
07-13-21: Valley Fever, Construction Prices, Latinx
Season 2021 Episode 141 | 27mVideo has Closed Captions
Valley Fever season, Construction prices on the rise, Latinx term only used by 3 percent
It’s dust storm season and that poses medical concerns when it comes to Valley Fever. Construction costs are increasing at historic rates, making for a rapid rise in new home prices. A survey by the Pew Research Center shows that about 3 percent of people use the term "Latinx" as an alternative to describe the nation’s Hispanic population.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Arizona Horizon is a local public television program presented by Arizona PBS

07-13-21: Valley Fever, Construction Prices, Latinx
Season 2021 Episode 141 | 27mVideo has Closed Captions
It’s dust storm season and that poses medical concerns when it comes to Valley Fever. Construction costs are increasing at historic rates, making for a rapid rise in new home prices. A survey by the Pew Research Center shows that about 3 percent of people use the term "Latinx" as an alternative to describe the nation’s Hispanic population.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Arizona Horizon
Arizona Horizon is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSA [ TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ] >>> -- TO DETAIN AND ARREST THOSE WHO WERE ARSENT.
PRESIDENT BIDEN ADDRESSED WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TEXAS AND OTHER STATEDS.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT REPUBLICAN-LEAD EFFORTS TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO THE BALLOT ARE BASED ON THE PARTY'S ABILITY TO ACCEPT IS DEFEAT.
>> IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN, AND YOU LOSE, YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS.
YOU FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION.
YOU TRY AGAIN.
YOU DON'T CALL FACTS FAKE JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE UNHAPPY.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THAT'S NOT STATESMANSHIP.
IT'S SELFISHNESS.
>>> IN ECONOMIC NEWS, THE U.S. CONSUMER PRICE INDEX JUMPED 5.4% LAST MONTH, THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN 13 YEARS.
USED CARS AND TRUCKS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE INCREASE.
>>> IT'S DUST-STORM SEASON AND THAT POSES MEDICAL CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO VALLEY FEVER.
WE SPOKE TO A DOCTOR ABOUT WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO AVOID IT.
DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
IS THERE A TIME OF YEAR FOR VALLEY FEVER?
>> THERE IS.
IT IS A FUNGUS.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH IN ARIZONA YOU TEND TO SEE A REALLY HIGH NUMBER OF GROWTH AFTER A REALLY STRONG RAIN.
SO WHEN WE GET INTO LATE FALL AND GET INTO OUR NORMAL WINTER RAIN, IT WILL BE THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THE ORGANISM BEING PRESENT.
WHERE IT GOES FROM AN INFECTION PERSPECTIVE IS WHEN THAT CHANGES.
WHEN THE SUMMER COMES, THE SOILS DRY OUT, AND IT IS AT THAT TIME OF YEAR, THE SUMMERS WHERE WE SEE THE DRY CONDITIONS, THE BLOOMS AND DUST STORMS, AND THAT'S WHEN THOSE EXPOSURES TYPICALLY OCCUR.
>> SO THE RAIN GETS THIS STUFF STARTED, AND THEN CAN BE PASSED ALONG IN THE ATMOSPHERE, AND THAT'S WHEN IT HITS.
ALL RIGHT.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE VALLEY FEVER?
>> SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
SO VALLEY FEVER FOR MOST PEOPLE, THEY ARE EXPOSED TO INFECTIONS AND YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAD IT.
THE OTHER THIRD TO 50% WILL HAVE SYMPTOMS SIMILAR TO INFLUENZA, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE FEVER, CHILLS, FATIGUE, COUGH, BUT IT'S UNLIKE A LOT OF THESE FLU-LIKE ILLNESSES THAT ARE CAUSED BY VIRUSES, AND CAN TEND TO LAST FOR WEEKS TO MONTHS BEFORE IT CAN RESOLVE ON ITS OWN.
GO AHEAD.
>> IF YOU HAVE LIVED HERE LONG ENOUGH, YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN EXPOSED TO VALLEY FEVER?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
THEY CAN DO A TEST AND LOOK FOR A DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANTIGEN RESPONSE, AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THESE AREAS QUITE QUICKLY BECOME EXPOSED.
AND MOST PEOPLE WILL EITHER NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AND THEN HAVE LONG-TERM IMMUNITY.
AND THEY WILL HAVE A RESPONSE.
>> SO WHEN DOES EXPOSURE BECOME INFECTION?
AND WHEN DOES IT BECOME AN ILLNESS?
>> SOME OF THE STUDIES HAVE STONE AS LITTLE AS ONE CELL IS ENOUGH TO MAKE AN INFECTION.
BUT IT IS ALSO DOSE DEPEND DEPENDANT, SO SOMEONE WHO HAS INHALED A LARGE AMOUNT OF DUST PARTICLES THAT HAVE THE FUNGI IN IT, THE MORE LIKELY YOU WILL HAVE APPARENT SYMPTOMS.
>> SO WE'RE TALKING VIRAL LOAD HERE.
IS THERE ANY RELATIONSHIP AT ALL BETWEEN COVID AND VALLEY FEVER?
>> NOT SO MUCH.
VALLEY FEVER IS A FUNGI, WHERE COVID-19 IS A VIRUS.
THE ONLY THING COULD BE THE INITIAL PRESENTATION.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS THOSE INFLUENZA-LIKE SYMPTOMS, THERE IS A CHANCE -- ESPECIALLY NOW THAT COVID IS PREVALENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND VALLEY FEVER IS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY COULD BE SIMILAR.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE HAVE STEPPED IN AND UTILIZED MY LAB, SO THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN IT TAKES WEEKS EVEN MONTHS BEFORE THESE PATIENTS ARE DIAGNOSED BY THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.
SO PART OF MY LAB'S QUEST IS TO LOOK TO SEE IF THIS CHRONIC SYMPTOM, COULD BE TESTED?
>> BEST TREATMENTS?
WHAT IS OUT THERE.
WHEN YOU GET VALLEY FEVER IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WAIT IT OUT?
>> IF YOU ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, PROBABLY.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN -- IT'S CONTROVERSIAL, BUT IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TOO THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN POPULATIONS LIKE AFRICAN OR FILIPINO HERITAGE SHOW MORE OF A RESPONSE TO IT.
WOMEN IN THE FIRST TRIMESER OF PREGNANCY WOULD BE MORE AT HIS -- RISK.
>> THANK YOU, SIR FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> UP NEXT, A LOOK AT WHY NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE SKYROCKETING.
>>> CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE INCREASING AT HISTORIC RATES, MAKING FOR A RAPID RISE IN NEW HOME PRICES.
WE ASKED MATT GUELICH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ROBSON COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHY CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE SO HIGH.
MATT GUELICH, WELCOME, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO TALK TO US ABOUT CONSTRUCTION COSTS HERE.
THEY ARE SKYROCKETING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SALES, GETTING BACK TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY ARE NORMAL TERMS, BUT IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH ROAD WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHERE THE MATERIALS ARE COMING FROM, IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE PRICE OF MATERIALS, SO WE'RE SEEING THINGS JUST -- INCREASING COSTS AND INCREASE IN DIFFICULTY GETTING MATERIALS.
>> IS LUMBER STILL THE BIGGY.
>> LUMBER IS THE BIGGEST PERCENTAGE INCREASE ACROSS THE ENTIRE MARKET, AND HAS HAD THE MOST IMPACT.
>> I HAVE ALSO READ THE WINTER STORMS IN TEXAS THAT WERE SO DRASTIC THERE, THEY ARE EFFECTING SOME SUPPLY CHAINS AS WELL.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> THAT IS TRUE.
IT HAS EFFECTED NUMEROUS PRODUCTS, INCLUDING PAINT.
IT HAS EFFECTED EPOXYS, AND INSULATION, ANYTHING THAT HAS GLUES IT HAS EFFECTED.
AND ONE OF THE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES HAD SEVERAL PIPES FREEZE AND SEVERELY IMPACTED WHAT WAS A DISRUPTED PRODUCTION FACILITY, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH PRODUCTION, AND WE HAVE HAD TO FOR THE FIRST TIME NOT HAVE PAINTS BE READY AND NOT HAVE CERTAIN MATERIALS NOT BE AVAILABLE THAT WE WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT AFTER, BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF RAW MATERIALS THAT INTO INTO PAINTS AND VINYLS AND GLUES.
>> WHAT HAS IT DONE AS FAR AS NEW-HOME PRICES ARE CONCERNED?
>> WELL, I THINK YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOARD, INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN NEW-HOME PRICES.
AND WE LOOK MONTH BY MONTH, WEEK BY WEEK, TO SEE WHAT COST IMPACTS THERE ARE, AND SEE WHAT OUR CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS NEED TO ACTUALLY KEEP THE SUPPLY CHAIN MOVING.
SO WE HAVE MET WEEKLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR COSTS, AND STAY WITH THE MARKET WITH ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
AND THESE CHANGES USED TO HAPPEN QUARTERLY, AND NOW THEY ARE HAPPENING ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS, SO IT IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN HOW WE PRICE OUR HOMES.
>> IS THE SCARCITY OF RESOURCES POSSIBLY LOOKING AT A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT HOME-BUILDING?
>> I HOPE NOT FOR THE LONG TIME -- OR LONG FUTURE, BUT CURRENTLY, YES, IT IS.
IT IS HAVING SUCH AN IMPACT, AND NOT HAVING ALL OF THE MATERIALS AND SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES, IT'S HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE WAY HOMES ARE SOLD, AND WHAT BUILDERS ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE?
O -- >> ARE PROJECTS BEING PUT OFF BECAUSE OF THIS?
>> I BELIEVE SO.
SOME BUILDERS HAVE STOPPED PROJECTS, SOME SELLERS HAVE STOPPED BUILDING HOMES, AND WE HAVE SLOWED DOWN STARTS TO ENSURE THERE ARE MATERIALS AND MANPOWER OUT THERE TO HANDLE THE NUMBER OF HOMES WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD.
AND WE HAVE PUT REDUCTIONS OR CAPS ON OURSELVES TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF HOMES THAT WE HAVE IN BACKLOG AND ALSO TRY TO, REALLY, UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MARKET IS DEMANDING, AND WHAT OUR ABILITY IS TO PRODUCE.
SO WE'LL HAVING TO LOOK AT THINGS MORE HOLISTICALLY ON HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY BUILD.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING.
IT SOUNDS FROM A DISTANCE LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A DEMAND SURGE.
A LOT OF DEMAND, AND YOU JUST CAN'T MEET IT RIGHT NOW?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THE DEMAND IS FAR OUTWEIGHING THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE.
>> I HAVE READ SOME ARE SAYING THIS COULD BE AN INDUSTRY-KILLING EVENT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?
>> IT DOES.
IT IS A UNIQUE MARKET BECAUSE IT IS SO VOLATILE.
WE CERTAINLY HOPE IT DOESN'T KILL THE INDUSTRY.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE MOMENTUM AFTER SEEING THE MARKET IN PROGRESS FOR SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, IT HAS BEEN A BLESSING, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST GROWING SO FAST, AND AT SUCH A PACE THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEXT MOVE IS.
>> YEAH, MATT GUELICH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
♪ >>> A SURVEY BY THE PUGH RESEARCH CENTER SHOWS ABOUT 3% OF PEOPLE USE THE TERM LATIN XAS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DISCHIROPRACTOR THE HISPANIC POPULATION.
"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS TALKED TO MEGAN FIGUEROA ABOUT WHY THE TERM IS STIRRING UP THE DEBATE.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I KNOW YOU DID AN INTERVIEW RECENTLY ON THE RADIO, AND YOU SAID SOMETHING LINE THE TERM LATIN-X IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DESCRIBE THE HISPANIC POPULATION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
A LOT OF FOLKS BELIEVE IT IS THE SO-CALLED IVORY TOWER THAT IS IMPOSING THIS TERM DOWN BELOW, BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, THAT THE SO-CALLED IVORY TOWER FOLKS ARE JUST FOLLOWING WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING IN THIS SENSE.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE TERM?
>> WELL, OF COURSE THIS IS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL TERM.
SOME PEOPLE THINK IT HASN'T BEEN AROUND VERY LONG, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT THEMSELVES.
BUT I HAVE HEARD AT LEAST 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO THAT PEOPLE IN GUATEMALA AND OTHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN USING IT.
>> AND WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE TERM?
THERE WAS AN INDICATION IN THE INTRODUCTION I GAVE, WAS THAT IT IS INTENDED TO BE GENDER INCLUSIVE.
EXPLAIN THAT.
>> YES, IN SPANISH THERE IS GRAMMATICAL GENDER, AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE THINK OF THE SOCIAL GENDER, IT IS JUST GRAMMATICAL GENDER, AND IT'S STUCK IN THIS GENDER BINARY ADDING A FEMININE OF MASCULINE MEANING.
SO IT GETS RID OF THAT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE OF OTHER PEOPLE, SO THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANIES A ANIES A -- ANY ASSUMPTIONS.
>> A RECENT POLL, AT LEAST 75% IN THE LATIN COMMUNITY DON'T EVEN USE THE TERM.
AND OF THOSE THAT DO ONLY 3% ARE COMFORTABLE USING IT.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN GIVEN THAT DISPARITY THAT EXISTED?
>> I THINK FOR ONE, YOU TAKE THOSE THINGS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
THAT IS SOMETHING I LEARNED IN MY PhD PROGRAM.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, JUST THE QUALITY OF THE MEASURE OF GETTING THOSE NUMBERS, ANOTHER THING COULD BE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T IDENTIFY AS NON-BINARY AND THAT IS OKAY.
I MYSELF STILL GO BY LATINA, BUT I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH LATIN X.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T IDENTIFY WITH THESE TERMS, SO THEY DON'T USE THEM, SO THAT COULD BE EFFECTING THE NUMBERS AS WELL.
ANOTHER THING COULD BE, JUST THE AGE OF THE GROUP IN QUESTION.
A LOT OF OUR OLDER FOLKS IN THE U.S. ARE SPANISH SPEAKING, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SPANISH SPEAKING ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE TERM LATIN X -- I SHOULD SAY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE TERM -- >> AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE ACADEMIA -- >> RIGHT.
RIGHT.
>> SO IS THIS A GENERATIONAL THING?
>> I DON'T WANT TO -- TO SAY THAT IT IS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE AGEIST SO SUGGEST THAT OLD -- OLDER FOLKS ARE NOT WILLING TO -- TO USE THESE TERMS AND TO BE OPEN TO NON-BINARY FOLKS OR ALL OF THESE IDENTITIES, BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE GENERATIONAL BECAUSE OF THE SPANISH-SPEAKING ELEMENT, AND A LOT OF SPANISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT THIS IS KIND OF HARMFUL TO SPANISH.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING.
>> WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO THINK THAT THIS DIMINISHES SUBGROUPS, SUP AS MEXICANS, AND DOMINICANS AND SO FORTH?
>> WELL, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO.
I DON'T USE THE WORD HISPANIC, PERSONALLY.
I THINK THAT IMPLIES THAT WE ARE ALL SPANISH-SPEAKING, BUT WE ARE NOT.
AND YOU CAN ALWAYS -- IF SOMEONE SAYS CAN YOU PLEASE CALL ME CHICNO?
AND THAT IS FINE.
>> THAT USED TO BE A BIT OF A CONTROVERSIAL TERM, AND MAYBE THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN WITH LATIN X.
>> AND [ INAUDIBLE ] LANGUAGE CHANGES, AND THAT IS OKAY.
>> AND YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PODCAST, RIGHT?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>>> 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 A RUGBY ATHLETE'S PASSION TAKES HIM TO TOKYO FOR THE PARALYMPIC NAMES.
AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISING ON SOCIAL ISSUES.
♪

- News and Public Affairs

Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.

- News and Public Affairs

FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world.












Support for PBS provided by:
Arizona Horizon is a local public television program presented by Arizona PBS