Scottsdale Update

Scottsdale Update - May 1, 2023

HEADLINE NEWS

May 3 Veterans Advisory Commission meeting features Arizona veterans' services director. Dana Allmond, director of the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services, will give a presentation followed by discussion with the Scottsdale Veterans Advisory Commission this week. Allmond graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1994 and served more than two decades in the Army, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She was appointed by Governor Katie Hobbs in December 2022 to lead the Arizona Department of Veterans Services, the agency that provides direct services, statewide coordination and technical assistance to services and organizations serving Arizona's estimated 500,000 veterans. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at the Scottsdale Community Design Studio, 7506 E. Indian School Road. 

Please help seniors in our community as summer heat rises. Senior Services’ Beat the Heat program is low on donations and hoping for help. This annual program provides care packages to vulnerable homebound seniors during the summer. It is also an opportunity for city staff and volunteers to make sure vulnerable residents are hydrated, have enough food and their air conditioners are working properly. Your donations are crucial – we need things like bottled water, nutritional drinks, snacks, ice packs, fans, hygiene items, gift cards and books of stamps. We are accepting donations 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, through May 26, at the Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda. 

Scottsdale was selected for the 2023 LEED for Cities Leadership Program Cohort. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program helps local governments set goals, collect data and validate performance through LEED for Cities certification. Certification helps local governments achieve meaningful results such as attracting new economic activity, reaching global climate goals, improving air and water quality, and enhancing quality of life for all. Scottsdale and the 12 other cities in the 2023 cohort join 77 local governments that have participated in the program since its inception.  


PUBLIC MEETINGS

Get a head start learning about city issues, projects and activities by attending or listening in on the many public meetings we host. Here’s what’s coming up: 

Learn about the responsibilities of city Boards and Commissions and how you can serve. 


THINGS TO DO

Be part of Bash on the Wash Saturday. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy live music, lawn games, inflatable slides, food trucks and a foam party! 6-8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Eldorado Park, 2311 N. Miller Road. 

Scottsdale Philharmonic invites the public to a concert Sunday. This orchestra provides the Valley with a professional symphony performing a series of traditional classical music concerts. The concert is at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Sunday’s program includes a tribute to Louis Armstrong. Learn more. Buy tickets

The second annual Pac-12 Baseball Tournament returns to Scottsdale Stadium Tuesday, May 23–Saturday, May 27. This year’s field expands from eight to nine teams and switches to pool play. Secure your spot to watch the top teams in the conference battle it out for the hardware. Learn more and purchase tickets

Ongoing: 

  • McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park’s Summer Concert Series: Enjoy free concerts 7-8:30 p.m. Sundays, through June 25, with a variety of local bands. Admission is free; train and carousel rides are $3 each with children two and younger ride free with a paying adult.  

  • Scottsdale ArtWalk: Scottsdale is home to more than 100 galleries, dedicated to exhibiting the finest visual art from around the world and locally. Stroll at your own pace. 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. Specialty-themed Gold Palette ArtWalks are held 6:30-9 p.m. about once a month. 

Get more events information


PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Bring your personal and/or commercial documents to the "Shred It" event. The service runs 7-10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in the Walmart parking lot, 15355 N. Northsight Blvd. Cost is $5 per box or bag. 

We need your help to restock Scottsdale's Vista del Camino Food Bank. Participate in the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive by placing nonperishable food near your mailbox Saturday, May 13. Your letter carrier will pick up items and deliver to food banks.   

Get unlimited waterpark, lap swim and fitness center visits from Memorial Day through Labor Day for Cactus, Eldorado and McDowell Mountain Ranch aquatic centers. The McDowell Mountain Ranch Family Pass allows access to all three locations, while the Eldorado and Cactus passes are limited to those two locations. Purchase your pass by May 29 to get the best deal of the summer!  

Scottsdale’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission wants to showcase those who embody the “Spirit of Scottsdale.” This annual awards program recognizes residents and organizations/businesses that help to strengthen and build Scottsdale’s community through their commitment to and involvement in neighborhoods. Nominations for 2023 are now being accepted


FYI

Tell mosquitoes to bug off! The best way to avoid getting West Nile Virus is to avoid mosquito bites in the first place. Fight the bite with this checklist.  

Adopt-a-Road cleanup sets record. Nearly 450 volunteers, representing 81 groups, cleaned 174 miles of roadway at the April 22 event. Mark your calendar to celebrate National Make A Difference Day with the next citywide cleanup Saturday, Oct. 26. Details and registration will be available soon

Do you enjoy working with children? Scottsdale is looking for a part-time grant funded early learning specialist. This position provides instruction, coordination, mentoring and monitoring of early learning programming for families with children ages 0-5. A bachelor's degree in early childhood, elementary education, Family Studies or a related field and two years of experience working in an educational setting with children are required. Learn more about how you can make a difference.  

Want to feel like you’re at the preserve wherever you are? Watch how Scottsdale Video Network captured the beautiful desert wildflowers and breathtaking views, along with an adorable little critter. Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a prime example of the city’s devotion to sustainability and preservation. Learn more about the history behind protecting this natural treasure for future generations. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Some warning signs of a mental health crisis are excessive worrying, extreme mood changes, changes in sleeping habits and school performance, avoiding social activities and problems concentrating. Learn the signs and how to get help.   

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month; learn how to protect yourself. With more than 5 million cases diagnosed in the United States each year, skin cancer is America’s most common cancer. Fortunately, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers. Follow these safety tips:  

  • Wear a SPF 30+ sunscreen (always within its expiration date and one that blocks UVA and UBA rays) 
  • Avoid direct sunlight between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Seek shade and wear clothing that protects your head, neck and shoulders … sunglasses too 
  • Avoid tanning beds … the risk of skin cancer increases by 85% if you use a tanning device before age 30  

Learn more

Scottsdale Sister Cities Association names four student golfers as youth ambassadors to Killarney, Ireland. The students are Payton Connelly, a sophomore at Arcadia High School; Oscar Uribe, a junior at Saguaro High School; Raleigh Lard, a junior at Horizon High School; and Aaryan Dwivedi, a junior at BASIS Scottsdale. Students had to demonstrate previous golf experience, academic achievement, leadership skills and community engagement on a written application and oral interview to be selected. The student golfers will travel to Ireland this summer. 

The four also will participate in the First Annual Irish Golf Scramble Friday, May 12, at Scottsdale’s Silverado Golf Club. The event is a fundraiser benefiting the association’s golf exchange and the Valley’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire. 

Register to participate by Friday, May 5. Learn more about Scottsdale Sister Cities


QUICK LINKS

  • City Call Center – 480-312-3111    

Subscribe to Scottsdale Update

 

Get the latest Scottsdale news & events in your inbox each week -- just enter your email above.

The Scottsdale Update printed newsletter is included in utility bills six times each year. Download recent issues below (PDF)