Scottsdale firm adds former firefighter to law practice. “Rose Law Group has added Mark Robens to its Family Law Group.” With more than 30 years practicing law, Mark Robens joins Kaine Fisher, partner and director of Family Law at RLG, who has led the family law practice for six years. RLG founder and president Jordan Rose: “[Mark] has represented many high-profile business and sports figures in complicated divorce matters, and we are thrilled he will join our great team.” Much more on Mark Robens in Scottsdale Independent. http://bit.ly/2mHjU4w
Jordan Rose wins ‘Hall of Fame’ award. Phoenix Business Journal has launched a “new tradition that will honor those 40 Under 40 members who continue to make a difference in the local business community with the induction of [its] inaugural class of the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame.” Congratulations to Jordan Rose who is among the four VERY FIRST honorees! (Subscriber Content). http://bit.ly/2uOS6jm
ACC approves appointment of interim manager at Johnson Utilities. “Staff had received requests from Global Water Resources, Southwest Gas, EPCOR, and a joint request from the towns of Florence and Queen Creek to be interim managers.” So which got the managerial nod from ACC? Casa Grande Dispatchreports that decision is TBD, with EPCOR and the towns of Florence and Queen Creek still in the running. http://bit.ly/2uPgd1r
A statement from Supervisor Goodman. “News broke late last week that Pinal County Supervisor Mike Goodman had been sued by Johnson Utilities for trespassing and defamation of character.” Supervisor Goodman has responded with a statement on the matter — in San Tan Times. http://bit.ly/2LlSjVj
Redfin concocts new metric showing housing market competitiveness.The Compete Score uses “Redfin proprietary data” to find the “most and least competitive cities and neighborhoods across the country” — and one Valley city lands among the top “least competitive” markets. Builder. http://bit.ly/2LzkKhP
Only one generation of Americans has fully recovered from the housing crash. It was the generation that “experienced the largest decline in home equity” during the “economic downturn,” but now “appears to have gained the most household wealth since.” Builder takes a look at the reversal of home-equity fortunes for the cohort we here at Dealmaker HQ have dubbed “re-Generation X.” http://bit.ly/2uOVOJx
Rhodes’ land investment group files bankruptcy plan. “A land investment group managed by developer and farming operator Jim Rhodes has filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Las Vegas with an estimated $35 million to $37 million in principal assets of Mohave County land.” Much more on the Chapter 11 filing of Avery Land Group — “a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingman Farms” — in Daily Miner. http://bit.ly/2mHkhMs
It’s official: Ten X underway. The Tusayan development at Ten X Ranch “will be comprised of three types of homes — micro homes for singles or a couple, townhomes for those who may be interested in long-term rentals and single family homes.” Excellent location for a “second home,” right!? Nope. Grand Canyon Newsreports the “development is strictly for Tusayan” townsfolk. http://bit.ly/2uOtTJK
Sundt constructs rink for Tucson Boys & Girls Club. Sundt “donated its time and skills,” partnering with “Hardrock Concrete, Concord Construction, CEMEX, Sunstate Equipment, Harvey’s Trucking, and Penhall” to “construct the rink foundation.” DEK Hockey then stepped up with “components for the rink.” Check it out at AzBigMedia. http://bit.ly/2LNJC2a
In-house training programs pave way for construction careers. “Companies are investing in in-house training and education programs for their workforce so they can be more efficient and deliver better results with a smaller number of professionals in the field. In Arizona, one of the more unique training program is operated by Sundt Construction.” AzBigMedia. http://bit.ly/2OitJ5x
Majority of Arizona voters support renewable energy investment, poll finds. “Seventy-five percent of Arizona voters said that we should prioritize solar as an energy source over the next 10 years.” That’s the main finding in a survey by the Center for Western Priorities. More findings at KTAR. http://bit.ly/2mG0jSe
The $3 billion plan to turn Hoover Dam into a giant battery. “[Hoover Dam] was one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century. Now it is the focus of a distinctly 21st-century challenge: turning the dam into a vast reservoir of excess electricity, fed by the solar farms and wind turbines that represent the power sources of the future.” The New York Times. http://bit.ly/2mJedTZ
Paradise Valley begins quest for next top official. “On July 19, town council met for an initial kick-off conversation to begin searching for a town manager.” Paradise Valley Independent covers what went down. http://bit.ly/2Lo7fT6
Surprise council candidates meet local voters. “The city is guided by a series of visioning documents: parks master plan; the tourism strategic plan; and, most recently, an arts master plan. Talk about how these plans can come together in the city as a whole.” And “talk” is what council hopefuls did, on this and other matters, during a series of community forums. For the response roundup, tap on to YourValley. http://bit.ly/2JU2PO7
Scottsdale man hears one HOA complaint too many. Now he’s fighting back. “When Sands North Homeowners Association President Sandra Price texted homeowner Sean Bandawat earlier this month and told him to replace a missing gate outside his townhome or face a $2,500 fine, he offered a one-sentence reply: ‘My attorney will be in touch.’ ” AZCentral has the HOA story. http://bit.ly/2mHovDV
2018’s best & worst places to rent in America. Survey dynamo WalletHubcranks out another! The personal finance site “compared more than 180 rental markets based on 22 key measures of attractiveness” ranging “from the difference between rental rates and mortgage payments to historical price changes, the cost of living and jobs availability.” —> http://bit.ly/2v0pO4s
[OP-ED] City of Kingman replies to Sacha Baron Cohen. “City of Kingman wants the world to know the Kingman comedian Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed in his show ‘Who is America?’ July 22 on Showtime is not the real Kingman, Arizona.” In Daily Miner. http://bit.ly/2LqBh8A
Dealmaker BONUS: Matt Lauer can keep New Zealand ranch, despite inquiry into conduct. Reason? Not enough evidence to show that Lauer violated something referred to as the “good-character test for foreign property buyers.” The New York Times reports, however, that the “Overseas Investment Office, which started an investigation” into Lauer’s “fitness to hold the lease of the 16,000-acre ranch, said it would continue to ‘monitor the matter.’ ” http://bit.ly/2NHLme0
Don’t miss anything… follow multiple winner of the Arizona Republic’s tweet of the week contest, and Senior Partner at Rose Law Group and Director of RLG Renewable Energy Department, Court Rich. http://bit.ly/Court_RichTwitter
