Arizona
Arizona has more UFO sightings than most of the US. See the rankings
Congress scraps provision to declassify information about UFOs, aliens
Congress tried to pass provisions in the NDAA that would have released government secrets about aliens, but only approved a reduced version.
Straight Arrow News
Arizona is known to be a UFO hotspot, and a new interactive map showing it as one of the states with most UFO sightings confirms it.
UFOs have been part of the state’s folktales for a long time, with some of the most infamous ones making headlines and video highlights across the nation. The map from the National UFO Reporting Center, which allows people to explore when and where people report UFO sightings shows these events are a common thing in the state.
Arizona appears to have the fourth most reported UFO sightings of all Arizona states, according to the map.
By clicking on the dots on the map, people can see a description of the reported sightings in that location. The green dots are recent reports. Most of the reports come from the United States, as that is where the reporting center is based.
“UFOs are seen literally everywhere, and that the distribution of sighting reports closely matches the distribution of the population,” the organization said in a news release announcing the new map.
The reporting center said it plans to add new features to the new map in the future to improve user experience.
State breakdown of UFO sightings
- Alaska: 642
- Alabama: 1,403
- Arkansas: 1,289
- Arizona: 4,981
- California: 16,238
- Colorado: 3,281
- Connecticut: 2,033
- Delaware: 419
- Florida: 8,303
- Georgia: 2,730
- Hawaii: 672
- Iowa: 1,225
- Idaho: 1,357
- Illinois: 4,298
- Indiana: 2,732
- Kansas: 1,191
- Kentucky: 1,689
- Louisiana: 1,127
- Massachusetts: 2,709
- Maryland: 1,856
- Maine: 1,189
- Michigan: 3,668
- Minnesota: 2,111
- Missouri: 2,813
- Mississippi: 788
- Montana: 1,004
- North Carolina: 3,679
- North Dakota: 277
- Nebraska: 701
- New Hampshire: 1,196
- New Jersey: 2,894
- New Mexico: 1,672
- Nevada: 1,703
- New York: 5,900
- Ohio: 4,466
- Oklahoma: 1,501
- Oregon: 3,561
- Pennsylvania: 5,047
- Rhode Island: 599
- South Carolina: 2,246
- South Dakota: 396
- Tennessee: 2,315
- Texas: 6,202
- Utah: 1,528
- Virginia: 2,705
- Vermont: 610
- Washington: 7,230
- Wisconsin: 2,453
- West Virginia: 907
- Wyoming: 416
- Unspecified: 115
Phoenix Lights: The Valley’s most famous UFO story
Metro Phoenix’s most famous UFO story
On March 13, 1997, what is considered to be Arizona’s most infamous UFO story happened.
On a mild springlike evening the string of amber orbs appeared as if by magic, a celestial sleight of hand that would in the coming weeks make headlines across the nation.
Although little more than an atmospheric curiosity at the time, the hovering and evenly spaced balls of light would soon become known as the Phoenix Lights.
Those who accepted the explanation that it was military flares dismissed the controversy with logical precision, while people who saw it as an otherworldly encounter claimed the truth has been shrouded in lies and disinformation.
In the ensuing years, the Phoenix Lights would change outlooks, minds and even a few lives. What hasn’t changed is the mystery that still hovers.
Lynne Kitei, a Phoenix resident, could barely believe what she saw when she witnessed and recorded the lights, six evenly spaced orbs moving in a direct line over Phoenix.
Kitei, who worked as a physician at the Arizona Heart Institute, dedicated herself to investigating the phenomenon after this experience and eventually resigned from her medical career to devote herself to researching and discussing the Phoenix Lights full-time.
Over seven years, Kitei compiled extensive notes and interviews, eventually publishing a book detailing her findings. Yet, she didn’t find a definitive answer to the lights’ origin other than educated speculation.
“It’s never been about me; it’s about the data,” Kitei said. “To present it I had to come forward, to tell people what I know.”
The sighting, witnessed by hundreds if not thousands, prompted widespread speculation and media attention. Even government officials became involved, though their responses ranged from ridicule to dismissal.
While the military eventually attributed the lights to flares dropped during training exercises, some remain skeptical of this explanation, including Kitei and other experts who analyzed the footage. The enduring mystery of the Phoenix Lights continues to intrigue and divide opinions, leaving questions unanswered about what truly occurred that night.
Former Republic reporter Scott Craven contributed to this article.
Arizona
Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for June 20, 2026
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Saturday, June 20, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers
16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning The Pick numbers
08-14-30-36-38-39
Check The Pick payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Evening numbers
Evening: 8-9-7
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers
02-17-23-38-39
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Triple Twist numbers
14-20-21-27-28-30
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.
Arizona
Troopers arrest ‘LARPer’ who was running late for competition in northern Arizona
FLAGSTAFF, AZ (AZFamily) — A hurry to a LARPing tournament ended with a very real arrest in northern Arizona.
On June 11, troopers stopped a driver clocked at 106 mph in a 65 mph zone in Flagstaff, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The driver told troopers she was running late for a “LARPing tournament” in Colorado.
LARP stands for live-action role-playing, a hobby where participants dress in costume and act out characters in fictional settings.
She was arrested for criminal speeding and booked into the Coconino County jail.
“Speeding to save a fictional realm is no excuse for drivers on Arizona highways,” DPS said in a Facebook post.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
Source link
Arizona
Arizona’s Rugged Wilderness Area Has Gorgeous Mountain Trails And Scenic Camping Spots – Islands
While those who haven’t spent a lot of time exploring Arizona may associate the Grand Canyon State with towering saguaro cacti and endless stretches of barren, moon-like landscapes, that description, though accurate, does not tell the complete story. Because located within the Tonto and Coconino National Forests is 252,500 acres of rugged wilderness that, in addition to cacti and desert, also includes pine forests, snow-dusted mountain peaks, and the Verde River, Arizona’s only designated Wild River Area.
Called the Mazatzal Wilderness Area, and spanning from the brush-covered Sonoran Desert to the tip of the 7,903-foot Mazatzal Peak and beyond, the area became a designated wilderness in 1940. It has since become known for its diverse, rugged scenery that includes steep ridges, narrow canyons, riparian habitats, and 240 miles of hiking trails, many of which are too craggy and steep for mountain bikes and horses. The trails are gorgeous, however, offering sweeping forest and mountain views as well as several scenic camping spots along creeks and ridgelines of wildflowers. Mazatzal, which gets its name from an Aztec word that means “land inhabited by deer,” is home to mule deer and whitetails as well as bald eagles, river otters, bears, and kit foxes, among other wildlife.
Mazatzal is unique in that it combines a rich network of diverse ecosystems into one expansive wilderness area, allowing you to swim in a cactus-lined river or cool off in an icy mountain waterfall. Just two hours from Phoenix, Mazatzal offers access to remote wilderness you can experience without having to venture too far from the comforts of urban life.
Mazatzal Wilderness Area is a backpacker’s paradise
The more than 40 hiking trails at Mazatzal offer breathtaking Tonto National Forest scenery full of unforgettable wildlife and panoramic views. “…This ‘secret’ area has some of the most beautiful, interesting, fascinating geography, geology, flora and fauna to be found anywhere in the high Sonora Desert,” writes a reviewer on TripAdvisor. “You’re almost guaranteed to see not a single other person for your entire hike, but you’ll see birds, snakes, lizards, range cattle, desert bighorn sheep and who-knows-what other animals while getting a sense of what it must have been like a hundred years and more ago, the natural environment almost absent [of] the effects of human beings.” One of the most popular hikes includes the moderate, 6.2-mile Barnhardt Trail Waterfall, where the sound of birds singing will be your soundtrack as you hike through lush vegetation punctuated by red rocks and jagged cliffs to lookout points with sweeping views of the hazy rolling hills and olive-green forests below. A seasonal waterfall is your reward at the end. “Barnhardt trail is an absolute must, one of the top 5 classic hikes in Arizona,” says a reviewer on a forum for Backpacking Light.
Although gorgeous, many of the trails are challenging, with cat claw plants that snag on your clothing, treacherously steep inclines, and rocky, overgrown terrain where you can twist an ankle if you’re not careful. Portions of the Arizona National Scenic Trail pass through the wilderness area, too, with the Arizona National Scenic Trail ranking number six in the list of the 11 U.S. National Scenic Hiking Trails ranked by difficulty.
Mazatzal offers primitive and dispersed camping throughout the wilderness area that can serve adventure-seeking backpackers and multi-day hikers with a remote wilderness camping experience. None of the campsites have toilets or any other facilities and all campers are encouraged to follow Leave No Trace principles and pack out all waste. Although glamping this is not, the campsites offer scenic views of ponderosa pine canyons and fire-red mountain ridges. For those looking looking to RV or car camp, Mazatzal is about a 40-minute drive from Payson, a high-elevation Arizona lakeside town where you can camp at one of the full-service campgrounds as well as shop, dine, and gamble at the Mazatzal Casino.
-
Ohio3 minutes agoZipse: Preakness participants shine brightly in the Ohio Derby
-
Oklahoma10 minutes agoOklahoma All-State baseball: Joe Patterson guided Mustang through brutal 6A field to title
-
Oregon13 minutes ago
Oakridge ranked 5th U.S. best mountain biking town by Outside Magazine
-
Pennsylvania18 minutes ago6abc Loves the Arts: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Presents “Paths to Independence: 1765 to 1787” through Sept. 18
-
Rhode Island25 minutes agoNewport’s fourth annual Juneteenth celebration returns to Fort Adams – What’s Up Newp
-
South-Carolina28 minutes ago
South Carolina is in for the longest day of year as summer 2026 starts
-
South Dakota33 minutes agoBoard approves higher income limit, higher prices for inmate-built affordable housing
-
Tennessee40 minutes agoVoting rights ruling echoes Tennessee’s Jim Crow past | Opinion