[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ARIZONA HORIZON, WE HEAR FROM A LOCAL REPORTER ON THE CONTINUED CONFUSION OVER AN AUDIT OF BALLOTS FROM LAST YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL VOTE, AND LATER IN THE HOUR ON AND LATER IN THE HOUR, ON BREAK IT DOWN, DEALING WITH POST-PANDEMIC SOCIAL ANXIETY.

IT'S ALL COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER TWIST IN THE STATE SENATE'S AUDIT OF MARICOPA COUNTY PRESIDENTIAL VOTES FROM NOVEMBER.

A NEW JUDGE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO HEAR THE DEMOCRAT PARTY'S LAWSUIT.

THE OLD JUDGE IS OUT, A NEW JUDGE IS IN, THE ATTORNEY IS STILL THERE, AND TODAY'S HEARING NOW MOVED TO TOMORROW.

THE FLORIDA-BASED COMPANY LEADING THE AUDIT NOW WANTS THE HEARING TO BE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN ORDER TO KEEP THEIR PROCEDURES PRIVATE.

THE AUDIT TEAM HAS REFUSED TO REVEAL DETAILS ON WHO IS PAYING FOR THE AUDIT.

>>> CENSUS NUMBERS RELEASED TODAY SHOW THAT THE STATE'S POPULATION CAME IN JUST SHORT OF GETTING ANOTHER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT.

>>> ARIZONA REPORTED 750 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

NO NEW DEATHS CERTIFIED TODAY.

AS FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS THE STATE IS REPORTING SLIGHT INCREASES BUT NOTHING ME -- MAJOR.

>>> THE COUNTRY WILL NOW SHARE ARIZONA VACCINATIONS WITH INDIA.

>>> U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED A SWEEPING INVESTIGATION OF THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT, THIS COMES AFTER POLICE OFFICERS MISTAKENLY SHOT BREONNA TAYLOR OF HER HOME WAS RAIDED.

>> I CAN'T SAY I WAS ENTIRELY SURPRISED BY THE DOJ'S ANNOUNCEMENT.

AND I THINK FOR SOMEONE WHO TRULY BELIEVES THIS POLICE REFORM, AND DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY, I THINK IT IS A GOOD THING.

I THINK IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE POLICE REFORM, QUITE HONESTLY IS NEEDED IN NEAR EVERY AGENCY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OPENED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE LAST WEEK.

>>> AND THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TODAY ANNOUNCED IT WILL TAKE UP A SECOND AMEND CASE.

IT WILL LOOK INTO A NEW YORK LAW THAT LOOKS AT CONCEALED WEAPONS ISSUES.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THE STATE'S SENATE AUDIT OF MARICOPA COUNTY PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTS CONTINUE.

SOME OF THE CONCERNS STEM FROM THE REPORTING OF THE "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC'S" JEN FIFIELD WHO MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES WHEN SHE NOTED SOMETHING UNUSUAL.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH JEN EARLIER TODAY.

JEN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

YOU ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE OF YOUR REPORTING ON THE AUDIT.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE LATEST DOWN THERE AS FAR AS THE AUDIT IS CONCERNED?

>> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO FAR IT HAS BEEN PRETTY QUIET.

LIKE YOU SAID, THE COURT HEARING, WE MIGHT LEARN MORE FROM THERE, AND OUR TRAINING HAS SIGNED ON -- OR COALITION OF JOURNALISTS SIGNED ON TO A LAWSUIT TRYING TO GET THE PRESS MORE ACCESS TO THE SITE, AND TRYING TO GET THE DOCUMENTS NOT CONCEALED.

>> WHAT IS IT LIKE DOWN THERE?

ARE THEY TELLING YOU, YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, WHAT IS HAPPENED?

>> SO THERE WAS A FEW CONFRONTATIONS WHILE I WAS DOWN THERE.

THEY ARE REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT THE PRESS BEING AROUND RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE SOME OF THE REPORTS HAVE SHOWN THAT SECURITY DOESN'T GREAT, AT LEAST BEFORE THE AUDIT BEGAN, SO THEY WERE KIND OF MONITORING MY WHEREABOUTS WHERE WHILE I WAS THERE.

I COULDN'T HAVE ANY NOTEBOOKS.

THEY THOUGHT I WAS TRYING TO SNEAK AROUND.

I THOUGHT I HAD RULES TO FILE REPORTS WHILE I WAS THERE, AND THEY SAID WE NEVER GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO DO THAT, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH THE RULES.

>> AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED YOUR SHIFT -- I THINK MOST PEOPLE DON'T EXPECT REPORTS TO WORK IN A, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SHIFT, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET IN.

>> ACTUALLY, I HAD TOLD MY EDITORS I WANTED TO OBSERVE AND WRITE A STORY, AND THEN IT SEEMED LIKE THEY ARE BACKING UP, PRESS AREN'T GOING TO BE ALLOWED ANYMORE, UNLESS YOU SERVE AS AN OBSERVER, AND THAT HAD CHANGED.

SO THEN IT TURNS INTO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SERVE A SHIFT, AND THEN THEY WERE TELLING ME, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE AN OBSERVER, YOU CAN'T BE A REPORTER, IT MADE IT DIFFICULT.

>> AND I IMAGINE SOME OF THEIR HESITATION IN ALLOWING TOO MUCH, IF ANY PRESS ACCESS, COMES FROM YOU.

TALK TO US ABOUT HOW YOU FOUND BLUE PENS LAYING AROUND.

WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> YEAH, SO WHEN WE GOT OUR BRIEFING, WE WERE TOLD IF YOU SEE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, BRING IT UP TO US.

SO I SAW BLUE PENS AT EACH TABLE, AND ONE PERSON SAID THEY ARE GOING TO MARK IN THE BLUE PEN OR RED PEN, AND IF THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO FIX IT, IT WILL BE IN A BLUE PEN.

AND IT IS TAMPERING IN THE BALLOTS.

AND HE SAID IT IS JUST BACKING, AND THEN HE WENT AND CHECKED AND THEY REMOVED ALL OF THE BLUE AND REPLACED IT WITH GREEN, AND THAT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT I WAS SEEING WHILE I WAS THERE.

AND THE COUNTERING WITH TALKING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE MARKING WHILE THEY WERE GOING, AND THEN LOOKS AT EACH OTHER AND SAYING TRUMP OR BIDEN, AND I CALLED THAT TO THEIR ATTENTION, AND THEN HE JUST SAID WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHO WE'RE A -- MARKING RIGHT?

AND IT WASN'T WELCOME MUN INDICATED.

>> YEAH, YOU TALKED ABOUT APPROACHING KIM BENNETT AND THE CYBER NINJA GUY.

HOW ARE YOU BEING TREATED WHILE YOU ARE DOWN THERE?

>> WELL, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT ABOUT ME, RIGHT.

I THINK THE STORY IS ALWAYS ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING FOR MY WORK, BUT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TREATED AS IF I WAS ANY OTHER OBSERVER.

KIM BENNETT, THE CYBER NINJA, THEY WERE VERY APPROACHABLE THE WHOLE TIME.

SOME OF THE OTHER CONTRACTS I STRUGGLED WITH, AND THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T AUTHORIZED TO TALK TO THE PRESS.

I TRIED TO TALK TO THE OTHER OBSERVERS.

THE OTHERS SAID THEY HAD SIGNED NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS, SO THEY COULDN'T TALK TO THE PRESS.

>> WELL, YOU HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB.

CONGRATULATIONS.

JEN FIFIELD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> AND UP NEXT, ARIZONA'S ECONOMY IS SHOWING ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF GROWTH.

>>> A RECENT REPORT FROM ARIZONA'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY SHOWS THE STATE EXPERIENCING GROWTH IN A VARIETY OF AREAS.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH ASU ECONOMIST DENNIS HOFFMAN.

DENNIS HOFFMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ARIZONA LABOR FORCE SURPASSING PREPANDEMIC LEVELS.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

>> THE LABOR MARKET IS MUCH, MUCH HEALTHIER.

TOTAL EMPLOYED IS STILL DOWN.

TOTAL WORKING PEOPLE IN REAL JOBS IS DOWN ABOUT 100,000 SINCE PRE-PANDEMIC.

IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT OVERALL LABOR FORCE HAS ECLIPSED PRE-PANDEMIC.

IT IS ALL GOOD NEWS.

THIS IS ALL A VERY GOOD NEWS STORY.

WE WILL BE ABOVE IN REAL JOBS, IN WORKING PEOPLE, ABOVE PREPANDEMIC WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

WE'RE FLYING OUT OF IT.

>> I'M SEEING 16,000 JOBS ADDED IN MARCH.

>> YEAH, DOUBLE THE NORMAL MARCH, ROUGHLY, OR MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN DOUBLE, SO AT THIS PACE WE ARE REALLY GOING TO PICK JOBS BACK UP.

WE LOST 320,000 JOBS?

APRIL -- IN MARCH AND APRIL OF LAST YEAR, EACH MONTH AFTER THAT, WE HAVE BEEN RAPIDLY PICKING THEM UP, AND LIKE I SAY, WE'RE ONLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND SHORT NOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FLYING UP THERE.

WE'RE REALLY ADDING JOBS QUICKLY.

>> HOW IS THIS TRANSLATING TO PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH.

>> PI IS THE TOUGHEST NUMBER.

BECAUSE PERSONAL INCOME INCLUDES GOVERNMENT TRANSFERS, SO WHILE EVERYTHING WAS CRATERING IN Q2 OF LAST YEAR, PERSONAL INCOME WAS SURGING, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SENT FOLKS ALL OF THOSE CHECKS.

OVERALL WAGES AND SALARIES FROM REAL PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT REALLY HAS NOT TAKEN A HUGE HIT IN THIS, TED, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WHAT HAS BEEN HIT IS LOWER-INCOME SERVICE JOBS, AND FOR THOSE OF US THAT CAN STAY EMPLOYED AND BE ON ZOOM, THINGS ARE FINE.

>> ARIZONA POPULATION GROWTH, HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO THESE EQUATIONS?

>> WELL, IT HAS BEEN STRONG, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF OUR PANDEMIC YEAR.

POPULATION GROWTH CONTINUES TO BE PRETTY WELL.

BIRTHS OVER DEATHS, AND SADLY, OF COURSE, WITH THE COVID DEATHS, YOU KNOW, IT IS ERODING THE NATURAL GROWTH, BUT IT IS REALLY JUST A GREAT STORY, JOBS ALL AROUND ARE BEING CREATED IN THE STATE.

>> IT SEEMS THIS STATE IS BEING BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

>> IT IS.

IT IS A SHARPER GROWTH TRAJECTORY.

WE ARE VERY BUSINESS FRIENDLY.

WE HAVE BEEN MORE OPEN THAN OTHER STATES, AND IT HAS BENEFITED THE ECONOMIC REBOUND.

>> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN TRENDING UP.

AND YOU ARE THINKING THIS ECONOMIC MOMENTUM WILL CONTINUE?

>> OH, I DO.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO PUT A MONKEY WRENCH IN THE REAL ESTATE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A MANUFACTURING SECTOR THAT IS GROWING REMARKABLY FAST IN THIS STATE.

AND THAT IS GOOD PUBLIC POLICY, GOOD TAX POLICY, INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, AND STRONG UNIVERSITIES THAT ATTRACT THOSE MANUFACTURERS, AND THERE'S MORE DEMAND FOR DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING, WHICH IS WHY INTEL IS EXPANDING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

DENNIS HOFFMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> UNTIL NEXT TIME, TED, BE WELL, AND HANG IN THERE.

>>> THERE ARE NOW NINE STATES THAT ALLOW FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DIEING.

THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ARIZONA.

OUR NEXT GUEST, DR. TOM FITCH IS WORKING TO CHANGE THAT.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.

GIVE US THE BEST DEFINITION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

MEDICAL AID IN DIEING IS REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING EXCELLENCE IN END OF LIFE CARE.

IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROVIDERS, CAREGIVERS, TO ALLOW A PHYSICIANS TO CHOOSE THEIR TIME OF DEATH.

THIS IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS.

THEY HAVE CAPACITY FOR MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS, AND THEY MUST BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER THE MEDICATIONS THEMSELVES.

BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT HASTENING SOMEONE'S DEATH.

OUT IS ALLOWING THEM TO DECIDE, GIVE THEM THE POWER IF THEY DEVELOP SYMPTOMS, THEN THEY HAVE A MEANS TO DIE.

THEY TAKE MEDICATIONS, AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO STRUCTURE THEIR OWN DEATH.

THEY CAN HOPEFULLY BE AT HOME, OFTEN THAT'S WHERE THIS CAN OCCUR, SURROUNDED BY FAMILY, AND THEY TAKE MEDICATION THAT CAUSES THEIR DEATH FAIRLY QUICKLY.

>> HAS YOUR VIEWS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS ON THIS ISSUE?

>> YES.

I WAS A MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST FOR 33 YEARS, BUT TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF MY CAREER, I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WERE LIMITATIONS IN HOW WE PROVIDED END OF LIFE MEDICATIONS FOR PATIENTS.

AND TO SUGGEST THAT ALL DEATHS ARE PEACEFUL AND COMFORTABLE IS JUST WRONG, AND THERE WERE DIFFICULT DEATHS, AND SO THERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHERE DEATHS ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, AND I THINK AID IN DIEING CAN MAKE THEM PEACEFUL, AND AGAIN, A DEATH IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PATIENT WOULD LIKE.

>> OBVIOUSLY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.

THIS HAS INTRODUCED AT THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE FOR YEARS.

ARE WE GETTING CLOSER?

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AT THE CAPITOL?

>> WELL, THE GROUP, REALLY, WE'RE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WE ARE TRYING TO PASS THE LAW FOR AID IN DIEING IN ARIZONA.

WE ORGANIZED IN 2019.

AND OUR GOAL WAS EDUCATION OF OUR LEGISLATURES AND THE PUBLIC.

UNFORTUNATELY THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED AGAIN, BUT THE WAY THE LEGISLATURE IS STRUCTURED IT GOES TO COMMITTEE, BUT IT HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN HEARD IN THE COMMITTEE, AND WE HAD NO MORE SUCCESS THIS YEAR EITHER, SO WE'LL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS AND, AGAIN, FOCUS ON EDUCATION OF PROVIDERS, THE PUBLIC THE LEGISLATURE, AND TO TRY TO GET PAST SOME OF THE MYTHS CREATED.

>> WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING SHORT ON TIME, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I CAN'T ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL SITUATION.

AS FAR AS YOU CAN COMFORTABLE, TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR CONDITION, YOUR DIAGNOSIS, AND PROGRESS NOTICE >> IN THE SUMMER OF 2018, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LYMPHOMA.

I'M STILL ON TREATMENT, BUT I'M DOING FAIRLY WELL.

THE CANCERS ARE STILL THERE.

AND FORTUNATELY I TOLERATE TREATMENT PRETTY WELL.

I WOULD LIKE AID IN DIEING TO BE ABLE.

I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD DO THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A DECISION THAT PATIENTS MAKE AS ILLNESS PROGRESSES.

IT'S A SENSE OF CONTROL THAT IF THINGS BECOME DIFFICULT THAT PATIENTS HAVE AN OPTION.

>> AND DOCTOR, LAST QUESTION HERE.

FOR THOSE WHO SAY THIS IS SUICIDE BY ANOTHER NAME, IT'S NEITHER MORAL NOR ETHICAL, IT TAKES AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A MIRACLE DRUG COMING DOWN THE PIKE, HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> YEAH, IN TERMS OF SUICIDE, I WOULD ADDRESS FIRST, THIS IS NOT SUICIDE.

THIS IS PEOPLE WHO ARE DIEING.

AND THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN IS PATIENTS WHO ARE DECIDING AND NOT SUICIDE.

EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN SCREENED.

THERE'S NO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

WELL, ALL OF THOSE ARE DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY WHO COMMITS SUICIDE, WHEN OFTEN COMMONLY THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

OFTEN SUICIDE IS VIOLENT.

FAMILIES DON'T KNOW, SO IT'S DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT THAN SUICIDE.

ALSO IN TERMS OF THE MORAL ETHICAL ISSUES, I LIKE THE STATEMENT THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION -- YOU KNOW, THAT OPPOSING USES CAN COME WITH THE SAME VALUES WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS, ET CETERA, BUT COME DO DIFFERENT MORAL CONCLUSIONS, BUT COME DO THEM IN GOOD FAITH.

I THINK PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN, AGAIN, HAVE SIMILAR VALUES, COME AGAIN TO DIFFERENT MORAL CONCLUSION.

BUT WE RESPECT PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO PURSUE AID IN DIEING, AND ALL OF THE LAWS ALLOW THAT, AND WE ASK THAT THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED THAT THEY RESPECT THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF AID IN DIEING.

>> DOCTOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> ARIZONA PBS WILL AIR "WHEN MY TIME COMES" LOOK LOOKS AT BOTH SIDES OF THE AID IN DIEING ISSUE.

THAT COMES TONIGHT AT 11:00.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪ >>> COMING UP LATER IN THIS HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE FEAR THAT SOME ARE EXPERIENCING ABOUT RESUMING POST-PANDEMIC ACTIVITIES.