[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE LATEST ON THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN THE STATE.

ON CRONKITE NEWS A LOOK AT SOME NEW ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES COMING TO THE VALLEY.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, HOW THE DELTA VARIANT IS EFFECTING CHILDREN.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE STATE SENATE SUBPOENAS FOR MARICOPA COUNTY TO HAND OVER A VARIETY OF ELECTION MATERIAL WERE REJECTED TODAY.

THE CHAIR RESPONDED IN A LETTER, STATING, QUOTE, THE ELECTION OF 2020 IS OVER.

IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THE ELECTION IN MARICOPA COUNTY WAS FREE, FAIR AND ACCURATE, I'M NOT SURE YOU EVER WILL.

PLEASE RELEASE YOUR REPORT, AND BE PREPARED TO DEFEND ANY ACCUSATIONS OF MISDEEDS IN COURT.

THEY RESPONDED STATING THE LATEST ROUND OF SUBPOENAS INCLUDE PUBLIC RECORDS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED.

>>> ARIZONA SAW MORE THAN 1800 KNEW CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

ONLY ONE DEATH.

MORE THAN 1100 ARIZONA PARENTS ARE NOW HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID.

STILL NOWHERE NEAR THE 5,000 MARK HIT IN JANUARY.

>>> ARIZONA'S NUMBERS ARE NOT THE BEST BUT FAR FROM THE WORST.

THAT HONOR GOES TO FLORIDA.

THEY CONTRACT TO 19% OF NEW CASES IN THE COUNTRY.

IN COMES AS FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FORBIDDING MASK WEARING IN SCHOOLS.

>>> I KNOW IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT AND LONG, BUT THAT IS WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS INTENDED, WHEN THEY CREATED A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THAT REQUIRES REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIND LEGISLATION AND SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTRY, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, COMPANIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

>> DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE SAY THEY WON'T CONSIDER THE MEASURE UNTIL THE SENATE MOVES ON A SPENDING PACKAGE.

SOMETHING SINEMA SAYS SHE WILL NOT SUPPORT.

>>> A NEW REPUBLICAN JOINED THE RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

>>> AND JADE CAREY FROM PHOENIX WON A GOLD MEDAL IN THE FLOOR EXERCISE TODAY, AND THIS YOUNG WOMAN WON SILVER IN THE VAULT.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH.

>>> CASES OF COVID-19 ARE ON THE RISE IN ARIZONA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, DUE TO THE HIGHLY TRANSMISSIONABLE DELTA VARIANT.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF THE VIRUS WITH FORMER STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR WILL HUMBLE.

WILL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU.

THE COVID GUIDELINES FROM THE CDC, THEY HAVE CHANGED.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> WELL, WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT EARLY IN THE WEEK, I WASN'T SUPER ENTHUSIASTIC THAT VACCINATED PEOPLE NEED TO WEAR MASKS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND MY ATTITUDE IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A MEASURE POLICY CHANGE LIKE THAT, PUBLISH THE DATA FIRST SO THAT FOLKS LIKE ME IN THE FIELD CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT WITH CONFIDENT.

FRIDAY LAST WEEK, THE CDC FINALLY RELEASED THEIR REPORT, AND HAD GOOD DOCUMENTATION.

I'M ONBOARD NOW.

BUT THERE WERE A FEW DAYS WHERE I WAS KEEPING QUIET ON THE COMMUNITY PART.

>> AS FAR AS THE STUDY IS CONCERNED, THERE WAS A STUDY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS THAT THE CDC FOCUSED ON, LOTS OF FOLKS WHO WERE VACCINATED TESTED POSITIVE.

>> CORRECT.

AND THEY FOUND THEY HAD SIMILAR VIRAL LOADS THAN UNVACCINATED PERSONS WHO WERE INFECTED.

AND ESTABLISHED THAT VACCINATED PERSONS COULD TRANSMIT THE VIRUS, SO THAT COMMUNITY -- THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED THEY ARE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY CHAIN, WHICH WAS THE COMPELLING EVIDENCE.

>> HOW TROUBLING IS THAT INFORMATION?

>> WELL, I MEAN IT IS A LITTLE BIT TROUBLING, BUT NOTHING LIKE IT WOULD BE TROUBLING IF WE WERE TO FIND A NEW VARIANT ESCAPED THE VACCINE, BUT THE DELTA VARIANT IS DIFFERENT, AND MORE TRANSMISSIBLE, AND THERE ARE BREAK-THROUGH CASES THAT DO HAPPEN.

I WISH THEY HAD RELEASED ALL OF THE DATA BEFORE THEY MADE THE POLICY CHANGE.

>> AND THIS STUDY EVEN EMPHASIZES GET THE VACCINE.

GET VACCINATED.

>> CORRECT.

THAT IS THE NUMBER 1 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE FOR ALL PARENTS OUT THERE.

IF YOUR KIDS ARE OVER 12, GET VACCINATED NOW.

IF YOU ARE AN ADULT AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, PLEASE DO IT, SO WE CAN PUT THIS BEHIND US.

>> HOW ROUGH ARE THINGS GOING TO GET WHEN SCHOOL IS STARTING?

>> YEAH, THAT IS THE BIG VARIANT.

ISN'T IT?

THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE OF THE BILL HE SIGNED SAYS DISTRICTS ARE UNABLE TO REQUIRE MASKS, AND THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF COMMUNITY SPREAD AND IT IS GOING TO SENDS A LOT OF KIDS HOME.

UNIVERSAL MASKING IS GOING TO MAKE IT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEND KIDS HOME.

>> AS FAR AS TESTING FOR SCHOOLS.

I KNOW THINGS ARE DEVELOPING THERE, WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

>> THIS SEMESTER FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WILL BE READILY AVAILABLE RAPID TESTS THAT SCHOOLS CAN ORDER AND GET THEM SHIPPED RIGHT TO THE SCHOOL, AND THE ONES THAT ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AT, LIKE, THE DRUGSTORES AND SO FORTH.

SO THERE IS $129 MILLION JUST FOR ARIZONA FOR THIS TESTING, SO AT LEAST SCHOOLS WILL BE ABLE TO TEST NOW, AND THE NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS THE SCHOOL CAN SEND IT HOME WITH THE KID IN THEIR BACKPACK AND THE PARENTS CAN RUN THE TEST THING.

>> YEAH, BACK TO VACCINATIONS, THOUGH.

WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE WHO ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE CUT OPEN, STITCHED UP, AND DESCRIBE MEDICINES, THEY TRUST THEIR DOCTOR THERE, BUT NOT WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING A VACCINE?

>> WELL, WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE VACCINE HESITANT, IF THEY VISIT THEIR DOCTOR AND IF THEY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR DOCTOR, THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE A REAL CHANCE AT CHANGING THEIR MIND.

SO THAT DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS REALLY KEY, AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET THESE VACCINES INTO DOCTORS'S OFFICES SO THEY CAN CLOSE THE DEAL.

THAT IS ACTUALLY A SOLUTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR BIGGER QUESTION, WHICH IS WHY AREN'T PEOPLE GETTING IT?

I DON'T GET IT.

>> ARE WE ALL GOING TO GET BOOSTER SHOTS SOON?

>> I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF BOOSTER SHOTS UNLESS I REALLY SAW A NEW VARIANT CAME OUT THAT REALLY ESCAPED THE CURRENT VACCINES.

BECAUSE IF WE WERE GOING TO DO A THIRD BOOSTER SHOT FOR AMERICANS, THAT MEANS WE'RE GIVING A BOOSTER SHOT TO AMERICANS BEFORE THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS A CHANCE TO GET THE SHOT.

AND THE NEW VARIANTS ARE GOING TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE LIKE INDONESIA OR VIETNAM OR BELLA RUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE.

>> YOU ARE A FORMER HEALTH CARE DIRECTOR, YOUR THOUGHTS OF THE NEW DIRECTOR?

>> THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF REALLY TALENTED PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK AT THE OFFICE.

AND I KNOW THE VISIBLE SIGN OF IT, HAS BEEN -- I KNOW DIRECTOR CHRIS HAS BEEN THE FACE OF AGENCY, BUT SHE IS JUST ONE PERSON.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TALENTED PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FINE SHAPE, BUT WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE AS THE FACE OF AN AGENCY THAT IS THE PERSON.

>> BUT IT IS A LITTLE CONCERNING?

>> IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHO COMES NEXT.

>> I GUESS SO.

>> YEAH.

>> OVERALL, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO JUST HAVE RIDE THIS THING OUT.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW.

>> THE VACCINES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE COVER THIS VIRUS.

THE VACCINES WORK.

THEY ARE SAFE.

THEY WILL SAVE YOUR LIVES.

THEY WILL SAVE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS LIVES.

PLEASE GET VACCINATED.

AND IF YOUR KID IS OVER 12, AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, GET THEM VACCINATED.

>> WILL HUMBLE ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS.

>>> COMING UP A CONNECTION BETWEEN AIR POLLUTION AND DEMENTIA.

>>> TONIGHT WE LOOK AT AIR POLLUTION AND DEMENTIA AS PART OF OUR AARP-SPONSORED SEGMENT.

RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IMPROVES COGNITIVE FUNCTION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND TALKING ABOUT THESE REALLY -- THESE STUDIES ARE FASCINATING HERE.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AIR QUALITY AND DEMENTIA RISK.

>> YEAH.

WE HAVE SEEN PREVIOUS RESEARCH TALK ABOUT HOW LONG-TERM AIR POLLUTION CAUSED AN INCREASED RISK OF DEMENTIA, AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN WHAT HAPPENS IF WE IMPROVE AIR POLLUTION, RIGHT?

WE HAVE SEEN AIR POLLUTION IS AN INCREASED RISK OF US DEVELOPING DEMENTIA, BUT LAST WEEK WE SAW THAT IMPROVING AIR QUALITY CAUSES AS MUCH OF AN IMPACT.

>> THERE WAS A STUDY OF OLDER AMERICAN WOMEN, AGE 74 TO 92, AND IT LOOKS AT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, SIMPLY LOOKING AT IMPROVING AIR QUALITY.

>> YEAH, THEY STUDIED THESE WOMEN OVER TEN YEARS, AND THEY FOUND WITHIN THAT 10-YEAR PERIOD, THERE WAS AN ASSOCIATED REDUCTION IN RISK FOR THOSE THAT HAD A REDUCTION OF THOSE FINE PARTICLE MATTERS.

SO THEY WERE ANYWHERE FROM 14 TO 26% -- LOWER RISK OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA.

AND IT JUST LOOKED ANOTHER THE PARTICULATES.

>> AND EAT STUDY THAT INVOLVED FRENCH ADULTS.

IT WAS LIKE 7,000 PARTICIPANTS, AND AGAIN, THE FINE PARTICULATES REDUCTION HELP IS?

>> YES, AND WE ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN A STUDY TO REALLY SHOW WHEN YOU HAVE GREAT EVIDENCE.

AND THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

AGAIN, WE SAW ABOUT A 15% REDUCED RISK OF ALL-CAUSED DEMENTIA.

17%-REDUCED RISK OF DEVELOPING ALZHEIMER'S.

>> WOW.

THIS THIRD STUDY I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT FOCUSES ON THE PLAQUE THAT WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT.

WHAT DID THAT SHOW?

>> YEAH, SO THIS WAS AN INTERESTING STUDY, BECAUSE IT LOOKED AT -- IT ACTUALLY FOUND THAT -- THE LONG-TERM EXPOSURE CONNECTED TO HIGHER LEVELS OF ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

THE BUILD UP OF PLAQUE.

SO THIS WAS NOT JUST LOOKING AT AIR POLLUTION, BUT REALLY LOOKED AT, WHAT ELSE DID IT DO TO THE BRAIN?

SO I SHOWED THAT POSSIBLE BIOLOGICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN AIR QUALITY AND THE PHYSICAL BRAIN CHANGE.

>> YEAH, AND I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE RISK FOR DEMENTIA, A LOT OF THESE THINGS JUST AREN'T CHANGEABLE, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE AIR QUALITY, CAN'T YOU?

>> YOU CAN.

AND I THINK THAT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING ANOTHER REDUCING AIR POLLUTANTS.

THESE AREN'T JUST THINGS THAT WE SHOULD IGNORE.

THIS REALLY GIVES YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW AIR POLLUTION IMPACTS OUR BRAIN, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT ALL COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE STRATEGY TO REALLY MAKE THESE CHANGES.

>> VERY GOOD INFORMATION.

CLAIRE DAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH US.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>>> 21 QUESTIONS IS A NEW YOUNG ADULT NOVEL BY A SCOTTSDALE NATIVE.

EARLIER TODAY WE SPOKE WITH THE AUTHOR ABOUT HER NEW NOVEL.

>> WELCOME.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK.

THIS HAS TO BE EXCITING?

>> OH, YES.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> TELL ME WHY YOU DECIDED TO WRITE A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL.

>> WHEN I WAS 17 I WAS GOING THROUGH MY FIRST BIG BREAKUP, AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A WRITER.

AND MY EX-BOYFRIEND AT THE TIME, HIS FAMILY WAS VERY RESERVED, AND MY IMAGINATION JUST RAN WITH IT.

WHEN I WAS 17, I WASN'T NEAR THE WRITER I AM NOW, SO, YES, THAT'S HOW IT STARTED.

ME JUST BEING A CRAZY WRITER, AND HERE WE ARE NOW.

>> DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WRITING IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A TEENAGER?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER WHEN I WROTE IT, AND IT WAS WROTE AT THAT LEVEL, I THINK IT JUST ALWAYS STAYED AT THAT LEVEL EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS MATURE CONTENT IN IT.

>> YOU HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK OF POETRY AS WELL.

TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POETRY AND FICTION?

>> YEAH.

EVEN THOUGH THIS STORY 21 QUESTIONS STEMMED FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, I FEEL LIKE POET -- POETRY IT IS EVEN MORE PERSONAL.

AND SOMETIMES THERE'S RHYME SCHEMES.

SOMETIMES I DON'T RHYME -- RHYME AT ALL.

WHEN YOU WROTE THE NOVEL DID THE CHARACTERS EVER GET AWAY WITH YOU?

>> I FEEL LIKE I HAVE ALWAYS LET THEM DO THEIR THINGS, AND ACTUALLY, WHEN I'M WRITING FICTION, I -- I DON'T WRITE AN OUTLINE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I JUST WRITE AND THEN GO BACK AND EDIT.

>> INTERESTING.

INTERESTING.

ONE OF THE CHARACTERS DEALS WITH ANXIETY, AND I HEARD YOU HAD THE SAME KIND OF CONCERNS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

I STRUGGLED WITH ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS, AND I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF TEENAGERS DEAL WITH THAT THESE DAYS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE SO OVEREXPOSED TO EVERYTHING AND WE COMPARE OURS TO EVERYTHING ON LINE.

SO I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING I DEALT WITH PERSONALLY.

>> AND I SAW READ YOU ARE IN LAW SCHOOL?

>> I AM.

I STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WERE IN QUARANTINE.

>> COULD THERE BE A LAW SCHOOL NOVEL COMING OUT OF THESE EXPERIENCES?

>> ACTUALLY, THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE INSPIRATION THAT HAS STRUCK MY IMAGINATION THAT HAS TO DO WITH LAW SCHOOL, AND IT MAY BE MORE OF AN ADULT FICTION.

>> DO YOU ENJOY THE PROCESS OF WRITING?

BECAUSE A LOT OF NOVELS, A LOT OF WRITERS, THEY FOUND IT TORTUROUS.

THEY ARE DRIVEN, BUT DON'T NECESSARILY ENJOY IT.

>> I REALLY LOVE IT.

BECAUSE I TOLD YOU, I HAVE A VERY WILD IMAGINATION, AND I HATE ED -- EDITING AND REVISING.

BECAUSE I BECOME VERY ANAL RETENTIVE RETENTIVE.

SO, IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

>> YEAH, IT'S THE LITTLE CRITIC ON YOUR SHOULDER.

>> YES, THE WORSE.

>> IS THERE A FOLLOW-UP TO 21 QUESTIONS AND THEN ANYTHING ELSE?

>> YES, WORKING ON A SEQUEL TO 21 QUESTIONS, AND THEN WORKING ON ANOTHER NOVEL AS WELL, BUT, YES, MORE WRITING TO COME.

>> VIRTUAL EVENT TO CHANGING HANDS.

>> YES.

AND THERE IS STILL TIME TO SIGN UP.

WE'RE DOING GIVE-A WAYS AND RAFFLES.

HERE IS SOME OF THE STUFF WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY.

I'M WEARING ONE OF THE SHIRTS NOW.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED.

>> THERE SHE IS PUSHING THOUGH MERCH.

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NOVEL AND THE SEQUEL.

AND BEST OF LUCK IN THE FUTURE.

>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU 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, THE SUNS FRESH OFF OF A RUN TO THE FINALS HAVE SOME BIG FREE AGENT DECISIONS TO MAKE.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS BELIEVE KIDS CAN BE A KEY TO HERD IMMUNITY.