TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK INCLUDING A NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

>>> ON CRONKITE NEWS, COVID-19 NUMBERS HIT AN UNFORTUNATE MILESTONE.

>>> AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," ARE MOVIE THEATERS AS WE KNOW THEM DEAD?

ALL COMING UP ON THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

ARIZONA TODAY PASSED THE ONE MILLION MARK IN REPORTED CASES OF COVID-19, WITH HALF OF THOSE CASES RECORDED THIS YEAR ALONE.

JUST UNDER 3700 NEW COVID CASES TODAY PUT THE STATE OVER THE MILLION MARK, THERE WERE 63 COVID-RELATED FATALITIES, THAT'S A LOT, THERE IS BACK FILLING WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBERS.

HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, JUST UNDER 2,000 HOSPITALIZED WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED CASES OF COVID.

AS HIGH AS MID-FEBRUARY.

>>> AS FOR VACCINES, THERE ARE REPORTS THE WHITE HOUSE IS LOOKING AT A SHORTER TIME LINE FOR BOOSTER SHOTS CUTTING THE RECOMMENDATION FROM 8 MONTHS TO 6 MONTHS, BUT THE WHITE HOUSE SAID NOT SO FAST.

>> WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, THE PRESIDENT WOULD RELY ON GUIDANCE BY THE CDC AND THE FDA AND THE HEALTH AND MEDICAL EXPERTS.

THAT GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO BE EIGHT MONTHS.

THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THAT.

IF THEY WERE TO CHANGE THEIR GUIDANCE BASED ON DATA FOR ANY PARTICULAR GROUP, HE WOULD ABIDE BY THAT.

BUT FOR PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME, FOR YOU ALL REPORTING, NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THE EIGHT MONTH TIMELINE AS IT RELATES TO THE BOOSTERS.

TED: OTHER NEWS, THE WHITE HOUSE SAID TODAY PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN ADVISED BY NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM THAT ANOTHER TERROR ATTACK IN KABUL IS LIKELY, THAT THE THREAT IS ONGOING AND, QUOTE, OUR TROOPS ARE IN DANGER.

LATER TODAY, THE PRESIDENT SAID THE U.S. REMAINS COMMITTED TO COMPLETING EVACUATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN AFTER YESTERDAY'S ATTACK OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT IN KABUL THAT KILLED 13 U.S. SERVICEMEMBERS.

>> THE MISSION THERE, BEING PERFORMED IS DANGEROUS, AND IT'S COME WITH SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF AMERICAN PERSONNEL, BUT IT'S A WORTHY MISSION BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO EVACUATE FOLKS OUT OF THAT REGION, OUT OF THE AIRPORT.

EVACUATED MORE THAN 12,000 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE OUT OF THE AIRPORT IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.

TED: AFGHAN OFFICIALS PUT THE OVERALL DEATH TOLL FROM THE SUICIDE ATTACK AT 170.

AND SIRHAN SIRHAN, THE MAN WHO SHOT AND KILLED SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY IN 1968 WAS GRANTED PAROLE TODAY.

THE DECISION BY THE CALIFORNIA PAROLE BOARD AFTER PROSECUTORS UNDERSTAND THERE TO ARGUE THAT THE 77-YEAR-OLD SHOULD BE KEPT BEHIND BARS.

TWO OF ROBERT KENNEDY'S SONS ALSO SPOKE IN FAVOR OF SIRHAN'S RELEASE.

>>> TIME NOW FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

AND FOR A LOOK AT YET ANOTHER VERY BUSY WEEK IN THE NEWS, WE WELCOME HOWIE FISCHER OF CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES AND LAURIE ROBERTS OF "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC."

THANK YOU, BOTH FOR JOINING US, GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

HOWIE, START WITH YOU, THE STATE HAS A NEW INTERIM STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO IS DON HERRINGTON?

>> DON HERRINGTON WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

BASICALLY BEEN A DEPUTY.

HE'S HELPED CARA CHRIST AND BEFORE HER, WILL HUMBLE CARRY OUT THE MISSIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

HE SIGNIFIES NO MAJOR CHANGE IN POLICIES THERE.

WHAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING THOUGH IS THE GOVERNOR THREW IN THIS NEW POSITION OF A HEALTH ADVISER, THAT'S RICHARD CARMONA.

CARMONA IS THE FORMER U.S.

SOLICITOR GENERAL, AND AS SUCH, HE'S GOT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CREDIBILITY THERE.

HE HAS BEEN A DEMOCRAT, HE RAN FOR THE U.S. SENATE AS A DEMOCRAT IN 2012.

WHAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING IS TO SEE WHETHER HE GIVES PUSHBACK TO THE GOVERNOR WHO SAID WE DON'T NEED MASKS.

WE DON'T NEED MASK MANDATES.

WE'RE AGAINST MASK MANDATES AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY PERSON WHO'S A PHYSICIAN IN THIS STATE WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS BELIEVES THAT MASKS ARE A GOOD IDEA.

TED: YEAH, LAURIE, WE SAW A PICTURE OF DON HERRINGTON WHEN HOWIE WAS TALKING ABOUT DR. RICHARD CARMONA.

ARE YOU SURPRISED CARMONA WAS, A, ASKED TO DO THIS, AND, B, ACCEPTED?

>> A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT ANY PHYSICIAN MIGHT BE WANTING TO ENSURE THAT IF THEY'RE COMING INTO THE ADMINISTRATION TO OVERSEE PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE STATE, THEY WOULD BE WORKING WITH A GOVERNOR WHO WOULD LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE, AND GOVERNOR DUCEY HAS DEMONSTRATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THAT, NOT FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES HERE, WHICH CALL FOR MASKING PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT, ET CETERA.

DR. CARMONA SAID HE BELIEVES THAT THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THIS IS TOP-NOTCH, WHICH MADE MY JAW DROP.

WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM HERE.

WE WERE ONE OF THE WORLD'S HOT SPOTS WITH COVID.

WE ARE ONE OF THE STATES WITH THE HIGHEST DEATH RATES.

I WOULD HARDLY CALL OUR STATE GOVERNMENT TO THIS TOP-NOTCH WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS PAYING SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR SAYING DON'T IMPOSE MASK MANDATES ON STUDENTS.

>> WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS SUPPOSEDLY DR. CARMONA IS BROUGHT ON BOARD TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED.

WE HAVE 55% OF FOLKS HAD ONE DOSE, ABOUT FIVE, SIX POINTS BELOW THAT FOR PEOPLE FULLY INOCULATED.

WHAT MORE CAN WE DO?

I ASKED HIM WHAT MORE CAN WE DO?

WE HAD PR CAMPAIGNS, STATE RUN INOCULATION SITES.

AS LAURIE NOTED, WE'VE HAD HOT DOGS FLOATING DOWN IN TV COMMERCIALS WITH MASKS AS PARACHUTES AND REACHED THE POINT WHERE I THINK WE'RE UP AGAINST THE ANTI-VAXXERS AND I ASKED DR. CARMONA, WHAT MORE ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO PROMOTE THE VACCINES?

HE SAID WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THE MESSAGE.

TED: WHAT DOES IT MEAN AS FAR AS THE APPOINTMENTS?

ANY CHANGE AS FAR AS POLICY?

>> WELL, IT'S A BIG DEAL IN THAT DR. CARMONA IS A WELL-RESPECTED PHYSICIAN, A FORMER SURGEON GENERAL UNDER BUSH, BUT HE'S COMING INTO THE JOB HANDCUFFED IF HE CAN'T ADVISE THE GOVERNOR, I GUESS HE CAN ADVISE HIM BUT GET THE GOVERNOR TO HEED THE CDC'S ADVICE ABOUT MASKING AND VACCINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UNLESS HE CAN USE THE POWER OF PERSUASION ON THE GOVERNOR THAT DR. CHRIST WAS NEVER ABLE TO OR PERHAPS DIDN'T TRY, TO I THINK IT'S REPACKAGING THE MESSAGE, BUT I KIND OF DISAGREE WITH YOU THAT WE'RE JUST DEALING WITH THE ANTI-VAXXERS AT THIS POINT.

WRITE THEM OFF, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET A VACCINE.

BETTER THAT THE POINT TO CONCENTRATE ON ELEMENTS OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITY WHICH STILL ARE GETTING VACCINATED IN MUCH LOWER RATES THAN OTHER PEOPLE.

SO I THINK FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET OUT INTO THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY, TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THIS VIRUS IS SAFE.

HE HAS THE CREDIBILITY TO DO THAT, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE HELPFUL THAN A HOT DOG FLOATING DOWN ON A MASK.

THAT IS STUPID.

TED: THIS COMES AS THE ARIZONA HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION SAYS HOSPITALIZATION NUMBERS ARE, QUOTE, OMINOUS.

IT'S GETTING DICEY OUT THERE.

>> WELL, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED, THE NUMBER OF BEDS AVAILABLE WAS DOWN TO 8% OF TOTAL CAPACITY.

THAT'S STATEWIDE.

THAT MEANS THERE MAY BE A HOSPITAL THAT HAS PLENTY OF SPACE, MAY BE SOME THAT DON'T.

WE TALKED TO MARJORIE BESEL THE CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER AT BANNER HEALTH AND SAID WE ARE TREATING PEOPLE AT UNCONVENTIONAL PLACES, WAITING ROOMS, AMBULANCES, OUT IN THE HALL WAYS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE BED SPACE TO PUT THEM IN, AND THIS IS CREATING SOME REAL ISSUES HERE.

WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE THE VACANCY RATE IN HOSPITALS IS BACK TO WHERE IT WAS IN JANUARY BEFORE WE HAD THE VACCINE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE GOVERNOR WHO SAYS NOTHING TO SEE.

TO BE FAIR, ONLY 25% OF THE PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS ARE COVID VERSUS 60% BACK THEN.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO PUT OFF ALL THE CARE DURING LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO HOSPITALS, SO WE'RE BACK IN THE POSITION NOT ONLY A FEW BEDS, YOU HAVE A SHORTAGE OF NURSES AND NURSING STAFF AND AID TO CARE FOR THESE PEOPLE.

TED: WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT ONE BED, BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT A BUNCH OF FOLKS HAVING TO TAKE -- ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ICU.

LAURIE, THERE IS URGENCY AS FAR AS THE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION IS CONCERNED.

OMINOUS, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.

IS THERE A SIMILAR SENSE OF URGENCY FROM STATE LEADERS?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO AT ALL.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THE MASK ISSUE AND THE AUDIT.

I THINK MANY OF THEM WISH THAT THE ISSUE WAS OVER.

THEY THINK COVID IS OVER, WE'RE DONE WITH IT, NO MATTER WHAT THE REALITIES ARE.

THE OTHER INTERESTING THING TO NOTE, IN JANUARY AND BEFORE THEN, BEFORE THE VACCINES, THE HOSPITALS WERE FILLING UP WITH PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER.

NOW THE PEOPLE YOU SEE IN THE HOSPITAL ARE AGE 20 TO 60.

YOU SAW EVEN LAST WEEKEND TWO PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s OTHERWISE IN GOOD HEALTH WHO DIED AFTER CONTRACTING COVID.

IT'S NO JOKE.

ANOTHER CONCERN IS, AND WE'RE SEEING IT ALREADY TODAY IN KINGMAN, KINGMAN HOSPITAL ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING THAT BEGINNING ON MONDAY, THEY'RE GOING TO START DISCONTINUING OR POST PONING SOME OF THE ELECTIVE SURGERIES.

THAT'S A BAD THING BECAUSE THAT STARTS AND PRETTY SOON PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GET CANCER SCREENINGS AND OTHER THINGS WHICH CAUSES OTHER PROBLEMS AND DEATHS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO GET THAT PREVENTIVE CARE OR THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CAN'T GET IT TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE OVERWHELMED WITH OTHER THINGS.

THERE'S A SET OF DOMINOS.

>> AND THE OTHER DOMINO TO THIS IS FINANCIAL.

HOSPITALS MAKE THEIR MONEY OFF OF PEOPLE GETTING THEIR KNEES REPLACED, HIPS REPLACED, THE ELECTIVE SURGERIES.

THEY'RE NOT MAKING MONEY OFF OF THE FOLKS WITH COVID, FOLKS UNINSURED AND MEDICARE AND MEDICAID DO NOT PAY FULL RATES.

TO THE EXTENT THEY'RE NOT DOING THE ELECTIVE SURGERIES, YOU'RE GOING TO CAUSE A RIPPLE EFFECT DOWN THE LINE AND THE HOSPITALS FIND OUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PROVIDE THE CARE AND KEEP DOORS OPEN.

TED: LAURIE, LET'S MOVE ON HERE, NONCOVID NEWS, ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK BRNOVICH SIDES WITH THE SENATE ON SUBPOENAS INCLUDING THE MARICOPA COUNTY, BROKE THE LAW BY DEFYING THE SUBPOENAS THAT THE SENATE ISSUED, AND THAT'S JUST THE HALF OF IT.

TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, HE SAYS THEY HAVE BROKEN THE LAW AND MUST TURN OVER THE ROUTERS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE ROUTERS THAT ARE A ROAD MAP INTO THE COUNTY'S INFORMATION SYSTEM, AND BASICALLY IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME IF THEY ARE PAYING BY A HACKER, GIVES THEM A ROAD MAP FOR HOW TO BREAK INTO THE VARIOUS COUNTY SERVERS TO GET THINGS LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS, TO GET OUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, TO GET DOCUMENTS THAT ARE ON ANY COUNTY COMPUTER.

THIS IS WHY COUNTY HAS NOT WANTED TO TURN OVER THE ROUTERS.

BRNOVICH SAYS YOU HAVE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 27 TO TURN OVER THE ROUTERS OR LOSE STATE SHARED FUNDING.

THAT IS $700 MILLION GIVE OR TAKE.

IT'S ALMOST HALF OF THE COUNTY'S BUDGET FOR THINGS LIKE COURTS AND SHERIFF'S OFFICES AND IN EFFECT, YOU HAVE THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT THAT IS ABOUT TO DEFUND NOT JUST THE POLICE BUT THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY'VE PREVENTED THE COUNTY WITH A SET OF BAD CHOICES.

LOSE ALL YOUR FUNDING OR TURN OVER THE ROUTERS AND POTENTIALLY HAVE A MASSIVE SECURITY BREACH OF SOME SORT THAT WE CAN'T SEE YET WHAT WOULD THAT BE.

TED: IS THAT THE CASE THE DOG CATCHING THE CAR?

DID THEY REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> REMEMBER, THIS STARTED OUT AS KAREN FANN SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE FINE, AND THIS SORT OF BECAME, GOD FORBID, THE PARALLELS ARE LIKE VIETNAM AND WE GOT FURTHER AND FURTHER IN AND DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THE JUNGLE AND THE HIRING OF CYBERNINJAS UNIQUELY UNQUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB, AND THEM SAYING THIS ISN'T ENOUGH, WE NEED THIS AND NEED SOMETHING MORE, AND THE SENATE, KAREN FANN HAS HER BACK UP AGAINST THE WALL, HER EXPERTSES SAY WE NEED THIS.

>> WHO ARE HER EXPERTS?

>> HER EXPERTS ARE CYBER NINJAS.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG IN MANY WAYS.

CYBER NINJAS IS USING THIS AS GRIST.

THEY RAISE $5.7 MILLION TO RUN THIS THING, THEY'RE CHARGING THE SENATE $750,000.

WE KNEW THAT WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT.

AND CYBER NINJA KEEPS TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT THINGS, THE BAMBOO AND THE BALLOTS AND THE INFRARED LIGHTS AND THE SATELLITE FEED FROM CHINA AND HUGO CHAVEZ AFFECTING THE VOTE BEYOND THE GRAVE.

TED: DON'T FORGET THE CHICKEN FARM.

LAURIE, AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTY IN THE STATE, YOU'RE TALKING SERIOUS BUSINESS HERE.

THIS ISN'T MESSING AROUND ANYMORE.

>> PEOPLE SAY THE COUNTY IS BREAK THE LAW, THE COUNTY POINTS OUT.

LET'S GO BACK BECAUSE I DIDN'T EXPLAIN WHY IS IT THEY WANT THE ROUTERS?

THERE IS THE WHOLE ISSUE OF DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS AND HACKERS AND THERE WAS VOTE SWITCHING AND SOMEBODY SECRETLY SWITCHED ALL OUR VOTES AND DID IT BECAUSE THE MACHINES ARE ON THE INTERNET.

THE COUNTY SAID COUNTLESS TIMES THERE'S AN ERROR GAP SYSTEM TO THE ELECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THEY'RE NOT ON THE INTERNET.

THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR YEARS, BUT THE COUNTY WENT THE EXTRA MILE AND HIRED A PAIR OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS WHO HAVE VERIFIED, AND CAN YOU FIND IT ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE, THAT THESE MACHINES ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.

ABSENT THAT, THEY STILL WANT THE ROUTERS.

THE COUNTY SAID YOU DON'T NEED THE ROUTERS, HAVE YOU DATA LOGS AND OTHER MATERIALS, YOU HAVE THE MACHINES, YOU CAN VERIFY YOURSELF IF YOU WANT INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET IT WITHOUT RISKING LAW ENFORCEMENT CASES AND MY HEALTH RECORDS AND YOURS AND MY SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOURS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT POTENTIALLY A HACKER COULD GET AS A RESULT OF A THIRD PARTY CYBER NINJA OR WHOEVER THEY TURN THE MATERIAL OVER TO HAVING ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION.

TED: HOWIE, THIS COMES AS THE SENATE IS SUPPOSED TO GET INITIAL REPORT FROM THE CYBER NINJAS ON MONDAY.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

THE HEAD CYBER NINJA IS QUOTE, UNQUOTE QUITE SICK ACCORDING TO SENATE PRESIDENT KAREN FANN WITH COVID.

WEDNESDAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO START.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

TODAY.

COME ON, MAN.

>> WELL, I HAVE THE FEELING, AND THIS COMES BACK TO THE ROUTERS.

THEY HAVEN'T TURNED UP THE BIG SMOKING GUN THAT THEY PROMISED.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE WARREN PETERSON WHO HEADS THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WHO IS CONVINCED THERE'S A PONY IN HERE SOMEWHERE TO USE THE OLD JOKE AND YOU DIG THROUGH ENOUGH MANURE, AND THE FACT IS THEY HAVEN'T COME UP WITH SOMETHING, THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING SOMETHING.

IS DOUG LOGAN SICK?

I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT A PHYSICIAN.

BUT HERE WE ARE.

IT IS THE END OF AUGUST, THEY STARTED THIS THING IN MARCH, THE SUBPOENAS BACK LAST DECEMBER, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING, AND NOW YOU HAVE -- YOU'LL LOVE THIS.

THE TWITTER-SPHERE EXPLODED WITH PEOPLE LIKE KELLY TOWNSEND.

WE NEED TO GET THE AUDIT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH AFGHANISTAN, THAT'S DESIGNED TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE AUDIT.

PART OF THE UNIVERSAL CONSPIRACY THEORY WITH A LOT OF THE REPUBLICANS.

TED: 30 SECONDS LEFT.

WRAP THIS UP.

WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE?

>> IT GOES ON AND ON.

THE LONGER THE CYBER NINJAS HAVE THIS GO ON, THE MORE THEY CAN RAISE PRIVATE FUNDS OF USING THE LEVERAGE WE HAVE THE STATE CONTRACT TO DO THIS.

IT'S GREAT FOR THE CYBER NINJAS, NOT GREAT FOR REPUBLICANS, HOWEVER, THE CLOSER YOU GET TO 2022, THE MORE UNPOPULAR THIS IS GOING TO BE AND THE TOUGH SELL IT'S GOING TO BE AS THEY TRY TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION.

TED: HOWIE FISCHER, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES AND LAURIE ROBERTS, "ARIZONA REPUBLIC," HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

>> YOU, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT, THE BLACK THEATRE TROUPE CELEBRATES 50th SEASON UNDER THE LIGHTS.

.

TED: THE BLACK THEATRE TROUPE IS CELEBRATING ITS 55th ANNIVERSARY OF HIGHLIGHTING MULTIETHNIC AND UNDERSERVED ARTISTS BY RESUMING PERFORMANCE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.

JOSE CARDENAS LEARNED MORE FROM DAVID HEMPHILL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

JOSE: SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLACK THEATRE TROUPE, YOU'RE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

THESE ARE UNUSUAL TIMES, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE STAGE FOR A WHILE.

WHAT'S THIS GOING TO BE LIKE?

>> WELL, WE ARE GOING TO RESUME BECAUSE OUR 50th ANNIVERSARY SEASON, AND THE TWO YEARS OF PLANNING, THAT WAS TO START IN JANUARY 2020, SO, OF COURSE, COVID CHANGED THAT.

SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO FOR THE SAKE OF BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT MILESTONE AS WELL AS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE PLANNING WE'VE DONE, ON SEPTEMBER 14, WE'LL START OUR 51st SEASON, BUT WE ARE CALLING THIS SEASON THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 50th SEASON.

JOSE: JUST LIKE THE OLYMPICS, WE JUST HAD THE 2020 OLYMPICS CONCLUDE IN JUNE AND JULY OF 2021.

BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOUR FOLKS WERE ON THE STAGE?

>> FEBRUARY 2020.

JOSE: AND SINCE THEN, YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT PREPARATION.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WERE YOU ALL DOING?

>> SINCE THEN WE'VE DONE VIRTUAL WORK, ET CETERA.

THE REAL PLANNING THAT WE DID, WE PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM AT THE PIPER IN THE ATLAS PROGRAM.

SO THE ATLAS PROGRAM WAS A YEARLONG INTENSIVE PROGRAM, AND A YEAR PRIOR TO THAT AND SOME MONTHS AFTER, ALL OF IT WAS DEDICATED TO OUR MAKING PLANS FOR THIS 50th ANNIVERSARY YEAR, IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC PLANS, IN TERMS OF BUDGETING, IN TERMS OF EXPANDING OUR CAPACITY, ALL THOSE THINGS, AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, CELEBRATION OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF PRODUCTIONS.

SO THAT'S WHAT -- THAT WAS ALL THE PLANNING THAT WE HAVE DONE.

NOW SINCE THEN, SINCE COVID STRUCK, WE'VE DONE SOME VIRTUAL THINGS, BUT OUR MAIN FOCUS HAS BEEN ON JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE COMPANY AFLOAT.

TRYING TO RAISE MONEY AND KEEP AWARENESS THAT WE ARE STILL OUT THERE AND STILL WORKING, BUT IN TERMS OF VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES, WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE, WE DID BLACK NATIVITY AT CHRISTMAS.

THAT WAS OUR ONLY VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE.

JOSE: YOU REFERENCED PIPER, THE VIRGINIA G. PIPER, A LOCAL NONPROFIT.

HAVE YOU HAD DIFFICULTY HANGING ONTO TALENT.

IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR AND HAIL OF SINCE THEY LAST PERFORMED, IF YOU DON'T COUNT THE VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE?

>> WELL, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE HAD A SPONSOR, ONE OF OUR DONORS WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO SEE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD ONTO SOME OF OUR DESIGN STAFF.

THAT'S THE BIG THING.

WE'RE HOLDING ONTO DESIGNERS AND KEEPING THOSE THAT MAKE THEIR ENTIRE LIVING DOING WORK LIKE THIS, THAT WAS THE IMPORTANT THING, KEEPING THEM ON TRACK BECAUSE OF LIMITED PPP AVAILABILITY TO US, SO WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK.

THERE'S ONLY SIX OF THEM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK, AND IN TERMS OF THE TALENT, THE PERFORMERS, THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY FLEXIBLE, AND MOST OF THEM ARE LOCAL, AND MOST OF THEM ALREADY HAVE REGULAR JOBS 9:00 TO 5:00.

JOSE: AND WE ALL THOUGHT WE WERE PAST THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC AND NOW THE DELTA VARIANT IS CHANGING OUR PERSPECTIVE.

HOW IS THAT AFFECTING YOUR PLANS FOR THE SEPTEMBER PERFORMANCE?

>> WE'RE VERY CONCERNED.

WE ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED.

LUCKILY ENOUGH, FORGING AHEAD AND JUST PROCEEDING AS IF EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT, WE'VE MADE SOME INROADS.

WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF SUBSCRIPTION SALES.

WE'VE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF INQUIRIES.

SOME OF OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS HAVE COME BACK ON BOARD.

SO WE'RE ALL JUST HOPEFUL THAT THIS SURGE WILL NOT BE AS BAD, NOT BE BAD ENOUGH TO CLOSE DOWN.

IF IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO CLOSE DOWN, WE CAN MAKE IT, THE WAY WE BUDGETED AND THE FACT THAT MOST OF OUR SHOW -- THE SHOW THAT'S OPENING ON THE 10th OF SEPTEMBER, THAT WAS PAID FOR ALREADY BECAUSE WE WERE FOUR DAYS FROM STARTING THE TECHNICAL REHEARSALS FOR THAT PARTICULAR SHOW BEFORE WE HAD TO CLOSE DOWN.

SO THE DESIGN WAS DONE.

THE SET WAS BUILT.

THE COSTUMES ARE READY.

THE SHOW WAS REHEARSED.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

THAT'S NOT A VERY BIG EXPENSE FOR US.

WE'RE HOPEFUL IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT.

JOSE: YOU'RE ALL READY TO GO.

ONE LAST QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE IN SEPTEMBER?

WHAT'S THE PERFORMANCE GOING TO BE?

>> THE PERFORMANCE IN SEPTEMBER IS SISTERS THE MUSICAL, OPENING OFF BROADWAY AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, THE SAME TIME AS WE ARE.

WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ONE OF THE ONLY COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY TO GET A LICENSE TO PERFORM A CURRENTLY RUNNING OFF-BROADWAY SHOW.

IT'S A WONDERFUL SHOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IT'S LIKE A JUKEBOX MUSICAL.

IT HAS A NUMBER OF TOP 40 SONGS IN IT.

ALL WOVEN AROUND A LOOSE STORY IN GRANDMA'S ATTIC.

JOSE: SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 50th OR 51st YEAR, DAVID HEMPHILL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK THEATRE TROUPE.

SO GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, APPRECIATE IT.

JOSE: YOU'RE WELCOME.

.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, DETAILS OF A NEW STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 LAST YEAR.

>>> AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," THE PROS AND CONS OF THEATERS VERSUS STREAMING SERVICES.

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