Reporter for Axios Phoenix. Former ballwriter. I watch a distressing amount of television.https://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mz5hrapwek2cHappy (early) Halloween from Zorak31 Oct 2026 04:34 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mz5hrapwek2chttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mz53du5prc2wNEW: The DOJ is probing Dem-aligned voter registration efforts in Arizona just days before the midterms. It's based on an undercover video from a right-wing outlet with a checkered history. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/31/doj-arizona-voter-registration-probe-election31 Oct 2026 00:52 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mz53du5prc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3myxpiefgms2hIn March, Phoenix launched a portal to report violations by federal law enforcement agents. Since, it's produced only 30 submissions, only 17 of which pertained to actual incidents. Does that reflect ICE activity, or the portal's effectiveness? https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/28/phoenix-ice-midsconduct-portal-barely-been-used28 Oct 2026 21:36 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3myxpiefgms2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3myvchjorhc2hYou can get free ASU women's basketball tickets all season with a Phoenix library card. The Sun Devils were 24-11 and made the NCAA tournament last year. Details: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/27/asu-womens-basketball-phoenix-public-library-tickets27 Oct 2026 22:38 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3myvchjorhc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3myknpn4vfs2lEd Hermes is a frontrunner in the race to represent District 4 on the Phoenix City Council. He's also a partner at the largest law firm in the state and would have to recuse himself from any matter involving his firm. And there are a lot of them. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/23/phoenix-city-council-ed-hermes-conflict-of-interest23 Oct 2026 17:00 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3myknpn4vfs2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mxumux25jc2tMaricopa County is hoping a federal appeals court will end the independent oversight of its sheriff's office in the racial profiling case Melendres v. Arpaio after a district court judge rejected their request to do so. More here: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/14/maricopa-county-sheriff-appeal-melendres-case14 Oct 2026 22:47 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxumux25jc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mxubh4vnms2tState Rep. Matt Gress has touted getting a "Maricopa County Excellence Award" on social media amid his reelection fight. But the county board of supervisors never created such an award. Instead, it was given out by a supervisor without board approval. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/14/matt-gress-mark-stewart-maricopa-county-excellence-award14 Oct 2026 19:22 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxubh4vnms2thttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mxa2mhwyac2vThere are eight candidates running to succeed Laura Pastor representing District 4 on the Phoenix City Council. It's a lot to wade through, but I did my best to untangle it here. Link: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/06/phoenix-city-council-district-4-voter-guide-202606 Oct 2026 18:26 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxa2mhwyac2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mx6dkreul22vNEW: The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has paid $270K to outsource some internal investigations to a firm with ties to the Cyber Ninjas audit. A report by the court-appointed monitor questioned MCSO's vetting processes. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/10/06/maricopa-county-sheriff-contract-cyber-ninjas-az-truthfinder06 Oct 2026 02:01 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx6dkreul22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mwenchyizs2dThe Valley reduced heat deaths in 2025, crediting expanded mitigtion efforts. This year, heat deaths could again top 600. "We have every resource available this summer. So that is really not an issue at play, which does not make sense to us." More: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/25/maricopa-county-heat-deaths-spike25 Sep 2026 20:46 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwenchyizs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mwen5fdaoc2dTempe's weighing a proposed ban of city use of ALPR cameras. It faces an uphill battle. At last night's council meeting, public speakers overwhelmingly supported it. Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy does not. Some councilmembers expressed concern. More: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/25/tempe-weighs-municipal-alpr-camera-ban-flock25 Sep 2026 20:44 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwen5fdaoc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mw76utbo3k2dNEW: Andy Biggs left positive reviews for two anti-immigrant books on his Goodreads account, including one that made sweeping derogatory claims about Latinos and "rape culture." More here: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/23/andy-biggs-goodreads-great-replacement-theory-books23 Sep 2026 16:45 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw76utbo3k2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mun4hw2lhk2pPhoenix is still having trouble hiring enough officers to keep up with departures, with more than 500 positions still unfilled. More: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/03/phoenix-police-department-still-more-than-500-officers-short03 Sep 2026 18:49 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mun4hw2lhk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3muik3av5a22pNEW: Diamondbacks exec Derrick Hall tells me that lease negotiations with the public body that owns Chase Field have been "non-productive." A host of repairs, to be paid for by public money set aside in a 2025 bill, are on hold until the lease is ironed out. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/01/diamondbacks-chase-field-lease01 Sep 2026 23:09 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3muik3av5a22phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mui3mw4v722pJay Feely loudly touted his endorsement from President Trump in the primary, but that could come back to bite him in a district that has proven willing to vote against Trump-endorsed candidates. From me: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/09/01/jay-feely-trump-endorsement-midterms-november01 Sep 2026 18:50 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mui3mw4v722phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mu75oipirc2g@sepinwall.bsky.social is the raccoon episode of adults a bottle episode29 Aug 2026 05:33 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu75oipirc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mu63zfu3ak2p"Bit fast, innit?" "Annoy your mother-in-law, arrive alive" "NGL, Crazy driving, Gives major cringe" These are our favorite rejected entries from ADOT's highway safety message contest. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/28/funniest-rejected-adot-safety-message-entries28 Aug 2026 19:31 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu63zfu3ak2phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mu3gtcf53c2pArizona is making a push to host games in the 2031 men's Rugby World Cup, which will be held in North America for the first time. Read about the bid here: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/27/arizona-rugby-world-cup-27 Aug 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3gtcf53c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mtz24xess22pAn Arizona Board of Regents agenda reveals that ASU is set to extend women's basketball coach Molly Miller, bumping her salary and adding an extra year. Miller led the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament in her first season with the program. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/26/asu-womens-basketball-coach-molly-miller26 Aug 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtz24xess22phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mtyvt7mwks2pFar-right state Sen. Jake Hoffman recruited Kimberly Yee to run for superintendent and Alexander Kolodin to run for secretary of state. Their campaigns have turned around and spent more than $200K on Hoffman's political communications firm. Story: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/26/jake-hoffman-kimberly-yee-2026-election26 Aug 2026 17:57 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtyvt7mwks2phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mteov4nmzc2pFor months, the post office has seemingly forgotten the Phoenix neighborhood of Westwood Village & Estates. Residents told me of going without mail for weeks or even months, and crucial pieces of mail being marked "undeliverable" and returned to sender. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/18/phoenix-neighborhood-forgotten-by-post-office18 Aug 2026 16:59 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mteov4nmzc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3msw4zl46zk22The ACLU is making a strategic retreat on its lawsuit challenging Prop. 314, which makes being in the country without authorization a state crime. It dismissed its suit today but promises to refile when there's any evidence of a Prop. 314 arrest. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/12/aclu-arizona-border-law12 Aug 2026 22:02 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msw4zl46zk22https://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mstlgzvelc22Arizona got its infrastructure grade today. It was, uh, not glowing. "While this grade is ahead of many states around the country, an average grade of C is not acceptable." What will it take to boost that evaluation? Lots of $$$$$$$. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/11/arizona-infrastructure-barely-scraping-by-engineers11 Aug 2026 21:42 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mstlgzvelc22https://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3msgvupejrc2uWe had two Class 5 dust storms this week, the first time that's ever happened, at least according to the data we have from the last 16 years. Before this, the Valley had seen only four Class 5 haboobs ever. Story: https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/06/phoenix-haboobs-same-week06 Aug 2026 20:44 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgvupejrc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3msgnhyvtis2uA new AARP poll shows Katie Hobbs with an 8-point lead over Andy Biggs Kris Mayes has a 5-point lead over Warren Petersen. Still three months to go. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/06/aarp-poll-hobbs-biggs06 Aug 2026 18:14 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgnhyvtis2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mseagesne22uNEW: Former Mesa Mayor John Giles, reportedly to be Katie Hobbs' running mate, left the GOP earlier this year and switch to "no party preference." Being a Never Trump Republican was a large part of his appeal, so the implications of the move are unclear. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/08/05/katie-hobbs-john-giles-republican05 Aug 2026 19:15 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mseagesne22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mrwzexhyyk2uNEW: Andy Biggs has tapped former state lawmaker Sine Kerr as his nominee for lieutenant governor. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/31/andy-biggs-arizona-lt-governor31 Jul 2026 13:04 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrwzexhyyk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mrnepjzbns2uLife announcement, Part 2! It's my first day as a reporter for Axios Phoenix. Super excited to be teaming with/learning from @jeremyduda.bsky.social and continuing to bring you essential reporting on the Valley.27 Jul 2026 17:01 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrnepjzbns2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mrg2ufwcvc2kI'm not leaving Phoenix or even the Phoenix news scene. But today is my last day at Phoenix New Times, and I'm really going to miss all the wonderful people who make it such a special place. https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/opinion/phoenix-new-times-farewell-column-zach-buchanan-40684501/24 Jul 2026 19:16 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrg2ufwcvc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/zhbuchanan.bsky.social/post/3mrb5dsgm6k2bWe have the 922-page DPS report on the death of Christian Diaz Rendon, whom a Phoenix cop shot as Rendon subdued an intruder. Half of it is redacted, including 363 fully redacted pages in a row. Still, it provides new details. Story by @csosin.bsky.social: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/report-on-phoenix-cops-wrong-man-shooting-is-heavily-redacted-40684236/22 Jul 2026 20:17 +0000at://did:plc:et4h6vanov2csextpp7m26yi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrb5dsgm6k2b