Arizona
Arizona prepares for legal clash over Colorado River with $1 million bill
Arizona is ramping up its efforts to protect its share of the Colorado River’s dwindling water supply, as the state faces an uncertain future over the fate of one of the West’s most crucial resources.
A bill advanced Tuesday by the Arizona House Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Water aims to allocate $1 million to defend the Grand Canyon State’s water rights as part of the ongoing battle over the Colorado River.
The bill, known as House Bill 2103, seeks to set aside the funds to support litigation in the event that negotiations among the seven states dependent on the river break down.
Arizona is preparing for the possibility of legal action if the ongoing discussions fail to resolve water allocation disputes.
kojihirano/Getty
The bill passed with unanimous support from the committee, though Democrats indicated they will propose an amendment to increase the allocation to $3 million, in line with Governor Katie Hobbs’ proposed budget.
State Representative Gail Griffin, a Republican from Tucson and the bill’s sponsor, told the committee, “It just shows we are ready to take action,” the Courthouse News Service reported.
The Colorado River, which feeds both Lake Mead and Lake Powell—critical water reservoirs for the Southwest—has been a vital source of water for more than 40 million people across the U.S. and Mexico.
But after years of drought and climate change, the river’s once-mighty flow is at its lowest levels in recorded history, prompting urgent discussions about how to share its shrinking resources before current agreements expire in 2026.
At the center of the debate are two factions: the Upper Basin states—Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming—and the Lower Basin states, which include Arizona, California and Nevada.
The Upper Basin states argue that their smaller reservoirs and more severe drought conditions justify keeping their water consumption levels higher, while the Lower Basin states, already committed to significant cuts, push for more aggressive reductions.
But as the clock ticks down toward 2026, when potential cuts could be enforced by the federal government, tensions are mounting over the distribution of the river’s limited water supply.
Arizona’s position is clear: it wants to be able to fight its corner if necessary and needs funds to do it.
The request for funds to potentially fight a legal battle was first proposed in September 2024 by Tom Buschatzke, the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Buschatzke has warned of a growing divide between the Upper and Lower Basin states, referring to the rift as a “Grand Canyon-sized chasm” that could lead to a standoff if compromise proves elusive.
“It doesn’t seem like the Upper Basin feels like they have any risk that any additional cuts to their use can be imposed upon them,” Buschatzke said in a previous interview with Newsweek.
“We think we have a strong case if we have to go to court.”
Despite the potential for litigation, Buschatzke stressed that legal action would be a last resort.
He said: “If we end up in court, which we don’t want, it would be begrudgingly because it’s kind of a last-gasp effort.”
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Colorado River? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Arizona
3 men sentenced in Arizona for multi-million dollar scam against Amazon
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Three Valley men have been sentenced for their roles in what prosecutors described as a “sophisticated fraud scheme” against an online shopping giant.
In a news release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, was sentenced on Feb. 5 to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, was also recently ordered to spend 18 months in prison.
The feds said a third defendant in the case, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, was sentenced to six months in prison after the trio pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Prosecutors said the three were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon.
According to federal officials, Alwan worked in Amazon’s logistics division and left the company in 2021 when he reportedly used his knowledge to manipulate rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carriers.
The feds said Basheer and Mughith Faisal used “Blue Line Transport” to knowingly get to increased transport rates that Alwan would then input into Amazon’s system, ripping them off out of $4.5 million.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division helped in the investigation, which was then prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
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Arizona
Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 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 Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers
07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers
2-0-8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers
02-05-18-27-41
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Triple Twist numbers
11-14-17-19-23-24
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
Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping
Man arrested in connection to teens’ shooting deaths appears in court
Thomas Brown, who was arrested in connection to the shooting deaths of Evan Clark and Pandora Kjolsrud, appeared in court on Oct. 3, 2025.
A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.
Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.
The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.
Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight
While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.
A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.
“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.
Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.
Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.
“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”
It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.
Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.
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