🌱 Best Pancake Restaurants + Winning Lottery Ticket Sold At Fry's

Good morning, Scottsdale! Like many of you, the Patch staff will be taking some time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, so you won’t see a newsletter from me tomorrow. We’ll be back bright and early Saturday morning, but for now, here’s all the most important things happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

Nice with plenty of sun. High: 69 Low: 44.

Here's to the wonderful local business who sponsors this newsletter. Check out what they can do for you:

Wondering if it is a good time to buy or sell a home in the Scottsdale area? Let us connect you with an experienced Scottsdale real estate agent with over a hundred 5-star ratings on Zillow! Meet local market expert, Realtor Liz McDermott of Homesmart. Liz has lived in Scottsdale since 1997 and is ranked in the top 1% of all Maricopa Realtors. Work with the best — visit Liz here or call her at 480-414-3123.

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Here are the top three stories in Scottsdale today:

1. When it comes to breakfast, Scottsdale isn't messing around. In this list of the five best pancakes you can eat in the Valley, two are from Scottsdale. The Original Pancake House on East Camelback Road got top marks for Dutch Baby and sensational 49ers Flapjacks. Sugar Jam the Southern Kitchen on North Hayden Road, meanwhile, received rave reviews for their fluffy and perfectly cooked pancakes. Who else is hungry? (Phoenix New Times)
2. The Scottsdale-based Optima Inc. has been given approval from the Scottsdale City Council this week to rezone Optima McDowell Mountain Village. The deal was approved by a vote of four to three. Optima plans to build six, eight-story buildings, each reaching 118 feet. Four of the buildings will be used for apartments, while the other two will house condominiums. Other amenities are also being planned for the development. (ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix)
3. A Fry's location in Scottsdale has sold a $6.9 million jackpot ticket. The winning numbers for the lottery were 5, 14, 17, 20, 27, and 43. The Fry's is located near Indian School Road and Hayden Road. The jackpot was increased from last week's unclaimed $4.3 million prize. (Arizona's Family)

Today in Scottsdale:

• South Scottsdale Turkey Trot at South Scottsdale Presbyterian Church (8:30 AM)
• Thanksgiving Brunch at Fairmont Scottsdale (10:00 AM)
• Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Scottsdale Economic Development wants to remind you to shop local this Black Friday! Not only will it help you find some amazing deals, you can support small businesses in Sottsdale. (Scottsdale Economic Development via Facebook)
• If you're looking to add some fun and flair to your Sunday evening, look no further! Diva Royale Drag Queen Show is a fabulous (and fabulously funny) way to unwind after a long holiday weekend. (All Events)
• The Immersive Nutcracker exhibit has arrived in Scottsdale! Now you can experience the classic Christmas ballet as never before at Lighthouse Artspace! (AARP)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

— Helen Eckhard

About me: Helen Eckhard is a marketing associate at Lightning Media Partners. Outside of work, she enjoys constructing crossword puzzles, knitting, or devising increasingly crafty ways to kill off characters in her mystery novels.