Arizona

Arizona families struggle after SNAP delays during government shutdown

Published

3 months ago

November 16, 2025

Arizona families struggle after SNAP delays during government shutdown

PHOENIX — While the government shutdown has officially ended, many services are only now beginning to return to normal. Some 670,000 furloughed federal workers received back pay Friday, with payments continuing into next week. The FAA has also reduced flight restrictions at Sky Harbor and nearly 40 other airports as staffing stabilizes.

But for thousands of Arizonans relying on SNAP benefits, the disruption has already caused significant hardship. The USDA now says full benefits should be distributed by Monday at the latest, but for those still waiting, the delay has been devastating — including Phoenix mother Marzia Munari, known to ABC15 viewers from the Smart Shopper series.

From utilizing the food bank to learning new ways to save at the grocery store, Munari works hard to stretch every dollar.

“There’s no money, there’s no SNAP benefits. So what am I going to do to keep my family fed and safe?” Marzia Munari, of Phoenix, said.

Munari is the full-time caregiver for her 85-year-old mother and her 21-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. For her family, she says, SNAP is essential.

“Obviously, at that point you have to take money from where you already have budgeted out for other things, like utilities, car payment,” Munari said.

Now, she faces another challenge — she says she can’t afford to pay her power bill.

“Monday morning, they will shut it down, because I have to give them $250 by this weekend, Sunday night. And I don’t know what I’m going to do, you know? And the power is necessary because my daughter, Jessica, she has to have a CPAP machine at night to breathe. And I don’t know, without power, what’s going to happen, you know,” Munari said.

She describes the missing SNAP funds as the first domino to fall in her tightly controlled monthly budget.

“It’s been stressful and upsetting. And sometimes I think it’s shameful that this is happening,” Munari said.

ABC15 has spoken with Arizonans who have already received their November SNAP funds.

The Department of Economic Security provided the following statement to ABC15 this week:

“On November 12, 2025, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also referred to as Nutrition Assistance (NA), was made available through September 30, 2026. The Department of Economic Security (DES) is taking immediate action to issue any outstanding benefits and resume normal SNAP benefit operations.”

ABC15 continues to push DES for the number of Arizonans still waiting and a timeline for when all benefits will be restored.

“It is an emergency,” Munari said. “Kids in America, they’re going to go to bed hungry.”

Munari says the financial uncertainty has shaken her faith in what lies ahead.

“It makes me lose confidence in our future. You know, what is it going to be like if this is acceptable?” Munari said. “Future generation? That makes me very… I think about it a lot.”

For anyone struggling due to the SNAP benefit disruptions, ABC15 has compiled a list off resources and local businesses stepping up to help.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Arizona

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

6 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

7-7-0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

16-19-20-26-37

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

11-15-24-25-28-30

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Arizona

Warmer temps increase rattlesnake risks: Arizona Game and Fish

Published

18 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Warmer temps increase rattlesnake risks: Arizona Game and Fish

article

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

The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish.

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Arizona

Idaho 78-58 Northern Arizona (Feb 26, 2026) Game Recap – ESPN

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Idaho 78-58 Northern Arizona (Feb 26, 2026) Game Recap – ESPN

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.

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