[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE FEDERAL EVICTION MORATORIUM IS ENDING.

WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ARIZONA TENANTS AND LANDLORDS.

AT THE DEBATE ON TEACHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN ARIZONA SCHOOLS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, ARE MOVIE THEATERS, AS WE KNOW THEM, A THING OF THE PAST?

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

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

CYBER-NINJAS THE COMPANY RUNNING THE MARICOPA COUNTY BALLOTS, ARE RUN BY A HANDFUL OF ORGANIZATIONS ESTABLISHED TO FORMER PARTICIPATE DONALD TRUMP.

ORGANIZATIONS ON THE LIST INCLUDE SYDNEY POWELL, MICHAEL FLYNN AND MEMBERS OF ONE AMERICA NEWS NETWORK.

RELEASE OF THE INFORMATION COMES WEEKS AFTER LAWSUITS WERE FILED BY THE ARIZONA REPUBLICAN AND ANOTHER GROUP.

>>> PFIZER SAYS THAT NEW DATA IS SHOWING THAT A THIRD VACCINE WILL ADD MORE PROTECTION AGAINST THE COVID-19.

>> NO AMERICAN NEEDS A BOOSTER NOW.

>> THE U.S.

SURGEON GENERAL ADDED A DECISION WILL NOT BE MADE BY PFIZER BUT BY THE CDC AND THE FDA.

>>> ISRAEL APPROVED A THIRD VACCINE OF THE PFIZER VACCINE.

>>> RESEARCH OUT OF ARGENTINA SHOWS THAT COVID MAY LEAD OLDER ADULTS WITH SYMPTOMS OF BRAIN FOG AND FORGETFULNESS.

>>> OTHER NEWS, THE FOUNDER AND FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF PHOENIX-BASED NIKOLA MOTORS HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF FRAUD.

>> IN SEPTEMBER 2020, THE MARKET LEARNED ABOUT SOME OF MILTON'S FALSE CLAIMS.

MILTON RESIGNED IN RESPONSE, AND IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING, THE PRICE OF NICKLAS DROPPED MORE THAN 40%, AND AS A RESULT INVESTORS SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL LOSSES, COMPROMISING THEIR FINANCIAL SECURITY.

>> NICKLAS SAYS THAT MILTON HAS HAD NO INVOLVEMENT WITH THE COMPANY SINCE RESIGNING LAST FALL.

>>> AN IDAHO-BASED COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WILL BUILD A LITHIUM-ION IN BUCKEYE.

THE COMPANY SAYS THIS WILL BE THE NATION'S FIRST LITHIUM-ION MANUFACTURING COMPANY WHOLLY OWNED BY A U.S. COMPANY.

>>> AND THE MAYOR OF MILWAUKEE ACCEPTED A GROUP OF GOODIES TODAY.

>> SHE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEAR THE JERSEY AT A COUNCIL MEETING.

>> THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY GOOD-NATURED BET.

WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE OUR WORLD CHAMPION BUCKS.

>> THE PAY OFF INCLUDES SEVERAL OTHER ARIZONA ITEMS.

>>> WE TALKED TO CYNTHIA ZWICK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WILDFIRE WHICH ADVOCATES FOR FAIR PRACTICES IN ENDING POVERTY.

THANK YOU FORTALKING TO US AS THE FEDERAL MORATORIUM ENDS ON SATURDAY.

THE INITIAL MORATORIUM WAS JUNE 30TH.

THAT WAS EXTENDED, AND HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE?

>> I THINK IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

AS SOON AS WE KNEW THE MORATORIUM WAS GOING TO BE EXTENDED, THERE WAS A FULL-ON PUSH TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> OKAY.

SO -- >> I THINK THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE SERVED IN THAT TIME FRAME.

>> OKAY.

WITH THAT IN MIND NOW, WHAT HAPPENS -- HAVE YOU HEARD ANY TALK OF THIS BEING EXTENDED?

>> NO, AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE HEARD WAS THAT THIS WAS BE THE LAST ONE.

WE'RE ALWAYS HOPEFUL THAT WILL CHANGE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS BELIEF THAT WILL HAPPEN.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ARIZONA RENTERS?

>> IT MEANS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SCRAMBLE.

ASU RECENTLY RELEASED A SURVEY WHERE THEY INDICATED THAT JUST IN THE PHOENIX METRO AREA, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF UP TO 80,000 FAMILIES THAT COULD BE IMPACTED.

WHAT WE KNOW IS LIKELY THERE WILL BE FAMILIES WHO LOSE THEIR HOMES.

AND IT WON'T HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF LANDLORDS FILING FOR EVICTION.

SO IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE DEVASTATING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

>> WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE IS OUT THERE?

>> THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE MONEY AVAILABLE, AND THAT WILL BE ONGOING, SO THAT SUPPORT DOES NOT END, BUT THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH IS BEING ADMINISTERED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THE MONEY IS STILL AVAILABLE AND THE APPLICATIONS ARE STILL BEING TAKEN, SO ANYONE WHO IS FACING AN INABILITY TO PAY, SHOULD STILL APPLY, WHEREVER THEY LIVE, THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY, AND AS IMPORTANTLY THEY SHOULD REACH OUT TO THEIR LANDLORD IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY.

I THINK THAT CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A RENTER RIGHT NOW, SO WE COULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO APPLY.

THE MONEY WILL BE ABLE FOR A WHILE, AND THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IS NOT EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME TIME FRAME IN AN -- EVICTION PROCESS, AND FAMILIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY.

SO EVEN THOUGH THOUGH MORATORIUM ENDS, THE PROVISION OF SERVICES WILL NOT END.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE ONE CONSTANT IS THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT -- THE MONEY IS THERE.

THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY ALLOCATED TO THE STATE AND PHOENIX, AND YET A LOT OF MONEY IS STILL SITTING THERE.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT?

>> YES, I DON'T THINK IT IS AS MUCH A PROBLEM OF FOLKS APPLYING, BUT THERE IS A HUGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROGRAM.

THE OTHER THING THAT IS HAPPENING IS WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED, IT WAS AN ONEROUS PROGRAM.

THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGAGEMENT OF A LANDLORD, SO ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION, AND ONCE IT'S IN THE SYSTEM AND HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY A CASEWORKER, AND THEN THERE'S A CALCULATION OF WHAT THE ACTUAL BENEFIT IS GOING TO BE BY FAMILY.

IT VARIETIES DEPENDING ON THE ARRANGEMENTS ON THEIR PAYMENTS AND UTILITIES.

SO THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO BE DETERMINED ELIGIBLE, AND THE CASEWORKER HAS TO BE -- BASED ON 12-MONTHS OF SERVICE, HOW MUCH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF REVIEW AND DETERMINATION, AND THE PROGRAM IS A COMPLICATED ONE, SO IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THROUGH, AND I THINK THAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

>> YEAH, AND GETTING THE WORLD OUT AS WELL.

CYNTHIA ZWICK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WILDFIRE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD INFORMATION.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A LOOK AT HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED TOURISM IN THE STATE.

>>> THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM HAS RELEASED ITS YEARLY REPORT FOR 2020, THE NUMBERS SHOW HOW THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED THE INDUSTRY AND HOW ARIZONANS HELP LEAD THE REBOUND.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH DEBBIE JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

BEFORE WE GET TO THE REPORT FOR LAST YEAR, WHERE DO WE STAND RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS TOURISM IN THE STATE?

>> TOURISM IS COMING BACK AND COMING BACK STRONG, AND THAT'S FANTASTIC.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PENT-UP DEMAND, AND THAT HAS BEEN GREAT TO HELP BRING TOURISM BACK, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO OUR ARIZONA RESIDENTS.

BUT THE PLACES WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR ARE THAT BUSINESS-GROUP TRAVEL, AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, AND THEN OF COURSE THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER, AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO ARIZONA.

SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT WHEN IT'S TIME.

>> YEAH.

AND THESE NUMBERS ARE ABSOLUTELY STUNNING.

TOURIST SPENDING DOWN -- THAT WAS A RECORD HIGH, BUT NOW THEY ARE DOWN 41% FOR LAST YEAR, THAT IS A LOT OF TAX REVENUE.

>> IT IS DEVASTATING.

AND WE FORGET THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE BIG RESORTS OR AIRPORTS OR CONVENTION CENTERS, A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR RESTAURANTS, OUR MUSEUMS THAT REALLY DEPEND ON THIS FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

>> YEAH, OVERSEAS DOWN 84%, AND YET A THIRD OF DOMESTIC OVERNIGHT TRAVELERS FROM ARIZONA.

>> YEAH.

WE WORKED HARD TO PROMOTE THAT IN-STATE TRAVEL TALKED ABOUT OUR OPEN SPACES, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO BE OUTSIDE, AND WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE SO MANY OF THOSE PLACES.

>> AND A LOT OF PLACES GOT HIT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH DID SOME OF THIS FEDERAL MONEY COMING IN HELP THE INDUSTRY?

>> WE GOT A $4 MILLION CARES ACT EARLY ON THAT OUR PARTNERS WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR.

WE TALKED ABOUT A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND WE SAW SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAD NOT BEEN OUT BEFORE.

BUT THIS NEW MONEY COMING FROM AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS WILL BE GIVEN OUT IN GRANTS, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S OVER $100 MILLION.

AND IT WILL BE GIVEN OUT TO THE AREAS THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENT.

THEY ARE USE IT FOR MARKETING OR EVENTS, OR WHATEVER THEIR ACTIVES ARE.

AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING MONEY TO ALL OF OUR 15 COUNTIES BECAUSE SO MANY OF THEM ARE POSITIVELY REPRESENTED.

>> YEAH.

DID THIS -- DID THIS ASSISTANCE -- THIS RELIEF MONEY, DID IT HELP KEEP SOME OF THEM ALIVE AND AFLOAT UNTIL THE PANDEMIC PASSES?

>> IT ABSOLUTELY DID.

AND PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO STAY OPERATIONAL, AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO JUST BE ABLE TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.

SO WE WERE REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HELP SOME BUSINESSES KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, AND STAY FUNCTIONAL, BUT WE KNOW THE PANDEMIC IS GOING TO END, WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TRAVEL, SO LET'S JUST KEEP IT GOING WHILE WE CAN.

>> HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE PARADIGM, IF YOU WILL, OF TOURISM IN GENERAL, AND ARIZONA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR?

>> CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW IT HAS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE LEISURE TRAVELERS OUT THERE.

WE HAVE SEEN PASSENGERS TRAVEL THROUGH OUR AIRPORTS THAT IS AS STRONG -- I THINK APRIL WAS ALMOST AS STRONG AS 2019.

BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT 2019 NUMBERS BECAUSE IT WAS A RECORD YEAR, AND OUR LODGING OCCUPANCY WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT.

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY THIS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HIT BIG TIME BY THE PANDEMIC.

LET'S HOPE WE DON'T GET ANOTHER SURGE, AND WE GET FOLKS BACK SPENDING MONEY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> BONE MORROW TRANSPLANTS INFUSE HEALTHY STEM CELLS TO REPLACE DAMAGED OR DISEASED BONE MORROW.

JOSE CARDENAS HO TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BONE MORROW DONATIONS.

>> THANK YOU SO JOINING US.

WHAT IS A BONE MORROW TRANSPLANT?

>> HELLO, AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

A BONE MORROW TRANSPLANTATION IS [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT IS USED FOR PATIENTS WITH [ INAUDIBLE ] CANCER CANCERS.

IT COMBINES HIGH DOSES OF KEEM THERAPY TO ERADICATE THE CANCER, AND REPLACE THE BONE MORROW THAT IS DAMAGED BY A NEW BONE MORROW FROM A DONOR.

[ INAUDIBLE ].

>> HOW COMMON OF A PROCEDURE IS THIS?

>> [ INAUDIBLE ] THE COMMON TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS [ INAUDIBLE ].

>> AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, LEUKEMIA?

>> THAT IS THE MOST COMMON [ INAUDIBLE ].

HOWEVER, [ INAUDIBLE ] LYMPHOMA [ INAUDIBLE ] BONE MARROW, AND IN CHILDREN IT'S ALSO USED FOR [ INAUDIBLE ] IMMUNE DEFICIENCY.

>> I KNOW YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE ANYBODY BE THE DONOR, WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT CRITERIA TO DETERMINING WHO CAN BE A DONOR?

>> YES.

[ INAUDIBLE ] THE RIGHT ONES.

THE FIRST PLACE WE LOOK AT IS THE PARENT [ INAUDIBLE ] SO THEY HAVE TO BE [ INAUDIBLE ] MATCHED, SO WE LOOK AT THE [ INAUDIBLE ] AND WE WANT A MATCH.

EACH [ INAUDIBLE ] HAS A CHALLENGE OF 1 IN 4, 24% OF BEING A PERFECT MATCH.

SO THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FIND DONORS FOR OUR PATIENTS.

[ INAUDIBLE ].

>> AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT ANOTHER CHALLENGE, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE LACK OF DIVERSITY AMONGST AVAILABLE DONORS?

>> [ INAUDIBLE ] THEN WE [ INAUDIBLE ] THE LAST DONOR [ INAUDIBLE ] IN THE UNITED STATES WE HAVE THE NATIONAL MARROW PROGRAM THAT HAS APPROXIMATELY 11 TO 12 MILLION DONORS THAT WE CAN [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR OUR PATIENTS.

HOWEVER, THE MAIN [ INAUDIBLE ] IS MIXED REPRESENTATION, AND LET ME EXPLAIN THAT.

FOR A PATIENT THAT IS [ INAUDIBLE ] AMERICAN, WE CAN FIND A DONOR IN ABOUT 35 TO [ INAUDIBLE ] OF THE TIME IN THE DONOR RANGE.

ONCE WE [ INAUDIBLE ] MINORITY PATIENT, AFRICAN AMERICAN, [ INAUDIBLE ] ASIAN, THEN THE CHANCES OF FINDING A DONOR DROPS TO SOMEWHERE AROUND 25%.

AND THE REASON IS THAT EVERY MINORITY ARE FULLY REPRESENTATIVE IN [ INAUDIBLE ] AND THEN THAT MAKES IT VERY HARD FOR US TO FIND A DONOR FOR THEM.

>> DOES THIS MEAN YOU HAVE PEOPLE DIEING FOR LACK OF BONE MARROW -- >> EXACTLY.

[ INAUDIBLE ] LIFE-SAVING [ INAUDIBLE ].

>> SO LAST QUESTION.

WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET PEOPLE IN THE ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITY TO BECOME DONORS?

>> [ INAUDIBLE ] PROGRAM IS CALLED [ INAUDIBLE ] MATCH.

SO IN -- IN PERSON [ INAUDIBLE ] ANY ORIGIN CAN [ INAUDIBLE ] MATCH [ INAUDIBLE ] CAN BECOME A DONOR, AND IT'S A VERY [ INAUDIBLE ] BUT ESSENTIALLY IT IS VERY SIMPLE, THERE IS VERY, VERY [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR THE DINNER AND [ INAUDIBLE ] CAN SAVE A LIFE.

>> AND I THINK THAT'S KEY.

AND ON THAT NOTE, WE'RE OUT OF TIME, DOCTOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>>> 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, THE IMPACT OF MONSOON RAINS ON BROUGHT CONDITIONS, AND ON BRAEK BRAEK -- BREAK IT DOWN THE PROS AND CONS OF SCREAMING SERVICES.