[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL YOUS ON ARIZONA PBS, FEDERAL STIMULUS BILL THAT PASSED THE SENATE THIS WEEKEND.

ON CRONKITE NEWS: A LOOK AT EFFORTS TO HELP STUDENTS REACH NEW EDUCATION GOALS IN ARIZONA, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: BEHIND THE SCENES IN HOLLYWOOD FROM A PERSON OF COLOR'S PERSPECTIVE.

THAT'S ALL IN THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

TODAY'S COVID REPORT SHOWS FEWER THAN 80 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED ON THE DAY.

MONDAY'S NUMBERS ARE USUALLY A LITTLE LIGHT DUE TO LAGS IN WEEKEND REPORTING, BUT EVEN SO, THAT'S AN ENCOURAGING REPORT, AND THE SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE FOR NEW CASES NOW RANKS 19TH IN THE COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE 7TH HIGHEST IN FATALITIES.

THE CDC NOW SAYS THOSE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED CAN GATHER WITH OTHER VACCINATED PEOPLE IN DOORS WITHOUT MASKS AND NO SOCIAL DISTANCING.

CDC DIRECTOR ADDED THAT WE ARE QUOTE, STARTING TO TURN A CORNER, NOW THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING VACCINATED.

>>> INDEED, THIS WEEKEND, MORE THAN 5 MILLION AMERICANS RECEIVED A COVID VACCINATION.

2.9 MILLION SATURDAY.

2.4 MILLION SUNDAY.

MORE THAN 58 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE NOW RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE WITH MORE THAN 30 MILLION NOW FULLY EVACUATED.

>>> PROTESTS GATHERED OUTSIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE FOR THE FIRST DAY OF THE MURDER TRIAL OF FORMER POLICE OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN, BUT THE JUDGE DELAYED THE TRIAL UNTIL TOMORROW.

>>> IF YOU WATCHED OPRAHS INTERVIEW PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN LAST NIGHT, YOU WEREN'T ALONE.

THE BROADCAST WAS AMONG THE HIGHEST-RATED SHOWS IN THE U.S.

THIS PAST YEAR, TRAILING ONLY THE SUPER BOWL AND THE 2020 OSCARS.

>>> ON SATURDAY THE SENATE PASSED A COVID RELIEF BILL.

IT IS MASSIVE STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT WILL IMPACT A LOT OF ARIZONANS.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH LOCAL TAX EXPERT, TOM WHEELWRIGHT.

TOM, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THIS $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE.

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> IT IS GOING TO PASS.

AND PRESIDENT BIDEN IS GOING TO SIGN IT.

THAT IS THE FIRST THING.

AND IT WILL HAVE A LOT OF IMPACT ON A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES THAT WILL GET A LOT OF MONEY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK IN THIS PACKAGE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT DIRECT PAYMENTS, OKAY?

WHO GETS THE DIRECT PAYMENTS, HOW MUCH AND WHEN?

>> SO FAMILIES -- INDIVIDUALS MAKING LESS THAN $75,000 AND PHASING OUT, WILL GET 1400 PER PERSON INCLUDING CHILDREN.

SO RATHER THAN A SMALLER AMOUNT PER CHILD, IT IS THE SAME $1,400.

SO BASICALLY A FAMILY OF FOUR WILL GET FOUR PAYMENTS OF $1,400 RIGHT UP FRONT.

>> WOW, THAT'S A LOT.

AND SPEAKING OF CHILDREN NOW, I THINK IT'S LIKE A CHILD TAX CREDIT OR SOMETHING.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHAT, $300 A MONTH FOR EVERY CHILD?

>> YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE A CHILD TAX CREDIT, BUT THIS MAKES IT BIGGER, FIRST OF ALL, AND ALLOWS FOR PREPAYMENT OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT.

IT WILL BE $3,600 FOR CHILDREN UNDER SIX, SO YOU CONSIDER A FAMILY -- AGAIN, WITH TWO CHILDREN, THEY ARE GOING TO GET THIS MONEY, AND THE $300 WILL BE PAID IN MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS RATHER THAN HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL FILE YOUR 2021 TAXES.

>> WOW.

JOBLESS BENEFITS.

THEY ARE EXTENDED HERE.

HOW LONG AND HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> THIS WAS A CHANGE THE SENATE MADE.

IT REDUCED IT BACK TO THE CURRENT $300 THRESHOLD, BUT IT WILL BE EXTENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6TH.

>> AND THESE GO ALONG WITH STATE BENEFITS, TRUE?

>> THEY ARE IN ADDITION.

>> YEAH.

SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY RESTAURANTS, LIVE VENUES, A BIT OF A FOCUS ON THOSE FOLKS.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL THERE, BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS CREDITS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY DAMAGED BY THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND KIND OF RESTART.

>> AND ALL OF THIS -- NOT TO MENTION MASSIVE FUNDING TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT FOR PERSONAL INCOME AND -- AS A TAX GUY, NEXT YEAR'S TAX FILINGS, IS THIS GOING TO MAKE IT A COMPLETE MESS.

>> IT'S MESSY ENOUGH THIS YEAR, RIGHT?

NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE.

I MEAN, VERY FEW PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GET BY WITH DOING THEIR OWN TAXES NEXT YEAR.

>> YEAH.

YOU ARE A MONEY GUY, ARE PEOPLE GOING TO SPEND THIS STIMULUS MONEY?

BECAUSE THE WORD IS -- THE THOUGHT IS, THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SPEND THIS MONEY, BUT THE CRITICS, SAY THEY ARE JUST GOING TO SAVE IT.

>> PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN SPENDING THEIR -- THE MONEY THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING.

THEY HAVE BEEN SAVING IT.

THE QUESTION IS ONCE THE RESTAURANTS OPEN UP, ONCE AIRLINES -- PEOPLE HAVE A VACCINE, AND THEY BEGIN TRAVELING, WILL THEY SPENDING IT ON THOSE THINGS?

THEY MIGHT?

OR THEY MIGHT CONTINUE TO INVEST OR SAVE IT.

AND IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT LOAN -- IF THAT GETS FORGIVEN, THAT IS GOING TO BE NON-TAXABLE, AND THAT IS A BIG DEAL, BECAUSE WE EXPECTED THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS GOING TO ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PERHAPS FORGIVING SOME OF THE STUDENT LOANS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS FOR GETTING THAT IN THERE.

AND THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION, TOM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ANY >>> UP NEXT: ON THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, WE LOOK AT THE HEALTH AND ECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN IN ARIZONA.

>>> MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, AND TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.

WITH THAT IN MIND, WE LOOKED AT A NEW REPORT FROM THE ARIZONA FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN THAT FOCUSES ON THE ECONOMIC STATE OF WOMEN IN ARIZONA.

MESHA DAVIS IS THE FOUNDATION'S CEO.

MESHA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THIS IS THE 2020 STATUS OF WOMEN IN ARIZONA RESEARCH REPORT.

WHAT DID YOU FIND?

>> WE WERE TRYING TO SEE IF WE HAD MOVED THE NEEDLE OUT SINCE OUR LAST REPORT IN 2019.

AND WE DID FIND A FEW THINGS TO COMPARE TO SEE IF WE HAD SOME IMPROVEMENT, AND NOT REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY.

SO THAT WAS DISHEARTENING, THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO DO, AND COVID-19, OF COURSE REALLY PUSHED THE NUMBERS BACK -- KIND OF A NEW YEARS BACK.

>> WERE THE NUMBERS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BEFORE COVID-19 HIT?

>> NOT REALLY.

IT WAS STILL A BATTLE FOR WOMEN IN ARIZONA.

WE JUST HAVEN'T PUT A LOT OF EFFORT BEHIND KEEPING WOMEN SAFE AND HEALTHY, AND GIVING THEM EQUAL PAY.

THERE'S A LOT TO DO.

>> YEAH ARIZONA SEVENTH HIGHEST RATE OF WOMEN KILLED BY MEN.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

>> I THINK A LOT OF IT IS WE DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENING.

ARIZONA IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, AND WE DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

IT'S JUST NOT THE TOPIC YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AT THE DINNER TABLE, AND WE REALLY WANT TO PUT THIS FORWARD, AND FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF BACKLOG ON SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND RAPE KITS, AND I WILL SAY ARIZONA HAS REALLY WORKED ON THIS.

THIS IS ONE THING, I WOULD SAY HAS HAD SOME MOVEMENT.

OUR LAW OFFICIALS HAVE REALLY WORKED TO GET THESE RAPE KITS FOR TESTING.

BECAUSE ALL OVER THE U.S., KITS WERE JUST SITTING IN WAREHOUSES, AND WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF MAKING THAT A PRIORITY.

>> IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, THE WAGE GAP FOR WOMEN AT $40,000 MEDIAN EARNINGS A YEAR, $44,000 FOR MEN.

AND A LOT OF WOMAN THAT SHOULD BE RECEIVING CHILD SUPPORT ARE NOT RECEIVING IT.

>> CORRECT.

YOU ASKED ME EARLIER, WHAT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING THING THAT WE FOUND.

THERE IS THE MOTHERHOOD WAGE ACT, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN, COMPARED WITH FATHERS WITH CHILDREN, THAT WAGE ACT IS [ INAUDIBLE ] SO, AGAIN, IT IS SHOWING THAT WOMEN WHO ARE PREDOMINANTLY THE CAREGIVERS OF THE HOME, WITH OR WITHOUT CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING LESS PAY.

AND A LOT OF TIMES WOMEN NOT HAVING ENOUGH INCOME TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES ARE STUCK IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATIONS BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF THE RELATIONSHIP.

>> I DID NOTICE IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, WOMEN OUT-PACE MEN AS FAR AS UNDERGRADUATES.

AND THAT HAS BEEN A TREND FOR A WHILE.

>> YES, BUT DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE FLIP SIDES.

>> PLEASE.

>> THEY ARE BECOMING MORE EDUCATED, BUT STILL NOT GETTING MORE PAY.

SO YOU ARE DOING ALL OF THE RIGHT THINGS, AND THEN YOU COME OUT, AND YOU ARE STILL FAR BEHIND YOUR MALE COUNTERPARTS.

>> SO WITH ALL OF THIS IN MIND, HEALTH AND SAFETY, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, ALL OF THESE THINGS, YOU MENTIONED AFTER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS THERE IS NOT IMPROVEMENT.

SO WHAT DO WE TAKE FROM THIS STORY?

>> I THINK WE ARE STARTING TO SEE PEOPLE LISTENING AND TALKING ABOUT WHERE WOMEN STANDING BECAUSE OF COVID, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO WAIT FOR A PANDEMIC TO FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THIS PLACE.

WE STARTED A PROGRAM TO HELP WOMEN GET INTO THOSE HIGHER POSITIONS AND HAVE A HIGHER EARNING POTENTIAL.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD DO SOME TYPE OF REPORT CARD, AND YOU MAY NOT GET A TAX BREAK, IF YOU ARE NOT PROVE THAT YOU ARE GIVING THE SAME PERSON COMING IN THE SAME PAY.

SO THERE IS A LOT THIS CAN BE DONE.

>> YEAH, THE STUDY CERTAINLY SHOWS THE BATTLES NEED TO BE FOUGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BREAKING IT DOWN FOR US, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

♪ >>> LAST MONTH'S POWER OUTAGES IN TEXAS RAISED CONCERN IN STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY REGARDING THE DEPENDABILITY OF ELECTRICITY GAS AND WATER.

HOW MUCH SHOULD ARIZONANS BE CONCERNED?

WELL, WE ASKED DAVE WHITE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ASU'S GLOBAL INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION.

DAVE WHITE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HEAR.

WHAT DID HAPPEN IN TEXAS WITH THE POWER SUPPLY THERE?

>> THANKS, TED, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

WHAT WE SAW IN TEXAS WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF CASCADING RISK.

EXTREME COLD CAUSED DISRUPTION TO THE STATE'S ELECTRICAL GRID.

THAT DISRUPTION AND POWER LOSS, SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED A NUMBER OF OTHER IMPACTS, INCLUDING DISRUPTION TO WATER SYSTEMS, DISDISRUPTION TO TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS, AND UNFORTUNATELY LOSS OF LIFE.

SO IT IS ON EXTREME WEATHER EVENT CAUSING A CASCADING OF SYSTEMING.

>> CAN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN HERE IN ARIZONA?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ALTHOUGH WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREPARE FOR AND PREVENT SUCH DISASTERS FROM EFFECTING US HERE IN ARIZONA, BUT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE RISKS.

IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE VULNERABLE NOT TO EXTREME COLD, BUT MORE LIKELY TO EXTREME HEAT, AND TO THE EFFECTS OF WATER SCARCITY ON OUR INTER DEPENDANT WATER, ELECTRICAL, TRANSPORTATION, AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS.

>> IN TEXAS THEY SEEM TO BE ON THEIR OWN POWER GRID.

THAT IS NOT SO MUCH THE CASE HERE IN ARIZONA.

IS THAT SIGNIFICANT?

>> IT WAS FOR TEXAS, INCLUDING THE PERSPECTIVE ON FEDERAL REGULATION.

MOST OF THE STATE IS ON A SEPARATE ELECTRICAL GRID FROM THE OTHER TWO MAJOR NATION GRIDS.

SO THEY ARE LESS ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HELP FROM THE NEARBY STATES.

ARIZONA IN COMPARISON IS PART OF THE WESTERN GRID, AND WE HAVE MORE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY, AND MORE REDUNDANCY IN OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE A SIMILAR SITUATION OCCUR HERE.

SO IT LEAD THEM TO BEING MORE VULNERABLE.

>> BUT, AGAIN, CASCADING RISKS, THEY EXIST, IT IS THERE.

FOR ARIZONA WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CONCERNS -- OR HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THIS?

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THE CASCADE IS AS INCONSEQUENTIAL AS POSSIBLE?

>> YEAH.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THESE INTERCONNECTED RISKS, FOR EXAMPLE, EXTREME HEAT.

AND IN 2020 WE SET RECORDS.

WE SHATTERED, NEARLY DOUBLING, THE PRIOR NUMBER OF EXTREME HEAT DAYS.

SO THAT EXTREME HEAT IMPACTS OUR POWER SYSTEM.

THE EXTREME HEAT IMPACTS OUR WATER SYSTEM, AND THEN THE POWER SYSTEM IMPACTS WATER SYSTEMS, AND THE WATER SYSTEMS IMPACT THE POWER SYSTEMS.

SO THERE IS A NEXUS OR INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THESE SYSTEMS, AND THE EXTREME HEAT CAN BECAUSE PROBLEMS TO ONE OR THE OTHER SYSTEMS AND THEN EFFECT THE OTHER.

>> AND ARE WE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND CLOSE TO ADDRESSING IT PROPERLY?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE CLIMATE AND OTHER RELATED CRISES DEVELOP IN CALIFORNIA, AND TEXAS, ET CETERA.

SO THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM, AND A GROWING AWARENESS AMONG THE COMMISSION AND RESEARCHERS AND OTHERS WORKING ON THESE ISSUES EVERY DAY.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY AWARE AS THESE CRISES IMPACT NEIGHBORING STATES, BUT THE SOLUTIONS ARE COMPLEX AND REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT COLLABORATION AND INVESTMENT.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITIES NEED TO SUPPORT THE MODERNIZATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO PREPARE AND ADAPT.

>> AND RENEWABLES, WOULD THEY HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN TEXAS?

>> THIS GOT A LOT OF PLAY IN THE MEDIA ESPECIALLY AS SOME OF THE POLITICIANS IN THEIR POLITICAL RHETORIC TRIED TO PLAY UP RENEWABLES, ESPECIALLY WIND.

BUT REALLY THE CONCERN WAS THE LACK OF THE WEATHERIZATION FOR THOSE FACILITIES.

THEY COULD HAVE OPERATED THROUGH THAT EXTREME COLD HAD THEY CHOSEN TO INVEST?

WEATHERIZATION.

IN ARIZONA INCREASE IN ENERGY SOURCES IN SOLAR AND WIND, WILL REDUCE OUR IMPACT FROM EXTREME HEAT.

AND I COMMEND APS AND SRP FOR THEIR INITIATIVES TO FOCUS ON INVESTING IN RENEWABLES, AND WE SHOULD BE AS AGGRESSIVE AS POSSIBLE IN INCREASING OUR ADAPTABILITY.

>> OKAY.

DAVE WHITE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ASU'S GLOBAL INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> AND 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 ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 ARE CONNECTING WITH TEENS TO COMBAT LONELINESS DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND ON AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: BEHIND THE SCENES IN HOLLYWOOD FROM A PERSON OF COLOR'S PERSPECTIVE.

♪