Joel Navarro grew up in Tempe, has coached sports there for 20 years and still has his parents in town.That puts him in touch with generations of Tempeans, which he says gives him a strong grasp of the issues he wants to face on the Tempe City Council.

Two newcomers are joining the Tempe City Council, after Joel Navarro and Corey Woods were elected by voters Tuesday. Four candidates, including Vice Mayor Hut Hutson, were running for the final two spots on the seven-member board. None of the four received more than 50 percent of the vote during the March 11 primary election.

Expressing concerns about the City of Tempe is no longer limited to city council or committee meetings. Tempe City Council Member Joel Navarro is starting a new conversation series, “Java with Joel,” where residents can spend an hour on Saturday morning drinking coffee and discussing city issues. Having been chair of the neighborhood Quality of Life and Revitalization Committee and recently appointed to the new Neighborhoods and Education City Council Committee, Navarro has made neighborhoods the topic of his first 8:30 a.m. community discussion on Oct. 27 at Xtreme Bean Coffee Company, 1707 E. Southern Ave. A schedule of future sessions is currently unavailable, but Navarro said he intends to make to make the community discussions a regular event.

Meet the Tempe mayoral and city council candidates at the city chamber’s “Networking @ Noon” event Jan. 12. 

Tempe's spring election will include three candidates for mayor and five candidates vying for three City Council positions, the city said Thursday. Tempe has certified current Councilman Mark Mitchell, Michael Monti and Linda Spears as mayoral candidates. And the candidates for the council are Dick Foreman, Kolby Granville, Councilman Joel Navarro, Angie Taylor Thornton and Councilman Corey Woods.

After a series of problems at parties in Tempe, city leaders are taking steps they hope will cut down on the escalating issues.

A Tempe councilwoman employed by a liquor distributorship run by the leader of the city firefighters' union said Wednesday she declined to vote on a new union contract because she wanted to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

Corey Woods had much to say Wednesday about his plans for Tempe, now that he will become a member of the City Council.

A look at key Tempe facts and figures

Tempe will swear in Mayor-elect Mark Mitchell and three councilmen in a ceremony on July 2 that will be followed by a reception. Mitchell is a 12-year veteran of the City Council who won a narrow election bid against restaurant owner Michael Monti.

For more than a century, Tempe residents have gathered for a reunion every year to socialize, talk about life in the city and share memories. The gathering will happen again Oct. 15, when the Tempe Old Settlers Association holds its 103rd celebration. The event draws people from across the Valley to share stories, feast on a potluck lunch, be entertained and elect association officers.

Fewer Tempe residents voted in city elections this year than in other recent mayoral elections, according to official results released Friday.

It’s safe to say Tempe restaurateur Michael Monti knows what it’s like when the kitchen gets hot.

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Just days into the new fiscal year, Tempe officials are looking at a $1.8 million hole in their budget.

Most candidates running for Tempe City Council showed skepticism or opposition to having Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio conducting one of his crime sweeps in their city.

Tempe residents value the quality of their lives and have traditionally chosen to invest financially to create and maintain that quality. Because of our willingness as a community to invest in each other, we have a city that provides among the best municipal services. While enjoying these amenities, Tempe remains among the three least expensive Valley cities in which to live and maintains excellent bond ratings.

Ex-Tempe City Council member Ben Arredondo is nothing more than a crooked politician who took advantage of his position of power for personal gain.

The field of candidates for Tempe's mayoral and City Council races grew Friday with a pair of candidates jumping in the race.

Today Mesa and Tempe voters are getting a dress rehearsal for November, as they come to the climax for pivotal elections with ramifications far beyond their cities' own borders.

Voters in Mesa and Tempe will head to the polls today to decide several top city leadership positions.

The race for two positions on the Tempe City Council is coming to a close, yet the four candidates have done little to set themselves apart from their competitors. The property tax rate has emerged as the only significant difference in Tuesday's runoff.

When I read that Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman wants to spend $450,000 to redesign the city’s railroad crossings to help reduce noise from trains that run through some of the Tempe’s wealthiest neighborhoods, it made me all warm and fuzzy.