David Kennard has spent most of his working life writing for and editing community papers.
“My first job was with a small weekly newspaper, and I covered everything from crime to education to business. It was small, so [we had a] small staff, and everybody covered everything,” he recalls.
Even after moving into larger newsrooms, Kennard time and again returned to community-oriented papers. Why?
“I think this job really allows me to write a crime story [in the] morning, but also dive into an education feature story... it just offers a wide variety of news and lets me tackle whatever I want each day,” he said.
That variety is partly what drew Kennard, a veteran news editor with decades of newsroom leadership experience, to his new role as editor for InBuckeye.
Publisher Scott Bartle said Kennard’s experience made him a natural fit for the role.
“David is a real pro and will do a great job telling the stories that make Buckeye special,” Bartle said. “InBuckeye and the whole city will benefit greatly from his decades of newsroom, leadership and management experience.”
Most recently, Kennard served as news editor for EastIdahoNews.com in Idaho Falls and as executive editor for North Carolina’s The Robesonian. With those papers, he not only produced a steady flow of online articles but also increased breaking news coverage and follow-up stories.
Looking ahead, Kennard said he wants to bring that same focus to InBuckeye while also ensuring the publication continues to focus on local priorities, such as public safety, business and education.
“We’re here to provide a service to [readers] through good, solid journalism,” Kennard said. “We just want to make sure that the issues are covered responsibly and thoroughly.”
Kennard's move to Buckeye marks a return to the state for the career journalist, who lived in the Phoenix area as a child.
"We lived in Maryvale back in the day," he said. "I have very fond memories of the area. My father was going to school at Arizona State, so I still cheer for the Sun Devils -- although Mom was a Kansas Jayhawk, so we had some spirited debates during football season.
Kennard and his wife, Suesan, have four grown children living in Idaho and Washington.
Kennard works out of the InBuckeye office at 220 N. 4th St. and can be contacted by phone or text at 910-635-1557. Reach him by email at [email protected].
