[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE RETURN TO SCHOOL CLASSROOMS IS MAKING FOR A SURGE IN TESTING FOR ON CRONKITE NEWS, NEW WAYS FOR VETERANS IN THE VALLEY TO GET HELP FOR HOME LOANS, REHABILITATION AND OTHER CONCERNS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, BLACK FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE PREPARE FOR PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

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

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING GOVERNOR DUCEY AND CURRENT AND FORMER STAFF MEMBERS FOR ALLEGEDLY WORKING A CLOSED-DOOR DEAL TO ISSUE AS MUCH AS $100 MILLION IN TAX REFUNDS TO ONE OF DUCEY'S CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS.

AMONG THOSE BEING INVESTIGATED IS A FORMER STAFFER WHO IS NOW A JUDGE.

ALONG WITH OTHER TOP AIDS WHO ENDED UP LEAVING DUCEY'S CAMPAIGN TO WORK FOR THE SUPPORTER.

THE "ARIZONA REPUBLIC" BROKE THE STORY.

THE REFUND WOULD HAVE COST THE STATE'S GENERAL FUND MORE THAN $100 MILLION.

A COURT RULED AGAINST THE REFUND, AFTER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND TWO STATE REVENUE OFFICIALS OPPOSED THE GIVE AWAY.

DUCEY LATER FIRED THOSE TWO OFFICIALS >>> THE STATE SENATE'S SELF-STYLED AUDIT OF MARICOPA COUNTY PRESIDENTIAL AND U.S. SENATE VOTES IS STILL IN LIMBO.

THE SENATE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE RECEIVED A FIRST DRAFT OF THE REVIEW LAST WEEK, BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, AND STILL HASN'T HAPPENED, BECAUSE CYBER-NINJAS MEMBERS INCLUDING THE CEO ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM COVID-19.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN ADDRESSED THE NATION ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN.

>> LAST NIGHT IN KABUL, THE UNITED STATES ENDED 20 YEARS OF WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.

THE LONGEST WAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

THE FUNDAMENTAL OBLIGATION OF A PRESIDENT IN MY OPINION IS TO DEFEND AND PROTECT AMERICA.

NOT AGAINST THREATS OF 2001, BUT AGAINST THE THREATS OF 2021 AND TOMORROW.

THAT IS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE BEHIND MY DECISIONS ABOUT AFGHANISTAN.

>> THE PRESIDENT ADDED THAT HE REFUSED TO SEND ANOTHER GENERATION OF MEN AND WOMAN TO FIGHT A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE ENDED LONG ANDGO.

>>> THE LOUISIANA GOVERNOR IS ASKING RESIDENTS TO NOT RETURN HOME YET BECAUSE THOUSANDS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER.

>>> MORE AMERICANS ARE WILLING TO RECEIVE A COVID-19 VACCINE.

THE AXIOS-IPSOS POLL SAID THAT ONE IN THREE PEOPLE WOULD LIKELY GET VACCINATED.

>>> AND ONE MORE COVID NOTE.

IT HAS COME TO HAVE.

THE FDA HAD TO SEND SAFETY ALERTS TO VETERINARIANS AND STORES TO ALERT THEIR CUSTOMERS NOT TO USE THE DRUG IVERMECTIN AS A COVID TREATMENT.

IT'S INTENDED FORHORSES, SHEEP AND CATTLE, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE DRUG AS A CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT.

>>> EMBRY HEALTH HAS BEEN CONDUCTING COVID TESTING TO HELP UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

THE COMPANY HAS SEEN A 1,000 PERCENT TESTING INCREASE IN JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

EARLIER WE SPOKE WITH EMBRY HEALTH CEO RAYMOND EMBRY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING TO US ABOUT TESTING.

YOUR TESTING NUMBERS UP A THOUSAND PERCENT SINCE JULY?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

>> OUR TESTING NUMBERS ARE IN FACT UP.

EMBRY HEALTH HAS AN EXTENSIVE TEST NETWORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND GOING INTO THE SUMMER, WE KNEW TESTING DEMANDS WOULD BE HIGHER THIS FALL, THAT'S WHY WE WERE INSISANT ON KEEPING OVER 50 LOCATIONS OPEN ACROSS ARIZONA.

AND THE NUMBERS ARE SO MUCH HIGHER THAN WE COULD HAVE PREDICTED.

AT THE END OF AUGUST, WE TESTED NEARLY 15,000 PATIENTS ALL ACROSS ARIZONA EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHICH IS A MASSIVE INCREASE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.

SO -- SO IT'S JUST -- IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE WHAT WE'RE SEEING OUT THERE, BUT IT HAS ALSO BEEN AMAZING TO BE SUCH AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HELPING TO SOLVE THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS, AND WITH THE PEOPLE GETTING TESTED, IT HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED SINCE THE FALL OF 2020.

IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER, WE SAW PEOPLE GETTING TESTED BECAUSE THEY WERE TRAVELING, YOU KNOW, THEY NEEDED VERIFICATION TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

NOW WE'RE SEEING CHILDREN.

ABOUT 30% OF THE PEOPLE GETTING TESTED ACROSS THE STATE EVERY DAY ARE THOSE FOLKS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

LAST MONTH WE WERE TESTING AROUND 3,000 CHILDREN, AND NOW WE'RE OVER 30,000 CHILDREN PER MONTH.

>> AND SCHOOLS REOPENING, OBVIOUSLY A BIG FACTOR HERE.

WHAT ABOUT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THAT SITUATION?

THIS >> WE'RE HANDLING IT THE SAME WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE, EVER SINCE WE REALIZED WE COULD DO DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING SUCCESSFULLY, IT WAS A GOAL OF MINE TO STRETCH OUTSIDE OF MARICOPA COUNTY.

WE HAVE 15 COUNTIES IN ARIZONA, SO OUR FIRST LOCATIONS THAT OPENED WERE LAST SUMMER OUTSIDE OF MARICOPA COUNTY, WERE THOSE IN MOJAVE, THEN WE WENT TO TUCSON AND COCHISE, AND NOW WE'RE ACTIVE IN TEN SEPARATED COUNTIES.

WE HAVE OVER SEVEN LOCATIONS DOWN IN COCHISE ALONE.

>> MOBILE TESTING AND POP-UP TESTING WOULD BE A FACTOR, I WOULD IMAGINE FOR SOME OF THESE OUTLYING COMMUNITIES?

>> ACTUALLY, WE DON'T LIKE TO HAVE POP-UP TESTING AS MUCH AS WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS CONSISTENT AND AVAILABLE.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVE IF WE CAN FIND A LOCATION AND MAKE IT CONSISTENT AND WE'RE OPEN ON A DAILY BASIS OR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS A WEEK, WE ARE CAN INCREASE TESTING DEMAND.

WE ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT MOBILE TESTING VANS SERVE A PURPOSE, BUT THERE IS NOTHING CONSISTENT ABOUT THE MOBILE VAN.

WHEN SOMEBODY SEES AN OFFICE POD AND A GENERATOR AND A TENT AT A LOCATION, THEY ARE CONFIDENT IT IS GOING TO BE THERE OVER THE LONG-TERM, SO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE, YOU KNOW, HAVE LENDED US THEIR SPACE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SET UP THESE CONSISTENT LOCATIONS, NOW THE PLACE WHERE MOBILE TESTING IS CRITICAL IS THOSE SCHOOLS ACROSS MARICOPA COUNTY, WITH PHOENIX UNION, OR GLENDALE UNIFIED, WE'RE WORKING TO STAND UP AT ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

>> WHEN FOLKS ARRIVE FOR TESTING AT SOME OF THESE OTHER SITES, YOU ARE GETTING A LOT OF KIDS OBVIOUSLY.

ARE YOU GETTING ADULTS AND PARENTS AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE -- THE FOLKS GETTING TESTED ARE COMING FROM A WIDE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING HUGE RSV NUMBERS ACROSS ARIZONA, SO OTHER VIRUSES ARE SPREADING BECAUSE FOLKS ARE NOT WEARING MASKS ANYMORE.

LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A FLU SEASON, BUT THIS YEAR, IT'S PREDICTED TO BE QUITE SERIOUS.

SO WE WILL BE INTRODUCING A TRIPLE TEST, WHERE PEOPLE CAN TEST FOR COVID-19, RSD, AND FLU.

AND THE FOLKS GETTING TESTED ARE NOT JUST STUDENTS.

THEY ARE FOLKS THAT ARE SYMPTOMATIC, AND THEY ARE SICK, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A REASON WHY THEY ARE SICK, SO WE'RE HOPING TO PROVIDE A NEGATIVE FOR MORE THAN JUST COVID.

>> RAYMOND EMBRY, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESS OF GETTING FOLKS TESTED.

CONTINUED SUCCESS, AND THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT IT.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>>> UP NEXT, HOW AN ENZYME RELATED TO RATTLESNAKE VENOM COULD PREDICT COVID-MORTALITY.

>>> RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED WHAT WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING FACT FOR IN COVID MORTALITY.

WE LEARNED MORE FROM FLOYD CHILTON, THE STUDY'S SENIOR RESEARCHER.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND TALKING.

THIS IS FASCINATING STUFF HERE.

A KEY MOLECULAR MECHANISM IS KEY IN DETERMINING COVID MORTALITY?

TELL US ABOUT THIS.

>> YEAH, WE ARE EXCITED, AND IT ALSO FRIGHTENS US A LITTLE BIT.

THE ENZYME HAS SOME REALLY, REALLY NASTY BIOLOGY.

SO THIS WAS UNEXPECTED.

WE -- WE FOUND SOME OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS -- THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THIS ENZYME THAT HAVE EVER BEEN FOUND, SO AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THE BIOLOGY OF THIS ENZYME, AND WHAT IT HAS THE CAPACITY TO DO, REALLY POINTED US IN THE DIRECTION OF, WOW, THIS COULD BE PLAYING A FAMAJOR ROLE OF THE MORTALITY WE ARE SEEING IN PATIENTS >> SO THE RISK FOR DEATH IS MUCH HIGHER, TRUE?

AND WHAT GOES ON HERE?

IS IT INFLAMMATION?

>> CERTAINLY IT'S PART OF INFLAMMATION, AND PART OF THE LATTER INFLAMMATORY STORM.

THERE'SEN A INITIAL ONE AND A LATTER ONE.

BUT THIS ENZYME IS -- ON ONE HAND IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE PROTECTED.

WHY DO WE HAVE IT?

IT SHREDS THE INFECTIONS AND VIRUSES IN NORMAL CONCENTRATIONS, SO IT IS THERE FOR PROTECTION ON DISEASE OR VIRAL RESISTANCE.

ONCE IT GETS TO EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS WHERE WE'RE SEEING HERE, THEN AT THE SAME TIME A SECOND HIT TAKES PLACE, AND OUR VITAL ORGANS BEGIN TO PUT MOLECULES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MEMBRANE THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY IN ENZYME, AND THIS BEGINS TO SHRED THE VITAL ORGANS, LEADING TO MULTIPLE ORGAN FAILURE.

BUT, AGAIN, IT'S THE COMBINATION OF THIS ENZYME THAT WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT US, THAT THEN REACHES EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH LEVELS AT THE SAME TIME THE ENZYME NORMALLY DOESN'T ATTACK HUMAN TISSUES OR CELLS, BUT ONCE ORGANS BEGIN TO FAIL, THEY BEGIN TO LOSE THEIR ABILITY TO HIDE THESE FACTS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS ENZYME BELIEVES THE ORGANS ARE A BACTERIA, AND THEY BEGIN TO SHRED THEM.

>> WE HEARD ABOUT THIS WHEN COVID FIRST BROKE OUT.

AND THIS IS A NEUROTOXIN, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU FIND IN RATTLESNAKE VENOM?

>> YEAH, IT'S -- IT'S THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT OF -- OF MOST NEUROTOXINS IN RATTLESNAKE AND OTHER VENOMS.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME, IT'S A HUMANIZED, BUT THE SIMILARITIES ARE STRIKING.

THEY ARE THE SAME SIZE IN THEIR ACTIVE SITES.

THEY DO THE SAME THING, AND THEY BELONG IN THE EXACTLY SAME FAMILY.

WE HAVE HUMANS HAVE UTILIZED THIS -- THIS ENZYME IS 100 MILLION YEARS OLD, THROUGH EVOLUTION, AND WE UTILIZE IT TO FIGHT BACTERIAL INFECTIONS, IT'S VERY, VERY SIMILAR, IT IS A HUMANIZED FORM, BUT IT DOES MUCH OF THE SAME BIOLOGY.

>> AND TOO MUCH OF THE ENZYME IS NOT A GOOD THING, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR US.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE IN TREATING COVID PATIENTS?

AND COULD THIS INVOLVE LONG-HAUL COVID PATIENTS?

>> WELL, YOU HAVE ASKED TWO QUESTIONS, AND I'M GOING TO ANSWER THE FIRST ONE, BUT REMEMBER THE LONG-HAUL QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M COME BACK TO THAT.

THE GOOD NEWS, AND IT IS GOOD NEWS, WHEN WE FIND A POTENTIAL MECHANISM OF DEATH SUCH AS THIS ONE, AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE CLINICAL INHIBITORS THAT COULD BE REPURPOSED FOR COVID, THEN THAT'S -- THAT'S ALMOST A HAT TRICK, THE FINAL PART OF THE HAT TRICK IS THE CLINICAL TRIAL.

BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING YEARS TO DEVELOP THESE INHIBITORS.

THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN CLINICAL TRIALS FOR SNAKEBITES.

SO THESE INHIBITORS HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN LATE PHASE II CLINICAL TRIALS AND CAN BE REPURPOSED.

AND MANY OF THE LARGEST ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT A MULTINATIONAL TRIAL.

IS THIS THE CAUSE OF THE ASPECT OF THE DEATH?

AND WE CAN DIRECTLY TEST OUT WITH THESE ALREADY LATE-STAGE CLINICAL TRIAL INHIBITORS.

>> OKAY.

WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS, SO VERY QUICKLY.

COULD IT BE A FACTOR IN LONG-HAUL?

>> IT COULD BE.

PEOPLE WITH LONG-HAUL THEY ARE MARATHON RUNNERS.

THEY ARE ACTIVE, AND THEN THEY CAN'T WALK TO THE MAILBOX.

WELL, JUST LIKE RATTLESNAKE BITES, THIS ACTEDS AT NEUROLOGICAL JUNCTIONS, SO CERTAINLY THE BIOLOGY OF THIS ENZYME COULD FIT WITHIN THIS, AND COULD BE -- WE HAVEN'T TESTED THAT YET.

IT'S A HYPOTHESIS, AND THAT'S THE NEXT PLACE WE ARE GOING.

>> FLOYD CHILTON INTERESTING STUFF.

GREAT WORK, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RESEARCH, AND THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US ABOUT IT.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

♪♪ >>> A NUMBER OF ARIZONA MUSIC VENUES, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THOSE ATTENDING CONCERTS AT THEIR VENUES MUST SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION OR NEGATIVE COVID TESTS.

WE SPOKE WITH LONG-TIME CONCERT PROMOTOR DANNY ZELISKO ABOUT THESE NEW MANDATES FOR CONCERT GOERS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> HEY, TED.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M DOING GOOD.

I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROOF OF A VACCINATION OR BE TESTED BEFORE YOU CAN SEE A SHOW?

HOW IS THIS WORKING?

>> I REALIZE IN SOME CASES WE HAVE SOLD TICKETS WITHOUT ANY MANDATE LANGUAGE, BECAUSE SIMPLY, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL IT HAPPENED, AND OUR NUMBERS WENT BACKWARDS ON US AGAIN, AND THAT'S BAD NEWS IN ITSELF.

THE FACT IS, THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS OUT THERE ON THE ROAD RIGHT NOW, WHO ARE -- YOU KNOW, CURIOUS AND CAUTIONFULL OF MAKING SURE THEY ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THEIR TOURS.

I HAVE LETTERS FROM ALMOST ALL OF THE BANDS THAT I'M WORKING WITH, SAYING NOBODY COMES BACKSTAGE EXCEPT THEIR BAND, THEIR CREW, AND ONLY ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS HAVE TO BE VEXED AND ALSO PRESENT A 72-HOUR CLEAN TEST THAT YOU ARE NEGATIVE.

THAT WAY THE GROUP CAN COME IN SAFELY IN AND OUT OF THEIR BUSES, OR HOWEVER THEY ARE GETTING TO THEIR VENUE, AND THEY CAN PERFORM THE SHOW WITH CONFIDENCE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDING IS SAFE.

SO EVERYBODY WHO COMES INTO THE SHOW WILL BE TESTED OR VEXED.

AND WE REALIZE THE VACCINE IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

THAT'S THEIR CHOICE, SO THEN YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING THROUGH ONE OF THOSE 72-HOUR TESTS, WHICH IS LIKE A DRIVE THROUGH.

IT'S LIKE GOING TO A JACK IN THE BOX.

YOU DRIVE THROUGH, AND THEN BING, BOMB, BOOM, YOU ARE OUT OF THERE.

VERY QUICKLY.

AND IT DOESN'T HURT.

IT DOESN'T COMPROMISE YOU.

IT JUSTPROOFS THAT YOU ARE NEGATIVE, LIKE YOU PROBABLY ARE.

AND THIS WAY YOU BRING THAT NEGATIVE TEST OR BRING YOUR VACCINATION CARD ON YOUR PHONE, TAKE A PICTURE OF OUT.

IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A MASK, THAT'S UP TO YOU, BUT EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING WILL BE OF THE SAME MIND SET WHERE THEY ALL FEEL SAFE.

>> THIS STARTS SEPTEMBER 20TH.

IT'S INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED THE ARTISTS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF ARTISTS ARE PUSHING FOR THIS.

WOULD THIS BE THE TYPE OF THING THAT WOULD HELP ATTRACT ARTISTS TO ARIZONA?

>> WELL, I THINK IT WILL AND IT SHOULD.

WE MOVED IT UP TO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS WHEN THIS THING IS EXPLODING.

IT'S GOING -- IT'S BAD RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE LOSING MORE PEOPLE, GETTING MORE CASES EVERY DAY, AND THIS IS THE TIME TO TRY TO SHUT THIS DOWN AGAIN.

SO WE'RE DOING OUR PART WITH THAT.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN A 2500 CAPACITY ROOM FOR A FEW HOURS, WHY NOT KNOW EVERYONE IN THERE IS IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU.

AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE FENCE, AM I READY TO GO BACK TO A SHOW YET, AM I READY TO SIT INSIDE WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO I DON'T KNOW.

BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN ON AIRPLANES LIKE I HAVE, NOT EVERYBODY HAS TRAVELED THE WAY I HAVE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOOD ABOUT STAYING HOME, WHICH IS AN HONORABLE THING, BUT NOW I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE FENCE, THEY FEEL REAL POSITIVE ABOUT GOING AND SAFE.

>> WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE YOU GETTING?

BECAUSE I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SOME CRITICISM FROM PEOPLE SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SHOW MEDICAL INFORMATION TO GET IN TO SEE A SHOW.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I GUESS THOSE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING PLANES OR GOING TO HAWAII, OR DOING THE SAME KINDS OF THINGS.

THERE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE REQUIRING THAT EVERYBODY IN THE VENUE IS VACCINATED.

GARTH BROOKS JUST DID THAT.

SO RATHER THAN GIVE AN OPINION, I WENT AHEAD AND DID IT BECAUSE I'M IN CONTACT WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERY DAY.

STRANGERS AND PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, AND I WANT TO PROTECT THEM AND MYSELF.

I BELIEVE IN THAT SCIENCE, AND THAT IT WORKS BETTER THAN NOT HAVING IT, SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE DONE IT.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED HOW MANY ARTISTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, AND THEY ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, ERIC CLAPTON HAS COME UP AND IS BASICALLY AN ANTI VAC SONG, AND IT IS ALL OVER THE MAP.

>> THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OPINIONS.

EVERYBODY GETS TO HAVE ONE, AND AT THIS STAGE OF LIFE, BOTH ERIC AND VANN CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, WAS THAT ERIC IS NOT GOING TO MANDATE THAT ANYBODY WHO COMES TO SEE HIM HAS TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SHOW UP.

I READ SOMEWHERE THAT SOMEBODY THOUGHT THAT HE SAID YOU HAVE TO NOT BE VACCINATED TO ATTEND, WHICH IS NOT TRUE, OR TESTED, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

IT IS BASICALLY, HE IS NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO DO ANY OF THAT, AND THAT'S HIS PREROGATIVE, AND JUST LIKE IN PUTTING ON THE SHOWS THAT WE'RE DOING, IT'S OUR PREROGATIVE TO GO THE OTHER WAY, AND SAY WE FEEL THIS IS GOING TO WORK BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.

>> AND YOU FEEL LIKE IT WILL ATTRACT FANS AS OPPOSED TO KEEP THEM AWAY.

>> THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE THAT SAID I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE GAVE THEM A REFUND.

I DON'T WANT THEM THERE, IF THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO SHOW WHETHER THEY ARE NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE.

DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW?

I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE.

SO TO ME, IT IS JUST COMMON SENSE, AND IF IT IS NOT COMMON SENSE TO ANYBODY ELSE, SO BE IT, WAIT UNTIL IT IS WIDE OPEN AGAIN AND COME BACK THEN.

>> DANNY ZELISKO, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AND BEST OF LUCK.

>> THANKS SO MUCH, TED.

THANKS 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, WHERE ARIZONA STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF TRANSGENDER GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN FEMALE SPORTING EVENTS, ON BREAK IT DOWN, BLACK FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE PREPARE FOR PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

♪♪