TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS.

ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL GET THE LATEST ON ACTIVITY AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

>>> AND ON CRONKITE NEWS, A CLOSER LOOK WHY BLOOD CENTERS ARE MAKING AN URGENT CALL FOR DONORS?

ALL AHEAD ON THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

ANNOUNCER: THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS.

MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA'S SEVEN DAY COVID DEATH RATE IS THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY ACCORDING TO THE CDC.

THE STATE RECORDED 61 NEW FATALITIES PUSHING THE RATE OF COVID-RELATED DEATHS TO 368 PER 100,000 PEOPLE.

THERE WERE CLOSE TO 7800 NEW CASES OF COVID ON RECORD TODAY, CONTINUES A DOWNWARD TREND FROM LAST WEEK'S RECORD HIGHS.

HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DECREASING, NOT BY MUCH AND ICU BED AVAILABILITY IS GETTING BETTER WITH 119 ICU BEDS NOW OPEN STATEWIDE.

>>> A MAJOR WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO HAMMER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND ICE.

THE STORM LEFT 115,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER IN TENNESSEE, MOSTLY IN THE MEMPHIS AREA ALONG WITH 70,000 WITHOUT POWER IN TEXAS AND 25,000 IN ARKANSAS.

THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE HITTING THE CENTRAL, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN U.S. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH WINTER STORM AND ICE WARNINGS ISSUED FOR OVER 110 MILLION PEOPLE FROM NEW MEXICO TO CANADA.

ALL OF WHICH IS AFFECTING AIR TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AND DELAYS AT SKY HARBOR.

AIRPORT OFFICIALS RECOMMEND IF YOU'RE TRAVELING, CHECK CONDITIONS AT YOUR DESTINATION AIRPORTS BEFOREHAND AND CHECK SKY HARBOR'S WEBSITE AT SKY HARBOR.COM FOR THE LATEST ON LOCAL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE LEADER OF ISIS WAS KILLED DURING A RAID BY U.S.

FORCES ON A COMPOUND IN SYRIA.

PRESIDENT SAID THAT AT LEAST 13 PEOPLE WERE KILLED INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHEN THE ISIS LEADER SET OFF AN EXPLOSIVE THAT KILLED HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY.

>> WE DO KNOW THAT AS OUR TROOPS APPROACHED TO CAPTURE THE TERRORIST, IN A FINAL ACT OF DESPERATE COWARDNESS, WITH NO REGARD TO THE LIVES OF HIS OWN FAMILY OR OTHERS IN THE BUILDING, HE CHOSE TO BLOW HIMSELF UP, NOT JUST THE VEST BUT BLOW UP THE THIRD FLOOR, RATHER THAN FACE JUSTICE FOR THE CRIMES HE'S COMMITTED, TAKING SEVERAL MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WITH HIM, JUST AS HIS PREDECESSOR DID.

TED: PRESIDENT CALLED THE DEATH OF THE ISIS LEADER A, QUOTE, WARNING TO TERRORISTS WORLDWIDE.

>>> ARIZONA REPUBLICANS ARE WORKING TO PASS A NUMBER OF ELECTION REFORM BILLS AT THE STATE CAPITOL THIS SESSION.

FOR THE LATEST, WE SPOKE TO REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOHN KAVANAGH IN THIS WEEK'S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

REPRESENTATIVE KAVANAGH, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THIS WEEK.

TALK ABOUT ALL THE ELECTION REFORM BILLS GOING AROUND HERE.

YOU'RE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, HOW MANY ARE YOU SEEING AND WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> WELL, THE LAST COUNT, AND BILLS ARE STILL DROPPING BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THERE WERE ABOUT 70 ELECTION BILLS.

SO I PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT HALF OF THEM OR MAYBE MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE TWICE THE MEMBERS.

AND WE'RE SEEING EVERYTHING.

WE'RE SEEING BILLS INVOLVING AUDITS, COUNTING MACHINERY, IMAGES OF BALLOTS.

SO MANY CONCERNS WERE RAISED AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT RESPONSES THAT IT'S AN AVALANCHE, AND SOME BILLS DEAL WITH ONE SUBJECT.

SOME BILLS HAVE FOUR OR FIVE ON THEM.

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO WADE THROUGH THEM.

TED: OVER IN THE SENATE, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CALL FOR ELECTION REGULAR AUDITS FOR MARICOPA AND PIMA COUNTY EVERY TWO YEARS AND GENERALLY REGULAR AUDITS FOR COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS.

THAT IS MAKING THE ROUNDS OVER THERE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND WHY WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THAT BE NECESSARY?

>> BY THE WAY, WE CURRENTLY HAVE RANDOM AUTOMATIC RECOUNTS WHICH ARE KIND OF LIKE AUDITS.

I THINK THE UNCERTAINTY AND THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HAS A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS FRANKLY CONCERNED ABOUT ELECTION SECURITY.

SO I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO TAKE STEPS TO CONVINCE THEM, OR LET THEM FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE THAT THE ELECTION IS, IN FACT, BEING RUN ON THE UP AND UP.

IF PEOPLE THINK THERE'S FRAUD, THEY MAY BE DISSUADED NOT TO TRUST THE GOVERNMENT BUT NOT TO VOTE.

TED: WHY DO THEY THINK THERE IS FRAUD WHEN NO WIDESPREAD FRAUD HAS BEEN FOUND ANYWHERE, NO CASES OF SKULDUGGERY ANYWHERE, WHY DOES THIS PERSIST, REPRESENTATIVE KAVANAGH?

AND AGAIN, IF LEGISLATION CONVINCES THEM, WHY WOULD THAT CONVINCE THEM WHEN UP TO NOW THEY'RE NOT CONVINCED?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPES OF FRAUD.

I THINK THE AUDIT OBVIOUSLY SHOWED THAT THE TYPE OF COUNTING MISTAKES WEREN'T THERE BECAUSE IT CAME IN PRETTY CLOSE.

I THINK A GOOD DEAL OF THE FRAUD CIRCLES ON THE EARLY BALLOTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN THAT THE EARLY BALLOTS GO OUT, AND PEOPLE OTHER THAN THE RECIPIENTS MIGHT GET THEM.

MAYBE THE PERSON MOVED, MAYBE THE PERSON DIED AND ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER GETS IT, AND IF A BALLOT COMES IN ON SOMEBODY IN MY FAMILY WHO MOVED OR PASSED AWAY, I CAN EASILY LOOK AT A PAPER IN A FILE AND GET THE SIGNATURE AND VOTE FOR THEM.

PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BALLOT HARVESTING.

DROP BOXES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF AREAS OTHER THAN CHICANERY IN THE ELECTION CENTER THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.

LAST YEAR I ABOUT BIPARTISAN BILLS, WE DISCOVERED THE EXTERNAL DATA PORTS ON THE EQUIPMENT WASN'T LOCKED.

WE DID A LOCK BILL.

NOT ALL THE ELECTION REFORM WE'RE DOING IS BASED ON THERE'S FRAUD, LET'S CURE IT.

THE CLOSE EXAMINATION THAT THE ELECTION CONTROVERSY CAUSED REVEALED PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM THAT AREN'T REALLY FRAUD RELATED BUT OVERSIGHTS AND NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED.

TED: THE MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ELECTIONS UNIT, THE RECORDER, VEHEMENTLY DENIED THERE'S ANYTHING REMOTELY WRONG TO THE MAGNITUDE THAT WHAT WE'RE HEARING SO MANY LAWMAKERS SAY.

HOW DO YOU SQUARE THAT?

>> THE BILLS THAT ARE REASONABLE GET PASSED AND THOSE THAT ARE UNREASONABLE, IN THE END DON'T GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

YOU CAN'T STOP SOMEBODY FROM FILING A BILL, AND JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY FILES A BILL DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATURE THANKS.

YOU NEED TO BE JUDGED BY WHAT COMES OUT OF THE OTHER END OF THE SYSTEM.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, SPEAK TO SPEAKER BOWERS, REGARDING 12 COMMITTEES REPRESENTATIVE.

HAVE YOU HEARD OF A BILL SIGNED TO 12 COMMITTEES?

>> THE BEST I HEARD WAS A HAT TRICK.

TED: I SEE.

THIS CALLS FOR EARLY VOTING TO BE ELIMINATED.

THIS CALLS FOR HAND COUNT OF BALLOTS WITHIN 24 HOURS AND ALLOWS YOU GUYS AT THE LEGISLATURE TO REJECT AN ELECTION, SO BE IT.

IS THAT THE STUFF YOU'RE SAYING FLIES AROUND EVERY SO OFTEN AND A SPEAKER DOES WHAT HE DOES TO MAKE SURE IT STOPS FLYING?

>> USUALLY THAT FLIES AROUND AND DOESN'T GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GET HEARD IN COMMITTEE OR FAILS ON THE FLOOR.

TED: YEAH.

>> SPEAKER BOWERS TOOK SOMETHING OF PREEMPTIVE ACTION HERE SO IT WON'T GO TO COMMITTEE.

ASIDE FROM HAVING VERY CONTROVERSIAL PARTS WHICH WOULD THROW MEMBERS OFF, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT HAD MULTIPLE MOVING PARTS.

PEOPLE THINK, OH, THE STUFF I PUT ON THE BILL, THE MORE I'LL CATCH SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION AND THEY'LL VOTE FOR IT.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THE MORE YOU PUT ON THE BILL, THE MORE YOU GIVE AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER NOT TO VOTE FOR IT.

I RARELY DO BILLS WITH MULTIPLE POTENTIALLY PARTISAN STUFF BECAUSE IT DIES.

I'LL DO A MULTIITEM BILL IF IT'S SOMETHING EVERYBODY AGREES WITH.

TED: I WOULD IMAGINE EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE THE EDUCATION SPENDING CAP FROM LONG AGO THAT'S BEEN OVERRIDDEN A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS, SOMETHING'S GOT TO BE DONE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR SO, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE, HEARING TALK, IT'S GOING TO PASS.

TED: THERE'S NO FIGHT FOR THIS, IS THERE?

>> THERE WILL BE SOME MEMBERS WHO OPPOSE IT, BUT I THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZE THAT HAVING CUT SO MUCH FROM EDUCATION SPENDING DURING THE GREAT RECESSION -- AND I WAS CHAIR OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, WE CUT $3.5 BILLION FROM A $10 BILLION BUDGET, AND ALMOST HALF OF THE BUDGET IS EDUCATION, A LOT OF IT CAME FROM EDUCATION, AND WE'VE BEEN RESTORING IT EVER SINCE AND JUST ABOUT BACK TO WHERE WE WERE WITH THE RESTORATIONS IN PLACE.

SO THE IDEA OF NOT LETTING SCHOOLS SPEND THE MONEY WHICH WE ALREADY APPROPRIATED TO THEM IS NOT GOING TO FLY HERE.

TED: OKAY, HEY, WHEN THEED SESSION FIRST STARTED, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT REPEAL AND REPLACE OF THE TAX CUT BECAUSE WHAT WAS APPROVED HAS GONE TO THE BALLOT AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS, IS THAT STILL AN OPTION?

ARE YOU STILL HEARING THAT AS A POSSIBILITY?

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THAT BASED ON THE NEW NUMBERS WITH PHENOMENAL REVENUE GROWTH BEYOND OUR EXPERTS' WILDEST EXPECTATIONS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO BETTER WITH THE TAX CUT.

SO I EXPECT TO SEE THE TAX CUT EITHER GO A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE CUT OR PERHAPS WE'LL MOVE IT UP SOONER.

THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE IT.

WE HAVE OVER $2 BILLION IN ONE EXCESS REVENUE AND A BILLION DOLLARS IN ONGOING REVENUE.

WE ARE FLUSH WITH CASH AND WE GET THAT FROM THE PEOPLE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT ALL, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING TOO.

TED: AND LAST QUESTION HERE, WHEN HAVE YOU THAT MUCH OF A SURPLUS, IS IT MORE DIFFICULT OR IS IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER GETTING STUFF DONE?

>> THE TWO MOST DIFFICULT TIMES ARE WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE MASSIVE CUTS AND WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND.

THE FASTEST SESSIONS ARE WHEN WE HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH TO FIGHT OVER.

TED: REPRESENTATIVE JOHN KAVANAGH, REPUBLICAN, FOUNTAIN HILLS, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, BYE-BYE.

TED: UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A NEW CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY CONDUCTED AT BIOSPHERE 2 IN TUCSON.

.

TED: INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SCIENTISTS ARE STUDYING CLIMATE CHANGE AND EFFECTS ON THE ECOSYSTEM USING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA'S BIOSPHERE 2, THE WORLD'S ONLY ENCLOSED RAINFOREST.

WE LEARN MORE FROM LAURA MEREDITH FROM U OF A'S SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

LAURA MEREDITH, WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TELLING US ABOUT THIS CLIMATE RESEARCH INVOLVING THE BIOSPHERE 2.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE BIOSPHERE 2?

>> THE BIOSPHERE 2 IS LIKE A GIANT GREENHOUSE THAT'S LOCATED BETWEEN TUCSON AND PHOENIX IN THE DESERT ECOSYSTEMS, AND IT HOUSES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS.

THERE'S A RAINFOREST WHERE WE DID THE RESEARCH, AN OCEAN, SAVANNAH, DESERT AND USED THE EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH FACILITY TO STUDY HOW THE ECOSYSTEMS, HOW THE BIOSPHERE INTERACTS WITH THE ATMOSPHERE AND IS RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THE RESEARCH WAS LOOKING AT, WHAT, CLIMATE CHANGE'S IMPACT ON THE ECOSYSTEM?

>> EXACTLY.

WE WERE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING HOW DROUGHT AFFECTS TROPICAL RAINFORESTS BECAUSE WITH GLOBAL CHANGE, THE FREQUENCY AND THE INTENSITY, THE SEVERITY OF THE DROUGHTS ARE INCREASING IN THE ECOSYSTEMS.

TED: WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT WAS A FOUR-MONTH CONTROLLED DROUGHT AND RECOVERY STUDY, TRUE?

>> YEAH, WE WERE STUDYING THE ECOSYSTEM FOR OVER FOUR MONTHS.

WE HAD A PERIOD WHERE WE GOT THE BASELINE CONDITIONS AND TURNED OFF THE SPRINKLERS FOR OVER TWO MONTHS, FOR 65 DAYS BEFORE WE REWET THE ECOSYSTEM.

THAT WAS A SEVERE DROUGHT FOR THE THREE FORESTS THAT GETS WATER EVERY TWO TO THREE DAYS.

WITH THE UNIQUE FACILITY WHERE WE CONTROL WHEN AND WHERE IT RAINS, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE SYSTEM INTO A VERY SEVERE DROUGHT.

TED: OKAY, WHAT DID YOU FIND?

>> NOT ALL OF THE PLANT SPECIES RESPONDED UNIFORMLY TO DROUGHT AND FOUND THAT PLANTS GROUPED INTO TWO MAJOR GROUPS, EITHER VERY SENSITIVE TO DROUGHT AND SHUT DOWN ACTIVITY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AS SOON AS THE SOIL STARTED TO DRY, AND WE HAD A MORE DROUGHT TOLERANT GROUP THAT WAS ABLE TO KIND OF CHUG ALONG AND PERSIST AND CARRY THE ECOSYSTEM THROUGHOUT THIS INTENSE DROUGHT AND THAT HELPED OUR ECOSYSTEM BE MORE RESILIENT TO THE SEVERE DROUGHT AND SET THE ECOSYSTEM UP FOR A FASTER MORE SWIFT RECOVERY ONCE WE STARTED THE RAIN AGAIN.

TED: WERE YOU SURPRISED AT THE RESILIENCE OF THE ECOSYSTEM?

>> I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS PRETTY SURPRISED BECAUSE THE SOILS WERE CRACKING.

ALMOST THE RESEARCHERS INSIDE, WE WERE FEELING MAYBE A LITTLE ANGST WISHING FOR RAIN OURSELVES, I WAS SURPRISED THERE WERE A LOT OF PLANTS THAT HAD THE DROUGHT STRATEGIES, THE ADAPTATIONS TO DEAL WITH DROUGHT THAT MAINTAIN THEIR GREEN COLOR AND MAINTAIN THEIR FUNCTION, SO IT WAS SURPRISING TO ME HOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM AS AN ECOSYSTEM RESPONDED RATHER THAN THINKING ABOUT ONE PLANT AT A TIME.

TED: WITH THAT IN MIND, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK HOW PLANTS INTERACT, SOME SAY COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.

DID YOU SEE PLANTS THAT COULD HANDLE A DROUGHT BETTER DOING SOMETHING TO MAYBE HELP OUT THOSE PLANTS THAT WEREN'T DOING SO WELL?

>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KIND OF CONJECTURE AND ANTHROPOMORPHIZE TO HOW THEY DID WHAT THEY DID.

WE HAD THE TWO GROUPS OF PLANTS AND ESPECIALLY THE TALL TREES THAT WERE SENSITIVE TO DROUGHT AND SHUT DOWN THE ACTIVITY OR THE ONES THAT WERE TOLERANT.

WE WERE THINKING THAT THE SENSITIVE PLANTS DIDN'T HAVE DEEP ROOTS THAT LET THEM ACCESS THE DEEP SOIL RESERVES, THE WATER IN THE SOIL THAT DRIES OUT AT THE VERY, VERY END, STAYS THERE THE LONGEST.

WE THOUGHT THE SENSITIVE TREES COULDN'T SHUT DOWN THE WATER.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT USING ISOTOPE LABEL TRACER, AN EXCESS OF DETERIUM IN IT, THE ISOTOPE OF HYDROGEN AND BY TRACING THE LABELED WATER THAT WE PUT AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE ECOSYSTEM, UP THROUGH THE ROOTS, THE STEM AND THE LEAVES WE TERMED THAT THE SENSITIVE TREES AND THE DROUGHT TOLERANT TREES ALL HAD ACCESS TO THE DEEP WATER, BUT FOR SOME REASON THE DROUGHT SENSITIVE TREES DECIDED NOT TO USE IT DURING THE DROUGHT.

IT DOES BEG THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S COOPERATION THERE THAT BY NOT USING THE DEEP WATER THAT THE SENSITIVE PLANTS BEAR FOR THE TOLERANT PLANTS, THAT WAS THE OUTCOME.

WE DON'T KNOW THE INTENTION.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THERE.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW.

AS FAR AS CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AND TREES COLLECT THIS, WHAT DID YOU SEE THERE?

>> SO WE FOUND THAT EVEN IN THE SEVERE DROUGHT THIS TROPICAL RAINFOREST MAINTAINS BEING A NET CARBON, MORE CARBON WAS GOING INTO THE ECOSYSTEM THAN GOING OUT.

THE AMOUNT COMING IN DROPPED DOWN.

IT WAS ABLE TO STAY IN SYNC BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY OF PLANT RESPONSES.

WE ALSO USED THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE FACT THAT THIS IS A CONTAINED RAINFOREST UNDER A STEEL STRUCTURE ENCAPSULATED IN GLASS TO RELEASE ANOTHER TRACER, A 13th FORM OF CARBON INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND PHOTO SYNTHESIZED IT AND AS IT MOVED DOWN THE BRANCHES AND THE STEMS THROUGH THE ROOT NETWORK, AND WE HAD CHAMBERS ON THE LEAVES AND THE STEMS AND THE SOIL TO MONITOR HOW THIS HEAVY CARBON WAS MOVING, AND SO WE FOUND THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE FOREST TAKING UP LESS CARBON DURING THE DROUGHT BUT CARBON WAS MOVING MORE SLOWLY THROUGH THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM, IT WAS INTERESTING FOR US TO CLOCK THE SPEED OF CARBON UNDER DROUGHT AND TO REALLY BE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY SAY THAT THERE WAS LESS HAPPENING AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM SLOWED DOWN.

THAT THE FINDING.

TED: SYSTEM SLOWED DOWN, BUT THERE WAS RESILIENCE THERE.

FASCINATING STUDY.

LAURA MEREDITH FROM THE U OF A NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT SCHOOL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TELLING US ABOUT IT, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, IT'S A PLEASURE.

.

TED: ROY TATEM JR. IS PRESIDENT OF THE EAST VALLEY NAACP IN RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, TATEM SPOKE ABOUT HIS ROLE WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION AND JOURNEY AS A BLACK MAN IN ARIZONA WITH JOSE CARDENAS OF ARIZONA PBS SHOW "HORIZONTE."

>> ROY TATEM, EAST VALLEY NAACP PRESIDENT.

WELCOME TO "HORIZONTE."

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT MAKES IT TIMELY IS A YEAR AGO WE HAD THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF MIAMI FIRST TABLING A PROCLAMATION ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND APPROVING IT, AND YOU WEIGHED IN ON THAT CONTROVERSY, AND I THINK YOUR COMMENT WAS HISTORY AND POLITICS ARE NOT TWO SEPARATE THINGS BECAUSE OF THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?

>> WELL, POLITICS IS USUALLY SHAPED THROUGH HISTORY.

THE TIMES, THE TEAM, THE ISSUES OF THE DAY, PRETTY MUCH SHAPE OUR POLITICS, AND SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HISTORICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CURRENT POLICIES OR SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT MANY COMBATTED AND PUSH BACK ON, TALKING ABOUT AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, TALKING ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND THE POLITICS OF THE DAY TO UNDERSTAND A PERSON LIKE A MARTIN LUTHER KING OR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OR EVEN MALCOLM X.

>> SPEAKING OF HISTORY, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO THOUGHT IT WAS WRONG TO DECLARE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS CRITICAL SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED IT WERE TALKING ABOUT BEING ANTI-HISTORY, NOT RECOGNIZING HISTORY, AND WANTING TO TEAR DOWN MONUMENTS AND I ASSUME THE MONUMENTS HE'S REFERRING TO ARE THE MONUMENTS TO THE CONFEDERATES.

SEEMS IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE BROUGHT TO LIGHT, THE NAACP ALSO REPRESENTATIVE REGINALD BOLDING, SOME OTHER PASTORS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT THERE WERE CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW, AND I'LL SAY IT, AT THE TIME WE TOOK ON THIS ISSUE, AROUND 2015, THERE WERE SIX KNOWN CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT NOW THERE'S ONE, AND I BELIEVE THAT ONE IS IN A CEMETERY.

>> SO YOU GREW UP IN VIRGINIA, THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU'VE BEEN IN ARIZONA THE LAST TEN YEARS.

BIG DIFFERENCE?

>> IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

I WILL SAY MANY PEOPLE ARE TRANSPLANTED FROM OTHER PLACES IN ARIZONA, SO ARIZONA CAN BE A BIT OF A MELTING POT OR SALAD BOWL.

IN VIRGINIA, MANY PEOPLE THERE THAT -- FROM VIRGINIA, BORN AND RAISED VIRGINIA, PROUD VIRGINIANS, I TAKE PRIDE IN MY VIRGINIA HERITAGE, AND SOME PEOPLE TAKE THAT, I WOULD SAY TO ANOTHER LEVEL, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE SOUTH AND THEY LOOK AT SOME PEOPLE IN VIRGINIA LOOK AT THE CONFEDERACY A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN I.

>> HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE EXPERIENCES OF A BLACK MAN IN ARIZONA COMPARED TO YOUR EXPERIENCES AS A BLACK MAN IN VIRGINIA?

>> I'LL SAY AS A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA, THERE ARE SIMILARITIES.

THERE ARE THE CAUTIOUS OF THE POLICE, THERE'S A FEAR OF RACISM AND AWARENESS THAT YOU COULD BE IN A RACIST SITUATION OR THE VICTIM OF A RACIST OUTBURST AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AND SO VIRGINIA, I WOULD SAY, AS A LITTLE BOY, I REMEMBER SEEING AN EVENT CALLED THE GREEK FEST RIOTS, AND THIS WAS -- LONG STORY SHORT, THIS WAS 1989 COLLEGE STUDENTS GOING TO VIRGINIA BEACH TO CELEBRATE AND TURNED INTO A RIOT.

AND YOU SAW THE POLICE BEATING BLACK BEACHGOERS, COLLEGE STUDENTS ON LIVE TV, I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE, AND IT KIND OF -- IT REMINDS YOU EARLY OF THE EARLY STAGES OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT YOU SAW HERE IN ARIZONA A FEW YEARS AGO, THE PHOENIX POLICE, WAS THE MONTH LETHAL POLICE FORCE IN AMERICA, AND SO I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL AND SENSITIVE TO POLICE OVERREACH AND POLICE VIOLENCE.

>> WITH RESPECT TO THAT TOPIC, ARE THINGS BETTER NOW SINCE LAST BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN 2021, WE'VE HAD THE CONVICTION OF THE OFFICER WHO KILLED GEORGE FLOYD, THAT WAS IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.

IS THAT A SIGN OF PROGRESS?

>> WELL, GIVEN THE DEFICIT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, AND THE LESSON -- I WOULD SAY THERE HAVE BEEN LESS ACCOUNTS OF POLICE VIOLENCE OVER THE LAST YEAR THAN THERE HAVE BEEN IN YEARS PAST.

IS THAT A SIGN OF PROGRESS?

I WANT TO SAY YES.

I WANT TO SAY THAT POLICE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR BEHAVIOR.

I KNOW SOME OF THE VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENTS I'VE MET WITH PERSONALLY, AND THEY'VE COMMITTED TO LOOKING INTERNALLY AT THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THEIR OFFICERS AND MANY PEOPLE, AS WE KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE LOSING EMPLOYEES, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD THING OR BAD THING IF SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING REALIZE OKAY, I'M AT THE END OF MY ROPE, I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, OR FELT THAT THE CULTURE WAS WAY TOO TOXIC FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN ANYMORE, SO THEY WENT ONTO RETIRE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT WE SEE A RECKONING WITHIN POLICING.

SOME OF IT SELF INFLICTED, AND SOME OF IT SOCIALLY INFLECTED.

>> IN EITHER CASE AN IMPROVEMENT OF WHERE WE WERE A YEAR AGO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, ROY, TO TALK ABOUT IT.

WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO DISCUSS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

THANK YOU.

>> LIKEWISE.

.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON CRONKITE NEWS, A TOUR OF A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY ON TRIBAL LAND.