[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA THE STATE.

AND ON "CRONKITE NEWS," HOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ADAPTING MASKING POLICIES BASED ON THE LATEST COVID-19 NUMBERS, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A LOOK AT LATINO MUSICALS MADE INTO MOVIES.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON," I'M TED SIMONS.

TODAY'S COVID-19 REPORT SHOWS A STARTLING ALL RIGHT.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS TODAY'S CASE IS SO HIGH BECAUSE IT REFLECTS CASES THAT WEREN'T PROCESSED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.

THERE WERE NO NEW COVID-RELATED DEATHS REPORTED TODAY.

THE 7-DAY DEATH RATE IN ARIZONA IS STILL SEVENTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

THOSE INFECTED ARE AT RISK OF LONG-TERM COVID AND HOSPITALIZATIONS SHOW CLOSE TO 2400 KNOW OR SUSPECTED COVID CASES IN THE STATE.

THE FED APPROVED PFIZER'S BOOSTER SHOT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND THEY REDUCED THE RATE TIME FOR BOOSTERS FOR ALL AGES.

>>> AND LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING REPLACING A TAX CUT THAT WAS PUT IN EFFECT LAST VOTING SEASON.

>>> AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE OMICRON VARIANT OF THE COVID-19 IS SPREADING IN ARIZONA.

WE GOT THE LATEST ON COVID IN ARIZONA FROM WILL HUMBLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

WILL HUMBLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND HEARING?

>> IT IS IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING DELTA IN ARIZONA.

HERE IN ARIZONA, WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT 50/50 MARK.

SO WE'RE LAGGING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF HOW QUICKLY OMICRON IS TAKING OVER AND WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL DELTA SURGE ALL FALL.

>> THE LATEST SURGE ON HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS?

>> THEY HAVE BEEN IN A WORLD OF HURT FOR MANY, MANY WEEKS NOW.

DIFFERENT DISCHARGE STANDARDS, DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION, DIFFERENT RATIOS.

THEY ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT WHEN YOU ARE OVERWHELMED THE WAY THEY ARE, IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO KEEP THINGS STANDARD.

>> AND I HEAR SO MANY HOSPITAL WORKERS ARE GETTING SICK THEMSELVES.

>> YEAH, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE AIRLINES RIGHT NOW.

EITHER THEIR ARE SICK, THEIR KIDS OR SICK, OR THEY ARE IN ISOLATION, AND NOW MORE OF THE STAFF IS OUT.

>> AND THE HOSPITALS ARE NOT ACCEPTING PATIENTS IN RURAL SETTINGS.

>> YEAH.

IF YOU ARE PART OF A BIG NETWORK LIKE BANNER HEALTH, YOU HAVE A LOT OF ABILITY TO MOVE PATIENTS AROUND, IF YOU ARE IN A SMALL CHAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRANSFER PATIENTS THE WAY THAT BIGGER PATIENTS DO.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD OF OMICRON, MITT MITT -- MITIGATION STANDARDS, HAVE AS THEY CHANGED?

>> NOT REALLY.

IT IS A LOT BETTER THESE DAYS TO USE AN N-9 TOMASMASK, RATHER THAN THE CLOTH OF PAPER MASKS.

MY PATIENTS ARE PUSHING 90, AND I SAID JUST USE THE GOOD MASKS WHEN YOU GO TO CHURCH.

>> ALSO, I KEEP HEARING REPORTS AS IT SEEMS THAT OMICRON RESULTS IN MILDER ILLNESS.

>> YES.

THAT IS CLEAR.

AND IT IS VERY FORTUNATE.

IF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AS DEADLY AS DELTA, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ENORMOUS IMPACT.

BUT IT IS ONLY ABOUT 30% AS LETHAL HAS DELTA, WHICH MEANS THAT JANUARY DIDN'T GOING TO BE THE INCREDIBLE FIRE STORM THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE, SO WE'RE FORTUNATE OMICRON WASN'T -- HAD LESS OF A CRITICAL PRESENTATION THAN DELTA.

>> BUT I'M HEARING REPORTS AGAIN, WHERE SOMEONE COULD HAVE OMICRON LEAVE IT IN THE AREA, AND YOU COULD WALK THROUGH THE AREA AND GET IT.

>> YEAH, OMICRON IS A LOT MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN DELTA, SO, YEAH, IT IS REALLY CONTAGIOUS, HENCE, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT, USING A BETTER MASK.

IT IS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING MORE CONTAGIOUS WILL END UP DEVELOPING IN THE WORLD.

IT IS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK THAT WON'T HAPPEN.

AND WE'RE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC NOW, BUT WHEN WE SEE IS THIS OMICRON PHASE START TO WIND DOWN, BUT IT IS GOING TO INFECT TO MANY PEOPLE, AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET VACCINATED, THEY WILL BE INFECTED.

THEY WILL BUILD ANTIBODIES AND T-CELLS OVERTIME, AND THAT'S HOW WE WILL TRANSITION.

>> AND I SAW A REPORT OUT OF ENGLAND THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE ASYSTEM SYSTEMATIC COVID, IF YOU GOT TO INFECTED, IT COULD RELEASE ANTIBODIES LATER IN LIFE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO READ UP ON THAT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS VIRUS, AND THAT COULD BE ONE OF THEM.

>> OKAY.

FOR KIDS IN SCHOOL, WHAT DO YOU OPEN TO SEE?

>> I HOPE PARENTS GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATE ED, AND GET THE OLDER KIDS BOOSTED, AND GET THE KIDS 5 TO 11 VACCINATED TOO, REMEMBER?

>> UH-HUH.

>> THAT'S WHAT I HOPE TO SEE.

SO FAR IT ISN'T PLAYING OUT AS WELL AS I HAD HOPED.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WILL HUMBLE THANK YOU.

>> HORIZON," BUSINESS ADVOCATES TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY HOPE TO SEE IN THE UPCOMING STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>>> THE UPCOMING STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS NEXT WEEK, AND SO WE BEGIN OUR LOOK AT WHAT ADVOCATES ARE LOOKING TO SEE THIS TIME AROUND.

TONIGHT WE START WITH A LOOK FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITH OF THE ARIZONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND TODD SANDERS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER PHOENIX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

GENTLE GENTLEMEN THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DANNY WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ALL OF THE NUMBERS ARE LOOKING GREAT.

THE REAL NAME OF THE GAME THEN IS TO NOT TO ANYTHING TO DERAIL THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP REGULATIONS LOW, AND STAYING HERE AS THE NUMBER 1 STATE IN THE NATION FOR SCHOOL GROWTH.

>> AND SAME FOR YOU?

>> OH, YEAH.

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY KEY.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS CAN LOOK AT THAT IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION.

ONE OF THE BIG DRIVERS OF NEW COMPANIES COMPANY HERE IS THE GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> BACK TO THE TAX CUT NOW, THERE IS A PLAN TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE TAX CUT.

FOR THOSE WHO SAY THE IDEA FOR FUNDING EDUCATION IS GOING TO GET LOST IF THIS TAX CUT GOES THROUGH, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> WE HAVE A GAP FOR A LOT OF WORKERS RIGHT NOW.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE -- ALL OF THE HURDLES FOR THE LEGAL CHALLENGE ARE NOT CLEAR YET.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS DONE TO GET TO THAT 2.5% FLAT TAX, THERE WERE ECONOMIC TRIGGERS THAT HAD TO BE MET.

SO IF THE LEGISLATE CHOOSES TO GO BACK, -- WE HIT 6 BALLOT IN NEW EDUCATION FUNDING.

>> HOW DO YOU BALANCE EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH REVENUE AND TAX CUTS WHICH BUSINESSES LIKE?

>> YEAH, THE ECONOMY IS DOING WELL, AND BOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED ALMOST EVERY INITIATIVE SUPPORTED BY VOTERS.

AND THAT INCLUDES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO NEW CAREERS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

>> AND THAT BALANCE, HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

WE JUST SAW THE GRADUATION RATE IS ACTUALLY LOWERING, AND SO HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT BALANCE?

>> IT'S TRUE.

AS YOU HEARD ME MENTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUMPING OUT THE RIGHT KINDS OF PROGRAMS.

>> ASIDE FROM THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE PUTTING RESOURCES INTO SCHOOLS AS WELL TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE REALLY GOOD ALIGNMENT AND WHAT IS EXPECTED ONCE YOU GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE SO THESE KIDS ARE PREPARED.

>> AND WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR KIDS IN SCHOOL?

>> I THINK EMPLOYER RIGHTS HAVE TAKEN A SIGNIFICANT BEATING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SO I THINK THEY ARE GETTING A LOT OF CONFUSION.

WHAT I'M HEARING FROM BUSINESSES IS THESE BROAD TYPES OF MANDATES ARE DIFFICULT, SO I THINK THEY ARE LOOKING FOR FLEXIBILITY, AND THESE BUSINESS OWNERS WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESSES, SO LESS MANDATES AND MORE SUPPORT.

>> AND WE HAVE SEEN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY TAKE AN ABSOLUTE BEATING HERE.

SO THE BALANCE, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

>> YEAH, I WANT TO BUILD ON SOMETHING THAT TODD JUST SAID, THAT THE EMPLOYER FREEDOM IS EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.

OUR COMMUNITY IS WORKING VERY HARD.

THEY HAVE TRIED TO GET EVERYONE VACCINATED AND DONE IT ALL WITHOUT MANDATES.

>> BUT DANNY, REAL QUICK, NOT EVERY EMPLOYER HAS DONE THAT, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THEY WILL BE EXPOSED.

ARE THEY WRONG?

THEY THINK THEY MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO ILLNESS AND CATCH THE CORONAVIRUS IF THEY GO BACK TO WORK.

>> ALL OF OUR EMPLOYERS, I CAN TELL YOU HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF GETTING THE VACCINE.

I WOULD SAY IT'S ALMOST WEEK-TO-WEEK ON HOW PROTECTTIVE PROTECTTIVE -- PROTECTIVE THEY ARE.

>> AND TED, THERE ARE MORE JOBS OUT THERE THAN PEOPLE, SO YOU LITERALLY ARE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.

IF YOU ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE IN YOUR WORKPLACE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE OPEN FOR LONG, AND YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL GO FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO WORK.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU, BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> ANGELA BANKS IS AN AUTHOR AND A DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF LAW AT ASU'S O'CONNOR COLLEGE OF LAW.

SHE RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW BOOK THAT LOOKS AT MAKING CIVICS MORE INCLUSIVE.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE WITH ANGELA BANKS.

>> WELCOME BACK TO YOU.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK, "CIVIC EDUCATION IN THE AGE OF MASS MIGRATION."

>> YES.

THIS LOOKS AT THE WAY EDUCATION IS TAUGHT IN CIVIC EDUCATION IS TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND THIS TALKS ABOUT THAT.

>> AND YOU FOCUS ON THE LEGAL MEANS, AND EXPLAIN HOW IT IS EX EX -- EXCLUSIONARY.

IN CITIZENSHIP THE IDEAS AREN'T RECOGNIZED.

THERE ARE BOUNDARIES AND IT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY.

>> YES, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT BEING GOOD SIT IT IS -- CITIZENS AND PARTICIPATING, AND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVERYBODY.

>> YES.

>> HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

>> MUCH OF WHAT CIVIC EDUCATION IS ABOUT, IS EDUCATING THE POPULATION ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS.

AND WHAT MY WORK IS DOING IS HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT IS THAT IF WE WANT TO BE A GOOD PARTICIPANT IN A DEMOCRATIC SITE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING AND HOW THIGH CAN BE INCLUDED.

>> YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED IN THE PAST.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU HAVE SOME LESSON PLANS FOR EDUCATORS AND YOU TALK RAB THINGS LIKE THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT, AND FOCUSING ON THE DREAMERS.

>> YEAH, IT'S THINKING ABOUT THE BOUNDARY.

BOUNDARY.

BOUNDARY.

THE NATIONAL RISATION PROCESS REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE A GREEN CARD.

SO OUR ADMISSION SYSTEM AND WHO HAS ACCESS TO GREEN CARDS BECOMES VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO CITIZENSHIP.

>> YOU DO TALK ABOUT RACE CLASS AND GENDER AS BEING KIND OF THE ORIGIN.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, THE FIRST NATURALIZATION SAID YOU HAD TO A FREE WHITE PURPOSE -- >> NOT A FREE WHITE MAN?

>> IT ACTUALLY SAID FREE WHITE PERSON.

SO WHO WAS THE MAIN GROUP THAT WAS EXCLUDED WERE PEOPLE OF ASIAN BACKGROUND.

SO AMERICAN WOMEN WHO MARRIED SOMEBODY LOST THEIR CITIZENSHIP FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO GENDER CAME IN TO PLAY BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WOMEN MARRIED.

>> AND YOU USE A LATIN TERM.

>> RIGHT.

I ARGUE THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT NATURAL MEMBERSHIP BASED ON THREE DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES, SO POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY, AND THE IDEA THAT CITIZENSHIP OR BELONGING WOULD BE TIRED BASED ON YOUR CONNECTIONS TO THE SOCIETY.

>> AND WOULD THAT BE HOW LONG YOU LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES, OR WHETHER YOU ARE ACTIVE?

>> I ARGUE THAT IT HAS BEEN PART OF OUR NATURALIZATION LAW IN THE BEGINNING.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT LENGTH OF RESIDENT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO BECOME EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY?

SO HOW CAN WE APPLY THAT IN A BROADER WAY?

SO IT CAN BE ABOUT FAMILY CONNECTIONS OR DIFFERENT WAYS OF PROXY.

>> WHAT KIND OF REACTION HAVE YOU GOTTEN FROM, ESPECIALLY EDUCATORS?

>> I HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO USE THESE CONCEPTS AND BROADEN IMAGINATION ON HOW CAN WE THINK ABOUT THIS MORE BROADLY.

>> THANK YOU, ANGELA BANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS, ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A LOOK AT LATINO MUSICALS MADE INTO MOVIES.

♪♪