David Veenstra is a web content editor and writer for ArizonaSports.com and KTAR.com. Prior to joining Arizona Sports and KTAR, he graduated from the University of Oregon for his bachelor’s degree in journalism and Arizona State University for his master’s degree in sports journalism. The Portland native previously covered track and field, where he reported live from the NCAA Championships and World Athletics Championships. He also founded Desert Wave Media, an independent outlet covering the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
Expertise
Sports and news writing
Feature writing
Reporting
Editing
Strategic social media
Multimedia reporting
Photography
Education
Arizona State University – Master’s degree in sports journalism
University of Oregon – Bachelor’s degree in journalism, minor in business administration
Achievements & Awards
Covered the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament during the 2025-26 season during their run to the Final Four
Covered the Phoenix Mercury during the 2022, 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons
Credentialed for and covered multiple WNBA All-Star Games, playoff series and WNBA Finals games
Followed the Mercury on several road trips during the 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons
Credentialed for and covered the Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, NCAA Track and Field Championships and World Athletics Championships
Social Media Profiles
LinkedIn: davidveenstra
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ARIZONA TRAFFIC | May 16, 2026Project will disrupt traffic Sunday at SR 347/Riggs Road
Drivers traveling between Phoenix and Maricopa this weekend should brace for delays along State Route 347.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 14, 2026SAFE Alert canceled after missing 13-year-old Mesa girl located safely
A SAFE Alert for a missing 13-year-old girl from Mesa was canceled Sunday night after she was located, authorities said.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 14, 2026Phoenix police sergeant fired following off-duty confrontation at high school ICE protest
The Phoenix Police Department fired a sergeant following his involvement in a confrontation with high school students during a political protest.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 14, 2026Arizona Powerball player wins $50,000
One Arizona lottery player who purchased a Powerball ticket became $50,000 richer on Wednesday.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 11, 2026SAFE Alert canceled after 70-year-old Gilbert man located, reunited with family
A SAFE Alert for a missing 70-year-old Gilbert man was canceled Sunday after he was located and reunited with his family.
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ARIZONA EDUCATION NEWS | May 7, 2026Cesar Chavez High School officially renamed to Cactus Canyon High School
Cesar Chavez High School has been officially renamed to Cactus Canyon High School, after a measure passed on Thursday.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 7, 2026Man in wheelchair struck, killed on Phoenix roadway
A 73-year-old man in a wheelchair died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a south Phoenix street Wednesday night, authorities said.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 7, 2026Federal court blocks President Trump’s global tariffs after challenge from AG Kris Mayes, others
Kris Mayes and a coalition of nearly two dozen states blocked President Trump’s latest attempt to slap across-the-board tariffs on imported goods.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 6, 2026Woman has life-threatening injuries after weekend UTV crash near Lake Pleasant
A woman is fighting for her life after a pickup truck and a utility terrain vehicle collided north of Lake Pleasant over the weekend.
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ARIZONA TRAFFIC | May 3, 2026Eastbound Interstate 10 reopens in Phoenix after crash
Eastbound Interstate 10 reopened after a crash in Phoenix on Sunday, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT | May 2, 2026Valley groups, Diamondbacks team up to support brain cancer research in May
Several organizations are teaming up to raise money for a Phoenix-based brain cancer research center during Brain Tumor Awareness Month.
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ARIZONA NEWS | May 2, 202622-year-old man killed in single-vehicle crash on I-10 off-ramp in Phoenix
A 22-year-old man is dead after a single-vehicle crash on an Interstate 10 off-ramp in Phoenix early Saturday morning, police said.
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ARIZONA RESTAURANT NEWS | Apr 30, 2026Flower Child expanding with new restaurants in 3 West Valley cities
The popular health-forward restaurant Flower Child is expanding its presence in the Phoenix area, with plans to open three locations in the Valley.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 30, 2026Avondale opens $5.4M fire department training center
The city of Avondale has officially opened its new $5.4 million Fire Training Center, which city leaders say will bolster public safety.
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ARIZONA TRAFFIC | Apr 30, 2026Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway in Mesa reopens after crash
The westbound Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway reopened in Mesa on Thursday after a crash, authorities said.
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ARIZONA HEALTH NEWS | Apr 30, 2026HonorHealth completes $170M expansion at Deer Valley Medical Center
HonorHealth has wrapped up a massive $170 million renovation and expansion at Deer Valley Medical Center.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 30, 2026Fentanyl trafficker sentenced to nearly 10 years in Arizona prison
An Arizona man was sentenced last week to nearly a decade in prison for running a criminal drug enterprise that dealt fentanyl, cocaine and heroin.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 26, 20261 dead after vehicle crashes into pole, catches fire in Phoenix
A driver is dead after their vehicle caught fire when they lost control and crashed into a pole in Phoenix on Sunday night, authorities said.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 26, 2026Arizona judicial review board says all judges on 2026 ballot meet performance standards
An independent state commission has given a passing grade to every jurist scheduled to appear on the 2026 Arizona general election ballot.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 25, 2026Conservation groups accuse US Forest Service of illegally rounding up wild horses in Arizona
A national wild horse advocacy group is demanding an immediate halt to the removal of wild horses from the Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 25, 2026PickleRage planning to open indoor pickleball club in Scottsdale
PickleRage is expanding its national presence and opening its first Arizona location at a new indoor facility in the Scottsdale Airpark.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 25, 2026Grand Canyon National Park Airport is 2026 ADOT Airport of the Year
The Grand Canyon National Park Airport has been named the 2026 Airport of the Year by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
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ARIZONA NEWS | Apr 21, 2026SAFE Alert for missing 69-year-old Phoenix woman canceled
The Arizona Department of Public Safety canceled a SAFE Alert for a missing 69-year-old woman on Tuesday afternoon.
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ARIZONA REAL ESTATE & HOUSING NEWS | Apr 20, 2026201-unit build-to-rent community opens in Apache Junction
A new housing development is looking to spark growth along a key corridor in Apache Junction.