>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWEN S ARIZONA PBS, ON THE IMPACT OF INFLATION ON THE STATE'S ECONOMY.

TSA NUMBERS INVOLVING GUNS FOUND IN CARRY-ON LUGGAGE, AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," THE LATEST ON RAPIDLY EVOLVING COVID-MITIGATION MEASURES.

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

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

ANOTHER DAY OF SOME ENAGING COVID NUMBERS.

BUT IT IS ALL NOT POSITIVE, THERE WERE 140 COVID-RELATED FATALITIES TODAY.

THAT PUTS THE AVERAGE AT OVER A 100 IN CLOSE TO A YEAR.

AND ARIZONA IS TRAILING ONLY MISSISSIPPI.

>>> ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN PAUL GOSAR HAS GONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO DEFEND A WHITE NATIONALITY.

HE DEFENDED NICK FUENTES WHO IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY WHAT GOSAR CALLS THE JANUARY 6TH WITCH HUNT.

FUENTES HAS REPORTED BEEN KICKED OFF OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT CONTINUES TO POST ON AN ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.

>>> ECONOMIC NEWS A RECORD NUMBER OF AMERICANS QUIT THEIR JOBS LAST YEAR THIS THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS REPORTED 4.3 MILLION LEFT THEIR JOB.

MANY ARE LEAVING FOR BETTER PAY OR BENEFITS WHILE OTHERS ARE RETIRING EARLY.

THERE ARE CLOSE TO 11 MILLION VACANT JOBS TO FILL.

DIFFICULTY FINDING AND KEEPING WORKERS THE REASON THAT RESTAURANTS WILL NEVER RETURN TO PREPANDEMIC LEVELS ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.

ONLY 25% OF RESTAURANT OPERATORS BELIEVE THEY WILL SEE MORE PROFITS WITH CHALLENGES INCLUDING RISING COSTS AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND THE WORKER SHORTAGES.

>>> TOM BRADY ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT TODAY.

HE IS STEPPING DOWN AFTER HAVING WON 7 SUPER BOWL IN HIS STORIED CAREER.

HE DESCRIBED HIS PLAYI CAREER A A THRILLING RIDE, AND HE SAID BUT IT IS TIME NOW TO FOCUS MY ENERGY ON OTHER THINGS.

>>> CHECK THIS OUT, THE FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC PASSENGER PLANE.

IT IS CALLED ALICE, IT IS MADE BY A COMPANY CALLED EVIATION.

IT MAY BE JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM ITS FIRST FLIGHT.

>>> INFLATION HAS BECOME A GROWING CONCERN.

WE TALKED WITH ECONOMIST DENNIS HOFFMAN ABOUT THIS.

DENNIS THANKS FOR JOINING US.

AS WE TALK INFLATION, HOW MUCH IS INFLATION HITTING CONSUMERS RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, IT'S -- IT'S IMPORTANT.

IT HITS -- IT'S HIT FOOD TO SOME DEGREE, ALTHOUGH THE BIG DRIVERS FOR ARIZONA, TED, HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN HOUSING PRICES AND SHELTER THE WAY IT IS CALCULATED, IT IS THE COST OF LIVING, RENTING, AND THAT KIND OF THING, AND USED CAR PRICES AND FUEL HAS ALL BEEN THE KEY DRIVERS FOR ARIZONA, AND ARIZONA IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE RIGHT NOW.

>> AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING I DIDN'T BELIEVE THINK GROCERY STORE PRICES.

>> MEETS ARE VERY HIGH.

SOME OF THE BASIC COMMODITIES MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.

AND THE -- GETTING PRODUCTS TO THE SHELVES TO SERVE CONSUMERS IS TOUGH IN AN ERA, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NOT AS MANY TRANSPORT DRIVERS AS THERE USED TO BE.

PACKAGING ISN'T AVAILABLE LIKE IT USED TO BE, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THE FACE.

>> IS THAT ALL BECAUSE OF THE PAN IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, OR BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE QUITTING THEIR JOBS OR CHANGING JOBS?

>> ALL OF THAT IS THE SAME THING.

IT'S JUST THE WAY THE UNITED STATES HANDLED THE PANDEMIC.

WE DIDN'T KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THEIR EMPLOYER LIKE EUROPE DID.

WE FIRED EVERYBODY, LAID THEM ALL OFF AND THEN GO TO GOVERNMENT AND COLLECT.

THEY KEEP THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE.

IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEM, THEN THE GOVERNMENT GIVINGS THE EMPLOYER THE MONEY TO GIVE TO THE EMPLOYEE, AND THAT'S TOUGH.

AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK FOR THE LOW WAGES THAT THEY WORKED FOR PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

>> YES, AND YOU MENTIONED -- I THINK YOU REFER TO ARIZONA, AS FAR AS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN TERMS OF INFLATION.

TALK ABOUT THAT, AND HOW INFLATION IS RIPPLING THROUGH ARIZONA'S ECONOMY.

>> COMPANY, THE DRIVER IS HOUSING.

BY THAT IS KIND OF FUNNY, ISN'T IT?

IF I'M LOOKING FOR AN APARTMENT TO RENT, OR IN I'M TRYING TO BUY A NEW HOME, IF I'M OUT THERE IN THE MARKET, IT'S REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.

IF I'M HOMEOWNER WITH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EQUITY IN MY HOME, I GOT A LIKE 25 TO 30% MORE EQUITY OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SAME THING WITH A CAR.

IF I'M IN THE CAR MARKET, IT'S REALLY TOUGH.

I NEVER THOUGHT A CAR WAS AN INVESTMENT, BUT WE HAVE MADE MONEY ON THE CARS.

WE COULD SELL THEM FOR MORE THAN WE PAID FOR THEM, WHICH IS TEMPORARY AND ODD.

>> YEAH, BUT ARIZONA'S ECONOMY, IS IT BEING EFFECTED IN ONE WAY SHAPE OR FORM OR OTHERWISE BY INFLATION?

>> WHEN YOU INCOMES DON'T GO UP AS FAST AS THE COST OF PRODUCTSES, YOUR REAL WAGES FALL -- ARE FOLKS NODDING OFF YET TED?

>> NOT YET.

>> I THINK THAT IS TOUGH.

BUT CANDIDLY THE PUBLICITY HAS BEEN TOUGH AS WELL.

IN JUNE OF 1980, THE ECONOMY RATE WAS TERRIBLE.

INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES WERE RUNNING LIKE 12 AND 14%.

GROWTH WAS ZERO.

THE ECONOMIC WAS A MESS THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SURVEY SHOWS REPUBLICANS -- TODAY THEY THINK THE ECONOMY IS WORSE THAN ITS WAS BACK THEN.

SO WE HAVE BECOME THIS POLITICAL DIALOGUE, AND CABLE TV AND PEOPLE IN A TYPICAL POLITICAL PERSUASION ARE REMINDING FOLKS THAT IT IS REALLY BAD.

NOBODY HAS ASKED ME TO TALK ABOUT THAT GDP GROWTH IS FASTER THAN IT HAS BEEN SINCE THE EARLY 1980S.

SAME WITH JOB CREATION, BY THE WAY.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT -- AT GOOD NEWS, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE POLY-ANNA HERE, BUT I FIND IT FASCINATEINGS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FOCUS ON INFLATION, AND IT IS PAINFUL.

>> THERE HAS BEEN AN A FOCUS ON INFLATION ON SOME ECONOMISTS WHO SAID CHANGE INFLATION, AND YOU CHANGE THE BOOGIE MAN.

IS THAT TRUE?

>> YEAH, I THINK THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO INDUCE A BIT OF INFLATION INTO THIS ECONOMY.

>> POST THE GREAT RECESSION.

>> YEAH, POST THE GREAT RECESSION, AND THAT HAS BEEN A BIT OF A DRAG ON THE ECONOMIC.

THERE ARE FEAR BY SOME THAT WE'LL FALL IN TO THE DULL DRAMS THAT JAPAN HAS SEEN.

SOME WILL ARGUE THAT THE FED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 5 AND 6% TODAY.

I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT.

I SEE THAT AS THE PANDEMIC IS DOING THAT, AND THE FED, BY THE WAY, CAN CURE IT.

THE FED HAS A TOUGH TIME INFLATING THE ECONOMY.

>> RIGHT.

YEAH.

>> YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER AND YOU CAN'T MAKE HIM DRINK.

>> LAST QUESTION.

PEOPLE ARE SEEING PRICE INCREASES AT THE GROCERY STORE.

HOW LONG IS THATTING GO TO LAST?

>> I THINK IT'S RELATIVELY TEMPORARY.

MID-TO THE LATER PART OF THIS YEAR, GUESS WHAT, TED, I WON'T BE DOING INTERVIEWS ON INFLATION.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, TED.

>>> AND COMING UP, THE LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR THE U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINATION.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PROMISED TO NOMINATE A BLACK WOMAN TO FILL THE U.S. SUPREME COURT SEAT.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE NAMES BEING MENTIONED FOR THE NOMINATION, WITH VICTORIA SHANNON SAHANI.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

THE PRESIDENT'S PLEDGE TO NOMINATE A BLACK WOMAN TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> YES, I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL THAT HE ANNOUNCED IT.

HE COULD HAVE LOOKED BEHIND THE SCENES AT BLACK FEMALE CANDIDATES, BUT I'M VERY GLAD THAT HE TOLD THE WORLD THAT THAT WAS WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE CONSCIOUS ABOUT DIVERSITY, AND I THINK COMING FROM THE PRESIDENT IS IMPORTANT.

>> WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A BLACK WOMAN ON THE SUPREME COURT?

>> I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME, BUT ALSO IT SENDS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO BLACK COMMUNITIES, FEMALE COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THIS NATION, THAT THEY TOO CAN ASPIRE TO THE HIGHEST COURTS IN THE LAND, THE HIGHEST POSITIONS, EVERYTHING, IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

SEEING SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU ON THE HIGHESTCOURT IN THE LAND MEANS A LOT FOR SOMEONE WHO IS UP AND COMING IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WILL ASPIRE TO.

>> LET'S START WITH SOME OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES.

LET'S START WITH JUDGE BROWN-JACKSON.

>> YES.

SHE IS ON THE D.C.

CIRCUIT, AND REPLACED MERIT GARLAND, AND WAS NOMINATED ORIGINALLY BY PRESIDENT OBAMA.

AND BY MANY SHE IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FRONTRUNNER.

>> SHE IS VERY QUALIFIED AND VERY DISTINGUISHED FOR HER -- THE WAY SHOW HANDLES THE COURTROOM.

>> AND SHE WAS JUST APPROVED FOR THAT APPEALS COURT POSITION, SO THAT HELPS THE PROCESS ALONG, DOESN'T IT?

>> YES, SHE ACTUALLY HAD A FEW REPUBLICANS VOTE FOR HER.

SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE HARD TO CHANGE YOUR VOTE AFTER YOU JUST APPROVED THE NOMINATION.

>> AND THE NEXT CANDIDATE?

>> SHE IS ANOTHER ACCOMPLISHED JURIST, AND SHE WOULD BE A PHENOMENAL JURIS WHO WAS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND INCLUSION DUE TO HER ROLE AT THE NAACP.

>> AND DO WE KNOW ABOUT HER PHILOSOPHY?

>> MY UNDERSTANDING WITHOUT KNOWING HER PERSONALLY -- BY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SHE IS CONSIDERED TO BE A PROGRESSIVIST, HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INDIVIDUALS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE WHO HAVE REMARKED ABOUT HER FAIRNESS AND CONSIDERED JUDGMENT ON THE BENCH, AND HOW WELL SHE HANDLES THE COURTROOM.

SO I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD BE VIEWED AS A PART SON EVEN FOR THOSE ON THE RIGHT.

>> IT IS ONE THING TO SAY I WANT A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC REPRESENTED ON THE HIGH COURT, IT IS ANOTHER TO SAY I WANT A CERTAIN MIND SET, TRUE?

>> TRUE.

THE COURT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A PARTISAN INSTITUTION.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A-POLITICAL, AND I THINK THE JURIST ON THE COURT FOR THE MOST PART TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY, AND THE HOPE IS THAT ANY PERSON PRESIDENT BIDEN NOMINATES AND IS CONFIRMED BY THINK SENATE WOULD TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.

>> AND JUDGE COUGAR.

>> YES, SHE IS ON THE SUPREME COURT.

SHE JOINED THAT ROLE WHEN OUR CURRENT VICE PRESIDENT WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SHE WOULD BE THE YOUNGEST AMONG THE NOMINEES.

I BELIEVE SHE IS ABOUT 45, SO IF APPOINTED, SHE WOULD MOST LIKELY SERVE FOR OOLONG -- A LONG TIME.

>> YES.

CALIFORNIA IS CONSIDERED TO BE VERY LIBERAL IN GENERAL, BUT I THINK JUSTICE COUGAR OPINIONS ARE VERY MODERATE FOR CALIFORNIA.

AND JUDGE CHILES.

TELL US ABOUT HER.

>> YES, SHE IS A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND SHE IS A FAVORITE OF LINDSAY GRAM GRAM -- GRAHAM.

SHE WOULD BE A NON-IVY LEAGUE GRADUATE.

THE CURRENT COURT HAS EIGHT GRADUATES FROM IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS AND ONE FROM NOTRE DAME.

AND SHE WOULD BE A NON-IVY LEAGUE GRADUATE.

IT MAKES IT SEEM, POTENTIALLY AS IF THE COURT IS AN ELITIST INSTITUTION, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REFLECT THAT.

>> YOU ARE PRESIDENT, VICTORIA SHANNON SAHANI.

IF YOU WERE NOMINATED, DO YOU WANT TO SEE EMPHASIZED.

>> WOELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIAE THE PROMOTION.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EMPHASIZED THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE JURISTS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY MANAGE THE COURTROOM, HOW THEY QUESTION THE ADVOCATES, HOW THEY ANALYZE THE LAW, HOW THEY EXPLAIN THEIR REASONS NOT JUST FOR ACADEMIC ARPROFESSIONAL AUDIENCES, BUT ALSO FOR LAYPERSONS OUT THERE.

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ARE FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE, AND SHOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE BY ALL OF THE PEOPLE.

SO I WOULD INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND ALSO I WOULD WANT TO INCLUDE SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY CAUTIOUS IN HOW THEY ENGAGE IN INTERPRETING OR REINTERPRETING PRECEDENT.

I THINK THIS COUNTRY NEEDS TO CHANGE, BUT IT NEEDS TO CHANGE IN A WAY THAT IS ACCEPTED BY THINK PUBLIC.

>> THAT'S VERY WELL PUT.

VICTORIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, AND HELPING US FIGURE OUT THIS PROCESS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHOM PRESIDENT BIDEN NOMINATES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU BET.

>>> A SERIES OF KILLS BETWEEN 1980 AND 1982 IN GUATEMALA ARE KNOWN AS THE RIO NEGRO MASSACRES.

PLEASE NOTE SOME OF THIS FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS GRAPHIC.

PLEASE BE ADVISED.

>> THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN GUATEMALA.

AT WORK THIS MAN REMEMBERS A PAINFUL PAST.

>> JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM HIS OFFICE, THOSE MEMORIES HAVE NAMES AND DATES IN THE CEMETERY.

IN THIS NEARLY 200-FOOT-LONG GRAVE LIE THE REMAINS OF 70 WOMEN AND MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN.

HE WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD WHEN HE WITNESSED THE MURDERS.

A DECADE LATER, OFFICIALS BEGAN TO EXHUME THE BODIES.

>> IT WAS A LANDMARK CASE.

THAT WAS THE FIRST PROSECUTION.

>> I HAD FULLY INTENDED TO DO THIS VOLUNTEER WORK, AND THEN GO HOME TO MY JOB, AND I ABSOLUTELY NEVER COULD.

>> IN THE EARLY '80S, THE GOVERNMENT FORCED OUT COMMUNITIES LEAVING THE RIO NEGRO TO CONTINUE INSTRUCTION OF THE HYDRO ELECTRIC DAM.

AND THEY BEGAN KILLING THE VILLAGERS.

>> IN THE EARLY 1980S SO BE AN INDIGENOUS GUATEMALA AN WAS TO BE SEEN AS A GORE -- GORILLA.

>> WHEN YOU FIND THESE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IT WAS A VERY, VERY LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

>> THEY KILLED MOST OF THE MEN IN THE VILLAGE.

ONLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN REMAINED.

ONE DAY SOLDIERS SHOWED UP.

HE DREW THESE IMAGES OF WHAT HE WITNESSED, AND THEY ARE PART OF HIS BOOK.

>> THE COUP PROTECTED HIS 2-YEAR-OLD BROTHER JAIME, UNTIL PATROLMEN SNATCHED HIM.

>> AFTER KILLING THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, INCLUDING HIS THREE BROTHERS, A SISTER, AND HER TWO CHILDREN, THE SOLDIERS THREW THE BODIES INTO A MASS GRAVE AND COVERED THEM WITH STONES.

GONZALES THEN TOOK HIM AS A SLAVE.

TWO YEARS LATER, AN OLDER SISTER RESCUED HIM.

GONZALEZ RECEIVED THE DEATH SENTENCE IN 1999, BUT LATER REDUCED HIS SENTENCE TO 30 YEARS IN COURT.

>> HE BRAVELY WENT TO COURT, AND IDENTIFIED THE PERSON WHO KILLED HIS FAMILY AND ENSLAVED HIM.

>> THESE ARE A REMINDER OF MANY OTHER MASSACRES.

AT LEAST 79 KILLED HERE.

AND 92 PEOPLE WERE BURNED ALIVE HERE.

ACCORDING TO A UNITED NATIONS COMMISSIONS, MEMBERS OF THE GUATEMALAN ARMY AND CIVIL PATROLS KILLED MORE THAN 5,000, AND BEFORE KILLING THE WOMEN, THEY RAPED THEM, EVEN THE PREGNANT ONES AND THE LITTLE GIRLS.

>> UP TO 20 DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS SUFFERED THE SAME TYPE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY THE ARMY.

>> MOST OF THE MASSACRES OCCURRED BETWEEN 1982 AND '83 UNDER A DICTATORSHIP.

>> HE WAS BEHIND MASSIVE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS BEING DISAPPEARED, ILLEGALLY DETAINED AND KILLED.

>> THE COURT SENTENCED HIM TO 80 YEARS IN PRISON, BUT DAYS LATER ANNULLED THE SENTENCE.

HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK IN 2019.

EVEN NOW THE SOUNDS OF THE BOMBS AND THE KILLING AND RAPING OF THE LITTLE GIRLS TORMENTS PEOPLE.

BUT SOMETHING STRONGER BEATS IN HIS HEART.

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE CLAIMING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

>>> THE COMMUNITIES OCCUPIED THE REGION SINCE THE CLASSIC MAYAN AGE, AND OWN MORE 1400 HECK ACRES.

>>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, NEW MURALS HONORING BLACK TRAILBLAZERS ARE BEING CREATED ACROSS THE VALLEY, AND AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," THE LATEST ON RAPIDLY EVOLVING COVID-MITIGATION MEASURES.