THIS IS A TEST.

[ ♪♪♪ ] >> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF NEW ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON", THE ROUNDED TABLE WITH PROPOSED LEGISLATION MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ARIZONIANS TO VOTE EARLY.

ON "CRONKITE NEWS", BRINGING BACK TO LIFE NATIVE AMERICAN VOICES FROM THE PAST.

AND ON "BREAKDOWN", DEALING WITH THE LOSS COMING FROM MISCARRIAGE", THAT AND MORE ON THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

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

ARIZONA REPORTED ANOTHER DAY OF OVER 1,000 NEW CASES OF COVID-19, 13,667 ON RECORD.

THREE STRAIGHT DAYS OVER THE 1,000 MARK AFTER THE PREVIOUS THREE WERE UNDER.

THE SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE FOR NEW CASES IS 19th HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

THE DEATH RATE IS UP THERE.

SEVENTH HIGHEST WITH 55 NEW FATALITY OILS RECORDED TODAY.

>> POLITICAL NEWS, ANNE KIRK BATTERY ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WOULD NOT RUN FOR ELECTION.

SHE HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR FIVE TERMS, IT'S TIME TO HANDLE HER THE BATON.

AFTER HEALTH AND RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY DID NOT FACTOR IN THE DECISION.

FINAL FOR THE JOURNALISTS ROUNDTABLE.

AND FOR MORE ON REPRESENTATIVE KIRKPATRICK'S DECISION, ALONG WITH STATE CAPITAL GUESTS.

AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE, IT'S A TIME, IT'S A WEEKEND - WEEK ENDING LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE WEEK, INCLUDING TODAY.

LORI, REPRESENTATIVE ANNE KIRKPATRICK DECIDING NOT TO RUN AGAIN.

A BIT OF A SURPRISE.

>> BIT OF A SURPRISE TO ME LEAST.

I HAD NOT SEEN THIS COMING.

SHE ROLLED THROUGH ELECTION AND RE-ELECTION IN THIS DISTRICT.

IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA.

THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN UNTIL 2022.

WE HAVE REDISTRICTING TO GET THROUGH, AND IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT.

IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE, HE'S IN THE MAJORITY.

HAS A POSITION OF IF NOT POWER, INFLUENCE, AND SHE'S HANGING IT UP.

>> CERTAINLY THERE WERE PERSONAL ISSUES THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT, AND SHE SHARPED ISSUES WITH ALCOHOLISM - I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S FATAL.

GIVEN CONGRESS IT'S PROBABLY A BANK OF COURAGE.

SHE ALSO SAID I'M 70, THE KIDS ARE IN ARIZONA, I'M SPENDING TIME IN WASHINGTON.

AND IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT LORI WAS SAYING, YOU HAVE A DISTRICT THAT COULD RUN FROM THE EAST SIDE OF TUSCON, RIGHT UP TO THE NAVAHO RESERVATION, AND WHILE SHE WALLS REPRESENTING NORTHERN ARIZONA, IT'S ACTIVE DISTRICT TO RUN FROM, AND WILL BE HARD FOR WHOEVER DECIDES TO RUN, TO BE WILL BUILD A COALITION.

AND RURAL RESIDENCE IN A PLACE LIKE THAT.

.

>> AND IT'S HARD TO TELL WHO WOULD BE A LIKELY SUCCESSOR.

>> SNOW, WE DON'T.

EVERYONE IN SOUTHERN ORLANDO CALIXTE ARE IN THE LEGISLATURE, THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO MOVE UP ONE, AS I SAY THE SAME IN THE PHOENIX AREA, I THINK THAT UM HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM BOTH PARTIES RUNNING AGAIN DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT DISTRICT LOOK LIKE, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF DAVID GOWAN RUNS AGAIN.

IF THAT DISTRICT EXTENDS, HE RAN 2-4 YEARS AGO.

GOT HIS COWBOY HAT HANDED TO HIM.

>> HE RAN ON PUBLIC MONEY, WHICH GOT HIM IN TROUBLE.

SAYING HE WAS REPRESENTING HIS CONSTITUENTS.

THERE ARE OTHER REPUBLICANS, JONATHAN TATE RUNNING ONCE UPON A TIME.

YOU HAD PEOPLE, THE HOUSE MAJORITY.

ON THE DEMOCRATS SIDE.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE MATT HEINZ, WITH THE BOARD MUCH SUPERVISORS, NOT A STATE LEGISLATOR, ALSO A DOCTOR.

IN TERMS OF WOMEN OR EVEN A SUPERVISORY DISTRICT THAT HAS REPUBLICANS IN THIS.

THIS IS A TRICKY RACE FOR BOTH SIDES.

>> RANDY CREATES ANOTHER NAME MENTIONED.

FOLKS LIKE T.J. - VERY INTERESTING TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

ALWAYS INTERESTING TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, EARLY VOTING RESTRICTIONS, WHERE ARE WE WITH THESE.

LET'S STAR WITH ONE REQUIRING VOTER I.D.

AFTERWARDS, THIS SORT OF THING, ALONG WITH EARLY BALLOTS.

WHAT IS HOPPING HERE -- HAPPENING HERE.

>> FOR 30 YEARS WE HAVE HAD VOTE BY MAIL, IT'S BEEN A POPULAR PROGRAMME.

LAST YEAR IN THE MASON PRIMEAU AND THE GENERAL.

88% OF PEOPLE THAT VOTED, VOTED BY EARLY MAIL.

IT WASN'T A PROBLEM IN THE PRIMARY WHEN THE LEGISLATORS WERE ELECTED.

AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH A PROGRAMME THAT HAS BEEN A NATIONAL MODEL FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES.

WE WANT TO LOAD UP THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE YOU EITHER WIPE BRIGHT DOWN YOUR VOTER I.D.

OR DRIVER'S LICENCE NUMBER.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE A UTILITY BILL OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS.

ALL OF THIS GOING INSIDE THE BALLOT ON THE LEFT.

YOU CAN KISS GOODBYE THE IDEA OF SCRES SI, OF BOTH, IT BE YOUR DRIVER'S LICENCE NUMBER, AND WHO YOU VOTE FOR, DOING THAT IS PAY BACK, THEY DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT ARIZONIANS SENT DEMOCRATS TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

AND THERE'S A SERIES OF THESE BILLS GOING THROUGH.

>> THAT IS THE THING, YOU HAD JOHN KAVANAUGH, A REPUBLICAN SAYING HERE IS THE PROBLEM, EARLY BALLOTS ARE VERIFIED BY COUNTY WORKERS LOOKING AT THE SIGNATURE ON ENVELOPE, COMPARED TO FILE SAYING THAT LOOKS CLOSE, IF IT DOESN'T THEY CALL THE PERSON OR HAVE THE PERSON COME IN SAYING "YOU FORGOT TO SIGN IT", AND JOHN SAID YOU CAN GET ANYONE'S SIGNATURE ANYWHERE, SOMEONE CAN TRACE THEIR NAME AND SEND IT BACK.

THERE'S ALE VAST CONSPIRACY AND A LOT OF TRACING PAPER OUT THERE.

ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY MAY HAVE MER.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVEN'T USED EARLY VOTING WHY SEND YOU A BALLOT.

IT'S PART OF A PACKAGE NOT JUST HERE, BUT ACROSS THE NATION, SUDDENLY THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE WHICH AUTHORISED EARLY VOTING.

USUAL WILL I IT'S ABSENTEE NOW SOMEONE DECIDES DEMOCRATS ARE USING IN THIS MAPPED IN TERMS OF BALLOT HARVESTING.

WE SEND OUT FOLKS.

AND NOW WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE ELECTION.

>> WE HAD THE SENATE ON, AND ONE OF HER CONCERNS IS THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF BALLOTS MAILED TO THE WRONG HOUSE.

A NUMBER WERE MAILED IN TERMS OF 50-ODD BALLOTS TO ONE LOCATION.

THESE SORTS OF THINGS, AND SHE SAID THEY ARE GETTING PEPPERED BY PEOPLE SAYING INVESTIGATE THIS, CHANGE THIS, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS T. >> RIGHT, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM ANY MORE.

WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING AND WE DO TOTAL RE COUNSELLED.

AND WE THREATEN THE SUPERVISORS WITH GAOL, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PROTECT THE LAW.

WE DON'T REQUIRE EVIDENCE.

WE, IN OUR HEARTS OF HEARTS, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE LEGITIMATELY LOST IT.

OTHER THAN SONY, THEY HAVE TO FEED THE BEAST.

AND THE BEAST IS SCREAMING ABOUT VOTER FRAUD.

REALITY DOESN'T MATTER, IT'S ALL PERCEPTION.

>> THAT'S THE POINT.

STARTING WITH THE PRESIDENT, MOST BEFORE THE ELECTION, IF I LOSE THE ELECTION.

IF YOU KEEP FEEDING THE LIE, AND DICTATORS KNOW THIS, IF YOU KEEP FEEDING A LIE, SUDDENLY PEOPLE WILL SAY OF COURSE HE LOST, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO LOSE, BECAUSE THERE WAS MASSIVE FRAUD, AND THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM.

THEY SAY 1,000 PEOPLE ARE CALLING US.

OF COURSE THERE ARE, BECAUSE YOU TOLD THEM A LIE FOR MONTH.

>> IT'S NOT JUST THAT THE PRESIDENT TOLD THEM THAT LIE, SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TOLD THEM THE LIE.

A NUMBER MUCH REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS TOLD THEME THIS LIE.

SO MANY PEOPLE TELL THEM THE LIE.

>> DOES THE GOVERNOR SIGN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THE EARLY VOTING RESTRICTION.

THE I DMPT AND BATTLE -- THE I.D.

AND THE BATTLE.

I DON'T THINK THE PRESIDENT IS HOT ON THAT ONE, DOES THE GOVERNOR SIGN THESE THINGS?

>> I THINK HE'S UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE TO DO THAT.

ASSUMING THAT THEY ALL SURVIVE.

REMEMBERING, THIS IS A 16-14 SENATE.

AND PAUL HAS SAID ON A FEW ISSUES, I'M NOT GOING TO GO ALONG WITH WHO YOU PRAISE.

IF HE SURVIVES, HOW DOES HE VETO IT.

WITH A PEN OBVIOUSLY HE CAN DO THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE IDEA OF PERMANENT VOTING.

IF YOU ARE NOT USING IT, OF COURSE, MAKES SENSE.

IF YOU HAVEN'T POSTMARKED AN EARLY BALLOT BY THURSDAY, IF IT GETS TO THE HEADQUARTERS AHEAD OF TUESDAY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO COUNT IT.

WELL, THE IDEA IT WHAT ABOUT THE ELECTION TRENDS EARLIER.

THIS GOVERNOR HAS DECIDED THAT HE'S GOING TO COSY UP TO THESE FOLKS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS A WAY OF PRESENTING THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY.

>> I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT HE GAVE SPIRITED DISSENT TO THE WAY WE DO ELECTIONS, WHEN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS CALLING OUR SYSTEM CORRUPT.

HE PITCH THE A WHOLE BIT.

PASSIONATELY SAYING THAT OUR ELECTIONS WORKED.

THAT WORKED FOR O 30 YEARS AND THIS YEAR.

IT'S A LITTLE HYPOCRITICAL TORE HIM TO COME BACK AND SAY THEY DON'T WORK, WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM, YOUR GUY LOST SO WE'LL CHANGE THE LAW.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS HOW HYPOCRITICAL THE CRAIG FORSYTH IS.

ALL OF CALIFORNIA CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO ARIZONA, RUNNING AS FAST AS THEY CAN, OP-ED PIECE IN THE REGISTER, THE GOVERNOR SAYING BASICALLY COME ON OVER.

>> YOU CAN'T THO A ROCK IN -- THROW A ROCK IN THE AIR AND NOT HIT SIX FEET OF REPUBLICANS, THIS GOES BACK TO HOW WE LOST, PRESERVING THE REPUBLICAN MAJOR CITY.

ARIZONA IS MOVING MORE AND MORE DEMOCRATIC, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF TRUMP AND KELLY, YOU SEE IT IN THE OTHER ELECTIONS, LOOK AT THE BREAK UP IN THE LEGISLATURE, HE CHERRY PICKS THE FACTS THAT HE WANT TO PICK.

IF YOU LIVE IN L.A. YOU PROBABLY SPEND A COUPLE OF HOURS A DAY IN TRAFFIC.

THERE WERE ISSUES IN TERMS OF WEATHER SCHOOLS WERE OPEN.

SOMEHOW THERE'S A FEW THINGS LEFT OUT, IN TERMS OF WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST PER CAPITA RATES OF STUDENT FUNDING IN THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF COVID-19 DEATHS, NEVER MIND, IT'S AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.

>> HE WENT BEYOND THAT AND TOUTED ARIZONA AS A PLACE HE IS WORKING TO "KEEP AND MAINTAIN OUR POSITION AS THE NATION'S BEST PLACE TO GET AN EDUCATION", I THOUGHT IS HE TALKING ABOUT ARIZONA.

THE WORLD REPORT RANKS US 46 THES IN -- 46TH IN TERMS OF EDUCATION.

>> HE DID SAY EDUCATION, NOT PUBLIC EDUCATION.

GIVEN THAT, I AM SURE HE'LL BE ON TAP TO VETO SEVERAL BILLS THAT PUBLIC EDUCATORS FEEL IS AN ATTACK ON THE SYSTEM.

>> YOU ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE GOVERNOR AREN'T YOU?

WE'LL END ON THAT OPTIMISTIC NOTE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO START THE WEEKEND.

PANEL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, APPRECIATE IT.

KEEP SMILING.

NEXT, THE BEST PLACES TO FIND WILD FLOWERS AROUND THE STATE.

>> ARIZONA IS HOME TO ALL SORTS OF HIKING TRIALS.

TRAILS.

MANY OF THOSE TRAILS ARE DECORATED WITH WILD FLOWERS, WE NOW GET INSIGHT ON THE BEST HIKING SPOTS TO DO PETAL PEAKING.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU AND TALK ABOUT HIKES AND THINGS, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WILD FLOWERS IN PARTICULAR.

WHAT TYPE OF YEAR ARE WE HAVING TORE WILD FLOWERS.

>> I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS.

IT WILL BE A SUB PAR YEAR.

THE LAST TWO SEASONS HAVE BEEN GREAT YEARS, THIS WINTER WAS TOO DRY.

WE'LL HAVE A DOWN YEAR A LITTLE BIT.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO GET OUT AND ENJOY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

RIGHT NOW THE DESERT IS SMILING, BY JUNE IT WILL BE SNARINGING.

GET OUT AND ENJOY IT NOW.

>> DRY WINTER, YOU CAN HAVE A DRY WINTER IN THE HIGH COUNTY, AND LOTS EVER RAIN THE LOWER PARTS, OR LOTS OF SNOW IN THE HIGHER COUNTRY AND NOT A LOT OF RAIN, HOW DOES IT FACTOR INTO THINGS?

>> WHAT WILL HAPPEN, WE'LL NOT SEE THE BIG FIELDS OF POPPIES, PRIMARILY BECAUSE POP OILS ARE ANNUALS.

THEY NEED A TRIGGERING RAIN THAT WILL BE AT LEAST AN INCH TO START THINGS IN MOTION, AND THEY NEED MOISTURE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.

THEY ARE GENERATING A PLANT FROM SEEDS.

THEY NEED THAT AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AND THE TIMING OF MOISTURE, THAT WILL BE MISSING OUT THIS YEAR.

FORTUNATELY WE HAVE NICE RAIN, NICE STORMS AT THE END OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, GETTING A LITTLE MORE NOW, THINGS ARE TOPPING UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE DESERT.

WE SEE THE PERENNIALS.

DESERT MARY COLDS.

THOSE ARE EXISTING PLANTS.

AND THEE NEED ENOUGH MOISTURE TO POP OPEN.

I WAS OUT HIKING EARLIER IN THE WEEK, AND I HAVE SEEN STUFF ALONG THE ROAD SIDE.

FLOWERS BLOOM ALONG THE ROAD SIDE.

THEY GET THE HEAT REFLECTED OFF THE TRAILS, ON TRAILS NOT TOO MUCH.

IN THE NEXT 10-14 DAYS, WE'LL SEE MORE BRITTLE BUSH, MORE MALLOWS, MORE DESERT MARY GOLDS, MORE THINGS LIKE THAT, IT WILL NOT BE PROLIFIC, FIELD OF IT LIKE WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF SEASONS.

>> WHERE ARE THE HOT SPOTS RIGHT NOW.

>> I WAS HIKING AT THE STATE PARK, AND THEY WERE JUST - THERE'S BLOOMS, AND A FEW BRITTLES, BUT I SAW A LOT OF BRITTLES WITH BUDS ABOUT TO POP.

BY THE END OF THE MONTHS, THE TRAILS - IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, PARK TO HIKE IN TO BEGIN WITH, I'D LIKE TO START UP AND DRAW A TRAIL GO ACROSS AND RETURN.

MAKE SOME NICE LITTLE EASY LOOP, LESS THAN THREE MILES, AND YOU GET NICE FLOWERS, AND IF THEY AREN'T BLOOMING, SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN VIEWS, IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE OUT.

THERE'S SO MUCH LIFE HATCHING.

THE HUMMING BIRDS ARE WHIZZING BY, BUTTERFLIES ARE WOBBLING, QUAIL ARE SPEED WALKING.

GET OUT AND BE PART OF THE FESTIVAL OF JOY, ANOTHER GREAT PLACE IS THE BLACK CANYON TRAIL.

THERE'S A NICE SEGMENT BY ROCK SPRINGS CAFE, OFF THE FRONTAGE ROW THAT YOU CAN HIKE DOWN, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING BLOOMING EARLY IN THE WEEK.

I THINK THINGS WILL HAPPEN A LITTLE MORE.

HERE IS THE COOL THING ABOUT THE HIKE, IF THERE ISN'T ANYTHING BLOOMING AFTERWARDS.

YOU GO TO OFFSPRINGS CAFE, AND YOU CONSOLE YOURSELF WITH A PIECE OF PIE.

OR IF YOU FOUND FLOWERS, GO CELEBRATE WITH A PIECE OF PIE.

>> THE WILD FLOWER WATCHING SEVEN.

WHEN DOES -- SEASON, WHEN DOES IT BEGIN, WHEN DOES IT END.

>> THIS YEAR IS A LITTLE LATER.

A LOT OF TIMES IT STARTS IN MID TO EARLY FEBRUARY.

MID FEBRUARY, OR SOMETIMES TEMPERATURES ARE NOT HEATING UP.

THINGS ARE MANAGED.

IT WILL BE A LITTLE LATER.

IT USUALLY RUNS FROM LATE FEBRUARY INTO EARLY APRIL.

AND AT THE END OF THAT, YOU ARE GOING TO GET - THAT'S WHEN THE CACTUS START BLOOMING, YOU GET A POP MUCH COLOUR -- POP MUCH COLOUR, AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE OUT THERE, GET OUT AND SEE ALL OF THIS, WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAVING BLIZZARDS.

DEALING WITH BLIZZARDS AND GREY SKY, IT'S OUR DUTY AS ARIZONANS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WHEN YOU CAN WALK AROUND IN SHORT SLEEVES AT THE END OF WINTER, EARLY SPRING, LET'S DO IT.

>> VERY ENCOURAGING THERE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE FLOWERS.

>> A PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ARIZONA WILDLIFE AND NATURE.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

>> YOU TOO, TED.

THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

COMING YOU IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR, HOW A SMALL COUNTY USED WILDFIRES TO HELP WITH THE VAC ZONES, AND DEALING WITH THE LAWS THAT COME WITH MISCARRIAGE.

>> WELCOME TO THE ARIZONA PBS SHOWS.

>> I HOPE YOU ARE APPRECIATING "ARIZONA HORIZON" TONIGHT.

BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT I