[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] [ TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ] -- THIS COMES WITH NOTABLY HIGHER CASE RATES.

ARIZONA REPORTED JUST OVER 2000 NEW CASES.

>>> THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TODAY APPROVED THE FIRST-EVER MALARIA VACCINE.

IT IS MADE BY GLAXOSMITHKLINE.

IT IS NOT ONLY A FIRST FOR MALARIA, IT IS THE FIRST DEVELOPED FOR ANY PARASITIC DISEASE.

>>> GOVERNOR DUCEY WAS IN TEXAS TODAY, JOINED BY EIGHT OTHER REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS, AND THEY HAD CRITICISM OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S BORDER-POLICIES.

>> WE NEED THIS ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO STOP THE FLOW OF THESE DEADLY DRUGS ACROSS THE BORDER.

THE BORDER MUST BE SECURED, AND CRIMINALS MUST BE DEPORTED.

>> TODAY'S EVENTS CONTAINED WHAT THE GOVERNORS CALLED A 10-POINT PLAN TO RESOLVE THE BORDER CRISIS.

>>> AND SCHOOL BOARDS IN ARIZONA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THREATS AND ASSAULTS OVER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OVER MASK MANDATES AND SEXUAL EQUALITY.

>>> THE ARIZONA INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION IS MEETING THIS WEEK TO BEGIN MAKING INITIAL CHANGES TO THE STATE'S VOTING MAPS.

THE CHANGES ARE BASED ON A VARIETY OF GUIDELINES.

THE GOAL IS TO GET FINAL MAPS IN PLACE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

JEREMY DUDA HAS BEEN COVERING THE COMMISSION'S WORK FOR THE "ARIZONA MIRROR."

WE SPOKE TO JEREMY EARLIER TODAY.

JEREMY GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

HOW FAR ALONG IS THE COMMISSION NOW IN TERMS OF DRAWING THESE MAPS?

>> NOT VERY FAR.

THEY JUST REALLY STARTED REALLY DRAWING THESE.

THE GRID MAPS IS AN ARBITRARY STARTING MAP.

EQUAL POPULATIONS DISTRICTS BASED ON NOTHING ELSE BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.

THIS WEEK, WHAT THEY DID FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IS STARTED ADJUSTING THOSE LINES BASED ON THE VARIOUS CRITERIA THAT THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION HAS TO FOLLOW, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS THEY PUT OUT THERE, BUT THEY ARE PRETTY FAR FROM DONE.

>> THE FOCUS SO FAR, YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF CRITERIA.

>> ONE OF THE SIX CRITERIA IN THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION, AND COMMUNITY OF INTEREST ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR INTERESTS, NEEDS, DESIRES FOR POLICY AND REPRESENTATION PURPOSES.

IT CAN BE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN A SIMILAR INDUSTRY, OR GO TO THE SAME CHURCH OR SAME PARK, PEOPLE WHO RELY ON PARTICULAR GOVERNMENT SERVICES, YOU KNOW, A CITY, TOWN, COUNTY, NEIGHBORHOOD, REGION.

IT CAN BE ANYTHING.

AND THEY HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THESE FOLKS.

SO THEY ARE TRYING TO BALANCE ALL OF THESE OUT.

>> IF YOU HAD THE SAME BUNCH OF FOLKS, HOW DO YOU HIT ANOTHER CRITERIA, WHICH IS COMPETITIVENESS?

>> THAT IS GOING TO BE -- YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES OF INTERESTS, AND SOME OF THE OTHER CRITERIA OFTEN BUTT HEADS.

ONE VERY INTERESTING THING WE HEARD FROM THE INDEPENDENT CHAIRWOMAN OF THE COMMISSION WAS SHE STARTED TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF COMPETITIVE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.

COMPETITIVENESS, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU CAN CONSIDER IT, BUT IT CAN'T BE TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT IS A VERY INTERESTING LEGAL ARGUMENT.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO COME INTO PLAY A LOT AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT REDRAWING MAPS, I THINK MAKING MORE COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS -- SEE -- FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, THAT WOULD BE JUST ABOUT NUMBER 1.

>> SURE.

IF YOUR COMMUNITY IS PRIMARILY REPRESENTED BY REPUBLICANS, AND YOU -- YOUR DISTRICT IS NOT COMPETITIVE, THE OTHER DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN GIVING YOU THE TIME OF DAY.

THE COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS, MAY GET INTEREST.

SO THE MORE COMPETITIVE THE DISTRICT IS, THE ARGUMENT GOES THE MORE RESPONSIVE THE REPRESENTATIVE IS GOING TO BE.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED POPULATION IS A BIGGY FOR THE GRID MAPS.

HOW MUCH IS THAT HOLDING STRONG?

>> THEY MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE GRID MAPS AFTER MONDAY'S HEARING.

I'M NOT SURE HOW THE POPULATION SHAKES OUT.

THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER MAP SOMETIME BEFORE NEXT FRIDAY'S MEETING.

AND ON THE CONGRESSIONAL MAP, THE POPULATION HAS TO BE PRETTY MUCH IDENTICAL.

IN THE LEGISLATURE MAP, THE COURTS HAVE ALWAYS ALLOWED SOME LEEWAY.

ONE OF THE REPUBLICANS ON THE COMMISSION HAS SAID HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO THAT FAR.

HE DOESN'T LIKE THAT THERE HAS BEEN THAT MUCH VARIANCE IN THE PAST.

AND HE DOESN'T WANT THE POPULATION VARIANT TO BE THAT WIDE.

AND THAT WILL BE INTERESTING.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN THE PHOENIX AREA?

ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN THE TUCSON AREA?

>> THEY HAVEN'T DONE TOO MUCH IN PHOENIX.

I THINK THEY WILL PROBABLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT MERE SPECIFICALLY.

IN TUCSON, ESPECIALLY ON THE CONGRESSIONAL MAP, THE CONSERVATIVE SUBURBS, AND NORTH OF TUCSON, ET CETERA, THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THIS NORTHERN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE UTAH STATE LAW, THEY WANT TO PUT THAT IN ONE OF THE TUCSON'S DISTRICTS, AND THAT WOULD MAKE THAT MORE CONSERVATIVE.

AND PROBABLY TAKE THE REST OF YUMA AND GET IT OUT OF THE PHOENIX AREA THAT JETS UP INTO THE BUCKEYE AREA.

THEY DON'T LIKE THAT THAT SPRAWLS INTO THE VALLEY.

>> WITH THAT IN MIND, OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AS IT STANDS NOW.

WHO IS GOING TO BE HAPPY?

WHO IS GOING TO BE NOT SO PLEASED.

>> SO FAR PROBABLY TOM O'HALLERAN.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT -- PROBABLY MAKING THAT MORE REPUBLICAN.

AND I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT SO MANY OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS ARE CONSERVATIVE.

YOU HAVE TO ADD SOME MORE POPULATION, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY DO THAT IS PUT MORE REPUBLICANS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR TOM O'HALLERAN, BECAUSE OF THE REPRESENTATION OF A LOT OF THE TRIBES UP THERE, ESPECIALLY THE NAVAJO NATION THAT ARE KIND OF IN THE POSITION TO BE THE DIFFERENCE-MAKER IN A TOUGH RACE.

THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE.

>> I KNOW BEFORE THIS PROCESS EVEN STARTED, SOME FOLKS WERE THINKING GREG STANTON, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HIM IF THEY REARRANGE THESE MAPS.

>> I MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE PEOPLE SAYING THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

BUT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT SPLITTING MESA IN HALF.

THE WESTERN PART IS MORE URBAN, AND THE EASTERN PART WOULD GO TO CHANDLER AND SOME OF THOSE PLACES.

A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT IS IN STANTON'S CURRENT DISTRICT, YOU WOULD PROBABLY END UP WITH A MORE DEMOCRATIC-LEANING DISTRICTS.

IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW THE FINAL LINES WILL SHAKE OUT, BUT STANTON MAY BE IN A POSITION TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR HIS REELECTION NEXT YEAR.

>> AND THIS SHOULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

IS IT GOING TO GET DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> THEIR ASPIRATIONAL SCHEDULE IS PUTTING THEM ON DECEMBER 27TH.

THAT'S A PRETTY TIGHT SCHEDULE, BECAUSE THEY GOT STARTED MUCH LATER THAN NORMAL, SO IT'S POSSIBLE.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

JEREMY DUDA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING HORIZON," THE LATEST ON COVID-19, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROMISING NEW ANTI-VIRAL MEDICATION.

>> >>> A NEW ANTIVIRAL MEDICATION IS IN THE WORKS THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS.

THE MEDICATION IS IN PILL FORM, AND COULD BE A GAME CHANGER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH FORMER STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR WILL HUMBLE.

WILL HUMBLE, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

WE ARE TALKING COVID, AS WE OFTEN DO.

AND THIS MERCK PILL, ADDRESSING COVID, TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.

>> YEAH, SO IT'S AN ANTI VIRAL MEDICATION, IT IS A PILL YOU WOULD TAKE.

IT'S AN INVESTIGATIONAL NEW DRUG, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS AVAILABLE BEHIND THE PHARMACY COUNTER RIGHT NOW.

IT HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR A WHILE.

THERE IS A SMALL PHASE 3 CLINICAL TRIAL THAT IN THE PRESS RELEASE, SHOWED PROMISING RESULTS.

THEY SAY THEY ARE TURNING DATA INTO THE FDA FOR EMERGENCY-USE AUTHORIZATION.

THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT WHAT THEY SAY THE PILL DOES IS IF TAKEN EARLY IN THE COURSE OF THE ILLNESS, PREVENTS MOST OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

DOESN'T COMPLETELY PREVENT HOSPITALIZATIONS, SO IT PREVENTS THE MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS.

SIMILAR, KIND OF TO THE ARE REGENERON.

THAT'S AN IV INFUSION THAT IS SUPER EXPENSIVE.

AND NEEDS TO BE GIVEN EARLY ON IN THE TREATMENT.

AND IF IT PANS OUT, THIS WOULD BE EASIER TO USE, AND PRESUMABLY CHEAPER, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY PRICE IT.

WE'LL SEE.

>> ONCE YOU START GETTING A REGIMEN OF THIS THING, IT WOULD STOP A LOT OF THING.

>> YEAH, IT'S EASIER THAT THE REGENERON.

AND I HATE TO BE LIKE THE GUY WHO IS ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE BAD SIDE OF THINGS, BUT I HOPE THAT IT ISN'T OVER EMPHASIZED ON NETWORK TELEVISION AND SO FORTH ON THE COMMENTATORS GIVING PEOPLE THE IDEA THAT THIS IS A CURE, AND THEREFORE, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT TO GET THE VACCINE.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY BAD IF HE SAW SOME OF THE NATIONAL NETWORKS PROMOTING A PILL RATHER THAN GETTING THE VACCINE.

THE PILL, REALLY, JUST HELP THE SYMPTOMS.

>> WHERE ARE WE NOW IN THE PANDEMIC?

>> IN ARIZONA?

>> YEAH.

>> SO LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE DID THE PROGRAM, WE WERE ON THE DOWNHILL SLOPE.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST TEN DAYS IS A LEVELLING UP.

THIS DELTA PEAK WENT UP, STARTED TO COME DOWN, AND THEN THIS FLATTENED OUT.

SO THE CURVE -- WE'RE STILL AT A PRETTY HIGH TRANSMISSION LEVEL, BUT THERE'S NOT AS MANY CASES PER DAY, AS FOR EXAMPLE A MONTH AGO, SO IMPROVING, BUT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY, SO IT'S RESULTING IN A CONTINUING INFLUX INTO THE HOSPITALS, THE GENERAL WARDS, AND THE ICU BEDS.

>> WE LEAD THE PROGRAM TODAY THAT ICU AVAILABILITY IS AT ITS LOWEST LEVEL EVER.

WHAT IS GOING ON THERE?

>> A FEW THINGS.

THIS HAS BEEN A LONG WAVE.

THIS DELTA WAVE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE NOW.

SO YOU START OUT ON A GENERAL WARD, AND IF YOU DON'T GET BETTER, YOU COULD END UP IN THE ICU.

NOW IT'S ABOUT 32% OF INTENSIVE CARE PATIENTS ARE IN THERE FOR COVID-19 STATEWIDE.

THEY ARE ALSO DEALING WITH THE BACKLOG OF THOSE NON-EMERGENCY PROCEDURES HEART VALVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY ARE STILL CATCHING UP ON THOSE THINGS.

SO THE COMPRESSION IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE COVID PATIENTS MOVING IN, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE NORMALLY, AND THEN THE BIGGY IS STAFFING, AS IT HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT STAFFING AND THE AVAILABILITY OF STAFFING, AND DOCTORS -- ESPECIALLY NURSES ARE BURNING OUT, AND QUITTING, AND IT'S PUTTING A REAL STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM.

>> AND WE TALK ABOUT ICU BEDS.

AN ICU UNIT INCLUDES A BED AND A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS.

>> YEAH.

THE BED IS A BED.

THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.

PEOPLE ARE WHAT MAKE IT MATTER.

>> YES.

>> SO IT'S THE STAFFING JUST LIKE IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.

BUT THAT IS BECOMING A TOUGHER AND TOUGHER NUT TO CRACK.

>> ANY INDICATION OF ANY OTHER VARIANTS OUT THERE?

>> THERE ARE VARIANTS HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.

MU, BUT NOTHING THAT IS COMPETING WITH DELTA SO FAR.

IF IT CAN'T COMPETE WITH THE TRANSMISSIBILITY OF DELTA, IT IS NOT GOING TO TAKE OVER.

BECAUSE WHAT TAKES OVER IS WHAT IS TRANSMISSIBLE, SO WE STILL HAVE DELTA, AND WE'RE LUCKY THAT DELTA WASN'T WAY, WAY WORSE THAN SAY ALPHA, IN TERMS OF THE SYMPTOMOLOGY, BUT IS WORSE IS IT EFFECTS MORE PEOPLE.

>> FLU SEASON IS COMING UP.

LAST YEAR, WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE FLU, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WEARING MASKS.

>> THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SHOWED UP THAT WEARING MASKS REALLY TAMPS DOWN THIS VIRUS.

RSV HAS BEEN A BIG DEAL OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER.

NOW, WILL THAT CONTINUE?

I THINK THERE WILL BE FEWER MASKS BEING WORN OVER THE COURSE OF THE FALL, WE'LL SEE.

BUT I THINK WE WILL SEE A BIGGER INFLUENZA SEASON THIS COMING HERE THAN FOR SURE LAST YEAR, JUST BECAUSE OF MASKS.

>> YES, BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T WEARING -- YEAH, YEAH.

THE WAY THE STATE IS HANDLING THE PANDEMIC.

WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE STATE DO?

>> WELL, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NOT APPEAL THE COURT RULING FROM THE SUPERIOR COURT COOPER.

THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE TO DO UNIVERSAL MASKING IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO UNIVERSAL MASKING IN SCHOOLS.

I WOULD USE SOME OF THE GOVERNOR MONEY TO GET SOME AIR FILTERS INTO THE CLASSROOM.

HEPA FILTERS REALLY HELP.

SCHOOLS NEED TO BE DOING MORE VENTILATION NOW THAT IT'S COOLER.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE GOVERNOR RESCIND SOME OF THOSE HARMFUL EXECUTIVE ORDERS, AND MAYBE BRING IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND THEN BE A LOT MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE NECESSITY FOR THE NON-VACCINE INTERVENTIONS, UNIVERSAL MASKING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

WELL, RECENTLY, DR. CARMONA HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN DOOR MASKING, SO THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT.

SO A LOT OF MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE.

YOU HAVEN'T ASKED ABOUT THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT ASKING THE GOVERNOR ABOUT WHY HE DID SO MUCH HARMFUL THINGS OVER THE SUMMER WITH MONEY THAT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE USED THAT WAY.

>> YEAH, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE GOVERNOR DOES, BECAUSE THE TREASURY IS SAYING IF YOU DON'T GET THIS RIGHT, THAT MONEY NEEDS TO COME BACK HOME.

THANK YOU, SIR.

>> TAKE CARE.

>>> OUR COVERAGE OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CONTINUES WITH "HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPEAKING WITH ARTIST AND ARCHITECT AUGUSTIN VARGAS.

WE TALKED ABOUT HIS CAREER IN THE ARTS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE."

YOU ARE AN ARTIST, AND AN ARCHITECT BY TRAINING.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

MY BACKGROUND IS AN ARCHITECT FROM MEXICO CITY.

I PRACTICED FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT I ALWAYS LOVED ART.

WHEN YOU GET YOUR DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE IN MEXICO, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A WATERCOLOR CLASS, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

>> I'M FAMILIAR WITH YOUR ART.

AND YOU SEE LINES AND ANGLES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WOULD COME FROM SOMEBODY WITH YOUR KIND OF BACKGROUND.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

I WAS ONLY PAINTING, BUT ANOTHER WAY TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS PROCESS, TO VALIDATE ALL OF MY ARCHITECTURE WORK TO START WORK HERE, AND THEN I STARTED TO BECOME MORE EMBOLDED WITH MY ART.

AND MY FATHER ALWAYS COMPLAINED, YOU WASTED FIVE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE.

AND THEN I STUCK TO ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS TO SHOW HIM, LOOK, I STUCK TO MY ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND.

>> SO YOU MADE YOUR FATHER HAPPY, AND I KNOW YOU ARE MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY HERE.

AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM.

>> YEARS AGO, I STARTED TO [ INAUDIBLE ] ALWAYS BEEN AROUND, BUT FINALLY, I AM AT HOME.

THAT'S HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW, AND I LOVE TO SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE.

I LOVE TO TEACH, AND NOW I [ INAUDIBLE ] ORGANIZES SOME TRADITIONS, AND EVENTS HERE, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> SO THIS IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

I KNOW CHICO IS DOING DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT FOR SOMEBODY WITH YOUR BACKGROUND, SOMEBODY THAT GREW UP, WAS EDUCATED IN MEXICO, AND IS NOW IN THE UNITED STATES, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

>> IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, BECAUSE THIS PROCESS, WHERE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND [ INAUDIBLE ] AND YOU HAVE THIS INDIGENOUS BLOOD, BECAUSE MY MOTHER IS FROM THE [ INAUDIBLE ] IT'S AN ORIENTAL TOWN BEFORE THE SPANISH ARRIVED, AND YOU CAN SEE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY AND MY MOM, THEY HAVE STUDIED IN EUROPE AND [ INAUDIBLE ] AND FATHER'S SIDE, AND I ALWAYS LOVED THAT PART.

I AM MEXICAN AND NOW BECAME A AMERICAN CITIZEN TOO, AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

WE HAVE A VERY RICH MIXTURE AND BACKGROUNDS.

>> YOU TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT CONTROVERSIAL IN MEXICO ITSELF TODAY.

THE PRESIDENT HAS DEMANDED EVEN THAT THE POPE APOLOGIZE, AND JUST AN EMPHASIS ON -- WELL, I THINK HE HAS ALSO ASKED FOR REPARATIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ALL OF THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VERY SHARP QUESTION THERE.

BECAUSE AT ONE POINT IT'S -- LIKE AT ONE POINT THE SPANIARDS NEED TO ASK THE SAME THING TO THE ARABS, AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE THEY HAVE FROM THE ARTS IN SPAIN.

BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS, BEAUTIFUL CULTURE, BUT [ INAUDIBLE ] AND I THINK WE HAVE TO AT ONE POINT FIGURE OUT HOW TO HEAL.

EVERY COUNTRY -- THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO HEAL, AND THAT'S THE POINT.

FORGET APOLOGIES, JUST HOW WE CAN HEAL.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ONE LAST QUESTION.

IT'S MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE WEEK.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

>> IT'S A GREAT, GREAT CELEBRATION.

EVERY TIME WE HAVE [ INAUDIBLE ] TO BE INDEPENDENT.

AND I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD FEELING, HOW WE CAN BE INDEPENDENT.

HOW YOU HAVE TO BE MORE AND MORE IN YOURSELF, AND BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS.

[ INAUDIBLE ] HISTORICAL MOMENT IN CULTURAL MEXICO, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS, ALL OF THE ELEMENTS, AND REALLY LEARN FROM THE PAST.

>> AUGUSTIN VARGAS, WELCOME TO ARIZONA.

I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS, BUT IT'S SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> 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, MEET A JOURNALIST TURNED ARTIST WHO IS SHARING HER HERITAGE WITH OTHERS.