Good morning, Scottsdale. The first triple-digit stretch of the season lands this weekend, which means moving the morning hike earlier than usual.
🏞️ The Preserve has a new lead. Nick Molinari moves from city community centers to a role overseeing the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
🌡️ Hiker advisory before the triple-digit weekend. The forecast clears 100 for the first time this season.
🐕 Scottsdale PD welcomes new K-9 recruits. New working dogs sworn in this month.
🌧️ Stormwater Master Plan open house on the calendar. City prepping public input on the updated runoff strategy.
🏞️ Nick Molinari takes a Preserve role
One of the quieter moves in city government this month: Nick Molinari, who spent years running Scottsdale's community centers, has stepped into a new role connected to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
The Preserve is the largest urban preserve in any U.S. city. More than 30,000 acres of open desert wrap the city's north flank, with trailheads at Tom's Thumb, Brown's Ranch, Gateway, and Lost Dog. The portfolio touches everything from staffing and ranger programs to long-range conservation calls.
The city profile frames Molinari as a builder. The rec-center side of the parks operation grew on his watch, and the move marks the first time the Preserve side and the community-services side share senior leadership. The Preserve work is more public and tied to the most-protected piece of land in the city.
What to watch: the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission meets Thursday, June 4. That's the first public meeting of the commission with the new alignment in place. Full city profile.
🗓️ The weekend
🖼️ Old Town ArtWalk tonight. The standing Thursday gallery night runs through the Arts District. 7 to 9 p.m. Free.
🐾 Candles and Canines. Adoptable dogs and rescue tables at 15323 N Scottsdale Road. Friday, May 29, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details.
One scheduling note. This is the first weekend of the season where afternoon hikes stop being a normal idea. The heat advisory is in the next section.
🌵 Around Scottsdale
🌡️ Triple-digit heat returns. Officials urge prep before the trails. The forecast clears 100 degrees this weekend for the first time this season, and the city is reminding hikers to start early, carry water, share a plan, and turn back when the day heats up. The familiar McDowell trailheads (Tom's Thumb, Gateway, Lost Dog) and Camelback's Echo Canyon corridor will see the season's first real surge. Full advisory.
🐕 New K-9 recruits join Scottsdale PD. The department welcomes its newest first responders this month: working dogs with specialized training. The city is highlighting the program ahead of summer, when K-9 work picks up in the Preserve and at major event venues. Meet the recruits.
🌧️ Stormwater Master Plan open house planned. The city is preparing a public open house for its updated Stormwater Management Master Plan, the long-range guide for how Scottsdale handles monsoon runoff, drainage upgrades, and flood mitigation. Residents along the Indian Bend Wash corridor and in the older South Scottsdale drainage basins will want to weigh in. Independent coverage. City notice.
🤖 Police roll out an AI-assisted non-emergency system. Scottsdale PD is launching new technology to triage non-emergency phone traffic. The pitch: faster routing, shorter holds, and dispatchers freed up for emergencies. Details.
👮 Police accreditation review open to public comment. Scottsdale PD is going through its Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program re-accreditation review, and residents have a window to submit feedback. How to comment.
💧 City advances long-term water initiatives. Scottsdale is moving forward on a set of water programs aimed at strengthening long-term supply. The city update names specific projects in motion. What's on the list.
🏠 Short-Term Rental Team flagged statewide. The city is pointing to its STR enforcement team as a reference point other Arizona cities can model when balancing the rental market against neighborhood complaints. The framing.
⚖️ City attorney Lori Davis takes a statewide award. Scottsdale's chief deputy city attorney was recognized by the state municipal-attorney association for distinguished service. A small note worth flagging for residents who follow city legal work. The award.
📋 On the public-meeting calendar:
- Human Services Advisory Commission: today, Thursday May 28, noon.
- McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission: Thursday, June 4, noon.
- Library Board: Wednesday, June 10, noon.