I returned about 10 days ago from a blissful vacation and retreat in Vancouver as well as the Brew Creek Centre outside of Whistler, British Columbia.  My wife, Patricia, and I had a great retreat with twenty or so new friends.  It was led by Donny Starkins and assisted by Adam Maielau. Preparing to come…

Here at HighGround, we have been keeping track the direction of the State of Arizona (or what we euphemistically call Arizona’s “Happiness Index”) since 2009.  Back then, we were plunged deep into those dark and cold economic days:  30% of the State budget, or about $3 Billion dollars, was missing; unemployment and bankruptcies were skyrocketing;…

Dale Crogan, President of the Mesa Firefighters Association and Nate Gafvert President of the Mesa Police Association contributed their “My Turn” column published in today’s AZ Central. Mesa, now the 36th largest city in the nation, larger than Kansas City and Atlanta, has seen a 40% increase in emergency incidents since 2008. Understanding the challenges of keeping…

By:  Paul Bentz Education has consistently been the top issue facing the State of Arizona since 2014 and survey after survey shows that vast majorities of voters think schools are underfunded and teachers are underpaid.  Clearly, this issue is coming to a head across the country and here in Arizona.  Education advocates have caught lightning…

There is a great deal of media speculation surrounding the upcoming election in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District on the unpopularity of the President and the effect that may have in this special election and the upcoming General Election cycle. During a discussion earlier this week with the New York Times, I was asked about the…