Arizona
Gas prices dropping faster in Arizona than most of the country
PHOENIX – Gas prices have been falling faster in Arizona than almost anywhere else in the United States and could dip below $4 by next week.
The statewide average for a gallon of regular gas was $4.19 on Monday, according to AAA, 13.3 cents lower than a week earlier and 45.6 cents cheaper than a month ago.
Arizona’s weekly and monthly declines each rank third nationally.
Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service said the downward trend is expected to continue.
“I think you’re going below $4 by Halloween or soon thereafter,” Kloza told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday morning, eight days before the holiday.
Pretty sharp drops for gasoline across the country today: Down 3.5cts/gal to as much as 9cts/gal East of the Rockies; Down 3.5cts/gal to 4.5cts/gal in western geography. Glacial pace of decreases at the pump may quicken soon.
— Tom Kloza (@TomKloza) October 23, 2023
What states have the most expensive gas?
Despite the fast fall, Arizona still lags well behind the national average of $3.55 while ranking seventh on the list of most expensive states for gas.
California leads the way at $5.44 per gallon of regular gas, 65 cents higher than No. 2 Washington.
Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska also have higher gas prices than Arizona, according to AAA.
Is the Israel-Hamas war impacting gas prices?
Kloza said the ongoing war in the Middle East hasn’t made gas more expensive because wholesale prices dropped steeply before Hamas bombed Israel on Oct. 7.
“It’s going to be strange,” he said. “People are going to be looking at lower gas prices even while conflagration is screaming in the Middle East.
“Refiners aren’t making money on gasoline anymore — they’re making a lot on diesel and jet fuel — and the consumers are going to be the beneficiary of kind of a very sloppy market in the next few months.”
How long can Arizonans expect relief at the pump?
Kloza said gas costs are cyclical and typically drop this time of year, so the downward trend during the cooler months will likely be followed by an upswing next year.
“In the spring you have to start the cycle once again, so don’t get too used to it,” he said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
Arizona
Wildcat fire in Arizona grows to more than 14,000 acres – KYMA
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. (CNN, KYMA/KECY) – A 14,000 acre wildfire, named the Wildcat Fire, was 0% contained on Monday.
It sparked in the Tonto National Forest on Saturday, and high winds stopped firefighters efforts from the air.
One gate is closed for travel as a major fire burns through short grass and brush within Tonto National Forest.
“I mean, it was concerning, I guess the first night that we saw it just because we could see it right over the top of this house right here,” said Lucas Raymond, an Arizona resident.
Clearing the lot
Raymond and his family live in nearby Rio Verde. They’re ready to go in case the fire makes an unexpected turn.
They protected their home by clearing the lot around their neighborhood.
“Yeah, I mean, we have a three year old so I mean, we, we stay mobile as much as we possibly can, but we definitely have a plan if we need to get out of here. We can get out of here,” Raymond spoke.
Other residents nearby taking the risks in stride.
Hopeful
Hoping the weather and the universe will corporative, Nina Devries moved here just about a year ago and she’s feeling hopeful.
“We have hoses around the building. Several of them and they are connected so we would pick them up and try to keep things dry. But, basically just say positive and know that it’s going to be taken care of,” Devries expressed.
Those strong winds with around 40 mile per hour gusts forcing crews to ground their air units for a few hours.
On Monday, they’ll send them back up once the weather gets better, and around 300 fire personnel are battling the blaze right now and a lot of work lies ahead to contain this fire.
Good news
But there’s good news, humidity is up and temperatures are down.
There was also a little rain for the neighbors on Monday. It’s anything that will keep their homes fire free.
“Oh, it would be devastating. People love this area out here. I mean, the the residents out here fight for, fight for it out here. It’s not the easiest place to live,” Raymond added.
On Sunday afternoon, officials confirmed another wildfire, named the Basin Fire. It is burning southeast of the Wildcat Fire, but forward progress for this fire has reportedly been stopped.
Arizona
Baseball: Dodgers' potent offense helps Yamamoto get win over Arizona
Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw 6-1/3 innings of two-run ball and Freddie Freeman delivered a grand slam among three home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.
With plenty of backing from the powerful Dodger lineup, Yamamoto (5-1) struck out eight while allowing seven hits and one walk in another solid start for the National League West leaders, who extended their winning streak to four.
The Japanese right-hander surrendered a 1-0 lead when Joc Pederson hit a line-drive single with two out and two on in the top of the third at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on May 20, 2024. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Los Angeles quickly turned things around, however, racking up six runs against right-hander Slade Cecconi (1-4) in the home half of the inning.
Enrique Hernandez tied it with his solo homer and Shohei Ohtani drew a walk to load the bases before Freeman put the Dodgers up 5-1 with his fifth long bomb of the season. Will Smith extended the lead with a solo blast.
Yamamoto exited after giving up an RBI single to Kevin Newman in the seventh, while Ohtani finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.
“I allowed the first run but was able to reset myself (mentally),” Yamamoto said.
The three-time MVP of Japan’s Pacific League threw an MLB career-high 100 pitches, including 69 strikes.
“My number of good pitches increased as the second half of the game progressed,” he said. “I felt like I was throwing with a good tempo.”
Related coverage:
Baseball: Yamamoto gets 4th win after longest MLB start
Baseball: Shohei Ohtani’s walk-off single lifts Dodgers past Reds
Baseball: Cubs’ Shota Imanaga gets 5th win with gem against Mets
Arizona
Arizona State men, women golf teams out of NCAA postseason; Arizona men advance
Schauffele clinches first major with PGA championship win
Xander Schauffele has clinched his first major title after winning the PGA Championship by one shot at Valhalla Golf Club.
unbranded – Sport
Four days after the Arizona State men’s golf team was eliminated in the Rancho Santa Fe (California) Regional, just the fifth time that a No. 1 seed failed to make it to the NCAA championship since 2009, the ASU women’s team was knocked out of the postseason. Missy Farr-Kaye’s squad finished 16th, one stroke out of the top 15 that advanced after the first of two cuts in the women’s postseason championship.
Two ASU golfers advanced as individuals, however, as senior Ashley Menne and Patience Rhodes got through the final day. The second cut was set for Monday night and will send the top eight teams to match play with the championship finale set for Wednesday.
The Arizona Wildcats are among the top 30 men’s teams to advance to Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course in Carlsbad, California, for the men’s championship, which runs May 24-29. UA finished third in the West Lafayette Regional. After missing last year, Arizona will make its 29th championship appearance.
Local juniors shine
Peoria Sunrise Mountain alum Ben Lorenz, who plays collegiately at Oklahoma, won medalist honors at the Rancho Santa Fe Reginal. He helped OU become one of the 30 teams to advance to Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course in Carlsbad, California, for the championship, which runs May 24-29.
Max Lyons from Phoenix was named the Big East Men’s Golfer of the Year after his junior season at Marquette. He led the league with a 72.33 scoring average with 17 par-or-better rounds.
Scottsdale Christian Academy graduate Gracie McGovern, now a freshman at TCU, along with Brynn Kort, finished runners-up in the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in San Antonio last week.
Rahm, Mickelson miss cut at PGA
Phil Mickelson, who won the PGA Championship three years ago, missed the cut in the major this time around, as did fellow former ASU golfer Jon Rahm. For Rahm, it snapped his cuts made streak in the majors at 18, which had led all pro golfers.
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