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08/24/2026

Amazon Prime Air plans to reach 500 cities by the end of 2026, including the Phoenix area, the company announced though we’re not sure that the 85255 ZIP Code has been added yet. Amazon is increasing its drone delivery footprint by a factor of six and will reach millions of customers nationwide, according to the company.

Prime Air can only deliver items that weigh less than 5 pounds and can fit in a large shoebox, but that accounts for 60% of ordered items, according to the company. Delivery generally takes between 30 and 60 minutes. There is a $2.99 delivery fee for orders under $50 for Prime members and $4.99 for those who are not members. Drone delivery is free for Prime members who place orders that are over $50.

In Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where the service is already available, we see and hear several drones a day buzz over our summer location. During Prime Days that rate can reach half a dozen an hour. The drones fly through FAA-approved air space.
The current ZIP Codes where the service is available include:

85031
85033
85035
85037
85043
85301
85303
85305
85307
85323
85338
85339
85340
85353
85392
85395
Walmart is planning similar expanded operations, according to the Phoenix Business Journal. So far Walmart has relied on Valley stores to provide drone deliveries. Those locations include:

• 5250 W. Indian School Road
• 7575 W. Lower Buckeye Road
• 2020 N. 75th Ave.
• 6145 N. 35th Ave.
• 4435 W. Anthem Way

Sources:
• Amazon article: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/transportation/amazon-prime-air-drone-delivery-expansion
• Phoenix Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2026/08/20/amazon-walmart-phoenix-drone-delivery.html

08/23/2026

The 3.5-acre, $6.1-million Thompson Peak Dog Park opened this week, according to the City of Scottsdale. Funded by a voter-approved capital-funding bill in 2019, the park features three fenced and gated play areas, shade canopies, benches, water fountains and animal waste disposal stations.

The park includes four art panels that feature dogs, local plant life and a mountain landscape created by Scottsdale artist Sachi Kale, who was born and raised in Mumbai, India.

The park, open from sunrise to 10:30 p.m. daily, is located at 20199 N. 78th Place, near the southwest corner of Hayden Road and Thompson Peak Parkway.

• Scottsdale article: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/scottsdale-news/details/unleashed-scottsdale-opens-new-thompson-peak-dog-park
• Go here for ABC 15 video highlighting the park: https://www.abc15.com/news/region-northeast-valley/scottsdale/watch-north-scottsdales-new-6m-dog-park-at-thompson-peak-opens
• Dog Park photos: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1665367938924295&set=a.536686398459127 and https://www.facebook.com/kreinstein22/posts/pfbid02BVuRsLQFg9xpTiPPvTnVaXuFspAsRfhiAWSkRtLFJ4oYfBmRsGmLKjE82vFX9NVil

08/22/2026

McDowell Mountain Ranch’s 85255 ZIP Code is the third wealthiest in Maricopa County by per capita income, but it continues to significantly trail the top two, according to the Phoenix Business Journal. Residents in 85255 have a per capita income of $102,023 compared with $142,712 for Paradise Valley’s 85253 ZIP Code and $120,343 for Scottsdale’s 85262 ZIP Code.

Scottsdale ZIP Codes hold six of the Top 10 per capita income slots:

1. 85253: $142,712 – Paradise Valley
2. 85262: $120,343 – Scottsdale
3. 85255: $102,023 – Scottsdale (MMR)
4. 85263: $100,515 – Rio Verde
5. 85259: $93,333 – Scottsdale
6. 85266: $91,874 – Scottsdale
7. 85377: $91,234 – Carefree
8. 85018: $86,417 – Phoenix
9. 85251: $85,871 – Scottsdale
10. 85250: $82,918 – Scottsdale

A median home value of $1.036 million places 85255 in the fifth position, according to the research. That compares with a median price of $2 million for the 85253 ZIP Code and $1.287 million for 85262.

Our 85255 ZIP Code residents also have the fifth highest number of people with undergraduate or higher degrees, totaling 66.9%. Paradise Valley’s 85253 again tops the list with 71.9% holding undergraduate or higher degrees followed by Tempe’s 85284 ZIP code at 69.7%.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/subscriber-only/2026/08/21/maricopa-countys-wealthiest-zip-codes.html

08/21/2026

The Scottsdale City Council will be considering a $2.27 million contract with Wilson Engineers to develop a design plan for a replacement booster pump station that would be located at the City of Scottsdale's CAP Water Treatment Plant in North Scottsdale, according to city documents. The pump needs to be replaced, because it has reached the end of its operational life and doesn’t meet current standards. The overall project is expected to cost $31.8 million.
The Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., Aug. 24th at City Hall Kiva Forum, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/cityclerk/DocumentViewer/Show/7b2ea61a-6c23-485e-adb3-bb5ce664da4a

08/20/2026

Beverly Hills-based Porta Via plans to open in Scottsdale Fashion Square, replacing Zinque, according to the Phoenix New Times. Porta, which means “take away” in Italian, also operates restaurants in Calabasas, Palm Desert and Pacific Palisades.

Porta Via’s menu features appetizers such as gazpacho, an ahi tuna tower and locally made veal, beef and pork meatballs. Main courses include a New England lobster roll, rigatoni spicy vodka sauce and chicken paillard.

The restaurant is expected to open early 2027 at 4712 N. Goldwater Blvd.

• New Times: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/food-drink/this-vacant-scottsdale-mall-restaurant-wont-sit-empty-for-long-40689534/
• Website: https://portaviarestaurants.com/

08/17/2026

Should non-agenda public comments be moved back to the beginning of Scottsdale City Council meetings? Councilwoman Solange Whitehead would like to revisit that question after unsolicited comments were moved to later in the meetings at the beginning of this year, according to the Aug. 24th City Council agenda.

No action will be taken at the meeting other than to consider whether the council should add the work-study item to the agenda and to ask the city manager’s office to investigate the issue. The Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., Aug. 24th at City Hall Kiva Forum, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.

• City Council agenda:https://ww2.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/Council/current-agendas-minutes/2026-agendas/08-24-26-regular-agenda.pdf
• Previous Scottsdale Progress story: https://www.scottsdale.org/city_news/scottsdale-city-council-prunes-public-input/article_8a978cae-86a3-4b33-a9f2-c17275c8dc5a.html

(Image courtesy Copilot AI.)

08/15/2026

Nearly 150 trees and 780 flats of flowers and plants have been added under Scottsdale's Parks and Preserve Sales Tax, according to a city press release. Parks and Recreation used $350,000 in tax revenue to restore storm-damaged landscapes and park facilities.

The tax, which was approved by voters under Proposition 490 in 2024, has also funded:

• Four new park positions.
• The replacement of more than 300,000 square feet of turf.
• An upgrade to five basketball courts.
• Repainting of more than 10 park buildings.
• Installation of 80 park amenities, including picnic tables, grills and trash receptacles.
• Addition of security cameras at parks.

The city plans additional updates for the 2026-27 fiscal year:
• Renovations to Agua Linda, Chaparral, Eldorado and Paiute parks.
• Update of Vista del Camino’s south playground and sports courts.
• Replacement of the Eldorado Aquatic Center’s play structure.

https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/scottsdale-news/details/scottsdales-parks-and-preserve-sales-tax-delivers-first-year-improvements-across-city-parks

08/14/2026

Scottsdale is one of the least-stressed cities in America, though two Arizona towns ranked better, according to WalletHub. Overall, Scottsdale placed 158th out of 182 cities that were surveyed. In the overall rankings, the higher the number, the better the rank for stress.

Scottsdale, which placed 23rd best in the work-stress ranking, fared somewhat poorly in other stress categories and tied for the second-highest number of average week hours (Lower numbers are better here.):

• Financial: 155
• Family: 160
• Health & Safety: 171

Chandler fared a bit better at 161st followed by Gilbert at 169th. The most stressed city in Arizona was Tucson at 48th followed by Phoenix at 90th and Glendale at 92nd.

The most stressed cities were Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Memphis and Shreveport, La.

https://wallethub.com/edu/most-least-stressed-cities/22759

08/12/2026

Because Carine Werner isn’t running for re-election to the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board, at least one newcomer will be joining the board, according to the Scottsdale Progress. There are two seats up for election with incumbent Amy Carney running against Jeanne Beasley and Dr. Jennifer Johnson.
Beasley failed in a bid to join the board in 2024. School districts do not have primaries in Arizona.

Scottsdale Progress: https://www.scottsdale.org/city_news/three-file-for-two-scottsdale-unified-board-seats/article_82431254-ec3f-4235-8997-6d99bf6b4886.html

Campaign pages:
• Amy Carney, left: https://www.amycarney.com/
• Jennifer Johnson, center: https://jennifer4susd.com/
• Jeanne Beasley, right: https://www.beasleyforsusd.com/

08/11/2026

The Salt River Project plans to lower Canyon Lake by 54 feet for 16 weeks beginning Sept. 16th for dam inspection and maintenance, according to USDA and SRP. Access to the lake, however, will stop beginning Sept. 8th. Water from the dam will be preserved in other reservoirs, according to SRP.

Because the work will be done along the river channel, Mormon Flat and Horse Mesa Dam, all boat ramps and lake access points will be closed to the public during the 16 weeks. Boats and slips at Canyon Lake Marina will be relocated during that time.

Once the work is complete, it will take about four weeks to refill the lake via upstream reservoirs.

• SRP: https://www.srpnet.com/grid-water-management/water-management/lakes/canyon-lake-drawdown-project
• USDA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto/recreation/canyon-lake

Address

20645 N Pima Road, Suite N130
Scottsdale, AZ
85255

Website

http://www.mcdowellmountainranchhomes.com/, http://www.mmrhomes.com/

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