[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL TALK TO EDUCATION LEADERS ABOUT WHAT THEY EXPECT TO SEE FROM STATE LAWMAKERS THIS LEGISLATIVE AND ON "CRONKITE NEWS," COVID-19 TESTING SITES ARE STRETCHED THIN AS WORKERS TRYING TO TEST AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR THE VIRUS VIRUS, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," FULFILLING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS IN A HEALTH WAY.

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

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

ARIZONA RECORDED OVER 7,000 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

THAT CONTINUES THE RECENT SPIKE IN CASES AS THE OMICRON VARIANT TAKES HOLD IN THE CASE.

THERE WERE 154 COVID-RELATED FATALITIES REPORTED TODAY.

AND WE REMAIN SEVENTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY IN FATALITIES.

AND THERE ARE JUST 120 ICU BEDS AVAILABLE STATEWIDE.

>>> AND GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY HAS TAKEN ACTION TO FUND UP TO $7,000 FOR THINGS LIKE CHIMED CARE, ONLINE TUTORING AND TUTORING, ALL FOR STUDENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS WHO HAVE CLOSED CLASSES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

WE WILL HAVE REACTION FROM STATE EDUCATION LEADERS IN JUST A MOMENT.

DUI FATALITIES WERE INCREASED THIS YEAR.

AND TRAFFIC STOPS WERE ALSO UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

>>> AND 4.5 MILLION AMERICANS QUIT THEIR JOBS IN NOVEMBER.

THIS COMES FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS WHICH NOTED THE MOVING AVERAGE DROPPED TO A 52-YEAR LOW.

ANALYSTS SAY THE TREND IS LIKELY DRIVEN BY THOSE RETIRING EARLY.

AND IT'S ANOTHER SIGN THE LABOR SHORTAGE WON'T WILL LETTING UP ANY TIME SOON.

>>> YESTERDAY WE HEARD FROM BUSINESS LEADERS, TODAY THE FOCUS IS EDUCATION.

AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOE THOMAS, PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, KOTTERMAN, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS FOR THE ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

GENTLEMEN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

JOE, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

LET'S START WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED TODAY WITH THIS PLAN THAT MAKING SURE PARENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE THE OPTION OF GETTING INSTRUCTION IF A SCHOOL CLOSES ITS DOORS.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

>> THE FIRST THING YOU REACT TO AS AN EDUCATOR IS THE IDEA THAT WE'RE CLOSING OUR DOORS.

AND WE HAVE NEVER CLOSED OUR DOORS.

IT IS YET ANOTHER MISGUIDED AT TEMPTED OF THE GOVERNOR TO PROP UP POLICIES.

MOST OF OUR STUDENTS DO THEIR BEST WORK IN SCHOOLS, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT MITIGATION EFFORTS AND WHAT IS THE SACRIFICE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN, AND IF THE GOVERNOR WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT AND EVEN -- ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION, THAT WOULD BE A BETTER WAY TO PROCEED.

>> CHRIS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WE HAVE ONLY GOTTEN SUPPORT ON ONE HALF OF THE PROPOSAL.

WE HAVE SEEN EFFORTS TO CURTAIL THE DECISIONS THAT WE THINK ARE NECESSARY TO KEEP STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I AGREE WITH JOE, THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED THEM TO HONOR THE ABILITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE, AND QUIT INTERFERING IN IMPOSING WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST.

IF WE CAN DO THAT, WE HAVE A CHANCE, AND I THINK WE AGREE THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD BE OPEN AND OPEN AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

>> AND WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE?

JOE, LET'S START WITH YOU.

>> THE I WANT LEGISLATURES TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY TIME THEY WRITE A BILL, THEY ARE SPEAKING TO EDUCATORS, AND THIS IS NOT THE YEAR TO TRY GRAND NEW INITIATIVES.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON HAVING SAFE SCHOOLS AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO PARENTS, AND SO IF WE COULD SEE FEWER BILLS, MAYBE ADDRESSING EDUCATION, THIS COULD BE THE YEAR, BUT I WOULD HOPE THEY FOCUS ON THE EMPLOYEES WE HAVE THAT ARE 5-YEAR, 10-YEAR, 20-YEAR VETERANS, AND FOCUS ON KEEPING THEM WHERE THEY ARE, AND MAKE SURE WE CAN EFFECTIVELY EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, AND DO SO BY MINIMIZING THE RISKS TO OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHING STAFF.

>> CHRIS, CAN YOU DEPARTMENT ANYTHING REALLY TO CHANGE?

AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

EVERYBODY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FORMULA.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE.

>> I THINK IT IS A BIG ASK TED, BUT I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO WORK ON IS MAKING SURE THAT THE FORMULA IS ADEQUATE FOR STUDENTS TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT.

AND THAT IS LOOKING AT SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, IF YOU CAN BUMP THOSE LEVELS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, YOU FREE UP A LOT OF MONEY THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO, QUOTE UNQUOTE, REGULAR ED STUDENTS THAT NEEDS TO BE DIVERTED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS.

THEY HAVE RIGHTS, AND THE RIGHTS TO AN EQUITABLE EDUCATION, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THAT TO THEM, BUT THE STUDENTS THAT END UP SHORTCHANGED ARE THE STUDENTS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL NEEDS.

AND IF WE FOCUSED ON THAT WE COULD SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS, SO I THINK THOSE ARE SOME THINGS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK ON, BECAUSE THERE ARE SPECIAL POPULATIONS, AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE -- YOU KNOW, SORT OF A LIMITED OPPORTUNITY HERE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE THE POLITICAL WINS ARE NOT THERE TO BE PARTNERS LIKE JOE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

>> IS IT -- IS IT -- IS IT MONEY?

IT SEEMS LIKE IT ALWAYS COME DOWN TO MONEY WITH EDUCATION, BECAUSE ARIZONA DOESN'T SPEND AS MUCH MONEY ON EDUCATION.

THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS NOT SHOWING GOOD RESULTS OUT THERE.

>> WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST TEACHER PAY IN THE NATION, AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO A LOT WITH A VERY, VERY FEW AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, AND IT HAS BEEN 12 YEARS SINCE WE HAVE HAD FULL FUNDING FOR FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN.

THAT WOULD BRING MONEY DIRECTLY INTO OUR SCHOOLS.

AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY FUND WHAT WE CREATED IN INVEST IN ED.

THEY HAVE IN EXCESS OF $1.5 BILLION THAT YOU CAN USE A LITTLE BIT, AND WE CAN INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND NOW IS THE TIME WE NEED TO REALLY CONSIDER THAT, SO WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY -- THEY CAN SEND THOSE DOLLARS TO EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE.

>> CHRIS, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO GET A COALITION GOING AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT IS MORE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION?

>> THERE IS, BUT THE POLITICS AT THE MOMENT HAVE MADE IT THAT NOT EVERYBODY ARE VIEWING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS THE BEST WAY TO INVEST, AND THAT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE.

BUT LIKE JOE SAID, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROCEED THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

>> OKAY.

GOT TO STOP YOU THERE, GENTLEMEN.

APPRECIATE YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> UP NEXT, A LOOK AT ISSUES EFFECTING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

>>> HISPANICS MAKE UP ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ARIZONA'S POPULATION.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THAT ISSUE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

A YEAR AGO, YOU HAVE WERE HERE WITH YOUR CO-CHAIR, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TESTING AND MARKETING TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

WE'RE IN ANOTHER PANDEMIC SURGE.

ARE SOME OF THOSE SAME ISSUES THINGS THAT YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING AGAIN THIS YEAR?

>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE INVITATION.

AND I'M SADDENED, THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR LEADERSHIP TO BE ABLE TO GET FOLKS VACCINATED AND TESTED.

WE HAVE ACCESS IN AMERICA AND ARIZONA, BUT WE ARE PUTTING OUR PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATES AGAINST OUR MEDICAL DOCTORS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS, AND NURSES WHO ARE TELLING US TO GET VACCINATED, GET ROUTINELY TESTED AND WEAR YOUR MASKS, AND AS WE PREPARE TO HEAD BACK NEXT WEEK, I THINK ULTIMATELY WE NEED SOLUTIONS AND NOT FINGER POINTING.

>> AND LAST YEAR THE ISSUE WAS TESTING AND VACCINATIONS, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE RESOLVED.

ON THE MITIGATION EFFORTS, WILL WE SEE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION ANTI-VACCINATION STANDARDS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THOSE MANDATES?

>> THE NOTION THAT MANDATES OUGHT TO BE BANNED AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE ULTIMATELY STRIPS THE HANDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, RIGHT?

AND HERE IN PIMA COUNTY, WE HAVE A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT IS TAKING LEGISLATION VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WHAT I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO IS WE HAVE LOST 24,000 LIVES IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THE MORE THAT EMPLOYERS ARE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE AND EVEN REQUIRE VACCINATIONS, IT IS A DÉÉJÀÀ VU SYSTEM.

L WILL LA WILL -- AND I KNOW FOLKS ARE GETTING A LITTLE FED UP, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED ON HOW WE NEED TO MEET ARIZONANS WHERE THEY NEED US, AND IF FOLKS JUST HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE VACCINE, THE NUMBERS GO DOWN.

THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW.

>> THE VACCINATION EFFORT STARTS ON MONDAY, AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?

>> I WISH I COULD PRESENT A NON-PARTISAN PLATFORM, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ATTACK VOTING RIGHTS IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA, BUT I THINK ARIZONANS OUGHT TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENS.

I WANT TO HELP ARIZONANS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD WHAT THEY ARE PAYING TO NOT EVEN OWN THEIR HOME, BUT ALSO TO RENT ONE.

AND WE'RE TAKING WATER-CONSERVATION SERIOUSLY, AND THE ACTION STILL NEEDS TO COME FROM OUR STATE LEADERS, AND WE HAVE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB PROTECTING ARIZONANS.

I IMPLORE MY COLLEAGUES TO LET OUR BILLS HAVE A FAIR CHANCE.

OVER 85% OF BILLS IN ARIZONA ARE LEFT ON A SHELF TO COLLECT DUST DESPITE WE HAVE A SPLIT NUMBER OF MEMBERS, AND IT'S NOT TO SUGGEST THAT ONE PARTY KNOWS MORE THAN THE OTHER, IT'S THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

>> SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF TIME, BUT I GATHER WHAT YOU SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE DÉÉJÀÀ VU IN MANY RESPECTS, CORRECT?

>> YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND GOOD LUCK ON MONDAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THERE IS A PLAN AFOOT TO CREATE A BUSINESS PARK IN SPACE.

IT'S CALLED ORE BY TALL REEF, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO MAKE LIVING AND WORKING IN SPACE A REALITY FOR BUSINESS.

WE LEARNED MORE FROM LINDY ELKINS-TANTON, WITH ASUEAST SCHOOL OF EARTH AND SPACE EXPLORATION, WHICH IS TAKING PART IN THE PROJECT.

LINDY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

PLEASE EXPLAIN ABOUT THIS BUSINESS PARK IN SPACE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING AN INTEREST IN THIS BUSINESS PARK.

THIS IS ONE WHERE EVERY KIND OF DIFFERENT USE YOU CAN IMAGINE IS WELCOMED, SO THAT'S WHY THEY ARE SAYING IT IS LIKE A BUSINESS PARK.

IT WILL PROVIDE ALL OF THE FACILITIES WE NEED FOR GETTING THERE, COMING BACK, COMMUNICATION, ALL OF THAT STUFF, AND ALL OF US CAN GO UP AND USE SPACE ON ORBITAL REEF FOR OUR OWN PURPOSES.

>> WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO GO UP AND HANG OUT AT THIS BUSINESS PARK?

>> WELL, THEY CAN MANUFACTURE MATERIALS AND PHARMACEUTICALS IN SPACE.

THINGS THAT ARE VERY PURE, AND THERE WILL BE LOTS AND LOTS OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, AND THEN TOURISM.

WE'RE REALLY EXPECTING THE WAY THIS IS SET UP IS GOING TO BRING COSTS DOWN, AND ONE OF OUR BIG WISHES THAT WE ARE LEADING HERE, IS TO HELP MAKE SPACE ACCESSIBLE.

SO I'M SURE PEOPLE WILL THINK OF LOTS OF OTHER WAYS TO UTILIZE SPACE.

>> YEAH, AND PERHAPS A LITTLE SMALL BUSINESS UP THERE ON THE SPACE STATION.

HOW BIG IS IT, AND HOW LONG WILL PEOPLE BE ABLE TO STAY UP THERE?

>> IT WILL BE A SIMILAR SIZE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

IT IS GOING TO BE UP THERE, I THINK, IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS DECADE.

AT THE MOMENT, THERE'S NO LIMIT, PARTICULARLY, ON REQUIREMENTS FOR LENGTH OF STAY.

I'M EXPECTING IT WILL BE RELATIVELY SHORT IN THE TERMS OF DAYS TO MONTHS.

>> AND PEOPLE WOULD COME AND GO BY WAY OF ROCKETS?

PLAINS?

HOW DOES TRANSPORTATION WORK?

>> YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO USE THE ASSETS OF BLUE ORIGIN AND SIERRA, AND THEY HAVE THE ASSETS TO BRING PEOPLE AND MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES UP AND BACK.

>> AND ASU IS INVOLVED IN THIS.

HOW DID THAT COME BACK?

>> I GOT A CALL FROM BLUE ORIGIN TO SEE IF WE WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.

AND THE FACT WE'RE INVOLVED, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 25 ACTIVE SPACE MISSIONS AS WELL, SO I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND WE PUT TOGETHER 14 FOUNDING UNIVERSITY MEMBERS WHO WILL HELP US SUPPORT THIS SPACE STATION.

>> AND COULD A BUSINESS LEASE SPACE ON THE STATION?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THERE WILL BE PODS THAT HAVE COMMUNICATIONS, LIFE SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING THAT IS NEEDED, AND TENANTS CAN RENT OR SUB-LET THOSE PODS, AND WE HAVE -- THE IDEA IS THAT THERE WILL BE WAYS TO -- FOR EXAMPLE, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CRUDE, HUMAN, SPACE PRESENCE, AND THERE WILL BE RELATIVELY LOW COSTS TO GIVE EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES ACCESS TO PLACE EXPLORATION.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SIGN CONTRACTS WITH IS POTENTIAL THE CUSTOMERS AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR.

>> AND LAST QUESTION -- YOU KIND OF REFERRED TO THIS EARLIER, BUT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, I THINK SOME FOLKS ARE PROBABLY FINDING THIS INTERESTING, BUT GOING, WHY IS THIS NECESSARY?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK HUMANS HAVE EXPLORATION BAKED INTO OUR GENES.

WE ARE COMPELLED TO DO IT.

AND SPACE EXPLORATION HAS PUSHED HUMAN KIND FORWARD IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, INCLUDING SYSTEM ENGINEER.

AND YOU THINK NOT JUST ABOUT THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS, BUT FRANKLY THE INSPIRATION TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION WITH A NARRATIVE OF HOPE AND A NARRATIVE OF THE FUTURE, AND THAT INSPIRES US TO DO BETTER FOR OUR OWN PLANET.

>> WELL, BEST OF LUCK ON THIS, AND GOOD INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> 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 LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FLOOD-CONTROL SYSTEM.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, FULFILLING NEW YEAR'S EVE RESOLUTIONS IN A HEALTHY WAY.

♪♪