of roadways operates smoothly, it’s by a collective adherence to the rules. When the light turns red, we stop. When two lanes merge into one, we zipper. When we enter a traffic circle, we … do our honest best. But those good manners go out the window during rush hour on Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street. That’s when the center lanes change orientation — southbound-only on weekday mornings, northbound-only in the late afternoons. Copious signage communicates as much, if only drivers would notice. Every single day, riding in the suicide lane means coming grill-to-grill with someone barreling down it in the wrong direction. You’ll yell, you’ll gesture, you’ll do everything short of write “YOU CAN’T TURN HERE” on your windshield. None of it will matter. Just be grateful you got home alive.

Through the 1950s, Arizona was a haven for copper mining, which led in part to the state’s growth and general development. And while copper is still very much a massive economic driver — upward of $1 billion in 2019, per reports — there’s another gold rush ’round these parts: data centers. In recent years, companies like Digital Realty, Meta and Google have built massive, multi-million-dollar centers across the Valley. And how could they not: Whether it’s the reasonable energy prices, the heaps of affordable land or the high-speed fiber optic networks in the Valley, there are lots of factors making us a veritable paradise for these increasingly relevant tech centers. The rush, it seems, isn’t nearly over; in spring 2024, QTS Realty Trust bought 375 acres near Glendale for its third such data center. Yes, these centers are often connected with AI technology, which raises its own moral and technological concerns. But there’s little denying that these centers aren’t just a massive financial upside; they open up other vast opportunities for the Valley to further emerge as a tech hot spot.

If you’re looking to make friends in the LGBTQ+ community, we know just the place. Thems. hosts monthly events and workshops that encourage LGBTQ+ people in Phoenix to make friends and center art in their lives. From poetry workshops and shows to flower arranging classes and a fruity market with only queer-owned businesses, thems.’ events are spurring growth in the community. The organization’s biggest event is Fruity Poetry Night, in which hundreds of guests gather at a changing location (the most recent was Phoenix Art Museum) for the two-hour program, including a featured poet, queer-owned vendors and an open mic for all levels. Those looking for a more chatty event should attend Sunday Sips, where you’ll be paired with a stranger at a rotating coffee shop to follow a guided sketching workshop and meet new people.

A big show requires a big theater. We just can’t picture the “Miss Saigon” helicopter scene or the Arendelle set in “Frozen” on a small stage. So when a large production comes to town, it usually ends up at ASU Gammage, which is just fine with us. The beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building is a grand and inspiring setting for ASU Gammage’s annual Broadway Across America series, which this season includes heavy hitters such as “Wicked,” “Mamma Mia!” and “Some Like It Hot.” The location on ASU’s Tempe campus means that there are plenty of dining and drinking options within an easy walking distance. (Our recommendation: Grab a bite at Casey Moore’s Oyster House before the show.)

The Phoenix Theatre Company’s summer production of “Fiddler on the Roof” would have been stellar in any size room. But the top-notch show was more affecting in the small space, which allowed audiences to see the nuances of the performances. In quality and reputation, The Phoenix Theatre Company has grown far beyond the relatively small walls of its downtown home, but we love the intimate setting because of the sense of immediacy it gives, not to mention the excellent sound quality. Next season’s lineup includes offerings like “Churchill” and “Into the Woods,” so we anticipate several visits to The Phoenix Theatre Company in the coming months.

Once upon a time, Arizona was a hotspot for Hollywood-backed productions. Back in the ’80s, our state’s film industry thrived as now-iconic movies such as “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “Raising Arizona” and “Just One of the Guys” were among a crop of flicks shot locally. Thanks to the Arizona State Legislature enacting a $75 million to $125 million-per-year refundable tax credit in 2021 aimed at bringing more movie productions back to town, Arizona could once again be in the spotlight. If that occurs, one of the focal points might be the Desert Studios Complex, a proposed $900 million production hub. The 320-acre development would house a 480,000-square-foot production space consisting of a dozen state-of-the-art soundstages for various film and TV projects. Other amenities would include staging areas for cameras and technical gear, post-production facilities and a film-themed entertainment complex. Will this proposed dream factory ever become a reality? That depends on state, county and local officials. Last year, the project was approved for a zoning change by the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission. We’ll keep our fingers crossed Desert Studios Complex gets a happy ending.

Hundreds of people showed up at Tempe’s Danelle Plaza on a Thursday night in April, not for a punk concert at Yucca Tap Room, but an art show. “All In,” organized by local artist and art teacher Matt Dickson, was intended to be a one-night-only show featuring the works of 50 local creatives. Dickson wanted the lineup of talent to reflect a diversity of ages, styles and location in the Valley, and gave only one direction: “I said, ‘Show me the thing you love the most,'” he told New Times earlier this year. The result was a fascinating assembly of paintings by local artists including Lalo Cota, Rachel Bess, Luster Kaboom, Champ Styles, Such Styles, JJ Horner, Manic Tongue, Kyllan Maney, NXOEED and JB Snyder. The show drew such a crowd that it spilled out of the bare-bones storefront and into the parking lot, and Dickson decided to keep the show open over the weekend to allow more people to view it. It was exactly the kind of DIY art show Tempe needs more of, which is why we’re glad to see Dickson has another show planned for the same space in October.

When the best you can do is muster just one year in the Arizona House — a place where corrupt lawmakers have long found solace — you know the bad behavior has reached epic levels. Meet Leezah Sun, a Democrat who resigned her seat in January 2024 as she faced likely expulsion. Her bad behavior included threatening to throw a lobbyist from a balcony, interfering in the court-ordered transfer of children in a custodial matter and threatening to initiate a state investigation into a school district over a dispute involving a political ally. After quitting, did Sun pull back from the public spotlight, attend anger management classes and get in touch with her inner namaste? Hardly. She launched an effort to unseat an incumbent and win a seat in the state Senate and was accused of campaign shenanigans. Voters soundly rejected her in the July primary. So of course she’s running for the Tolleson Union High School District Governing Board in November. This mean girl just can’t quit Arizona politics.

Chaos erupted on April 9 when the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated an 1864 near-total ban on abortion, including in cases of rape or incest. It turned out that Republicans’ 2022 law banning abortion after 15 weeks contained a clause clearly expressing that it did not supersede Arizona’s 1864 law. The decision caused panic, as medical providers prepared for the worst and activists rallied against the prospect of forced births. Even several Republicans, like former Gov. Doug Ducey and state Rep. Matt Gress, said they thought the ruling went too far — despite the fact they endorsed the position by passing and signing the 2022 law. Though the 1864 law was eventually repealed within a month of the decision, the abortion ban highlighted the fact that disaster is just a decision away, and individual freedoms are at risk of being ripped up.

Newscaster-turned-MAGA-fanatic Kari Lake just cannot stop being a mess. The defining feature of her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat has been marked by turbulence, inconsistency, unforced errors and lies. After handily losing the 2022 election for governor to Katie Hobbs, Lake was claiming she won and suing as late as July 2024, even though the courts have consistently rejected her outrageous, evidence-free claims. She kept changing her public stance on abortion, which led to questions from the conservative base on the campaign trail. She spoke in front of a Confederate flag at an event and attended a fundraiser at the house of a wealthy conspiracy theorist couple. Lake was loudly booed at an annual meeting of the Arizona Republican Party. She was caught in a lie that she did not collect speaking fees from several appearances and was outfundraised by Democrat Ruben Gallego. And yet, these events only scratch the surface. No one in Arizona is able to match Lake in running such a deeply chaotic public campaign.

Activists and victims of police brutality in Phoenix have been trying to bring oversight to the city’s notorious force for years. The Office of Accountability and Transparency, created by Phoenix City Council in 2021, was supposed to be a tool to do that. But over time, the office was weakened and couldn’t even conduct its own investigations. Roger Smith was the first director of the agency. After the city manager’s sketchy, panicked, last-minute effort to stop Smith from hiring a second-in-command with extensive legal experience on policing issues, city officials formally criticized his behavior in a performance improvement plan despite giving him top marks in an annual review three months earlier. Smith resigned in defiance. In a letter, he said the agency he led “does not have the independence required to effectively perform its responsibilities.” As Phoenix started up its fight against possible independent oversight in anticipation of a damning report from the U.S. Department of Justice, Smith’s resignation highlighted the city’s lie that the watchdog agency provides “robust, independent, civilian review of the PPD.”

After being active in Phoenix politics for over a decade, it seemed like it was finally time for young Democrat Jevin Hodge to catch a break. Hodge narrowly lost the general election for a seat on the powerful Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 2020 by a mere 403 votes — about 0.1%. He turned around and ran against embattled GOP Rep. David Schweikert in 2022 for a seat in U.S. Congress representing Scottsdale, but lost in another close call by fewer than 3,200 votes. Then, after state Rep. Athena Salman resigned in January 2024, Tempe Democrats appointed Hodge to fill her seat for the remainder of the session. But only 46 days into taking office, Hodge resigned after allegations of sexual abuse during his college days at George Washington University surfaced. Though he denied the allegations, Hodge was toast. It’s hard to imagine a bigger fail than the parable of Jevin Hodge.

What started with a historic 2018 election to the U.S. Senate for an Arizona Democrat ended in opulent ignominy. In her single term, Kyrsten Sinema tried to craft an image as a hard-nosed centrist, unafraid to buck her party like John McCain. But Sinema worked herself into a corner with a series of stubborn, questionable moves, making her look like a sociopath and evaporating support from just about anyone who voted for her. Sinema earned “Best Dumbass Political Move” in 2021 for doing a cute curtsy while voting against an increase in the minimum wage and hurting working people. She raked in millions from Wall Street, then helped Republicans kill corporate taxes. She used taxpayer dollars and campaign funds to take private jets, stay in expensive boutique hotels and buy outrageously priced wine. After all this, she had no electoral support and announced she would not seek reelection. We can only assume that upon leaving the Senate in January, Sinema will be awaited by a cushy job on Wall Street where she can live the rest of her lonely, sad life in extreme luxury with very nice material goods. Bye now, Senator Sinema. We hardly knew ye.

A tiny group of people seemed to be the only ones this year with enough guts to make noise about uncomfortable truths, protesting the civilian atrocities of Israel’s brutal assault on the people of Palestine to a largely apathetic, detached and complicit Arizona public. Of the 250 or so protesters who formed an encampment on ASU’s lawn outside Old Main, 72 protesters were arrested on April 26 and 27. At some point during the protest, they came to know that their peaceful but unlawful trespassing on ASU property (a state-funded institution) would not be tolerated. An odd and vicious response by ASU police resulted in chief of police Michael Thompson getting the boot as he immediately went on leave and later resigned. The hammer was laid down: Kids got kicked out of the dorms immediately and were suspended, most of them until August. Their protests challenged the American concept of free speech in contemporary times and highlighted the hypocrisy of the government’s response to speech it does not like. The students and other community members involved — who risked their own arrest and livelihood to some extent — were compelled by an understanding of history and colonial cruelty to speak up.

Have people ever been so eager to stop and sign a petition? The numbers would suggest no. The grassroots effort to enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution began in earnest after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and picked up steam this year when the state Supreme Court upheld an 1864 near-total ban on abortion. That law has thankfully since been repealed, but it didn’t blunt the momentum of Arizona Abortion Access for All, the group behind the initiative. When the organization filed its signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State on July 3, it turned in more than 800,000 — a ballot initiative record and more than twice the number required by law. That secured the proposed amendment a place on the November ballot. The next step will be up to voters.

Last year, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs set the state’s single-year record for vetoes by shooting down 143 bills. She wasn’t as prolific in 2024 — “only” 73 vetoes — but that was more than enough to claim the title of Arizona’s preeminent legislative shot-blocker. Hobbs has now vetoed 216 bills in less than two years in office. That far outpaces the previous record-holder: fellow Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano, who rejected 181 bills over six years. Among the mostly Republican-backed bills Hobbs vetoed this year were laws attacking trans people, making it easier to kill migrants, making it more difficult to protest and allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools. Republicans didn’t have the votes to override any of her vetoes, but they’re trying to evade Hobbs’ veto pen by sending several nixed measures — including a broad law making illegal border crossings a state crime — directly to the November ballot for voters to decide.

Right-wing nutjobs flocked to the northwest Valley after Rep. Debbie Lesko announced she would not run for reelection. In a primary between some of metro Phoenix’s most extreme Republicans, Abe Hamadeh emerged as the winner, beating out fellow MAGA bro Blake Masters, Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives Ben Toma, fake elector and state Sen. Anthony Kern and disgraced former Rep. Trent Franks, who held the office before Lesko but resigned after asking young female staffers to be surrogate mothers for him. Hamadeh nabbed an early endorsement from convicted felon and former President Donald Trump, which no doubt played to his benefit. Masters, who lives 120 miles from the district in Tucson, also received an endorsement from Trump a few days before voting ended but finished second. Toma’s position as a top state official and conservative bona fides weren’t enough to match the MAGA kids’ public profiles; he finished third. With the district heavily favoring Republicans, the 33-year-old Hamadeh is set to coast to a victory in November, which will make him one of the youngest members of Congress.

Facing political fallout from an abortion ban they orchestrated, a yawning state budget deficit and myriad other problems at the Arizona Capitol, what did House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen — the two most powerful men in the legislature — do? They went on a bourbon junket with lobbyists to Kentucky. Better still, they followed that boozy vacay in April with a second one in June, trading bourbon for the fine wine of the Valley — Napa Valley, that is. Besides the optics of boozing it up with lobbyists away from home, the duo also skirted state law, which bans lobbyists from donating to lawmakers during the legislative session. Instead, the cash went to the leadership PACs of the two men. Shady but legal. The April “experience” included a private steakhouse dinner with the dudes in Louisville paired with a tour along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Cheers!

It’s hard not to like Paul Penzone. The sensible Democrat would likely have coasted to a third term as Maricopa County sheriff in November had he opted to run. Instead, worn down by court oversight and six years of cleaning up the mess left for him by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Penzone resigned in January just a year shy of finishing his second term. It’s refreshing to see an elected official give up power without the threat of indictment. Penzone’s tenure wasn’t perfect, but he dismantled Arpaio’s Tent City, worked to repair the agency’s reputation among the communities it persecuted and racially profiled for decades, and tried to combat a staffing shortage while also facing the increasing use of fentanyl and other drugs in the jails he oversaw. Along the way, he sometimes got sideways with the federal judge overseeing the racial profiling court case left behind by Arpaio. That’s what ultimately led the mild-mannered sheriff to call a press conference and quit with this zinger: “I’ll be damned if I’ll do three terms under federal court oversight for a debt I never incurred and not be given the chance to serve this community in the manner that I could if you take the other hand from being tied around my back.”

Kelly is not the bluest of Democrats, but the U.S. Senator deserves credit for helping to turn Arizona into a purple-verging-on-blue state. The former astronaut and Navy pilot won election to the Senate twice since 2020, becoming the first Democrat to win multiple Senate elections in the state since Dennis DeConcini in 1988. Since taking office, Kelly has reliably voted with his party but hasn’t been afraid to buck it from time to time. Kelly routinely cuts through the dogmatic clutter surrounding Arizona’s border issues to approach things in a common-sense way, winning the respect of many hardline Republicans in the southern part of the state. And there are no better advocates for ending gun violence than Kelly and his wife, former Congresswoman and shooting survivor Gabrielle Giffords. Other Democrats deserve more credit for pushing Arizona into more progressive territory. But Kelly has done as much as anyone to convince Arizona’s independents and moderate Republicans to vote Democrat, which is why he was seriously considered to be Kamala Harris’ running mate this year.

When Stephen Richer ran for Maricopa County Recorder in 2020, he did so on a platform of making the job “boring again.” The job, though, has become anything but thanks to his party taking a sharp right turn and embracing every election-denying conspiracy theory they can articulate — and many they can’t. Richer has stood firm, defending the county’s elections as sane and secure, which is no small feat thanks to his own party’s histrionics. Richer has taken on Twitter trolls, stared down those threatening physical violence and sued Kari Lake for defamation and won. He does it with a smile, earnestly running the most transparent elections around, operating an open door policy with the media and even hosting a contest for residents to design new “I Voted” stickers. It’s why we honored Richer in 2021 and why we’re throwing accolades his way again this year. This time, though, it’s more of a political obituary. The election-denying wing of his party put an end to his bid for a second term during the July primary.

Justine Wadsack is the QAnon Karen of the Arizona Legislature, and there seems to be no end to the targets of her venomous outbursts. The far-right MAGA queen from Tucson has, literally, turned her back on Gov. Katie Hobbs as the new Democratic governor called for bipartisanship. In her first term as a state senator, Wadsack targeted LGBTQ+ people, unsheltered folks, drag queens and deaf and blind students. She also supported book bans and dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion training. Her latest outburst came at the expense of a Tucson police officer, who had the audacity to try to write Wadsack a speeding ticket after allegedly clocking her doing 71 in a 35. She was later miffed when another officer addressed her as “Mrs.” instead of “Senator.” With three homes and tenuous ties to the legislative district where she’s legally supposed to live, Wadsack also is the political epitome of this quip from “Mean Girls”: “She doesn’t even go here!”

With his natty blue suit and an educational pedigree that includes being a Rhodes Scholar, a Yale law degree and a master’s degree in Christian social ethics, Oscar De Los Santos can be spotted wherever there’s a progressive political cause to be supported. In his first term as a state lawmaker, he already makes for an impressive opposition figure as the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Arizona House and co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus. He’s also the first LGBTQ+ person elected to represent Legislative District 11, which includes South Phoenix, Laveen, Guadalupe and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. De Los Santos has pushed for a statewide queer-inclusive antidiscrimination bill, though it’s likely that won’t pass until the Legislature flips to Democratic control. Earlier this year, when Republicans stood in the way of repealing a 160-year-old abortion ban, he joined Rep. Analise Ortiz in shouting “Shame!,” “Hold the vote!” and “Blood on your hands!” at Republicans. After the House finally approved the repeal of the abortion ban, De Los Santos was stripped of his seats on two powerful legislative committees as punishment.

In 2022, voters in Arizona helped Kris Mayes shatter the lavender ceiling, making her the state’s first LGBTQ+ attorney general — and just the second LGBTQ+ person elected statewide. Since taking office, she’s become a consumer champion, suing apartment landlords for price gouging, fighting housing discrimination, going after troubled assisted living facilities, snagging $15 million from Johnson & Johnson over deceptive advertising of some of its baby powder, securing the first conviction in the state’s massive Medicaid fraud scandal, suing Amazon, fighting robocalls, investigating gift card fraud and so much more. Mayes also built a bulwark against election fraud, indicting Arizona’s fake electors, and vowed to fight discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The election-denying state lawmaker who hangs with QAnon bros in Vegas has a troubled history with women. The Lake Havasu City Republican has yet to outrun allegations from the early 2000s that he punched his second wife in the mouth and pushed her to the ground during an argument. He’s also accused of breaking down a door and ripping a phone out of the wall as his wife called 911. It all resulted in him pleading guilty to a class 1 misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. Fast-forward to 2024, and Borrelli, now Senate majority leader in the state Legislature, floated this misogynistic trope to explain his vote against a bill guaranteeing women the right to contraception: “Like I said, Bayer Company invented aspirin — put it between your knees,” the lawmaker said. In other words, if women didn’t have sex, they wouldn’t need birth control.

For more than three years, the reader-supported Arizona Agenda has delivered a political digest to inboxes almost every weekday on Substack, covering issues, races, players and shenanigans with a down-to-earth attitude and keen eye for bullshit (even the Washington Post said so). Thanks to its lack of jargon and uncluttered prose, everyone can easily understand what our elected officials are up to. That’s worth a medal itself, but it’s commendable that they do so much with so little. Cofounder Hank Stephenson this year lost his co-editor Rachel Leingang, who moved to Minneapolis, but he landed Nicole Ludden, who’s just as smart and savvy. The pair distill big stories from other outlets (while properly crediting their fellow journos) and does a staggering amount of original reporting, putting everything from city councils to the state Legislature and the governor’s office under their magnifying glass. They’ve been extra busy this year leading up to elections; they’re obviously out to eradicate the excuse of “I didn’t vote because I’m not informed.” Most content is free, but it’s well worth the paltry subscription price to support these indefatigable Fourth Estate champions.

Lisa Sette Gallery is an oasis in the heart of Phoenix. As we walk in, we escape from the light, heat and noise of the city into the gallery’s Al Beadle-designed building, a quiet temple dedicated to creativity. Sette is approaching a major milestone — 40 years of owning art galleries in the Valley — and yet the work her space exhibits is as fresh and challenging as ever. The gallery represents a who’s-who of Phoenix-based talent, including Rachel Bess, Mayme Kratz and Mark Klett as well as national and international artists such as William Wegman and Reynier Leyva Novo. This year’s exhibitions have included a summer group show and “The Moon Is a Lantern,” featuring works that present the moon as an allegory for change and remaking. We can’t wait to see what Lisa Sette Gallery has in store in the future.

Why visit Phoenix Art Museum? Let us count the ways. Along with iconic museum attractions like the Thorne Miniature Rooms and Yayoi Kusama’s “You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies” infinity room, the museum keeps its offerings fresh and interesting with an eclectic lineup of temporary exhibitions, including “Guarding the Art,” which allowed the museum’s noncuratorial staff to choose works to display, and the blockbuster “Barbie: A Cultural Icon.” And there’s much more to Phoenix Art Museum than the art. Lectures, film screenings, music events like PhxArt Amplified and, coming soon, a new cafe experience, give the public even more reasons to head downtown. And the museum makes it easy to stop by — this year, it announced the return of monthly free First Friday events, expanded admission hours Wednesday through Friday, gave military members and their families free entry over the summer and ran several other promotions to get more people to experience the best art museum in town.

Jazz fans who were disheartened when KJZZ dropped the genre from its airwaves earlier this year can take solace in knowing it still has a home on the FM dial through KRDP. The upstart independent radio station, which signed on in 2022, broadcasts multiple flavors of jazz throughout the day, courtesy of on-air talents such as Dee Alexander, Tom Coulson, Dave Schwan and John Hill. It’s just one part of KRDP’s eclectic and diverse musical repast, which includes sounds you won’t hear on any other station in the Valley. There’s also funk, R&B and soul every weekday afternoon, nightly shows playing everything from contemporary indigenous music to alternative hip-hop and traditional gospel every Sunday morning. (KRDP also offers a separate internet stream, which was formerly known as local online station Radio Phoenix, which focuses on indie tunes.) Beyond the music, KRDP airs a variety of community-oriented and public affairs and specialty programming ranging from progressive news show “Democracy Now!” to shows aimed at Arizona’s African-American and BIPOC communities. The station’s broadcast range is largely limited to the East Valley at the moment, but its owners, Desert Soul Media, are raising funds to add a second signal at 91.9 within the next year.

Some interviewers rely on dozens of questions to probe their subject’s background, motivations and opinions. Dave Miranda and Jimmy Nelson, however, only need five. Since 2020, the local pair have showcased a who’s who of Valley icons, creatives, athletes, performers and personalities in their phenomenal Phoenix-focused YouTube channel, Just Give Me Five. Asking each person only five questions, Miranda and Nelson get their subjects to open up and perform candid deep dives into their life stories and speak their truths. Miranda — a hip-hop artist, writer and radio show host — selects the guests, writes the questions, conducts the interviews and hosts each episode, while Nelson — a filmmaker and videographer — records and edits everything. The results are a captivating, informative and occasionally hilarious series of lengthy video interviews. Memorable moments abound: Gin Blossoms frontman Robin Wilson gave an inside look at appearing on “Saturday Night Live.” Veteran local broadcast DJ Bruce Kelly gushed about staging pranks with Senator John McCain. And Phoenix Suns all-star Cedric Ceballos discussed collaborating with legendary rapper Warren G. Just Give Me Five has more than 150 episodes so far, and Miranda is launching a radio version on independently owned station KDIF 102.9 FM later this year.

WildJoy Experiences owner Lacy Cain built a cult following of empowering Arizona to find their #wildjoy by hosting #makefriends events and joining #thejoyclub community. This spicy soul seems to actually want to get to know her followers and revels in meeting and making new friends, unlike other “influencers” who think they’re too cool for school. By showing her face often, speaking to the camera and cross-posting on Instagram, she’s grown her brand to be a local behemoth. Whether she’s giving details on a music festival, trying out a new restaurant or promoting moonlight yoga on the Salt River, Cain knows what her audience is interested in and gives it to them in a fun and engaging way. She’s also an advocate for helping the homeless, which makes her a bit of a unicorn — an influencer with a soul.

Downtown Phoenix is the heart of the Valley, and unlike years past, there’s a lot going on in that area. Nonprofit organization Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s mission is to contribute to the growth and vitality of the community, and one way it does that is by keeping folks in the know through its Instagram account. Whether it’s informing followers about upcoming community meetings, showing highlights of last weekend’s festival or highlighting local businesses, Downtown Phoenix Inc. keeps its feed bright, fun and engaging. Amid the hustle and bustle of our Instagram feed, we always stop for a Downtown Phoenix Inc. reel. We know it’s going to be something worth watching.

Rising above the clatter of local TV news is tough, thanks to the drumbeat of endless weather dramatics, senseless crime and fringe politicians touting their latest conspiracy theories. But the station manages to do it, helped by an investigations unit that pulls no punches and a data guru who combats misinformation with facts. ABC15 — a.k.a. KNXV-TV — launched in 1979 but didn’t get into local news until 1994, quickly garnering critical acclaim. In recent years, the station carved out its investigative reporting niche with scoops, including ones about Phoenix police misconduct, problems with licensed midwives and horrible conditions in the state’s prisons. Keep up with ABC15’s latest journalism by following Davd Biscobing, the station’s chief investigative reporter, on social media. And while you’re online, you should also follow Garrett Archer, who’s been at the station since 2019. He joined ABC15 after a stint as a senior elections analyst at the Arizona Secretary of State’s office. Archer built an almost cultlike following on social media in 2018 with his catchphrase “Maricopa incoming” to announce election results as they dribbled out. He’s a data savant with a zest for swatting down election deniers with actual facts and logic. Since election deniers have only gotten louder in the state since 2020, his X feed is both entertaining and informative.

Nonprofit news site Lookout Phoenix doesn’t mess around with the fluffy LGBTQ+ stuff. They dig in, providing accountability-driven queer news and community events in a city that’s long overdue for it. And they don’t just publish on their own website, they provide it for free to media outlets that want to share it. They call out conversion therapists who work without licenses, candidates who cozy up to anti-LGBTQ+ causes, cops who still struggle to treat queer people with dignity and Republicans who are trying to kill the small businesses that host drag shows. Investigative journalist Joseph Darius Jaafari, the editor-in-chief, and Executive Director Jake Hylton launched the outlet in 2023 as a newsletter, later adding a website and quarterly zine. Their work made a mark: The American Journalism Project awarded them $400,000 to help develop this new local news brand. But while their important journalism is free to readers, it’s not cheap to produce. So they continue to seek grants and donations from readers to continue their sorely needed work.

The Republican lawmaker from the northwest corner of Maricopa County came to the Arizona Legislature in 2023 with a cowboy hat and disdain for anyone who didn’t share his far-right views. Smith, an election denier who supported making it easier to challenge ballot initiatives and wanted to carve Maricopa County into four smaller parts, quickly carved out a legislative agenda focused on knee-capping opponents. He and his rural neighbors didn’t want to keep rubbing elbows with the progressives, drag queens and abortion rights advocates that fill the politically blue streets of Phoenix. It’s an orthodoxy he fine-tuned in the hallways of Turning Point Action, a part of the Valley-based right-wing political empire that aims to replicate little Austins and implant them across the country. But somewhere along the way, Smith failed to learn the finer points of cursive writing. As he prepared to run for reelection, he did what lawmakers must do — gather signatures of registered voters to get on the ballot. But Smith, who ironically sits on the House committee that oversees elections, was accused of forging 100 of the signatures. When faced with the accusations, Smith did what you’d expect from a member of the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus — he tucked tail and ran, dropping his reelection bid and blaming everyone but himself.

As homelessness hits all-time highs in the Valley, the city of Tempe dogged poet, organizer, activist and giver of food Austin Davis for actually trying to help unhoused people instead of letting them die on the streets in a nightmare. The city brought Davis into court for not getting its approval to organize feedings, resulting in a plea deal in September. It also hauled him into jail for stepping on city parks after he was banned. But members of the community rose up to run the feedings and help people get into detox programs or find housing. The city wanted to bring Davis into submission and show its muscle, all to ensure the homelessness problem cannot be helped or receive actual grassroots community attention. It was a battle of bureaucracy and laws and rules and the power of government and the police state against the kindness of the human spirit and all its imperfections. Austin Davis’ battle was a light upon the city’s corporate priorities. Tempe is led by Mayor Corey Woods, who wanted nothing to do with the Davis battle and has deflected any responsibility in his city’s siccing the dogs on the 24-year-old poet.

Gilbert police officers often were called to the In-N-Out Burger at SanTan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road to deal with crowds of rowdy teens, who sometimes brandished brass knuckles and went on violent rampages, posting the attacks on social media. Yet Chief Michael Soelberg and his officers never noticed. It took reporting by the Arizona Republic to stitch things together and embarrass police and prosecutors, who acted as if they’d never scrolled through TikTok. Even then, Soelberg blamed the victims for failing to alert police and continued for weeks with a tone-deaf approach to teen violence in the affluent Phoenix suburb. Gilbert police made their first arrests in the Gilbert Goons violence in January, about a month after the Republic did the investigative work for them. But even then, Gilbert police fumbled, announcing just one arrest and insisting that no others had been made. Only when the Republic provided documents showing three other arrests did police acknowledge that, oh yeah, they cuffed those folks, too. The controversy over teen violence and the city’s handling of it prompted Mayor Brigette Peterson to end her reelection campaign. It’s a wonder Soelberg has remained in place.

How did former Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne go from being synonymous with political corruption to besting rising Democratic star Kathy Hoffman in the 2022 race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction? Chalk it up to name recognition, the short attention span of the public and a not-ready-for-prime-time Arizona Democratic Party, which failed to inform voters of Horne’s seedy past — a past this paper has documented at length. The nearly 80-year-old Elmer Fudd lookalike previously served as state Superintendent from 2003 to 2011 before moving on to the AG’s office. During that tenure, Horne waged a race-baiting war on bilingual education and Mexican American ethnic studies programs. Now back in Arizona’s educational catbird seat, Horne’s up to his old tricks, backing a failed lawsuit to stop Spanish-English dual language immersion classes and supporting the inclusion in schools of materials authored by the uber-conservative educational outlet PragerU. Horne shouldn’t be in that office, and hopefully he’s not reelected in 2026. That is, if the Democrats can finally get their act together and trounce this far-right fossil.

Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, is a one-man wrecking crew whose organization has surpassed the Arizona Republican Party in influence. The 30-year-old pro-MAGA wunderkind started Turning Point in 2012 at age 18, transforming it over time into a fundraising juggernaut, with a reported $39.2 million in revenue in 2020. Turning Point’s political nonprofit, Turning Point Action, is pouring millions of dollars into a national get-out-the-vote effort aimed at returning former President Donald Trump to power. Turning Point’s success has made Kirk a popular and wealthy man. According to the Associated Press, Kirk earns a yearly salary of $407,000 and lives in a “$4.75 million Spanish-style estate” that is “tucked away in a gated Arizona country club that charges nearly a half-million dollars for a golf membership.” Haters gonna hate, but Kirk’s rise has come at the expense of the traditionally cash-poor Arizona GOP and the old-school conservatives that used to be its power brokers. Now, Kirk’s organizations play kingmaker in Republican primaries, but those candidates, such as Turning Point darling Kari Lake, can be flops in general elections, where extremist election-denial rhetoric is a turn-off for voters. If Trump flounders come November, the Turning Point brand will be tarnished, though Kirk will have made bank nonetheless.

In March, during the heated and still-ongoing debate over abortion access (or lack thereof) in Arizona, state Senator Eva Burch rose to tell her colleagues that she was pregnant and was planning to have an abortion. Surrounded by other legislators, the Mesa Democrat explained that she didn’t think “people should have to justify their abortions,” but that she was choosing to do so, “because I want us to be able to have meaningful conversations about the reality of how the work that we do in this body impacts people in the real world.” Burch, a nurse practitioner, has two sons, but she also has a history of miscarriages, she explained. She recently discovered that her current pregnancy was not viable. She discussed how she was not able to obtain an emergency abortion in the past when she began to miscarry, and she did not want to go through a miscarriage again. She told the Senate that Arizona abortion law forced her to go through a series of hoops, including having to go through an unnecessary ultrasound. Video of Burch’s act of incredible courage soon went viral, with Burch receiving a phone call from Vice President Kamala Harris, who praised Burch’s speech. Burch is now a hero of the pro-choice movement, and rightly so.

A good way to wind up dead in the Valley of the Sun is to barricade yourself in your home with a gun and a bottle of Don Julio and point said firearm at the po-po when they show up.That’s what happened in January 2022 when former Arizona prisons honcho Charles Ryan reportedly sucked down a half-bottle of tequila and started playing with his pistol. His wife called the Tempe police, and during the resulting standoff, Ryan pointed his gun at two officers. If he’d been anyone else, he’d be enjoying a dirt nap right now. But the cops didn’t kill Ryan, and Ryan was later arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and misconduct with a weapon. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell’s office allowed Ryan to plead guilty to the former and receive probation as part of a generous plea deal. The Tempe officers involved thought Ryan had committed aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a class 3 felony with a mandatory prison sentence of five to 15 years. But Mitchell’s top flack told the press that since Ryan was blotto, he could not form the necessary “intent” to commit a crime. Mitchell denied she’d given Ryan a “sweetheart” plea deal. But let’s face it, if Ryan had been Joe Sixpack — and survived the confrontation — Mitchell’s prosecutors would’ve made sure he spent serious time in a cell under the prison.

When it comes to old-fashioned, moon-howlin’ political and religious extremism, Arizona boasts an embarrassment of mostly right-wing riches. From former Sheriff Joe Arpaio to cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs Kari Lake, the Grand Canyon State rivals Alabama and Florida for public paragons of all kinds of goofball nuttery. This year, one stunt elevated Republican state Senator Anthony Kern to the top of the heap when it comes to crackpot spirituality: leading a group of religious wackadoodles as they knelt and spoke in tongues while praying on the Senate floor. As a half-dozen antiabortion fanatics jabbered in gibberish, their hands touching the Great Seal of the State of Arizona emblazoned on the carpet before the empty dais of the Senate president, Kern moaned in religious ecstasy, “Lord, right now, we ask thee to release the presence of the Lord in the Senate chamber.” Better known for his presence at the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and for being part of the fake electors scheme to overthrow the 2020 election in favor of Donald Trump, Kern clearly had outdone himself in his newfound religious lunacy. What’s next? Handling snakes on the Senate lawn? Dispensing Flavor Aid to passersby a la Jim Jones? Casting demons out of Gov. Katie Hobbs? Sheesh. Give that man a straitjacket before he hurts someone.