[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL HEAR ABOUT VACCINATIONS ON THE NAVAJO NATION.

ON CRONKITE NEWS, YUMA RESIDENTS REACT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S EXECUTIVE ACTION TO STOP BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE IMPACT OF THE SPOKEN WORD.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

MARICOPA COUNTY TODAY EXPANDED ITS COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBLE TO THOSE 65 AND OLDER.

THIS COMES AS THE COUNTY REPORTS 44% OF RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 75 HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF THE VACCINE.

ARIZONA IMPROVING TO THE 14TH-HIGHEST SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE.

OUR DEATHS, THOUGH, NOT GOOD.

ARIZONA RANKS THIRD HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY, AS WE APPROACH 1500 TOTAL DEATHS.

U.S. AIR TRAVEL THIS PAST WEEKEND WAS THE BUSIEST IT HAS BEEN IN MORE ON AN A MONTH.

THE CDC IS SAYING THAT ANYONE TRAVELING SHOULD TAKE A COVID TEST ONE TO THREE DAYS BEFORE THE FLIGHT, AND BE TESTED THREE TO FIVE DAYS AFTER THE TEST, AND THEN SELF QUARANTINE FOR SEVEN DAYS EVEN IF THE TEST COMES OUT NEGATIVE.

AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISE IS OUT IN ARIZONA.

BUT THIS IS WHAT FOLKS IN OKLAHOMA CITY WOKE UP TODAY WITH A RECORD WIND CHILL OF 29 BELOW.

RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES AND WIDE-SPREAD POWER OUTAGES HIT MUCH OF TEXAS, AND THE CENTRAL PLAINS.

THE NAVAJO NATION HAS BEEN HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY THE COVID-19.

BUT THE NATION'S GOAL OF 100,000 VACCINATED BY THE END OF THE MONTH LOOKS DOABLE.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO NAVAHO NATION PRESIDENT JONATHAN NEZ.

PRESIDENT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HOW ARE YOU GOING ON COVID VACCINATIONS?

>> RIGHT NOW WE RECEIVED A BIG SHIPMENT OVER THE WEEK OF 28,000-PLUS VACCINES, A BIG -- A BIG DELIVERY ON TOP OF WHAT WE RECEIVED WEEKLY, SO MANY OF THAT WAS ALREADY PUT INTO THE ARMS OF OUR NAVAJO CITIZENS OVER THE WEEKEND.

WE DID HAVE A 57-HOUR WEEKEND CURFEWS.

WE DID NEED ALL SEVEN DAYS TO VACCINATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, SO SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS HAVE BEEN VERY BIG TURNOUT FOR VACCINATIONS.

AND AS OF FEBRUARY 12TH, THAT'S THE LATEST NUMBERS I HAVE HAD.

WE HAVE PUT OF TOTAL OF 90,000-PLUS SHOTS INTO THE ARMS OF OUR PEOPLE.

AND 21,000 OF THOSE ARE THE SECOND SHOTS.

SO I HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING OUR TEAM TO STAY ABOVE THE 70% THRESHOLD IN -- IN WHAT WE RECEIVE IN GETTING INTO THE ARMS, AND THAT WAY IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE DOSES THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO SO FAR WE ARE ON -- IN LINE FOR REACHING OUR 100,000-SHOT GOAL BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HIT THAT GOAL BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> YEAH.

TALK ABOUT THE CONFIDENCE IN THE VACCINE AMONG THE NATION'S MEMBERS HERE.

BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT CONFIDENCE IS PRETTY HIGH.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING TOWNHALL MEETINGS.

GET INFORMATION TO OUR NAVAJO CITIZENS, AND GETTING OUR PEOPLE THE ANSWERS THAT THEY WANT FROM THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE EVEN HAD FOLKS LIKE DR. FAUCI ON OUR TOWNHALL MEETINGS, AS THE DOCTOR FROM PFIZER, SO A LOT OF INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS GIVING INFORMATION.

SO A WELL-INFORMED PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY MAKE THEIR OWN INFORMED DECISION ON WHAT -- YOU KNOW, THEY'LL MAKE THEIR DECISION FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

SO I THINK A LOT OF THOSE EH EFFORTS OF GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR NAVAJO CITIZENS OUT HAS HELPED, OF COURSE, AS WELL, WE AS LEADERS ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES.

SO WE ROLLED OUR SLEEVES, TELEVISED IT AS WELL, AND NOW, BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE FACTORS, PUBLIC EDUCATION AS WELL, THERE IS A BIG INFORMATION HERE.

AND EVERY PERSON IN OUR NATION HAS BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS VIRUS, SOMEBODY THEY KNOW OR EVEN A LOVED ONE KNOW PASSING FROM THIS MONSTER CALLED COVID-19.

>> AND ARE YOU SEEING CASING STARTING TO FLATTEN?

>> I THINK NATIONWIDE, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A FLATTENING OF THE CURVE.

HERE IN NAVAJO, WITH THE RESTRICTIONS WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE, HAS HELPED.

DURING THE HOLIDAYS, IT WAS EYE, NAVAJO IS LIKE A LITTLE ISLAND, AND SOMETIMES WHEN SOME STATES DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, THAT SPREAD COMES BACK INTO THE NAVAJO NATION AND WE HAVE TO PUSH BACK, AND AT TIMES WE WANT TO CLOSE DOWN BORDERS, WHICH WE WON'T WANT TO DO, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TRAVERSE THROUGH OUR NATION, BUT WE HAVE LOCKDOWNS IN PLACE.

AND I THINK DR. FAUCI HIMSELF SAID THAT IT COULD BE A LOOK AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.

>> AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT ALBERT HAIL.

>> ALBERT HAIL WAS AN AWESOME LEADER FOR US.

TELLING PEOPLE TO WEAR YOUR MASKS, AND WASH YOUR HANDS, A AS YOU SEE THERE, EVEN LEADERS CAN CATCH THIS VIRUS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT NATIONALITY YOU ARE, WHAT STATUS.

WHAT POLITICAL PARTY YOU ARE.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF MONITOR WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW.

SO WITH THE PASSING OF OUR FORMER PRESIDENT, SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE, ALERT HAIL, I THINK PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE NAVAJO NATION -- HE DID THROUGH HIS COUNCIL AND WORDS, AND HE TRULY HELP SAVED LIVES HERE AS WELL.

>> PRESIDENT NEZ THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING HORIZON," THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WARNS OF A HEIGHTENED THREAT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

>>> THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY RECENTLY ISSUED A BULLETIN WARNING OF AN INCREASED THREAT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

THE BULLETIN READS, IN PART, QUOTE: WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BULLETIN WITH THE McCAIN INSTITUTE'S BRETTE STEELE.

>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THIS TERRORISM ADVISORY BULLETIN.

WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> SO THIS IS A BULLETIN THAT DHS ISSUED ON JANUARY 7TH.

AND WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO INDICATE IS A HEIGHTENED THREAT LEVEL THAT CONTINUED WELL BEYOND THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENS ON JANUARY 6TH.

SO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A VARIETY OF FORMS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISMS, AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT A RANGE OF GRIEVANCE, FROM COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS, TO POLICE BRUTALITY, BUT BASICALLY, HEIGHTENED RISK OF CONTINUED VIOLENCE.

>> WHAT KIND OF THREATS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW ON JANUARY 6TH, AND FRANKLY IN THE SEVERAL MONTHS PRECEDING IT, IS THAT THERE IS A CONVERGENCE OF DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

YOU HAVE WHITE SUPREMACISTS, AND CONSPIRACY THEORY MOVEMENTS, SO YOU HAVE THESE DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THAT ARE ALL THE OF THE CONCLUSION THAT VIOLENCE IS THE ONLY ANSWER, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS, THEY COULD -- THERE COULD BE GROUP ACTIVITY, BUT THERE COULD ALSO BE LONE ACTIVITY.

>> DID JANUARY 6TH EMBOLDER THESE FOLKS, OR DID THAT HURT THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE AND MOVEMENTS?

>> I THINK YOU SEE BOTH.

FOR MANY PEOPLE JANUARY 6TH, WAS SEEN AS A SUCCESS.

THEY WERE ABLE TO STOP THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.

THEY WERE ABLE TO DISRUPT THE ACTIVITY OF CONGRESS AND BREECH THE SECURITY OF THE CAPITOL.

SO ON THE ONE HAND, IT IS EM-BOLDINING FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS IN THESE MOVEMENTS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE CONSUMED QANON CONTENT, AND VARIOUS FORMS OF CONTENT CALLING FOR THESE VARIOUS EXTREMIST MOVEMENTS, THEY SEE THAT VIOLENCE, AND THEY SAY, WOE, THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT ME.

SO YOU ALSO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS -- I CHAIR A BOARD WITH INDIVIDUALS CALLING FOR THE STOP TO THE VIOLENCE.

>> WAS THIS A SHARP RISE OF CALLING TO THESE GROUPS?

>> THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A STEADY INCREASE OVER TIME.

IN 2008, WE SAW A LARGE SPIKE AS PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS ELECTED, AND THEN OVER TIME, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, 2019 WAS THE WORST YEAR FOR DOMESTIC EXTREMISM SINCE THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING.

BUT WE HAVE CONVERGENCE OF THE WHITE SUPREMACISTS, THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT AND THE ON CONSPIRACY THEORISTS.

>> YEAH.

AND THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, APPARENTLY PARLOUR HAS FOUND A WAY TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING, BUT HOW MUCH OF A DRIVING FORCE WAS SOCIAL MEDIA IN THAT?

>> SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS CONNECT PEOPLE WHO SHARE BELIEFS, AND CREATES THAT ECHO CHAMBER, AND CREATES THAT ALMOST FUEL TO THE FIRE FOR INDIVIDUALS, AND AS WE SEE -- YOU'LL SEE ACTIVITY ON SOME OF THE MAIN PLATFORMS AND THEN YOU SEE IT MOVE TO OTHER PLATFORMS LIKE PARLOR.

AND THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT BEING RESILIENT AND FINDING WAYS TO GET BACK ONLINE, SO THAT CAN SUSTAIN THAT INTEREST OVER TIME, AND CONTACT INDIVIDUALS WITH OTHERS WHO MAY SHARE THEIR GRIEVANCES AND SHARE THEIR BELIEFS.

>> AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BULLETIN AND ALERT, AGAIN, WHAT -- WHAT -- >> SO THIS ADVISORY SYSTEM WILL PLACE THE COLOR-CODED SYSTEMS THAT YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM THE 2000S.

SO A BULLETIN IS AN ON GOING THREAT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REOPENED TODAY FOR A SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD THAT RUNS THROUGH MID-MAY.

IT COMES FROM AN ORDER FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE LEARNED MORE FROM DR. SWAPNA REDDY, FROM ASU'S COLLEGE OF HEALTH SOLUTIONS.

DOCTOR, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

BIG DAY AS FAR AS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS CONCERNED.

>> YEAH.

WE ARE REOPENING THE ACA MARKETPLACES TODAY.

THAT IS A PRESIDENT BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDER.

THIS IS A NON-TRADITIONAL TIME FOR OUR ENROLLMENT PERIOD.

AND THEY WILL STAY OPEN UNTIL MAY 15TH.

>> AND THIS IS BY EXECUTIVE ORDER BY PRESIDENT BIDEN.

>> YES, IT IS.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN REALLY BUSY WITH THOSE EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

AND THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PEACE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAD MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE LAST ABOUT YEAR OF THIS PANDEMIC.

AND MOST OF US RECEIVE OUR INSURANCE THROUGH OUR EMPLOYERS.

AND WE HAVE SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE GO TOWARDS MEDICAID COVERAGE, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE THAT DEPEND ON COVERAGE.

SO WE OPENED THE MARKETPLACE AND HOPEFULLY OPENED A NEW OPTION.

SO THE AFFORDABLE ABILITY PIECE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY AS SO MANY ARE EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC STRIFE.

ABOUT NINE OUT OF TEN OF THOSE ON THE MARKETPLACE ALREADY RECEIVE SUBSIDIES, SO WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PROMISED IS REALLY A LOT MORE OPTIONS FOR THOSE SUBSIDIZED PLANS.

AND IN ARIZONA A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE-QUARTER OF THOSE THAT RECEIVE INSURANCE ON THE MARKETPLACE ALREADY RECEIVE SUBSIDIES.

>> AND WE'RE TALKING DEDUCTIBLES, TAX CREDITS, THESE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THIS IS VERY FOCUSSED ON FAMILIES.

SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ONCE WERE FULL-TIME, ARE NOW PART-TIME, SO THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME COVERAGE AS THEY ONCE DID, SO TRYING TO MAKE HEALTH INSURANCE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES HAS BEEN A REAL KEY HERE.

>> AND THE COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE IS BEING KICKED AROUND AGAIN ON CAPITOL HILL, AND THAT INCREASES SUBSIDIES IN THE PACKAGE AS WELL.

>> YES.

AND ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT IS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE THAT REMAIN UNINSURED IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, ARE NOT AWARE THAT THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUBSIDIES.

SO A BIG PIECE IS ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR DOLLARS EARMARKED TOWARDS PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

SO TRYING TO RESTORE SOME FUNDING AND ALSO GOING AFTER THOSE HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES.

>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, LET'S SHIFT OVER TO VACCINES.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN MARICOPA COUNTY REGARDING WHO IS GETTING VACCINATED AND WHO IS NOT?

>> YEAH.

THEY RELEASED DATA LAST WEEK, AND YOU SAID THAT VERY WELL, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHO IS GETTING VACCINATED.

OF THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW IN VERY HIGH-INCOME ZIP CODES, WHICH IS PRIMARILY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE IS A HIGH RATE OF VACCINATION.

AND WHO IS NOT GETTING VACCINATED IS THE LOWEST-INCOME ZIP CODES IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

SO IT SAYS QUITE A BIT ABOUT OUTREACH, TRUST, AND WHERE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS ARE LOCATED.

>> SO THE NUMBERS ARE THERE, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

>> INFORMATION IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING WHO IS ELIGIBLE RIGHT NOW.

THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

WHO CAN RECEIVE THE VACCINATION, AND ARE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE WITH IT?

DO THEY FEEL SAFE TO GET THE VACCINATION, AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, JUST A REALLY STRONG HISTORY OF DISTRUST AROUND VACCINES AND RESEARCH.

SO THERE IS A LOT TO OVERCOME HERE.

BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT WHO IS NOT RECEIVING THE VACCINES?

>> AND AS FAR AS THE ACA AND VACCINES ARE CONCERNED, THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN REGARDS TO THEIR PLANS?

>> THIS ADMINISTRATION TO DATE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY PROACTIVE AND REALLY MEETING MANY OF THESE ACTIONS.

WE DO NEED TO SEE SOME MORE ACTION ON THE CONGRESS PIECE, RIGHT?

SO MANY OF THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS NEED FUNDING AND CONGRESS NEEDS TO APPROVAL IT.

BUT WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF ACTION ON GETTING VACCINES IN ARMS, SO I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRAJECTORY, BUT WE PROBABLY NEED MORE FUNDING FROM CONGRESS AND OF COURSE MORE ACTION AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

DR. SWAPNA REDDY, FROM ASU'S COLLEGE OF HEALTH SOLUTIONS, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪