Zoox Coming to Scottsdale

Good morning, Scottsdale. You’re reading Scottsdale Scoop, your insider pass to what’s fun, fresh, and worth checking out around town. Every issue features hand-picked events, local business spotlights, and hidden gems that make our city great.

I’ve gotten some feedback on adding in kid-friendly events so I made sure to find some this week.

Let’s get into it.

Another self-driving car company is rolling into the Valley! Amazon announced that Zoox, its autonomous ride-hailing service, is expanding to Phoenix with testing vehicles expected to start mapping downtown in the coming weeks.

What makes Zoox different from Waymo? They're building their own vehicle from scratch for driverless rides. Think futuristic shuttle with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no driver's seat. After the initial testing phase, they plan to deploy vehicles without safety drivers.

Even better for us locals: Zoox is opening a "Fusion Center" in Scottsdale to provide real-time support for its vehicles and riders. Between Waymo already operating here and Tesla Robotaxi expected to launch to the public in the first half of this year, the Valley is becoming the autonomous vehicle capital of the country.

Looking for something fun (and free!) to do with the kids this weekend? Arizona Boardwalk is hosting a Super Spring Festival on Saturday, March 14th from 10am to 2pm.

The lineup includes meet-and-greets with your favorite superheroes, a zipline, bounce houses and slides, face painting, live entertainment, action-packed performances, raffle prizes, giveaways, and local vendors for shopping. It's completely free admission, so just show up and have fun!

With the Colorado River supplying 72% of Scottsdale's water and Lake Mead sitting at less than half capacity, the city is seriously considering a major pivot: turning recycled wastewater into drinking water.

The idea isn't new. Scottsdale has recycled water for golf courses and groundwater recharge for decades, and there's already an Advanced Water Purification facility near 101 and Pima Road that ran a small pilot program before pausing at the end of 2024. But actually drinking it? That's a whole different conversation.

Here's the catch: the price tag ballooned from an estimated $15-20 million to nearly $100 million. City Manager Greg Caton says the money isn't even in next year's preliminary budget yet because council needs to make a policy decision first. Supporters say the purified water is cleaner than some bottled water. Critics are calling it "toilet to tap." Either way, we'll know more this spring when the consultant delivers their findings.

We're hosting our next community happy hour on Thursday, March 19th at North Italia in Arcadia and I’m pumped. We have less than 20 seats left!

Here's what you get for your $10 ticket: a complimentary beverage, passed samples of North Italia's hand-crafted pasta favorites, a taste of their limited-edition Elote Pizza from the Pi Day "Local Legends" campaign, plus raffle prizes and surprises. Space is capped at 75, and we're down to just under 20 spots left, so if you're thinking about coming, grab your ticket now.

This isn't a stuffy networking thing. It's just neighbors who care about Scottsdale coming together for great food and real conversation. Whether you've been following Scottsdale Scoop since day one or just discovered us, come hang out!

Snag your ticket here.

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Here's a nonprofit that deserves way more attention! Fore The Kids is a young professional's organization that's been making a real difference for local kids since 2019.

Their mission is straightforward: deliver financial support to children's organizations across the greater Phoenix area. They're focused on enhancing communal values and furthering child development, making sure our youth have what they need to reach their full potential.

What I love about this group is how they've built a community of young professionals who actually want to give back. They host an annual golf tournament that's become a great way to connect, have fun, and raise money for kids who need it most. If you're looking for a way to get involved with a local nonprofit that's doing meaningful work, check them out.

If you haven't checked out Thompson 105 yet, you're missing one of North Scottsdale's best spots for a laid-back but impressive date night.

Thompson 105 is a wood-fired rotisserie and grill with Italian-influenced dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. The menu hits all the right notes with fresh seafood and quality meats, but the real star is the outdoor patio with those McDowell Mountain views.

What I love about this place is how it feels like a neighborhood spot without sacrificing quality. Their happy hour runs weekdays from 3-6pm, and they've got a solid wine list and craft cocktails to pair with whatever you order. Sunday brunch is also a move if you want to switch things up from the usual dinner date.

Thursday, March 12

🍀 Irish Dinner | Musical Instrument Museum | See website for time

🎤 Fran Lebowitz | Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts | 7:00 PM

💆🏻Holistic Happy Hour | Lotus Evolutions Wellness | 5:00 PM

Friday, March 13

🎶 Experience Ireland | Musical Instrument Museum | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

🍀 Gourmet Class – Shamrock Supper | Classic Cooking Academy | 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

🚗 16th FiTech Fuel Injection Spring Nationals | WestWorld of Scottsdale | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

😂 Michael Rapaport | Desert Ridge Improv | 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 14

🚂 Railfair 2026 | McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

👨👩👧 Exclusively Little Expo 2026 | McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

🍷 Saturday Wine Dinner | Classic Cooking Academy | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

🚘 Saturday Night Car Show | Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers (Pima Crossing) | 4:00 PM

Sunday, March 15

🎬 Still in the Saddle Film Series: Westerns of 1969 | Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West | See website for time (recurring weekly)

🍝 Handmade Pasta Class | Classic Cooking Academy | 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Featuring the most expensive home sold in Scottsdale this week at $6.95M! This one’s in Desert Highlands and has an awesome zen courtyard.

Here’s the link if you want to check it out.

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Scottsdale Scoop is 100% free and independently run (it's just me over here). Your support helps me keep bringing you the best local spots, events, and inside scoop on what's happening in Scottsdale every week. Your contribution will go towards keeping the Scoop going so we can have more fun in community events! really appreciate all the support all of you 🙂 - John