Zach Buchanan

Zach Buchanan has been the news editor for the Phoenix New Times since April 2024. He’s worked as a journalist in Phoenix for more than a decade, and is an alum of both The Athletic and the Arizona Republic. He’s a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and has taught as an associate professor at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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An American flag flies near new home construction at a housing development in Queen Creek.

Lots of housing is being built in Phoenix — but only for the rich

By Zach BuchananFebruary 2, 2026

Phoenix is building more new housing than most American cities. But unless you’re rolling in dough, you can’t afford it.

Thousands say ‘Fuck ICE’ at Arizona Capitol protest: 22 photos

By Zach BuchananJanuary 30, 2026

Thousands converged on the Arizona Capitol to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave Arizona.

armed federal agents outside a zipps sports grill

4 Zipps employees face criminal charges stemming from ICE raid

By Zach BuchananJanuary 30, 2026

A Zipps employee allegedly orchestrated providing stolen identities to undocumented workers to pass verification checks.

an ICE agent sprays protesters from the passenger window of a truck

Video: ICE drive-by pepper-sprays protesters while leaving Zipps raid

By Zach BuchananJanuary 27, 2026

Protesters outside a Phoenix Zipps Sports Grill did not appear to be impeding federal agents when an agent maced them as he drove off.

Feds raid Zipps locations across Valley, draw loud protests

By Zach Buchanan and OthersJanuary 26, 2026

The raids appear to be part of an operation to serve warrants at 15 locations. There are 15 Zipps in the Valley.

Ex-Diamondbacks player: Alex Pretti was ‘straight murdered’ by feds

By Zach BuchananJanuary 26, 2026

“I don’t care about what side you’re on or who you voted for, this is wrong,” wrote ex-ASU star Kole Calhoun on Instagram.

kris mayes points while holding a microphone

Did Kris Mayes really justify shooting ICE agents?

By Zach BuchananJanuary 23, 2026

Mayes said this week that masked ICE agents and an armed populace are a toxic mix. Her opponents said she promoted violence.

U.S. military to conduct exercises in Phoenix over the next month

By Zach BuchananJanuary 22, 2026

Police say the exercises are not related to immigration enforcement, but one city councilmember is not happy.

Valley suburb ranked best city in America to get a job

By Zach BuchananJanuary 13, 2026

If you live there, you’re probably getting paid. But is that because you live there?

illustrations of donald trump, tom homan, brandon judd and kyrsten sinema

Looking back at our top Arizona Watchdog Project stories from 2025

By Zach BuchananDecember 31, 2025

Earlier this year, we got a big investigative reporting grant. Here’s how we’ve put it to work so far.

photos of a man and child at the grand canyon, an illustration of donald trump, an HSI agent with a gun and a women's silhouette on a computer keyboard

The 10 most-read news stories 2025: ICE raids, misconduct and porn

By Zach BuchananDecember 30, 2025

You read about ICE raids, the affordability crises and our biggest scoops. Oh, and how to watch porn without showing ID.

a collage of photos of a flight path spelling "alex," a man in a fred flintstone costum, the qanon shaman and a golffer

The 10 wildest news stories of 2025: Poop, Nazis and QAnon Shaman

By Zach BuchananDecember 29, 2025

Who’s buried in my grave? Who sent the county attorney feces? Here are the wackiest things we covered this year.

Andy Biggs gets transphobic, claims ‘trans kids don’t exist’

By Zach BuchananDecember 12, 2025

Eager to curry MAGA’s favor as he runs for Arizona governor, Biggs punched down at vulnerable children.

Kyrsten Sinema kisses up to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: ‘MAHA is amazing’

By Zach BuchananDecember 1, 2025

Sinema gave RFK Jr. a tongue-bathing while promoting the psychedelic drug ibogaine.

Nearly all Phoenix homes lost value in 2025, report says

By Zach BuchananNovember 24, 2025

It’s not the home value apocalypse, but the housing market in Phoenix may be coming back to earth.

Video: Epic hail storm blankets Valley in ice Wednesday night

By Zach BuchananNovember 20, 2025

Some portions of the Valley got turned into ice-scapes in the span of minutes.

a highway safety sign that says "eyes on the road turd"

The 11 wildest rejects from Arizona’s highway safety sign contest

By Zach BuchananNovember 11, 2025

The Arizona Department of Transportation asked people to submit safety slogans. We got the ones that were shot down.

body-cam footage of a man pointing a handgun at a person on the ground

Video: Phoenix cop shoots, kills man holding machete to woman’s throat

By Zach BuchananOctober 24, 2025

Body-cam footage shows officer Kyle Drake shot and killed Francisco Aviles Barcenas at near point-blank range.

The 9 wildest foods you must try at the 2025 Arizona State Fair

By Zach BuchananOctober 21, 2025

This weekend is your last chance to chow down on the State Fair’s finest foods.

body cam footage showing someone pointing a rifle at a man on the ground in front of a burger king at night

Video: Phoenix cop shoots unarmed man who was attempting to flee

By Zach BuchananOctober 17, 2025

Body-cam footage showed a Phoenix cop shooting a man who suddenly stood up and turned to enter a restaurant. He was unarmed.

Phoenix cops shoot 2 people a day after chief addresses shooting spree

By Zach BuchananOctober 3, 2025

In one shooting, police killed a suicidal man who wielded a knife. In the other, police injured an apparently unarmed man.