>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HO HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON CRONKITE NEWS HOW ASH WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES ARE BEING ALTERED THIS YEAR.

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

ARIZONA TODAY PASSED THE 15,000 MARK OF COVID DEATHS.

THE NUMBER OF CASES IS NOW A LITTLE UP.

DR. JOSH SAID WE ARE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THERE ARE GOING TO BE LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS AT LEAST IN THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED IT SO FAR IN, AND THERE ARE LONG-TIME EFFECTS OF HAVING THE VIRUS.

>> WE ARE SKAM -- SCALING UP VACCINATIONING AS MUCHL AS WE CAN.

>> WHEN YOUR TURN TO GET VAK NALTED T ONLY -- COMES UM, GET VACCINATED.

TODAY TEXAS WASSED HIT WITH MORE SEVERE WEATHER.

>> WE SAW MANY WITH CARS ON L WE WENT TO A HOTEL AND ALLER WHERE SOLD OUT.

>>> RETAIL SALES JUMPED BY OVER 5%.

>>> AND CONSERVATIVE TAKE SHOW PIE NOORER RUSH LIMBAUGH DIED TA CANCER.

HIS'S DEATH COMES ONE YEAR AFTER HE DYING KNOWS -- ANNOUNCED HI HAD BEEN DYING NOTIONED WITH CANCER.

>>> GENTLEMENENING THANK YOU TO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

ITTED NOW THIS IS GOING BACK TO THE SENATE, WHAT IS GOING ORB IN >> BASICALLY THE EXPANSION BILL PASSED ON A PARTY LINE VOTED.

THE SPONSOR VOTED WITH DEMOCRATS TO KILL THE VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL, SO IN AN ACTIVE REVENGE GENNING HIM THEY MADE A MOTION BRING BACK.

SO IT PUT US IN A BAD POSITION, AND WE ENDED UP VOTING WITH THEM.

AND IT IS GOING TO COME BACK THE THE SENATE.

>> REPRESENTATIVE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?

>> WE KNOW THE SPIKE SPEAK -- SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE HAS TO GO ALONG WITH THAT.

AND ULTIMATELY WE DON'T WANT A PERMANENT EARLY VOTING LIST, AND WE ALSO DON'T WANT A SYSTEM IN WHICH WE'RE TURNING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTO PRIVATE VOUCHER SYSTEMS.

SO WE DON'T WANT EITHER OF THESE BILLS TO MOVE FORWARD 1234R6R789 EVER.

>> SENATOR THIS REALLY EXPARNGDS THIS VOW -- VOW CHURP PROGRAM.

>> YES, SIT A MASS SIEVE EXPANSION.

>> AND PROPONENTS SAY IT BASICALLY HELPS STUDENTS STUCK IN FAILING SCHOOLS.

DO THEY HAVE POINT?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR PLY VAT SCHOOLS.

IT'S NOT LIKE A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

AND I'M SURE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN TOO MANY PRIVATE SCHOOLS LOCATED IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNALITIES, AND THERE IS A COST GAP THAT PARENTS MAY ALSO HAVE TO PAY, SO WHAT WHICH HAVE SEEN, AND AS THE SENATOR ALLUDED TO, THIS HAS BEEN A SUBSIDY TO WEALTHY PARENTINGS.

>> SEN TOSH, I SEEM TO REMEMBER WE VOTED ON THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IF THIS IS APPROVED DO YOU EXPECT ANOTHER ININITIATIVE?

IS IT GOING TO BE REFERRED BACK TO THE VOTERS?

>> I THINK THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE FOR THAT.

THEY VOTED PRETTY OVERWHELMINGLY AGAINST THE LAST EXPANSION, SO I THINK THAT OPTION IS DEF NALTLY ON THE TABLE.

>> WE HAVE A HOUSE BILL THAT COULD IN KROOS UP TO $300.

>> I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE NOT VOTED ORN A SINGLE BILL THAT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO COVID, AND THIS BIPART AN BILL HAS BEEN SET UP TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE AND WE ALREADY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVING OUR FAMILIES, AND THIS $300 IS DEFINITELY A START.

>> BIPARTISAN EFFORT, DO YOU THINK IT WILL MAKE IT?

>> I HOPE SO.

IT IS REALLY COMMON SENSE.

ARIZONA IS ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THINK NATION IN TERMS OF BENEFITS WE PROVIDE, AND PEOPLE ARE IN NEED RIGHT NOW.

>> REPRESENTATIVE BACK TO YOU REAL QUICKLY, THERE IS A BILL IN THE HOUSE THAT COULD CREATE A NEW CRIME REGARDING VIOLENT PROELT PROTESTS, WHAT ARE A YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE USING THEIR RIGHTS, AND WE'RE SEEING RETALIATION AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND WE DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE SENT THERE TO DO THAT.

I THINK IT'S THOUGH WRONG POLICY.

IT'S A DIRECT RESPONSE TO BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK SENATOR?

BECAUSE PROPONENTS SAY IT DOE TOUR -- DETOURINGSS PROTESTERS FROM TURNINGS VIOLENT.

>> IT GOES AGAINST PROTESTS THAT ARE THERE FOR A LEGITIMATE REASON.

THERE ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY POLICE ARE HANDLING OUR PROTESTERS NOW.

>> THANK YOU BOTH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>>> UP NEXT, USING MUSICAL IVEN SFRIE.

S TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT MATH.

>>> THE MUSICAL INSFRUMENT MUSEUM IS OFFERING S.T.E.M.-BASED LESSONINGS FOR STUDENTED NVM THE GOAL IS TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT SOOIRNGS, MATH, AND SENNINGING BUT SHOWING HOW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ARE MADE AND HOW THEY MAKE SOUND.

BRIAN GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, THANKS FOR JOINING US, A S.T.E.M.-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT INVOLVING WHAT, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, PRIOR TO COVID WE WERE OFFERING FEEL TRIP PROGRAMS HERE, AND WIN OF THE MOST POPULAR WAS OUR S.T.E.M.-BASED FIELD TRIP.

SO WHICH STARTED OFFERING PROGRAMMING THAT WAS ADAPTATIONS OF OUR ON-SITE FIELD TRIP OPTIONS, AND THIS PAST JANUARY WE DEBUTED OUR S.T.E.M.

TOUR.

AND IT GIVES STUDENTS INCITE INTO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND MEM IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED IN THAT WHICH HAVE THIS GLOBAL COLLECTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THEY ARE SO SIMILAR IN THAT WAY VIBRATE TO PRODUCE SOUND IN ONE OF FIVE DEE WAYS.

WE HAVE CHORD-A PHONES WITH A VIBE BRATING STRING, AND ELECTRIC PHONES WHERE ELECTRICITY A INVOLVED, AND OTHERS, SO THAT IS THE ROUTE OF OUR VIRTUAL S.T.E.M.

TOUR, UNDERSTANDING THE PHYSICS BEHIND HOW THIS WORKS AND THE PROPERTIES OF THE SOUND WAVES THAT ARE CREATED, AND IT'S A REALLY FUN AND ENGAGING TWIST ON SCIENCE.

>> SO AMPLITUDE, FREQUENCY, WAVELENGTH, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> YEAH, AND SPEED IS THE OTHER THING WE TALK ABOUT, BUT THE CORE SOUND WAVES ARE UNIVERSAL.

>> I SAW THIS DESCRIBED AS A HAND-S ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE, AND YET IT IS ALL VIRTUAL.

SO HOW DO YOU SQUARE THAT.

>> ALL OF THE VIDEOS ARE INQUIRY BASED, MEANING WE START THE VIDEO WITH SOME SORT OF QUESTION, AND THEN WE EXPLORE AND DISCOVER POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS POSED, AND THEN WE TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHAT WE DESCRIBED AND CLOSE THE VIDEO INVITING THE KIDS TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND EXPLORE FURTHER OR, SO ALL OF THE VIDEOS COME WITH A LIST OF THE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE HANDS-ON EXPLORATORY ACTIVITY, AND WE ENCOURAGE KIDS TO IF NECESSARY TO PULL OUT THE VIDEO AND WE EXPLORE THINGS AS WELL.

>> AND THE ENGINEERING ASPECT WOULD INCLUDE THE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, IF YOU WILL OF AT GUITAR OF VIOLIN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS SO MUCH THOUGHT THAT GOES INTO THE SHAPE AND DESIGN OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENT LS IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THAT IDEAL SOUND, AND YES, WE GET INTO THAT AND GIVE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN THEIR OWN INSTRUMENT.

>> HOW ADVANCED ARE THESE LESSONS?

WE HAVE DESIGNED THEM FOR YOUNGER KIDS.

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 8 IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THIS GROUP, BUT WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND PEOPLE LOOKING FOR KIDS TO DO WHILE THEY ARE HOME, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ACCESSING THE VIRTUAL S.T.E.M.

TOUR IN ADDITION TO SCHOOLS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY HOME AND SCHOOL.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> BEFORE WE GO, WE HAVE TO ASK HOW YOU ARE HOLDING UP HERE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

MUSEUMS AND CULTURE IN GENERAL, HAVING A ROUGH TIME, OBVIOUSLY.

HOW IS THE MEM DOING?

>> WE HAVE BEEN OPEN SINCE AUGUST, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SUCH MASSIVE SPACE THAT PEOPLE CAN EASILY SOCIALLY DISTANCE, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT REGARD, AND YEAH, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO AND NEED AN OPEN SPACE, COME ON OUT.

>> AND ONE LAST QUESTION, WITH THE PANDEMIC, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN UP MUSIC, PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, SOMETHING TO DO AS THEY STAY HOME.

ARE YOU SENSING A LITTLE BIT MORE INTEREST IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?

>> I THINK THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE POWER OF MUSIC TO BRING US ALL TOGETHER.

I THINK WE ALL PROBABLY SAW VARIOUS CLIPS ON THE NEWS OF MUSICIANS SINGING FROM BALCONIES OR IN THE STREETS JUST TO KEEP THE ART ALIVE DURING THIS TIME.

SO I THINK THAT THAT SENSE OF JUST THE -- THE UNIFYING POWER OF MUSIC IS -- IS PALPABLE HERE AT THE MUSEUM.

IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING TO WITNESS.

>> YEAH, I'M SURE IT IS.

BRIAN FROM THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM, MIM.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT DEAL HERE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

♪ >>> SCIENCE IS LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW OUR HEALTH IS CONNECTED TO HAVING THE RIGHT KIND OF MICROBES LIVING IN OUR DIGESTIVE TRACK, AND RESEARCHERS ARE GETTING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CAUSE OF AUTISM.

HERE IS OUR PRODUCER STEVE.

>> THE PANDEMIC HAS ALL OF US WEARING THESE FACE MASKS, A THESE THINGS CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION, SO SINCE IT IS JUST ME AND THE CAMERA, I'M GOING TO PEEL THIS OFF.

IT'S HARDER TO HEAR MY SOCIAL CUES.

FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM, IT IS ALMOST LIKE YOU ARE DEALING WITH A WORLD THAT IS ALL WEARING MASKS.

YOU MISS OUT ON THOSE SOCIAL CUES, AND IT CAN MAKE COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER PEOPLE MUCH, MUCH HARDER.

>> THIS IS -- >> MEET ETHAN, HE IS A YOUNG BOY WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

>> YOU CAN ALREADY TELL.

IT IS THE ARIZONA CARDINALS.

>> HE AND HIS MOTHER ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE HIS SYMPTOMS AND DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.

>> I JUST HAPPEN TO GOOD ONE OF THOSE MOMS THAT YOU CAN'T TELL ME THERE IS NO ANSWER.

>> DAVID IS OLDER THAN ETHAN, HAS MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND OTHER WAYS OF COPING WITH HIS SYMPTOMS LIKE CARING FOR HIS SERVICE DOG, HUNTER.

>> HE IS JUST LIKE HIS OWNER, HE IS A BIT ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES, BUT A SWEETHEART WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT.

>> NO TWO PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE ALIKE.

>> HE WOULD REPEAT HIMSELF SIGNIFICANTLY.

LARGE CROWDS WOULD OVERWHELM HIM, AND HE WOULD START PACING AND TALKING TO HIMSELF AND GET ALL WOUND UP IN THE EVENING.

NOT A LOT OF WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY QUESTIONS?

>> THEY BOTH WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE INDEPENDENT AND HAPPY.

>> I KNOW HE WANTS THEM FOR HIMSELF, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'LL BE HAPPIER FOR IT FOR SURE.

I DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO LIVE AT HOME FOREVER.

>> WHILE THE NUMBER OF KIDS STRUGGLING SEEMS TO BE ON A STEADY INCREASE, SO DO METHODS OF TREATMENT.

THESE ARE TWO DEDICATED RESEARCHERS AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY.

THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A TREATMENT FOR SYMPTOMS THAT MAY SEEM A LITTLE TABOO.

>> THIS IS THE WAY BY WHICH WE INTRODUCE MICROBES FROM HEALTHY PEOPLE INTO PEOPLE WHO NEED MORE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA.

IT'S ALL OF THE BACTERIA THAT LIVE IN OUR INTESTINES.

THEY PRODUCE VITAMINS AND CHEMICALS.

>> WE EVALUATED SYMPTOMS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, AND WE FOUND THE KIDS THAT HAD MORE GUT SYMPTOMS, MORE CHRONIC CONSTIPATION AND DIARRHEA, ALSO HAD MORE CHRONIC AUTISM SYMPTOMS ACROSS THE BOARD.

>> SO THIS GAVE US THE IDEA THAT ADDING GOOD MICROBES COULD HELP THESE CHILDREN.

>> SO WE DID A SPECIAL TREATMENT STUDY OF 18 CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.

>> THE TREATMENT DERIVED FROM HUMAN FECAL BATTER.

>> WE DON'T USE THE FECAL MATTER, WE USE THE BACTERIA THAT IS PRESENT IN THE STOOL.

>> SO WE REMOVE 99% OF THE WASTE MATTER.

AND IT'S LIKE HAVING A GARDEN FILLED WITH WEEDINGS, IF YOU PLUCK OUT ALL OF THE WEEDS, THOSE WEEDS WILL COME RIGHT BACK, SO WE THINK LET'S PLUCK OUT THE WEEDS AND REPLANT WITH BENEFICIAL MATERIAL.

WE GAVE THEM A BOWL CLEANSE TO CLEAR OUT THEIR GI TRACTS, AND THEN WE REPLANTED WITH HIGH DOSES OF MICRO BUY COTTICS FROM HEALTHY DONORS.

>> AND THEIR DIVERSITY INCREASED.

THEIR GI GOT BETTER, AND THEIR BEHAVIOR GOT BETTER.

>> THERE WAS A CHANGE IN HIS BEHAVIOR.

>> HIS BEHAVIOR STARTED TO CHANGE.

HIS DISPOSITION STARTED TO CHANGE.

>> OVERALL THERE WAS ABOUT AN 80% REDUCTION IN SYMPTOMS, AND SLOWLY THE CHILDREN'S AUTISM SYMPTOMS BEGAN TO IMPROVE DURING THE STUDY.

>> WHATEVER WE CAN DO IS TREAT THE SYMPTOMS AND THIS IS GOOD FOR THE SYMPTOMS AND THIS CHANGES THEIR LIVES, THAT'S ENOUGH.

>> MOST OF THE BACTERIA, AND IT MADE ME LIKE FEEL BETTER, AND MOM THOUGHT IT WAS A MIRACLE.

>> IT WAS REALLY AMAZING WATCHING THE CHANGES THAT HE WAS DEVELOPING.

>> IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS -- LIKE MY BRAIN GOT REWIRED AND SOMEONE INSTALLED A NEW PROCESSOR OR SOMETHING.

>> BEFORE THIS STUDY, WHEN WE WOULD GO PLACES, LARGE CROWDS WOULD OVERWHELM HIM.

LOTS OF NOISE WOULD OVERWHELM HIM.

NOISES LIKE THAT DON'T BOTHER HIM ANY MORE, AND THE CROWDS DON'T BOTHER HIM ANYMORE.

>> IT FELT LIKE I TOOK A STEP FURTHER IN HUMAN EVOLUTION.

>> NOTHING HAS HAD AN IMPACT LIKE THIS.

>> THIS MICROBIAL TRANSPLANTED WILL CHANGE SO MANY LIVES.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CHILDREN GET THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT SO THEIR LIVES WILL BE EASIER THAN HIS HAS BEEN.

>> THE TWO RESEARCHERS ARE NOW WORKING TO BACK UP THEIR RESULTS BY GOING SIMILAR TESTS FOR AH ADULTS WITH AUTISM.

>>> 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 OF ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, ARIZONA'S PART IN A NASA MISSION TO BUILD A NEW SPACECRAFT.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN THE PARALLELS BETWEEN '80S TV SHOWS AND NOW.