[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE IMPACT OF THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN ON PERSONAL FINANCES.

SUPPLY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," WHAT SOME IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE NEW SHOW "RESERVATION DOGS."

THAT'S THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT OF ARIZONA PBS.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

AN FDA PANEL TODAY RECOMMENDED THE AUTHORIZATION OF MERCK'S ANTIVIRAL PILL FOR EMERGENCY USE AGAINST COVID-19.

IN AUTHORIZED, IT COULD BE THE FIRST PILL TAKEN FROM HOME.

TODAY'S VOTE WAS CLOSE.

THE MERCK DRUG WOULD BE TAKEN WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF SYMPTOMS, AND IT IS INTENDED FOR USE BY PEOPLE BE MODERATE TO MILD RISK OF ILLNESS.

>>> THERE IS A RANGE OF NEW INFORMATION ON THE OM ICON VARIANT OF THE COVID-19.

EXISTING VACCINES WILL MOST LIKELY BE LESS EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE VERY-- VARIANT.

THAT SAID, A DOCTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA SAID HE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS SHE HAS SEEN ARE SHOWING MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS.

>> SO THESE PATIENTS ARE -- THEY DON'T NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR NOW.

I HAVE SEEN VACCINATED PEOPLE, AND NOT REALLY VERY SICK.

AS WE SAID, THOUGH, IT IS EARLY DIAGNOSIS.

>> THE DETECTOR OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT CAME FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

>> IT JUST MEANS THAT [ INAUDIBLE ] SO I THINK THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

BUT REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT WAS IDENTIFIED, WHAT MATTERS IS HOW WE CAN COLLABORATIVELY PUT SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND SHARE THE INFORMATION TO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY USE THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER.

>>> THE CDC IN WASHINGTON SAY SO FAR NO CASES HAVE APPEARED IN THE U.S. >> SO FAR THERE ARE NO CASES IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE DELTA VARIANT STILL REPRESENTS 99.9% OF ALL VARIANTS.

>>> ARIZONA REPORTED CLOSE TO 3,000 NEW CASES TODAY.

BUT THAT COMES AS COVID TESTS ARE REPORTEDLY DOWN.

ARIZONA TODAY ALSO REPORTED 77-NEW FATALITIES.

>>> AND ECONOMIC NEWS, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE DIPPED IN NOVEMBER.

THE BOARD SAYS THAT RISING PRICES AND THE SPREAD OF THE DELTA VARIANT ARE BEHIND THE DROP IN CONFIDENCE.

>>> PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN IS IN THE HANDS OF THE U.S. SENATE NOW.

IT PROPOSES A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO TAX LAWS.

WHAT CAN THIS MEAN TO PERSONAL TAX FINANCES.

WE ASKED TOM WHEELWRIGHT, CPA AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK "TAX FREE WEALTH" FOR MORE INFORMATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> IT'S REALLY GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> LET'S START WITH -- AGAIN, HIGHER TAXES, FEWER TAX BREAKS, BUT MOSTLY FOR THE WEALTHY.

>> YEAH, THE BIG HIGHER TAXES WILL BE HIT, BUT THE SMALL BUSINESSES WILL BE HIT AS WELL.

THERE IS A TAX ASSESSMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN ASSESSMENT AS WELL.

>> AND IS THIS A DEAL WHERE THERE'S NO BREAK FOR THE WEALTHY?

>> NO, THIS IS FOR SOMEBODY MAKING 5, $600,000 A YEAR.

YOU ARE GOING TO START PAYING THIS TAX ON YOUR INCOME WHETHER OR NOT IT IS DISTRIBUTED.

SO YOU COULD HAVE USES FOR IT DOWN THE ROAD, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE TAX DOWN THE ROAD.

>> OKAY.

RETIREMENT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.

IS THIS MOSTLY AGAIN FOR THE WOL WOL -- WEALTHY?

>> IT IS.

THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME LIMITS ON WHO CAN CONVERT FROM A REGULAR IRA TO A WELL IRA.

SO THAT HAS BEEN A BIG PLANNING IDEA THAT PEOPLE HAVE USED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IS GOING AWAY.

SO YOU NEED TO START WITH A ROTH IRA, INSTEAD OF BACK-DOOR PLANNING.

>> INTERESTING.

STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTIONS SEEMS LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE ROLLED BACK FURTHER.

>> WELL, WE PRETTY MUCH LOST IT IN 2017.

AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BACK.

AND NOW THE HOUSE -- THE HOUSE HAS SAID, WELL, WE WANT IT TO BE 80,000 NOT 10,000, AND WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND IT FOR TEN YEARS.

NOW BERNIE SANDERS WOULD LIKE IT TO BE ROLLED EVEN FURTHER.

SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE A MOVING TARGET.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> AND THERE WILL BE FEWER WORK REQUIREMENTS, AND THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF ENHANCEMENTS TO WORK INCOME PAYMENTS.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

AS FAR AS CHILD TAX CREDITS, THOUGH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO ON.

>> IT IS GOING TO GO ON, BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR HOW LONG.

WE HAVE THIS ENHANCED CREDIT NOW.

>> THERE IS SOMETHING -- SOLAR CREDIT.

THAT IS A BIG DEAL.

GREEN ENERGY IS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THIS PLAN, AND IT SOUNDS PRETTY BIG.

>> YEAH, THIS IS NOT LITTLE.

IT IS ALMOST AS BIG AS THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT IN THE CHILD WITH TAX CREDIT.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A $2,600 FOR PUTTING SOLAR PANELS ON YOUR HOUSE, AND THAT IS ABOUT TO GO AWAY.

AND IN ARIZONA, WHERE SOLAR PANELS MAKE ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD, AND THAT IS A BIG CREDIT.

>> IS THERE MUCH OF A FIGHT SO FAR THAT YOU HAVE HEARD IN CONGRESS?

>> I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY FIGHT SO FAR.

SO I THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE CHARGING STATIONS BEING PUT IN YOUR HOME.

AND NOT ONLY WILL YOU GET A 30% CREDIT.

YOU ALSO GET A DEDUCTION FOR 85% OF THE COST.

>> AS FAR AS HEALTH, EDUCATION, THESE SORTS OF THINGS, ANYTHING BIG?

>> I DON'T REALLY THINK SO.

I THINK THIS IS A LOT MILDER THAN THIS STARTED OUT AT.

WE'LL SEE.

KYRSTEN SINEMA HAS BEEN A BIG FIGHTER TO KEEP IT SMALL, BUT THERE OBVIOUSLY ARE SOME BIG THINGS IN THERE.

YOU MENTIONED THE EXPANSION OF THE PELL GRANTS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS THAT ARE COMING, AND THE OTHER BIG THING IS THE SOLAR AND THE CLIMATE CONTROL.

>> TOM WHEELWRIGHT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL HEAR ABOUT AN APP DESIGNED TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE FROM FALLING BLAPZ >>> THURMON LOCKHART IS A PROFESSOR AT ASU'S SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND HEALTH SYSTEMS ENGINEERING HAS CREATED AN APP THAT MONITORS THE WAY A PERSON MOVES TO KEEP THE PERSON FROM FALLING.

THURMON LOCKHART, WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THIS DOES.

>> YEAH, THE LOCKHART MONITOR WAS FIRST DEVISED FOR MY DAD.

AND HE WAS A VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II, BUT AS HE GOT OLDER, HE TENDED TO BECOME WHAT WE CALL A FREQUENTED FALLER.

AND AS WE GET OLDER, WE LOSE OUR SYSTEMS THAT KEEP US FROM FALLING.

IF YOU ARE WALKING IN A DARK ROOM, YOU HAVE CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT DEGO AWAY WITH AGING.

AND I WAS ABLE TO SEE HOW HE WAS FEELING.

BECAUSE HE WOULD WAKE UP SOME DAYS GREAT.

BUT SOME DAYS HE JUST HAD VERTIGO OR SOMETHING, SO HE HAD GOOD AND BAD DAYS.

>> SO YOU MEASURE A BASELINE.

AND THIS IS AN APP ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, AND WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T QUITE SEEM RIGHT, IT WARNS YOU SOMEHOW?

>> YES, RIGHT.

WE MEASURE WALKING SPEED AND HOW THEY STABILIZE THEMSELVES.

SO AS YOU STAND THERE IS A SMALL SWAY BACK AND FORTH, AND USING THAT INFORMATION, WE CAN TELL WHAT IS HAPPENING OVERALL IN TERMS OF OUR MOBILITY PATTERNS.

AND IF THAT CHANGES WITHIN ABOUT ONE STANDARD DEVIATION, THERE IS A WARNING THAT COMES OUT.

>> SO SPEED AND STABILITY, AND YOU CAN GET A NEW BASELINE EVERY DAY.

>> YES.

AND YOU WANT TO SET A BASELINE WHERE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO VEER TOO MUCH AWAY FROM THAT BASELINE.

AND IF YOU ARE TOO FAR AWAY FROM THAT, THIS SYSTEM CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

SO IF YOU ARE HAVING A GAIT ISSUE, OR WALKING ISSUE, OR AMBULANCE -- BALANCE ISSUE, WE HAVE MONITOR THAT.

>> AND DOES THE PHONE HAVE TO BE ON ALL DAY?

>> YES, AND WE ALSO HAVE A MODULE THAT WE CAN TEST.

BUT IT IS NICE TO GET A DAILY MOTION PATTERN SO WE HAVE TELL.

THIS IS A RESEARCH GRADE-TYPE OF DEVICE.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE CAN GET A VERY ACCURATE GAIT SPEED AND VERY ACCURATE STABILITY MEASUREMENT.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT LIKE I-WATCHES?

CAN YOU HAVE IT ON YOUR WRIST?

>> YES, ON YOUR WRIST, OR CHEST, OR POCKET.

>> AND THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU CAN ACTUALLY MEASURE OTHER THINGS LIKE DEPRESSION AND ISOLATION BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF MOVEMENT.

>> EXACTLY.

IT HAS A MEASUREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH FRAILTY AND SYMPTOMS RELATED TO DISNEYNESS, VERTIGO, OR EVEN DEPRESSION, AS WELL AS -- YOU KNOW, HEAD INJURIES.

AND YOUR DAD GOT YOU STARTED ON THIS, HUH?

>> YEAH, HE DID.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY GET HIS INFORMATION, TRUTHFULLY WAS THROUGH IS THIS MECHANISM.

SO IT WAS REALLY FOR MYSELF TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT MY DAD, AND IT WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL ALL THE WAY TO THE END.

>> REACTION SO FAR?

>> I THINK THE RESEARCHERS ARE LOVING IT.

AND I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING IT ARE LIKING IT.

BUT CURRENTLY IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN IOS FORM.

>> WELL, THURMON LOCKHART, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.

IT MUST BE VERY REWARDING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

♪♪ >>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I AM TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>>> COMING UP ON CRONKITE NEWS, TODAY IS GIVING TUESDAY.

A LOOK AT THIS POST THANKS GIVING.

HOW IT GOT STARTED.

SOME IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE NEW SHOW "RESERVATION DOGS."

♪♪