>> ON ARIZONA HORIZON: AN INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT REVEALS THE THE TOLL OF THE PANDEMIC ON UNDER- SERVED COMMUNITIES... ON CRONKITE NEWS: MASKS ARE BACK.

DETAILS ON THE SCHOOLS AND COMPANIES THAT HAVE SPOKEN UP... AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED PHYSICIAN BURNOUT.

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

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU FIGURES WERE RELEASED TODAY AND THEY SHOW AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT PHOENIX WAS THE FASTEST GROWING MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY OVER THE PAST 10-YEARS.

THE NUMBERS ALSO SHOW THAT BUCKEYE GREW AT THE FASTEST RATE OF "ANY" CITY IN THE U.S., WITH A POPULATION INCREASE OF NEARLY 80- PERCENT.

OVERALL, THE NEW CENSUS FIGURES SHOW CONTINUED U.S. MIGRATION TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OVER THE PAST 10-YEARS, WITH POPULATION "LOSSES" IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA APPALACHIA AND SMALLER COUNTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY LOSING PEOPLE TO LARGER COUNTIES.

THE CENSUS NUMBERS ALSO SHOW THAT THE U.S. IS DIVERSIFYING, WITH THE WHITE POPULATION FALLING TO ITS SMALLEST SHARE OF "TOTAL" POPULATION ON RECORD.

THE CENSUS FIGURES ARE IMPORTANT "POLITICALLY" BECAUSE THEY'RE USED TO DRAW STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.

THE NEW NUMBERS WILL BE A MAJOR PART OF HOW THE ARIZONA INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION DRAWS GRID-MAPS BASED ON POPULATION, AMONG OTHER FACTORS.

OTHER NEWS: 2-OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ARREST OF PROTESTORS LAST YEAR ON GANG-RELATED CHARGES SHOW THAT PHOENIX POLICE HAD QUOTE, "NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE" TO MAKE THE ARRESTS ON THOSE CHARGES AND THAT HIGH- RANKING PHOENIX POLICE OFFICIALS KNEW IT.

THE REPORTS CONDUCTED BY THE LAW FIRM BALLARD-SPAHR AND ORDERED BY THE PHOENIX CITY MANAGER ALSO SHOW THAT PHOENIX POLICE CHIEF JERI WILLIAMS WAS MOSTLY KEPT OUT OF THE LOOP ON THE DECISION TO SEEK GANG-RELATED CHARGES, WHICH INCLUDED POLICE INCLUDED POLICE TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF A GRAND JURY TO, QUOTE "BOLSTER THE CHARGES."

THOSE CHARGES WERE LATER DISMISSED.

CHIEF WILLIAMS HAS AGREED TO A 1-DAY SUSPENSION OVER THE INCIDENT.

SHE'S REMOVED 3-ASSISTANT CHIEFS FROM HER OFFICE AND A POLICE SERGEANT AT THE CENTER OF THE REPORT HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.

THIS ALL COMES AS THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF PHOENIX PD.

NEW CASES OF COVID-19 WENT BACK UP TO NEARLY 3-THOUSAND TODAY, THAT NUMBER HAD BEEN LOWER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.

THE STATES WILL REPORTED CIRCUMSTANCE NO ONE COVID RELATED FATALITIES AS THE STATE'S DEATH RATE FROM COVID REMAINS HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY, AND HOSPITALIZATIONS INCREASED FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT DAY TO THEIR A HIGHEST LEVELS SINCE THE END OF FEBRUARY.

ORAL ARGUMENTS ARGUMENTS IN A LAWSUIT OVER PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS MASK MANDATE IS SET FOR TOMORROW.

THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY A TEACHER WHO CLAIMS THAT THE MANDATE BREAKS STATE LAW, A SIMILAR MANDATE FROM THE TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT IN COURT BUT THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT SAYS HE'S HERING IT FROM THE THOSE OPPOSED TO THE MOVE.

>> WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME AROUND PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> SPEAKING MUCH OF PUBLIC HEALTH, PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES.

THE PLAN INVOLVES GETTING DRUG COMPANIES TO SELL TO EVERYONE AT MEDICARE PRICES.

>> THE DRUG COMPANIES HAVE TO SELL DRUGS TO ALL DISTRIBUTORS AT MEDICARE PRICE.

OR FACE UP TO A 95% EX-SIZE TAX.

>> THE PRESIDENT PROPOSED CREATING A NEW HEALTH AGENCY TO HELP SPEED RESEARCH IN THE DETECTION, TREATMENT, CURE OF DISEASES LIKE ALZHEIMER'S, DIABETES, AND CANCER, AND THE U.S. WILL BE SENDING 3,000 TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN TO HELP EVACUATE DIPLOMATS EMBASSY STAFF, AND OTHER PERSONNEL.

THIS COMES AS THE TALIBAN TODAY SEIZED ANOTHER MAJOR CITY, THIS TIME THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF KANDAHAR.

IT'S THE 12TH OF THE 34- 34-PROVINCIAL CAPITOLS TAKEN BY THE TALIBAN AS INSURGENTS SWEEP ACROSS THE COUNTRY JUST WEEKS BEFORE ALL REMAINING U.S.

TROOPS ARE SCHEDULED TO COMPLETE THEIR WITHDRAW.

THIS YEAR'S CARNEGIE KNIGHT NEWS 21 PROJECT TITLED UNMASKS AMERICA INVESTIGATES VACCINE HESITANCY IN UNDER SERVED COMMUNITIES AND LONGER TOLL OF COVID-19 IN BLACK COMMUNITIES LIKE TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA.

>> IF IT IS A POTENTIAL OH SOLUTION TO AVOID GETTING THE VIRUS.

MANY SAID THEY WOULD NOT TAKE IT.

THEY DON'T TRUST IT, THEY WON'T CONSIDER IT.

SOMETHING COMING FROM GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT SANCTION THEY DID NOT HAVE A TRUST IN IT AT ALL.

>> THE FOUNDER OF TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY.

>> OH, YES, TUSKEGEE FOUNDERS DAY.

IT WAS JOINED ON JULY 4, 1881.

YOU CAN SAY IT WAS FOUNDED BY LEWIS ADAMS WHO STARTED A SMALL SCHOOL.

IT'S A STORY OF PEOPLE NEEDING TO BE DONE.

>> WE'VE GOT A LOT TO CELEBRATE.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MAKING EMPHATICALLY CLEAR, THIS WAS NOT THE TUSKEGEE STUDY.

THIS WAS THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE STUDY CONDUCTED IN TUSKEGEE.

TUSKEGEE WAS A VICTIM OF SUBJECT TO AN INITIATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE, WHO USE TUSKEGEE AS THE REASON WHY THEY'RE HESITANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

IT'S TRUE.

HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PUT IN CONTEXT WHAT HAPPENED WITH TUSKEGEE.

IN TUSKEGEE THEY DENIED THE MEN THE TREATMENT.

THAT'S THE KEY.

SO WHEN YOU ARE USING TUSKEGEE AS A REASON NOT TO GET THE VACCINE, YOU ARE DOING TO YOURSELF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DID TO THOSE MEN.

>> MAY EVERYTHING THAT WE DO BE A BLESSING TO YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THANK YOU, AND GOOD MORNING, ALL.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL LAST TWO WEEKS.

I'M WORKING WITH WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE CALLS SHOTS AT THE SHOP.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SCHOLARS INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE CONCERNING COVID-19.

>> MY NAME IS JUANITA, I'M THE OWNER OF JUANITA'S SPA.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

>> I'M INVOLVED WITH THE THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE EDUCATE OUR CLIENTS BECAUSE IF WE GAIN A REALLY GOOD REPOWER WITH RE RE-REPOIRE WITH OUR CLIENTS I THINK THEY WOULD GET THEIR SHOTS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MY UNCLE WAS A PART OF THE STUDY.

YOU SEE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

BUT THERE IS HARDLY ANYBODY.

>> THIS STUDY IS NOT THE TOTALITY OF TUSKEGEE.

TUSKEGEE IS NOT A PLACE, IT'S A SPIRIT.

IT'S A SPIRIT OF BOOKER T WASHINGTON, LIONEL RICHIE, THESE PEOPLE, THEY WERE BORN IN THE SAME HOSPITAL.

WE'RE MORE THAN THE TUSKEGEE, THE STUDY CONDUCTED AT TUSKEGEE.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> UNMASKING MIRACLE PLANS TO BE RELEASED TOMORROW.

EARLIER TODAY WE SPOKE WITH JACQUEE PETCHEL, THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF CARNEGIE-KNIGHT NEWS 21.

AND PRINCE JAMES, A GRADUATE STUDENT AT SKU'S WALTER CRONKITE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.

WHAT WAS THE FOCUS HERE, JACQUEE.

>> THE STORY WAS TO LOOK AT COVID.

I THOUGHT WHAT MIGHT BE REALLY A GREAT PROJECT BECAUSE OUR PROJECT IS NATIONAL IN SCOPE.

WHAT DID PEOPLE DO WHO WERE BORDERLINE POOR OR ALREADY POOR, AND DID IT PUSH PEOPLE INTO POVERTY, DESPAIR, AND IT SEEMED LIKE A TIMELY THING TO DO ON A NATIONAL SCALE, AND LOOKING AT SPECIFIC POPULATIONS THAT WERE AFFECT GLAD PRINCE, YOUR FOCUS WAS HEALTHCARE.

>> YES, SIR.

>> WHERE DID YOU GO, AND WHAT DID YOU SEE?

>> I WENT TO TEXAS.

I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME AT CRITICAL CARE ACCESS HOSPITAL.

AND THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COULDN'T GET TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, LACK OF MONEY, LACK OF TIME.

THE DIFFERENT METHODS THAT THESE HEALTHCARE WORKERS USED TO PROVIDE AND TREAT THESE PEOPLE WITH COVID.

>> YOU SAID NORTH TEXAS.

WAS IT A RURAL AREA?

>> YES.

>> DID YOU FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE AND HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT IT MAKES ON SOME OF THESE FACILITIES?

>> WE SAW THAT THESE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WORKED LONGER HOURS, AND ESPECIALLY AT THESE RURAL CLINICS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PROFESSIONALS WORKING THERE, AND ONE OF THE CLINICS I WENT TO, 75% OF THE STAFF WERE INFECTED.

THEY HAD TO SHUT DOWN AND SWITCH TO TELEMEDICINE.

SO THESE DIFFERENT THINGS IS HOW COVID IMPACTED THIS AREA.

>> AND JACQUEE, YOU LOOKED AT HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, FOOD--YOU TELL ME IN THIS PANDEMIC, THE POOR IN MANY RESPECTS GOT POORER.

AND THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE STABLE, THEY FOUND THEMSELVES IN A DIFFERENT WORLD.

>> YES, YES, I HAVE THAT IN MY HEAD WHEN I DECIDED ABOUT THE PROJECT.

I'VE BEEN A JOURNALIST FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT MADE SENSE TO ME OF COURSE THE POOR WOULD GET POORER.

THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY DISCUSSIONS THAT PRINCE NOTED THAT WE HAD IN CLASS BEFORE THE NEWSROOM STARTED.

AND IN FACT, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A COMMUNITY WE WENT TO--NOW AGAIN, WE MOSTLY WENT TO RURAL, SMALLER COMMUNITIES, IMPOVERISH IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY BUT I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A COMMUNITY THAT WE VISITED OR TALKED TO DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT BUYING SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE WERE ALREADY LIVING ON THE EDGE.

EITHER ECONOMICALLY OR IN POVERTY OR LEGALLY IN POVERTY.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORTH A SHOT, AND ALL OF THE REPORTS SHOWED THAT IT WAS, INDEED, WORTH A SHOT BECAUSE WE COVERED OTHER ISSUES INVOLVING HOW COVID HAS AFFECTED PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO CHILD CARE, EDUCATION, ETC.

SO THAT WAS WHAT OUR THINKING WAS.

>> PRINCE, WHEN YOU WENT OUT TO NORTH TEXAS, A SMALL AREA.

OBVIOUSLY A SMALL WITH FACILITIES THAT WERE OVER RUN, DID ANYTHING PRICE YOU IN YOUR INVESTIGATION?

>> JUST THE COMMUNITY.

THE COMMUNITY, WAS THE STRENGTH OF THE HOSPITAL.

AND THE HOSPITAL WAS THE STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE NEIGHBORS HELPED OUT EACH OTHER.

AND SAY SOMEONE GOT COVID, AND THEY COULD NOT LEAVE THEIR HOUSE.

THEY WOULD HAVE FOOD SERVICE.

NEIGHBORS DROPPING OFF FOOD, MEDICINE.

JUST THE TIGHTNESS OF THESE RURAL COMMUNITIES IS WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE MOST.

>> HOW ARE THEY SELECTED?

HOW DID YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY WOULD GO AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO?

>> WE SPENT A WHOLE SEMESTER STUDYING THE TOPIC.

THEN THIS SUMMER WE DO THE PROJECT.

I ALWAYS DO A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

I WAS A JOURNALIST FOR MANY, MANY DECADES.

SAD TO SAY THOSE DECADES HAVE PASSED BY QUICKLY.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, WHO IS GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY COVID AT THIS POINT?

BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WHO HAVE HAD A FAMILY MEMBER NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO THEIR JOB.

I HAVE A COUSIN WHO COULD NOT RETURN TO HIS JOB BECAUSE HE GOT COVID.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, NOT TO BE TOO BLUNT ABOUT IT, BUT I'M A WHITE PERSON, AND THEY HAD RESOURCES.

THEY HAD A FALL BACK PLAN.

I SAID TO MYSELF, WHO HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO FALL BACK.

THEY LOSE THEIR JOBS.

THAT WAS A LITTLE THING THAT STARTED IT.

ONCE I GET AN IDEA IN MY HEAD, AS PRINCE PROBABLY KNOWS, I CAN'T LET GO OF IT.

I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PLACES THAT COULD BE IMPACTED FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL AREAS, FOOD INSECURITY, DISABLED PEOPLE, ETC.

THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH OUR LIST.

IT'S NOT REALLY MAGIC.

IT'S LIKE THINKING WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST STORIES TO TELL, AND WHERE WOULD WE GO TO TELL THEM.

>> LAST QUESTION, PRINCE, FOR YOU.

WHAT DID YOU TAKE FROM THIS REPORT?

>> JUST THE PERSEVERANCE OF THESE RURAL HEALTH CLINICS AND RURAL HOSPITALS.

AFTER BEING OVER RUN BY THE PANDEMIC, HOW THEY HELP THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GREAT JOB AGAIN, JACQUEE, PRINCE, THANK YOU AS WELL.

>> YES, SIR.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A VISIT WITH ARIZONA OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST MYKAYLA SKINNER.

>> ARIZONA GYMNAST MYKAYLA SKINNER WON A SILVER MEDAL ON THE VAULT AT THIS YEAR'S SUMMER OLYMPICS IN TOKYO.

SKINNER'S ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC MEDAL MADE FOR QUITE THE STORY.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH MYKALA EARLIER TODAY.

>> WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON, AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HOW DOES IT FEEL?

I MEAN, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE AN OLYMPIC SILVER MEDAL WINNER.

>> IT FEELS SURREAL, JUST TAKING ONE DAY AT A TIME AND LETTING IT SOAK IN.

>> I BET.

WHEN YOU STAND THERE WITH THE MEDAL AROUND YOUR NECK, DOES IT GO BY SO FAST?

I MEAN, THIS IS A CULMINATION OF YOUR CAREER.

>> I HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS MOMENT, AND TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO VAULT FINALS.

SEEING SIMONE GOING WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND HAVING TO PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE ON VAULT REALLY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEP IN.

I WAS GLAD I COULD GO OUT THERE AND COMPETE ONE LAST TIME.

TO PUT THAT SILVER MEDAL AROUND MY NECK AND REPRESENT TEAM USA WAS JUST THE GREATEST FEELING EVER.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT, AND HAVING THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT AFTER ALL THAT HARD WORK AND KNOWING THAT IT PAID OFF.

IT WAS JUST A SPECIAL MOMENT AND I WAS JUST SO HAPPY I WAS ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND COMPETE ONE LAST TIME.

>> AND YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE SIMONE BILES WAS NOT ABLE TO COMPETE.

WHEN DID YOU HEAR BECAUSE SIMONE COULDN'T GO, IT WAS GOING TO BE.

>> I WAS GOING TO FLY HOME AFTER TEAM FINALS.

AS WE WERE WATCHING THE MEET.

SIMONE WAS TALKING TO HER COACH.

SHE SAID SHE NEEDS TO TEXT MYKALA RIGHT AWAY NOT TO GO HOME BECAUSE SHE MIGHT HAVE TO DO VAULT.

SO I KNEW 24 HOURS BEFORE VAULT FINALS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I HAD TO REALLY GET MY MINDSET AND GET EVERYTHING BACK INTO IT BEFORE I WAS GOING TO GO TO OUT AND COMPETE.

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STAY ON TOP OF IT, STAY POSITIVE AND PUSH THROUGH IT, BUT I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO, AND IT WAS SUPER EXCITING TO STEP IN FOR SIMONE AND DO THAT.

>> AND I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

WHAT YOUR MINDSET WAS.

OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE A COMPETITOR, YOU'RE A WORLD-CLASS COMPETITOR HERE.

BUT WHEN YOU GET INFORMATION LIKE THAT, AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO STEP IN AT THE LAST SECOND, DOES IT HELP YOUR FOCUS?

>> IT WAS HARD BECAUSE I KNEW AFTER PRELIMS I WAS DONE.

I KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE I COULD VAULT, BUT I KNEW THAT SIMONE WOULD BE FINE.

I WASN'T EXPECTING ANY OF THIS.

SO AFTER THE MEET I WAS ENJOYING MYSELF.

I COULDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE OF ALL THE ADRENALINE AND EVERYTHING GOING ON.

TWO DAYS AFTER PRELIM I WAS A HOT MESS, HONESTLY.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE MEET OF MY LIFE.

I DIDN'T MAKE ANY EVENT FINALS.

I WAS READY TO MOVE ON AND MOVE FORWARD AND TO GO HOME AND SEE MY FAMILY.

IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD TRYING TO ADJUST BACK TO FULL COMPETITION MODE.

SO DEFINITELY IT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT.

I TRIED TO SET MY ALARM AND GET TO BED EARLY.

THEN I WAS EATING PASTA, AND DESERT AND DIFFERENT STUFF LIKE THAT.

I THOUGHT WELL, I'M DONE, I'LL ENJOY IT, BUT MAN, I HAVE TO EAT BETTER.

AND IT DEFINITELY WAS AN ADJUSTMENT.

BUT I WAS ABLE TO HANDLE IT.

I FELT LIKE WE WERE MEANT TO JUST BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET THE JOB DONE WHEN WE NEEDED TO.

WE LEARNED THAT.

WE'VE HAD ALL THE EXPERIENCE.

I FELT LIKE I WAS OKAY AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF ADJUSTING.

>> WE SHOULD MENTION THAT YOU HAD THE SUPPORT OF SIMONE BILES.

YOU HAD THE SUPPORT OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

WHEN YOU WERE COMPETING, WERE YOU IN THE ZONE?

COULD YOU ALMOST FEEL THAT SUPPORT?

THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE SO ODD.

I WOULD IMAGINE YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT ZONE THAN USUAL.

>> YEAH, IT WAS DEFINITELY--IT WAS WEIRD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET TO HAVE ANY SPECTATORS THERE.

SO IT WAS--I FEEL LIKE TOWARDS THE END FINALS THERE WERE SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP AND OTHER ATHLETES WHO WERE THERE.

BUT THE GUYS TEAM CAME AND SAID YOU GUYS NEED TO SCREAM LOUDER.

WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.

BUT I FELT I COULD HEAR MY FAMILY SCREAMING THROUGH THE TV.

AND MY HUSBAND--I MEAN, SIMONE HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE.

I WAS WORRIED WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, AND EVERYTHING SHE HAD TO DEAL WITH, AND THAT'S REALLY HARD TO BE IN HER FOOTSTEPS BECAUSE, AND IN HER POSITION BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T GET TO COMPETE THOSE EVENTS AND WALK AWAY WITH ALL THOSE MEDALS.

SHE HAD TO GIVE UP THOSE SPOTS TO ALL OF US.

IT WAS COOL TO SEE HOW SHE DEALT WITH EVERYTHING AND WAS POSITIVE, AND SHE WANTED ME TO GO OUT THERE AND MEDAL.

SHE WAS CHEERING SO, SO HARD.

THAT WAS AWESOME FOR HER TO PLAY THAT ROLE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HARD.

SO IT WAS AWESOME JUST TO SEE HER BE SO SUPPORTIVE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO--TO GET TO COMPETE AGAIN, AND COMPETE IN AN EVENT SPECIALIST SPOT.

IT WAS REALLY HARD--HARD TO TRY TO BE POSITIVE BECAUSE I WAS ALSO REALLY SAD I COULDN'T MAKE THE FINALS FROM MAKING PRELIMS.

BUT GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> WE SHOULD MENTION THAT THIS WAS A DIFFICULT ROAD FOR YOU.

COVID, PNEUMONIA, MAKING THE TEAM BUT NOT GETTING TO COMPETE AS YOU WANTED TO.

ALL OF THESE THINGS YOU MANAGED TO OVER COME TO GET THAT SILVER MEDAL, AND, WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION, THIS IS IT FOR YOU.

YOU'RE RETIRING, AREN'T YOU?

>> I AM RETIRING, YES.

YOU CAN NEVER SAY NEVER.

EVERYONE HAS BEEN MAKING JOKES ABOUT COMING BACK FOR PERRIES.

BUT AT THIS POINT I AM OFFICIALLY DONE.

AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN THROUGH AND STICKING IT OUT A YEARLONGER THAN I INTENDED FOR IT TO HAPPEN, I THINK I'VE GONE LONGER THAN I WANTED TO.

I'M READY TO BE DONE AND MOVE ON WITH LIFE AND ENJOY IT.

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR.

MYKALA SKINNER, OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> OF COURSE.

THANK YOU.

AND THAT IS IT FOR HOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS: ON CRONKITE NEWS: MORE ON THE 2020 CENSUS RESULTS AND HOW THAT INFORMATION WILL BE USED.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED PHYSICIAN BURNOUT.

>> THE JOURNALIST ROUND TABLE, THE ROLE OF GRANDPA