Arizona

Arizona firefighter battling rare cancer, neurological issues

Published

1 year ago

October 26, 2024

Arizona firefighter battling rare cancer, neurological issues

PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ (AZFamily) — An Arizona firefighter dedicated to helping others is now fighting for his life. The father and husband is battling job-related cancer while also dealing with neurological issues that doctors believe could be linked to the cancer diagnosis.

Matt McFadden, 35, has worked for the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority in Prescott Valley for 14 years. Those who work alongside him call him “Smiley,” someone who always has a good attitude and a smile. But this past year has been challenging for him and his family.

Last May, the husband and father of two young girls started noticing he was slurring his words and had issues with his balance. McFadden went about his normal routine and months later got hurt during a fire training exercise. At the time, he was going to physical therapy, but doctors didn’t have any answers for the neurological symptoms.

He had a cancer screening done through his department, and that’s when doctors discovered he had testicular cancer. They believe it was caused from his career as a firefighter. The news only got worse.

“His last scan showed that it metastasized to his lungs,” his wife Kahley said.

McFadden is spending five days a week going through chemotherapy. Kahley says she never imagined this would happen so young.

“Every fire wife I know goes through the fact of we’re never really worried about fires, it honestly is cancer,” Kahley said. “I thought it could be decades from now, not this second.”

As McFadden fights that battle, doctors are still trying to find out exactly what the neurological issues are. They believe it could be a rare condition linked to the cancer.

“They say it’s attacking the brain,” Kahley said. “If it keeps getting worse and they can’t figure it out, it’s getting to the point where he won’t be able to walk on his own.”

Kahley has had to step up in many ways while operating as a single parent. Their youngest daughter has special needs and relies on a feeding tube, which means she needs constant care.

CAFMA Battalion Chief Rob Zazueta has spent many shifts at the fire station with McFadden.

“His absence is very obvious,” Zazueta said. “Everyone is concerned about him. Everyone is feeling he is not with us.”

He said the crew misses him immensely and wants McFadden to know their fire family is with him and his family every step of the way.

“It’s a surreal feeling because we know the statistics and we know the stories across the country of this kind of thing happening to somebody in the fire service. I don’t think we ever expect it to happen this close to home so when it does, there’s a lot of shock factor with it. A lot of moments of questioning why,” Zazueta said. “Matt we are keeping your seat warm my friend, we miss you. Stay strong, keep smiling and we are all here for you.”

Members of the fire department have created a GoFundMe to help Matt and his family.

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Arizona

Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Wildcats odds, picks and predictions

Published

12 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Wildcats odds, picks and predictions

The No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks (21-7, 11-4 Big 12) visit the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (26-2, 13-2) Saturday afternoon for a 4 p.m. ET (ESPN) tip from McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Kansas vs. Arizona odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.

Kansas got back in the win column on Monday with a 69-56 victory over Houston, covering as a 2.5-point home underdog with the Under (137.5) hitting. G Tre White led all scorers with 23 points while F Bryson Tiller (11 points, 10 rebounds) added a double-double in the much-needed victory after the Jayhawks had dropped 2 of their previous 3.

Arizona has won 3 in a row after taking down Baylor 87-80 on Tuesday, narrowly failing to cover as a 7.5-point road favorite with the Over (154.5) hitting. G Jaden Bradley scored a team-high 25 points, G Brayden Burries added 24, and F Tobe Awaka (10 points, 13 rebounds) added a double-double.

– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!

Kansas at Arizona odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 9:40 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Kansas +400 (bet $100 to win $500) | Arizona -550 (bet $550 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Kansas +9.5 (-110) | Arizona -9.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 149.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Kansas at Arizona picks and predictions

Prediction

Arizona 76, Kansas 69

PASS.

There is minimal value on the Wildcats (-550) to win at home on Saturday against a Jayhawks team that is 5-4 on the road this season.

BET KANSAS +9.5 (-110).

The Jayhawks are 18-10 ATS this season, including 9-3 ATS over their last 12. They are 3-1 ATS over their last 4 on the road, as well, and are coming off a massive win over No. 5 Houston to build momentum heading into another tough contest.

The Wildcats have failed to cover in 4 of their last 5 games, including each of their last 4 as favorites and back-to-back games at home.

With a near double-digit spread, the advantage belongs to the road squad.

BET UNDER 149.5 (-105).

The Wildcats have hit the Under in 7 of their last 10 games, including 3 of their last 4. They have scored 78 or fewer points in 4 of their last 5 games while allowing 68 or fewer in 5 of their last 10, including 2 of their last 3.

The Jayhawks have hit a 19-9 Under record this season and have also hit the Under in 7 of their last 10. They have scored 69 or fewer points in 3 of their last 4 while allowing 75 or fewer in 7 of their last 10.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

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Arizona

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

Published

24 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

1 day 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: