TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON NONPROFITS ACROSS THE STATE.

>>> ON CRONKITE NEWS, DETAILS ON AN ANTIABORTION BILL THAT'S ONE SENATE VOTE AWAY FROM REACHING THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

>>> AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, HOW WEARING A FACEMASK TURNED INTO A POLITICAL FIRESTORM.

THAT'S ALL COMING UP ON THE NEXT HOUR HERE ON ARIZONA PBS.

ANNOUNCER: THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION, THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE CDC TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT ARIZONA WILL RECEIVE $66 MILLION TO HELP GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19.

THE MONEY COMES FROM THE TWO MOST RECENT STIMULUS PACKAGES AND DESIGNED TO BOOST LOCAL EFFORTS TO INCREASE VACCINATIONS AND HELP GET THE VACCINATIONS TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

ARIZONA IS NOW REPORTING THAT 32% OF ADULTS STATEWIDE HAVE RECEIVED ONE DOSE OF COVID VACCINE, WITH 19% FULLY VACCINATED.

THOSE NUMBERS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

A NEW POLL SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF PARENTS IN THE U.S. SAY THEY WILL PROBABLY GET CHILDREN VACCINATED.

THE AXIOS-IPSIOS POLL WAS CONDUCTED LAST WEEK, 52% OF MOMS AND DADS WILL GET THEIR KID VACCINATED WHEN THE CHILD IS ELIGIBLE.

THEY FOUND THAT REPUBLICANS ARE MOST RESISTANT TO HAVING CHILDREN VACCINATED.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE OPPOSED TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL MOVING THIS YEAR'S ALL-STAR GAME OUT OF ATLANTA DUE TO GEORGIA'S NEW VOTER RESTRICTION LAW.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF TEXAS RESPONDED TO COMPANIES LIKE DALLAS BASED AMERICAN AIRLINES CRITICIZING GEORGIA'S LAW AND SIMILAR LAWS CONSIDERED IN TEXAS.

>> LET ME TELL YOU WHAT, MR. AMERICAN AIRLINES, I TAKE IT PERSONALLY.

YOU'RE QUESTIONING MY INTEGRITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE 18 REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED FOR THIS, WHEN YOU SUGGEST WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE, YOU ARE IN ESSENCE, CALLING US RACIST AND THAT WILL NOT STAND!

>> A NUMBER OF VOTER RESTRICTION LAWS FOCUS ON ABSENTEE AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE CONSIDERED IN THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE.

>>> THE U.S. ECONOMY IS ON PACE TO GROW AT FASTEST RATE SINCE 1984, ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND WHICH PREDICTS U.S. ECONOMIC GROWTH TO HIT A WHOPPING 6.4%.

THE IMF POINTS TO THE LATEST STIMULUS PACKAGE AS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE PROJECTED ECONOMIC BOOST.

>>> DAY SEVEN OF THE DEREK CHAUVIN MURDER TRIAL OF GEORGE FLOYD INCLUDED ATTORNEYS ASKING MINNEAPOLIS POLICE USE OF FORCE INSTRUCTOR IF SUSPECTS CAN FAKE AN EMERGENCY.

>> WHEN YOU'VE ARRESTED PEOPLE, HAVE YOU HAD PEOPLE PLEAD WITH YOU NOT TO ARREST THEM?

>> YES, SIR.

>> HAVE YOU HAD PEOPLE SAY THEY WERE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY?

>> YES, SIR.

>> WOULD YOU -- HAVE YOU HAD PEOPLE SAY I CAN'T BREATHE?

>> YES, SIR.

>> AND DO YOU -- WERE THERE CIRCUMSTANCES DURING THE COURSE OF THE CAREER WHERE YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT PERSON WAS HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

>> YES, SIR.

BRINGING ATTENTION AND AWARENESS TO ALL OF THE WORK THE NONPROFIT SECTOR IS DOING, AND HOPEFULLY CREATING SOME LASTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE NONPROFIT SECTOR.

TED: SO TALK TO US HOW THIS GOT STARTED?

THE IDEA, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN IN PLAY, AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING OUT THERE?

>> SO, ARIZONA GIVES DAY HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2013.

THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR NINTH ANNUAL EVENT.

IT'S OPEN YEAR AROUND FOR GIVING BUT WE HAVE A BIG EVENT TO BRING AWARENESS AND ATTENTION.

SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE $23 MILLION FOR ARIZONA NONPROFITS OVER THE YEARS, AND HOPING TO CONTINUE BUILDING UPON THE UPTICK IN THE PACE THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE PACE PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT HAPPENED ONCE THE PANDEMIC HIT?

>> SO LIKE EVERYONE, WE QUICKLY CHANGED GEARS, WE HAD A LOT OF NONPROFITS WHO MOVED IN-PERSON FUND-RAISING EVENTS TO ARIZONA GIVES ONLINE, AND HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT.

WE INCREASED GIVING BY 40% IN PART DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE NEED TO HAVE GIVING HAPPEN ONLINE.

WE RAISED 6.1 MILLION LAST YEAR AND, OF COURSE, HELPING TO HAVE DONATIONS COME IN OF AT LEAST THAT AMOUNT, IF NOT MORE THIS YEAR.

TED: THE NONPROFIT SECTOR IN GENERAL, IN TERMS OF DONATIONS, IN TERMS OF VOLUNTEERISM, WE'VE DONE STORIES OVER THE PAST YEAR THAT SUGGEST IT'S ROUGH OUT THERE FOR NONPROFITS.

HOW DOES IT STAND RIGHT NOW?

>> YEAH, SO WE JUST RECENTLY RELEASED A SURVEY.

WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE HAD 78% OF THE NONPROFITS SURVEYED HAD SOME SORT OF VOLUNTEER LOSS.

THAT NUMBER POLLED OVER 73,000 VOLUNTEERS.

NONPROFITS RELY HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEERS TO HELP THEM DO WORK.

PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND SO HAVING THAT MANY NONPROFITS LOSE BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OR AN ARM OF THEIR WORK HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT LOSS.

TED: AND IN TERMS OF FUND-RAISING, OBVIOUSLY, FEWER EVENTS, DECLINE IN DONATIONS, I WOULD IMAGINE JUST GOING VIRTUAL, THERE'S A COST INVOLVED THERE AS WELL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS HAD TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY OR INVEST IN A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING TO HOLD A VIRTUAL EVENT, AND ALL OF THOSE COME WITH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

OUR SURVEYS SHOW WE HAD $15 MILLION INCREASE IN EXPENSES FOR THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS THINGS FOR PPE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE ABIDING BY ANY RULES AND KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCING, THEY HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND MASKS BECAUSE SOME NONPROFITS DIDN'T COMPLETELY CLOSE, THEY HAD TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT NEEDED TO DO SO SAFELY.

TED: HAVE THE VARIETY NOW OF AID PACKAGES AND STIMULUS PLANS, HAVE THEY HIT THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, AND IF SO, HOW MUCH OF A HELP HAVE THEY BEEN?

>> THEY DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN A HELP FOR THE SECTOR, I THINK THOSE WHO HAD A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR BANKS WERE ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE.

THERE'S BEEN CHALLENGES FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE A LITTLE LARGER AND HAVE OVER 500 EMPLOYEES, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE REALLY SMALL ORGANIZATIONS WHO MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND QUITE AS LONG OR DIDN'T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED BANKING RELATIONSHIP, AND I KNOW THEY STRUGGLED IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO STAY AFLOAT.

TED: ALL OF THIS GOING ON AS DEMAND FOR SERVICES DURING A PANDEMIC, OBVIOUSLY, INCREASES.

>> THEY CERTAINLY WEREN'T EXPECTING THIS KIND OF INCREASE IN DEMAND, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN MORE PEOPLE COMING IN, ALONG WITH INCREASED EXPENSES AS WELL, SO IT CREATES A REAL SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE, AND YOU COUPLE THAT WITH LOSS OF VOLUNTEERISM TOO, AND YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE, IT'S QUITE THE QUANDARY TO FIGURE OUT.

FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS, OBVIOUSLY, THEY DIDN'T SEE AN INCREASE BUT HAD TO SIGNIFICANTLY FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WERE GOING TO PROVIDE THEIR PROGRAM TO THE PUBLIC AND CONTINUE THEIR MISSIONS AND GENERATE INTEREST IN WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT EACH AND EVERY MISSION, CAUSE, AREA, HAS BEEN AFFECTED, JUST IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

TED: LET'S HOPE WE GET ALL THIS TURNED AROUND, A LOT OF THINGS FOR THE PANDEMIC TURNED AROUND.

JENNIFER PURCELL OF ARIZONA GIVES NONPROFITS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

>> I HOPE EVERYONE CAN GIVE TO AZGIVES.ORG IF YOU'RE ABLE TO.

>>> UP NEXT, A LOOK AT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE COVID VACCINE DISTRIBUTION TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

.

TED: EARLIER IN THE SHOW, WE MENTIONED A BOOST IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO GET VACCINATIONS TO ARIZONA'S UNDERSERVED AREAS.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS TALKED WITH TOMAS LEONE OF THE ARIZONA EQUALITY HEALTH FOUNDATION.

>> SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

LAST TIME WE SAW YOU WE WERE DISCUSSING TESTING IN THE VALLEY AND PROBLEMS MAKING SURE EVERYBODY GOT TESTED.

NOW THE LATEST DATA FROM THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES SAYS MORE WHITE PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED THE VACCINATION THAN PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WHY IS THAT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING OFF OF OUR EXPERIENCE FROM THE COVID TEST WEARING WE SAW THE DISPARITIES HAPPEN AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ACCESS POINTS FOR TESTING IN THE DIVERSE, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

NOW WE'RE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, THE LARGE PODS WERE GREAT, AND IT REACHED A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT IT WASN'T REACHING THE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED, AFRICAN-AMERICANS, AS WELL AS THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, THEY'RE EXPERIENCING DISPARITIES AT A GREATER LEVEL THAN THE WHITE POPULATION, SO WE HAVE TO BRING THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INTO THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT THE HARDEST, SO THAT'S WHAT THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS SO WE CAN CREATE GREATER ACCESS TO THE VACCINE.

>> FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON ACCESS, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON?

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF HESITANCY AMONG COMMUNITIES OF COLORS, PERHAPS THE GREATER LEVEL OF DISTRUST?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S A LOT OF BARRIERS, HAVING TO REGISTER ONLINE AND NOT HAVING A BILINGUAL SYSTEM OR A CALL CENTER LINE, AND THE LOCATIONS OF THE VACCINES, BUT LET'S JUST SAY WE NOW HAVE THE VACCINE IN THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITIES.

NOW WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PERCEPTION AND HISTORICAL ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AROUND TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WITH THE VACCINE, AND THEN YOU HAVE LACK OF INFORMATION, NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION GETTING TO PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE RISK, THE BENEFITS AND SOME OF THE MYTHS.

FOR EXAMPLE, SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IF I GET THE VACCINE, THEY'RE GOING TO INJECT ME WITH THE VIRUS, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THERE'S A LOT OF MYTHS THAT WE HAVE TO BUST AND OVERCOME TO CREATE GREATER TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO STEP IN LINE TO GET YOUR VACCINE WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN.

>> WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF MISTRUST?

>> PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PUBLIC AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS.

SO WE'RE USING SOCIAL MEDIA, AND USING TRUSTED INFLUENCERS, DIVERSE NURSES AND DOCTORS AND PASTORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, GENERAL MEMBERS WHO ARE SHARING THEIR STORY.

WHY THEY TOOK THAT STEP?

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY?

SO THE MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT BUT THE MESSENGER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.

WE'RE DOING THAT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE PARTNERED WITH TELEMUNDO TO DO A TOWN HALL, TO TALK ABOUT THE MYTHS AND PERCEPTION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, AND THEN WE'VE DONE A LOT OF VIRTUAL TALKS AS WELL, SO ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VACCINE.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VACCINES AND THE RISK AND THE BENEFIT AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IT GET VACCINATED, SO THOSE ARE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE ACTIVATED, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE OF THAT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO AUGMENT THE STATE'S ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE CAMPAIGN.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT A BOOSTER SO IT REACHES DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN A CULTURALLY COMPETENT WAY IN THE RIGHT CHANNELS AND THE RIGHT APPROACHES AND THE RIGHT LANGUAGES TO BE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE.

>> SO AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR INTERVIEW HERE TODAY, YOU TALKED ABOUT ACCESS, AND WAS IT LAST WEEK THAT THERE WAS AN EFFORT BY YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND OTHERS TO TAKE THE VACCINATION SITE INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WAS IT, CORTEZ PARK?

>> IT IS ONE COMMUNITY IN THE INITIATIVE THAT WE ARE ACTIVATING, BRINGING THE HISPANIC, BLACK COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERS IN THE STATE AND COUNTY AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TOGETHER TO BRING THE VACCINE INTO THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND SO WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING COVID TESTING EVERY WEEKEND, TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, MOSTLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE, DOING THAT SINCE BACK IN MAY, AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WHEN WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE CITY OF PHOENIX, AND WALGREENS, BECAUSE THEY HAD AN ALLOCATION OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON SINGLE DOSE, AND THEY NEEDED TO GET IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BEFORE IT EXPIRED, WE SAID LET'S ATTACH IT TO COVID TESTING EVENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WE OFFERED COVID TESTING, WE OFFERED VACCINES, FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION, MASK DISTRIBUTION, PREVENTION EDUCATION, SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A 365 VACCINES TO INDIVIDUALS AT THAT EVENT AND WE PLAN ON DOING MORE WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP AND SCALING IT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ON THE WEST SIDE AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF PHOENIX.

>> SO THERE WILL BE OTHER LOCATIONS?

>> THERE WILL BE OTHER LOCATIONS, WE'RE PLANNING LARGER MICROPODS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.

PLANNING MICROSITES, STAND ALONE SITES, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AT LOCAL CHURCHES, AMERICAN LEGION POSTS, COUPLE OF THE MALLS AND MICROPOD OR POP-UP EVENTS WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING AROUND AS WELL, AND THEN A NETWORK OF HEALTH CARE PARTNERS WHO ARE QUALIFIED BY THE STATE AND THE COUNTY TO DISPENSE THE VACCINE, SO ALTOGETHER, THIS NETWORK, THIS COMMUNITY BASE OF MICROPOD MODEL WILL CREATE ACCESS AND REACH ABOUT HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ONCE WE FULLY ACTIVATE IT THIS MONTH TO SEPTEMBER, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACH THAT MANY PEOPLE SOONER.

THE SOONER WE CAN GET THE VACCINES IN THE ARMS AND WE CAN GET TO THE COMMUNITYWIDE IMMUNITY TOGETHER AND REJUMP-START THE ECONOMY AND RESTORE PUBLIC HEALTH AGAIN.

>> TWO QUESTIONS, NUMBER ONE, WILL THERE CONTINUE TO BE JOHNSON & JOHNSON ONE-SHOT VACCINATIONS, AND WHAT ABOUT THE AGE LIMIT?

THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY SAID WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY -- EVERYBODY OVER THE AGE OF 16 OR 18, DEPENDING ON THE VACCINE?

>> I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC THAT WE DROPPED THE AGE AND OPENED IT UP TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

NOW MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT CREATES FAIR AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE VACCINE.

WE HAVE REQUESTED MORE OF THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON SINGLE DOSE.

IT'S A ONE AND DONE.

IT'S SAFE, EFFECTIVE.

ELIMINATES A LOT OF THE LOGISTICS OF COMING IN FOR THE SECOND APPOINTMENT AND REQUEST THAT THE MODERNA AS WELL, THERE'S LESS REQUIREMENTS IN STORAGE, ET CETERA.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT EASY TO DISTRIBUTE IT AND GET SHOTS IN ARMS AND FIND A LOCATION, REGISTER FOR A LOCATION AND GET THE VACCINE SHOTS.

>> TOMAS LEON, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GRACIAS, THANK YOU.

.

TED: NICK BROWN IS A HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AT NOTRE DAME PREP.

A FEW YEARS AGO, HE NOTICED HOW iPHONES, TABLETS AND OTHER PERSONAL DEVICES WERE MAGNETS FOR DIRT AND GERMS.

HIS SOLUTION WAS TO USE UVC LIGHT, A POWERFUL MICROBE KILLER.

THE RESULT?

A NEW COMPANY CALLED CONNECT UV.

NICK, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

LET'S GET TO BASICS, WHAT IS CONNECT UV?

>> WELL, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY ENTREPRENEURIAL STORY AND HOPE IT INSPIRES OTHERS FIRST AND FOREMOST.

IT IS OUR FAMILY BUSINESS I FOUNDED IN MARCH OF 2020 WITH THE INSPIRATION OF A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND THE BUSINESS IDEA WAS DEVELOPED WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT THE POWER OF CHEMICAL FREE ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT ALSO KNOWN AS UVC.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, I REALIZED ALL OF OUR PERSONAL DEVICES AND PERSONAL ITEMS ARE PURE GERM MAGNETS AND RARELY CLEAN AND HOW DEPENDENT WE ARE ON PHONES AND LAPTOPS, ESPECIALLY TEENS LIKE ME.

THE ONLY TIME WE'RE NOT GLUED TO OUR PHONES IS WHEN THEY'RE CHARGING BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

ALL OF US WERE AWARE OF THE GERM RISK DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I WANTED A CHEMICAL SOLUTION TO CLEAN THE DEVICES AND CHARGE IT AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THE TIME TO CONNECT SOCIALLY FACE-TO-FACE.

TED: SO IT USES OBVIOUSLY THIS UVC LIGHT.

WHAT IS UVC LIGHT AND HOW DO YOU CAPTURE IT AND USE IT TO ZAP YOUR PERSONAL DEVICE?

>> UVC IS ALL NATURAL.

IT COMES FROM THE SUN BUT BLOCKED BY THE OZONE LAYER AND PROVEN TO KILL UP TO 99% OF GERMS AND BACTERIA BY SIMPLY DAMAGING THE CELLS AND UVC HAS BEEN AROUND FOR NUMEROUS YEARS, IT'S USED IN MEDICAL INDUSTRIES LIKE HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL LABS AND WE USE CONCENTRATED UVC TECHNOLOGY IN OUR PRODUCTS USED TO SANITIZE DEVICES IN OUR EVERYDAY ITEMS.

TED: YOU GOT YOUR DEVICE HERE.

IS CONNECT UV A THING THAT YOU PUT YOUR DEVICE ON, PUT YOUR DEVICE IN?

HOW DO THEY GET ZAPED?

>> WE HAVE TWO SIDES OF THE BUSINESS, THE FIRST SIDE IS THE PERSONAL DEVICE SOLUTION, ONE IS A SANITIZING WIRELESS CHARGER, YOU LAY YOUR PHONE ONTO THE CHARGER AND A LAMP THAT HAS A UVC LIGHT BUILT INTO IT ALONG WITH ANOTHER PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE WHICH IS MORE DESIGNED FOR PERSONAL ITEMS WHERE YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING INSIDE THE BOX, A FACEMASK, KEYS, WALLETS, IT COULD BE YOUR PHONE TOO AND LAY YOUR PHONE ON TOP TO CHARGE.

SO THOSE ARE HOW THE PRODUCTS WORK, AND THE BOX IS SUPER POPULAR BECAUSE YOU CAN SANITIZE YOUR FACEMASK OR WALLET IN AS LITTLE AS 60 SECONDS WHICH IS CRAZY.

TED: HOLY SMOKES, 60 SECONDS IS OPTIMAL TIME, ONCE YOU PICK IT UP AND USE YOUR PHONE, HOW LONG BEFORE IT NEEDS TO BE SANITIZED?

>> I LIKE TO SANITIZE MY PHONE EVERY DAY.

IF IT CAN KILL UP TO 99% OF GERMS, EVERY DAY IS ABOUT RIGHT.

TED: OKAY, SO EVERYDAY IS ABOUT RIGHT.

I GOT TO ASK.

WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I WAS PLAYING SPORTS AND DOING OTHER STUFF, I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT SANITIZING STUFF AND KEEPING IT FREE FROM GERMS.

WHAT GOT YOU THE IDEA.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, WHEN DID THIS HIT YOU, HEY, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA?

>> WELL, A FEW YEARS AGO, I ACTUALLY HAD THE IDEA OF IMPLEMENTING UVC LIGHT AND CHARGING SOLUTION THEY SAW AT NORDSTROM, AND EVER SINCE, IT WAS NEVER LIKE A BIG ISSUE TO PEOPLE TO SANITIZE THEIR PHONE BECAUSE EVER SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT, EVERYONE BECAME AWARE OF HOW DIRTY PHONES REALLY ARE, AND ESPECIALLY OTHER ITEMS TOO, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WOW, WE NEED TO SANITIZE, AND IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.

SO THAT'S HOW THE IDEA CAME ABOUT AND USED THE PANDEMIC TO LEVERAGE AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE GROWN SO BIG TODAY.

TED: MOM AND DAD, WHAT DO THEY THINK OF THIS IDEA?

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY FIRST GOT -- I'M SURE THEY ARE PROUD OF YOU NOW, WHEN YOU FIRST GOT STARTED, WHAT DID THEY THINK OF ALL THIS?

>> I GOT TO SAY, BACK THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I HAD THE IDEA, IT FLOATED AWAY, IN MARCH LAST YEAR, THEY WERE LIKE ENCOURAGING ME, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA, AND THEN EVER SINCE, WHEN IT'S GOTTEN -- THE COMPANY HAS GOTTEN BIGGER AND BIGGER, THEY WERE LIKE REALLY INVOLVED, AND MY MOM IN PARTICULAR, SHE'S INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS TO HELP ME OUT BECAUSE I'M IN SCHOOL FULL-TIME TOO, SO IT'S HARD TO BALANCE, BUT NOTHING I CAN'T DO.

TED: INDEED, I WAS GOING TO SAY JUDGING FROM WHAT I'VE READ, YOU WOUND UP STARTING THIS WITH YOUR UNCLE TOO, CORRECT?

>> YES, MY OTHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY, MY UNCLE AND COUSINS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO BE A PART OF THE VENTURE, THEY TRULY BELIEVE THIS WILL BE HUGE.

TED: CLASSMATES?

THEIR RESPONSE?

>> HONESTLY, I DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH, BUT I KIND OF PUT THEM IN A LITTLE BIT OF SHOCK, I THINK.

PEOPLE VIEW ME AS A CLASS CLOWN, SOMETIMES, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO ME THAN -- TED: APPARENTLY SO, CONNECT UV, YOU ARE ON THE GROUND RUNNING HERE.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COMPANY?

WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?

>> WELL, I HOPE TO GROW THIS TO A WORLDWIDE EMPIRE, WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND PRODUCT LINE MUCH LARGER.

WE'RE WORKING WITH TOP MANUFACTURERS OVERSEAS TO CUSTOM DESIGN GREAT NEW PRODUCTS.

ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE A UVC AIR PURIFIER WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN ESSENTIAL EVERYONE WILL HAVE, ONE WILL BE A PERSONAL SIZE AND ONE AN INDUSTRIAL SIZE.

A GYM, A DENTIST'S OFFICE, ANYWHERE YOU COULD THINK OF, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ONE.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE AIR IS SANITIZED AT ANY SETTING YOU'RE IN.

TED: I LOVE, IT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ONE, YOU'RE ON THE ROAD, YOU GOT THE SALE DOWN PRETTY GOOD.

NIC BROWN, CONGRATULATIONS ON CONNECT UV, I SEE A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR YOU AND THE PRODUCT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, SUBMITES AND COMMENTS AT -- .

TED: THAT IS IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

.

TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON CRONKITE NEWS, POTENTIAL HEALTH DANGERS FACING WOMEN FIREFIGHTERS AND WHAT'S BEING DONE TO KEEP FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE?

>>> ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE POLARIZING ISSUES SURROUNDING MASKS?

♪.

>> AN ARIZONA ANTIABORTION BILL IS JUST ONE VOTE AWAY FROM BEING SENT TO GOVERNOR DUCEY'S DESK.

WHAT THE TWO SIDES OF THE DEBATE ARE SAYING TONIGHT?

>>> PLUS THE DANGER OF BEING A FEMALE FIREFIGHTER GO BEYOND JUST FLAMES.

WHAT ONE STUDY DISCOVERED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS AND THE MEASURES UNDER WAY TO PROTECT THOSE WHO PROTECT US?

>>> ON BREAK IT DOWN, HOW WEARING A FACEMASK TURNED INTO A POLITICAL FIRESTORM.