[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," KATHY HOFFMAN TALKS ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING RELEASE FOR ARIZONA SCHOOLS.

AND ON CRONKITE NEWS, DETAILS OF MARICOPA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES EXPANDING THEIR PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, NAVIGATING THE COVID-19 VACCINE.

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

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE U.S. HIT THE TRAGIC MILESTONE OF 500,000 COVID-19-RELATED DEATHS OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THE STATE TODAY REPORTED NO COVID-19 FATALITIES.

OF COURSE MONDAYS OFTEN HAVE A LOWER NUMBER.

BUT ZERO DEATHS RECORDED FOR THE DAY IS STILL ENCOURAGING TO SEE, AND IMPROVES THE STATE'S SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE TO SIXTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

THE STATE REPORTED JUST OVER 1500 NEW CASES TODAY.

NEW DATA SHOWS THAT ONE DOSE OF THE PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE CAN REDUCE RATE OF INFECTION OF 72%.

AND PROTECTIONS EXTEND TO THE U.K.

VERY ACT OF THE VIE US AS WELL.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ATTEMPTS TO SHIELD HIS TAX RETURNS WERE DEALT A BIG BLOW TODAY.

SUPREME COURT DID GIVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT A WIN IN THE CASE INVOLVING STORMY DANIELS.

THE HIGH COURT SAID IT WOULD NOT LOOK INTO DEFAMATION CLAIMS.

AN APPEALS COURT RULED THAT HER CLAIMS WERE NOT VIABLE.

STICKING WITH THE HIGH COURT, THE SUPREME COURT TODAY REJECTED OVER A HALF DOZEN ELECTION CHALLENGES.

IT INVOLVED CLAIMS OF WIDESPREAD FRAUD, THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED NOT TO HEAR IT AND WITH NO DISSENT.

AND DO MINNIAN VOTING HAS FAILED A SUIT AGAINST MIKE LINDELL, THE CEO OF MY PILLOW MIKE.

AN EMOTIONAL TESTIFY TODAY FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE MERICK GARLAND, WHO EXPLAINED WHY HE WANTS THIS IMPORTANT JOB.

>> I COME FROM A FAMILY .

.

.

WHERE MY GRANDPARENTS FLED ANTI-SEMI ANTI-SEMITISM AND PERSECUTION.

THE COUNTRY TOOK US IN AND PROTECTED US, AND I FEEL AN OBLIGATION TO THE COUNTRY TO PAY BACK, AND THIS IS THE HIGHEST SET OF MY SKILLS TO PAY BACK.

>>> ARIZONA SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDS.

WE SPOKE WITH SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION KATHY HOFFMAN ON THE EFFECT THAT MONEY WILL HAVE.

SUPERINTENDENT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS RELIEF FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ARIZONA?

>> THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS TO OUR STATE.

THIS IS FUNDING FOR COVID RELIEF AND RECOVERY, AND THIS WILL FUND FUNDS THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY NEED, ANYTHING TIED TO COVID RELIEF?

>> IS THERE A FORMULA THAT IS BEING USED?

>> YES, IT STARTS WITH A FEDERAL FORMULA THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A TITLE ONE FUNDING, AND A SIGNIFICANT PORTION THAT IS SET ASIDE FUNDS TO GIVE AN EXTRA BOOST OR ADJUSTMENT WHICH WE ARE TARGETING FOR OUR SMALL SCHOOLS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR RURAL AND REMOTE SCHOOLS.

>> SO THERE IS A TARGET FOR THE SMALLER SCHOOLS?

>> CORRECT.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THE FORMULA COMES OUT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE TITLE ONE, SOME DISTRICTS ARE RECEIVING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT OUR SMALL RURAL SCHOOLS THAT NEED EXTRA SUPPORT, THEY MAY ONLY QUALIFY FOR -- LET'S SAY $20,000, COMPARED TO THE LARGER DISTRICTS THAT ARE RECEIVING SAY, $74 MILLION.

SO WE CREATED A PLAN WHERE EVERY WILL RECEIVE A FAIRER PLAYING FIELD.

>> SO YOUR THOUGHTS ON SUGGESTED SUGGESTED -- SUGGESTIONS?

>> MY IMMEDIATE REACTION FROM THE CDC IS IT IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ADVISING.

MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THINGS LIKE WEARING MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND THE COVID POSITIVE CASES, THESE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT WE HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING SO WE CAN MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF HAVING SAFE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND THEY ALSO EMPHASIZE THE RESEARCH AROUND PRIORITIZING [ INAUDIBLE ] AND ALSO OTHER VULNERABLE PRIORITY GROUPS SUCH AS SPECIAL EDUCATION AND OTHER SERVICES WHERE OUR STUDENTS REALLY BENEFIT FROM HAVING IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

>> CAN SCHOOLS BE SAFE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN YOU STILL HAVE HIGH TRANSMISSION RATES?

AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY, YOU HAVE JUST TO MOVE FORWARD?

>> THAT IS THE STRUGGLE.

FROM DAY ONE OF THIS PANDEMIC, TRYING TO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS ON IDENTIFYING WHEN IT IS SAFE FOR IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION WHEN COMMUNITY SPREAD IS VERY HIGH.

ARIZONA HAS HAD ONE OF THE WORST OUTBREAKS IN THE COUNTRY AND EVEN THE WORLD BACK IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, OUR NUMBERS WERE OFF OF THE CHART, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS TEST POSITIVE, IT DOES BECOME EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO PUSH FORWARD WITH HAVING IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE REALLY TRANSPARENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES, SO THAT FAMILIES AND THEIR SCHOOL STAFF HAVE TRACKED AND THEY KNOW, IS THERE A TIME OF HIGH COMMUNITY SPREAD OR ARE WE IN A PLACE WHERE IT'S SAFE TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION?

>> AND YOU HAVE NO DOUBT HEARD A NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS THAT IT IS MORE HARM THAN GOOD KEEPING KIDS OUT.

DO THEY HAVE A POINT HERE?

>> YEAH, AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME THERE ARE DAYS WHERE I HAVE A DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAVE TOLD ME THAT ONE OF THEIR EDUCATORS HAVE DIED FROM COVID, AND A WEEK LATER TALKING TO A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THAT ONE OF THEIR STUDENTS HAD DIED FROM SUICIDE, SO THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG HERE.

THIS IS AN IMPOSSIBLE NEEDLE TO THREAD WHEN WE SO DESPERATELY WANT TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

SO I WANT TO PRIORITIZE THE SCHOOLS, PRIORITIZING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND MAKE SURE KIDS WHO TRULY NEED ACCESS AND SERVICES CAN GET THE SERVICES AND INSTRUCTION THAT THEY NEED, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS AND SCHOOL LEADERS TO MOVE FORWARD.

>> SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION KATHY HOFFMAN, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE.

>>> ARIZONA SCHOOLS ARE MAKING THE MOVE BACK INTO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS.

>>> UP NEXT, THE CITY OF PHOENIX TARGETS FEDERAL FUNDS TO TARGET HOMELESSNESS.

>>> PHOENIX MAYOR KATE GALLEGO VOTED TO ALLOCATE MORE THAN $33 MILLION TO HELP THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

WE LEARNED MORE ON WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, FROM MARCHELLE FRANKLIN, DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

CITY OF PHOENIX, MORE FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

ALWAYS PLEASED AND HONORED WHEN WE CAN SHARE THE GREAT WORK OF THE MAYOR AND OUR CITY.

A LITTLE OVER 33$33 MILLION ADDITIONAL FUNDS WERE APPROVED TO MOVE THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, IF YOU WILL, FROM BEING UNSHELTERED INTO SHELTERED INTO SOME TYPE OF PERMANENT HOUSING.

>> IS THIS FEDERAL CARES ACT MONEY?

>> YES.

>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW THIS MONEY SHOULD BE AND WILL BE ALLOCATED.

>> THE MAJOR DIRECTED US TO REALLY FOCUS ON THREE PRIMARY AREAS OF HOW WE WANT TO PUT THIS MONEY TO GOOD USE.

THE FIRST WILL BE AROUND WORK THAT IS ALREADY GOING ON DOWNTOWN.

IT IS ABOUT 20 SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF SERVICES.

SO THERE ARE FUNDS THAT THE COUNCIL AND MAJOR SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED.

AND IT IS JUST INCREASING SHELLER BED NUMBERS AND OTHER SERVICES.

AND THEN OUR SECOND POOL OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, IF YOU WILL, IS USED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN HELP SUPPORT MORE REGIONAL SPECIALIZED SHELTERS, THAT INCLUDES FINDING LOCATIONS AND SERVICES INVOLVED IN THAT.

SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK ANOTHER HOW THAT MONEY CAN BE USED.

SO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR, SAY, SENIORS.

AND THEN THE THIRD POOL OF FUND WILL BE CENTERED AROUND DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS, THINGS LIKE REHOUSING, WORKING WITH LANDLORDS, IF YOU WILL, TO ACCEPT INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE VOUCHER VOUCHERS, SERVICES FOR OUR LBGTQ YOUTH, FOR SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THEM.

>> AND HOW WERE THESE TARGETS CHOSEN?

WHY WERE THESE EMPHASIZED?

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN, IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX?

TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS.

>> SURE.

SO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL LOOK AT LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS AROUND THOSE EXPERIENCES HOMELESSNESS.

IT'S A FEEDBACK THAT THEY HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS.

IT IS ALSO CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO IT HAS BEEN A COMBINATION OF THINGS.

TALKING WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS WITHOUT THE REGION AND A WHOLE ARRAY OF FEEDBACK, IN WHAT WE DEAL WITH IN THE DEPARTMENTS WORKING WITH THE ISSUES AROUND THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO IT WAS THAT CORRECT CORRECT -- COLLECTIVE, WILL YOU WILL -- IF YOU WILL.

>> WHEN WILL THE FUNDS START GOING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO?

>> WE'LL MEETING TO SEE WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.

I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT TO NINE WEEKS, THAT MONEY WILL END UP, IF YOU WILL, ON THE STREETS.

ONE OF THE PROCESSES IS BECAUSE WE RECEIVE SPECIFIC DIRECTION FROM THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE OTHER TWO POOLS THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE SMALLER SHELTERS, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WILL BE AS SIMPLE AS IT CAN, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS COMPETITIVE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE WHO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO THE GOAL IS WITHIN THE NEXT TO SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.

>> AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS QUICKLY THEREAFTER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>> THE LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS HAS NEW LEADERSHIP.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE WITH SALLY ANN GONZALES AND ANDRES CANO.

>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU ARE THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE LATINO CAUCUS.

AND I THINK YOU ARE THE PRINCIPAL CO-CHAIR, SO LET ME START WITH YOU, AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES OF CONCERNS WITH THE CAUCUS.

YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED CONCERNS WITH THE EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF LATINOS REGARDING COVID-19.

>> YES.

WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO UPLIFT THE VOICE OF OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

LAST WEEK THE LATINO CAUCUS SENT A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR URGING HIM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE INEQUITIES WE ARE SEEING.

THERE IS A TREMENDOUS ISSUE, AND IT'S WHY WE'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON COVID-19 RELIEF THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

>> IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT BEEN TESTING THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

>> I THINK THERE IS A LOT MORE WORK TO DO TO PRIORITIZE THIS ISSUE.

UL MATELY, I THINK WHAT IS NOT WORKING IS THIS MASS VACCINATION STRATEGY.

THIS ONE-SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH.

THE COUNT THINK HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE VACCINATION TO ABOUT 500 FAMILY IN OUR DISTRICT, BY TRUSTING THOSE LOCAL NON-PROFITS AND PARTNERS THAT ALREADY HAVE THE TRUST AND ULTIMATELY THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO BE GOOD PARTNERS TO TRULY REACH INTO THE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

>> WE'RE ASKING TO START WITH A MORE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MARKETINGMARKET MARKETING PLAN FOR OUR COMMUNITY ON HOW TO GET APPOINTMENTS, AND WHERE TO GO, AND ALSO WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL NON-PROFITS ALREADY, WORKING WITH THIS COMMUNITIES THAT CONCERN US WITH HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND ALLOWED THEM TO DO THE VACCINATIONS, BECAUSE OUR COMMUNE THINK ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET INFORMATION AND TO GET THE HEALTH THAT THEY NEED.

>> WHERE DOES DO YOU STAND WITH GETTING UN GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT BEN FIMENT FILTS -- BENEFITS?

>> WE'RE PUSHING FOR THE EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FOR ALL CITIZENS THAT ARE REALLY IN DIRE NEED OF THAT EXPANSION, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE -- ARE HAVING TROUBLE PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE.

THEY ARE BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES OR LOSING THEIR HOMES, AND THE LATINO CAUCUS IS REALLY BEHIND EXTENDING THESE BENEFITS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

>> THANK YOU.

REPRESENTATIVE, VOTING WAS A BIG ISSUE IN ARIZONA.

THE LATINO POPULATION TURNED OUT IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE REASON THE STATE WENT BLUE.

A LOT OF PROPOSALS TO CHANGE OUR VOTING PROCEDURES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THE G.O.P.

LEGISLATURE IS FOCUSED AND HELL BENT ON REVERSING THE 2020 ELECTIONS, FURTHERING THESE NOTIONS THAT THE VOTE WAS FULL OF FRAUD, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING TO REPRIORITIZE.

WE'RE ASKING TO LIFT UP TO SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS, AND NOT FURTHER OUR THIS NOTION THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY BEEN DEBUNKED.

>>> SENATOR, AS THE REPRESENTATIVES COMMENTS INDICATE, THERE IS A SENSE THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS EVEN MORE PARTISAN THAN BEFORE.

YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IS GOING DOWN AT THE CAPITOL IN THIS REGARD?

>> YES, I WOULD SAY YOUR COMMENTS ARE CORRECT, AND VOTER SUPPRESSION BILLS AND EDUCATION BILLS, AND IN ALL AREAS, HEALTHCARE AS WELL, THERE -- THERE HAS BEEN -- JUST TOO MANY PARTISAN BILLS THAT -- THAT REALLY ARE -- WILL NEGATIVELY EFFECT OUR LATINO COMMUNITY IN ALL OF ARIZONA, SO WE'RE HAVING TO FIGHT ALL OF THOSE AT A STRONGER LEVEL.

>> LAST QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED VOUCHERS, THE SPONSOR OF THE PROPOSED CHANGE SAYS IT WILL HELP PEOPLE IN LOW-INCOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BETTER CHOICE OF SCHOOLS AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WOULD BE LATINO.

ARE YOU OPPOSED?

>> WE HAVEN'T TAKEN A POSITION OF VOUCHERS, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF OUR CAUCUS MEMBERS ARE OPPOSED TO SCHOOL VOUCHER VOUCHERINGS, BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY FUNDING FOR DISTRICT SCHOOLS, THE MASSES OF OUR LATINO STUDENTS SKILL GO TO SCHOOL, SO IT REALLY HURTS THOSE SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHER PAY AND -- AND REALLY KEEPING UP WITH SAFE FACILITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN.

IT MIGHT BENEFIT A FEW, BUT NOT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARENTS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF -- OF A VOUCHER.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> 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 LOCALS NEWS, ON BREAK IT DOWN, NAVIGATING THE COVID-19 VACCINE.