PHOENIX – Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department said unseasonably warm temperatures in the state will increase risks for rattlesnake encounters.

What they’re saying:

In a statement released on Feb. 27, the agency said while rattlesnakes are most active in desert areas from March through October, they “may appear earlier in the year as warming temperatures bring them out of winter hibernation.”

“During the spring, it’s common for rattlesnakes to be out during daylight hours,” read a portion of the statement. “As the days become increasingly hot, rattlesnakes tend to move around more at night.”

What you can do:

Officials said there are things people can do to keep themselves safe, including:

• Step back and let a rattlesnake move away if you see one on a trail
• Be mindful of where you place your feet and hands, because rattlesnakes can easily blend in with their surroundings
• Carry a flashlight at night, especially on warmer nights when rattlesnakes can be most active
• Clean up yard debris and reduce standing water near homes, in order to avoid attracting rattlesnakes
• Stay on marked trails, as rattlesnakes encounters are more likely to occur when a person leaves a marked trail

Game and Fish officials said people should do the following if someone was bitten by a rattlesnake:

• Remain calm
• Reassure the victim
• Call 911 and seek medical attention without delay
• Remove all jewelry and watches from the affected area
• Immobilize the extremity, and keep it below the heart
• Decrease total body activity, as feasible

MOSCOW, Idaho — — Jackson Rasmussen had 19 points in Idaho’s 78-58 win over Northern Arizona on Thursday.

Rasmussen also had seven rebounds for the Vandals (16-13, 8-8 Big Sky Conference). Isaiah Brickner scored 15 points while shooting 6 of 11 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line. Jack Payne shot 4 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points.

Diego Campisano finished with 11 points for the Lumberjacks (10-19, 4-12). Chris Komin added 11 points for Northern Arizona. Karl Markus Poom also had 10 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

PARKER, AZ (AZFamily) — A former employee of a western Arizona town has learned her fate after being convicted in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud and embezzlement.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Thursday that Jennifer Elizabeth Alcaida, 50, a former office specialist for the Town of Parker, was sentenced by a Mohave County Superior Court judge to three and a half years in prison.

According to court records, between July and Sept. 2021, Alcaida took a total of $173,295.54 by writing unauthorized checks from town accounts, keeping cash she was required to deposit, and making personal purchases on a town-issued credit card.

Records also show she received more than $20,000 from the federal Paycheck Protection Program through the U.S. Small Business Administration after claiming the funds were needed to cover payroll for a personal business that did not exist.

Alcaida pleaded guilty Jan. 6 to felony charges of fraudulent schemes and theft. After her prison term, she will serve seven years of probation and has been ordered to pay $194,128.54 in restitution.

“This case is a clear example of someone who abused the public’s trust for personal gain,” Mayes said in a written statement. “Arizonans deserve to know that those who steal from their communities will be held accountable, and this sentence reflects exactly that.”

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