[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," VALLEY LEADERS UNVEIL AN ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, HEALTHCARE ISSUES INVOLVING BLACK AND LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS.

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

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

ENCOURAGING COVID NEWS.

PFIZER SAID TODAY THAT A THIRD DOSE OF HIS BOOSTER VACCINE OFFERING SIGNIFICANT PROTECTION AGAINST THE OMICRON VARIANT.

PFIZER ADDED THAT IT IS WORKING ON AN OMICRON-SPECIFIC VACCINE THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE BY MARCH IF NEEDED.

>>> 25% OF VACCINATED ADULTS IN THE U.S. HAVE NOW RECEIVED A BOOSTER SHOT.

ARIZONA'S OVERALL VACCINATION NUMBERS CONTINUE TO LAG TO NATIONAL AVERAGES.

>>> AND ARIZONA CONTINUES TO REPORT CONCERNING HOSPITAL RATES, MOST NOTABLY WITH ICU UNITS.

40% OF ICU BEDS IN USE ARE NOW BEING USED TO TREAT COVID PATIENTS.

>>> AND TOM GALVIN IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SUPERVISORS.

>>> AND SECRETARY OF STATE AND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE KATIE HOBBS TODAY RELEASED A STATEMENT TODAY APOLOGIZING IN A RACE DISCRIMINATION RACE IN THE CASE OF TRACY ADAMS.

HOBBS ADDED THAT HER RESPONSE TO THE JURY VERDICT WAS SHORT-SIDED, AND FAILED TO MEET THE MOMENT.

SHE THEN TURNED TO HER CAMPAIGN AND PLEDGED, THAT IF SHOULD WOULD HELP ELEVATE WOMEN OF COLOR TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

>>> WE SPOKE WITH A REGIONAL COUNCIL CHAIR TODAY ABOUT WHAT THE NEW PLAN CALLS FOR.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THIS REGIONAL HOMELESS ACTION PLAN.

YOU HAVE GOVERNMENTS GETTING TOGETHER TO DO WHAT?

>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF PARTNERS THAT NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS.

THE MARICOPA COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN THE REGIONAL LEADER ON THESE ISSUES, AND HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST OF WHAT MAG DOES.

THEY ARE NOW WORKING WITH LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS AND FAITH COMMUNITY, NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AROUND A COMMON REGIONAL PLAN.

IT'S A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AND $130 MILLION PLAN.

>> AND WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?

>> A VARIETY OF SOURCES.

THE LION'S SOURCE IS FEDERAL MONEY.

SO A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY IN THE BANK PRIMARILY FROM FEDERAL SOURCES.

>> GETTING THESE ENTITIES TO WORK TOGETHER FOR ANYTHING, BUT WE'RE TALKING HOMELESSNESS THAT IS A CONCERN IN SO MANY PLACES FOR SO MANY FOLKS.

HOW CHALLENGING IS IT?

>> MORE THAN YOU WOULD THINK.

THERE IS A GREAT COMBINATION OF PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP, AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GIVE HELP.

BUT IT HASN'T BEEN WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.

I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE MAG STAFF WHO HAS BEEN MEETING WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR REGION TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND WE JUST HAD A UNANIMOUS VOTE ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO AGO, AND WE ARE ALL COMING TOGETHER SAYING THE, MAG IS THE RIGHT AGENCY TO DIRECT THIS.

>> I KNOW HOUSING WAS A BIG ISSUE HERE.

HOUSING PORTFOLIOS.

HOW DOES GOVERNMENT GET THAT TO HAPPEN IN COMMUNITIES, IN NEIGHBORS?

>> WELL, TRADITIONALLY, THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE ROLES THAT WE PLAYED.

WE ALWAYS PARTNER WITH SERVICE PARTNERS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE FACILITIES IN MESA.

MESA HAS PLAYED A ROLE TO HELP TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, AND WE LIKE TO COME IN AND PROVIDE WRAP AROUND SERVICES AS WELL, SO IT IS NOT JUST A BED.

SO GOVERNMENT HAS A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY HERE, PARTICULARLY IN PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME ONE TIME MONEY COMING THROUGH, BUT ULTIMATELY IT HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP.

>> I NOTICED ATTAINABLE HOUSING WAS A FOCUS.

>> YES, IT'S BRIDGE HOUSING WHERE WE GET PEOPLE OFF OF THE STREETS AND THEN PUT THEM ON A PATHWAY TO BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO ONCE YOU GRADUATE FROM EMERGENCY HOUSING INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WHERE THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES ARE HELP YOU TO A PATHWAY TO A MORE SUCCESSFUL LIFE.

>> AND I KNOW THAT ANYTHING THAT -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ON THIS PROGRAM, AND HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, A LOT OF TIMES THEY COINCIDE.

HOW DOES THIS ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS?

>> WELL, THERE IS NOT SPECIFIC MONEY THAT MAG IS PROVIDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, ALTHOUGH IN THE MEETING WE JUST HELD AN HOUR AGO, THE STATE PROVIDER OF HOUSING ACCESS SAID, ONE OF THE BIG SOCIAL DETERMINANTS THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE HOUSING ARE MEDICAL ISSUES.

>> AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE ON THE STREETS AND IN THE PARKS.

HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THOSE FOLKS.

>> WELL, THIS IS A VERY ASPIRATIONAL PLAN.

HOPEFULLY, AT SOME POINT, IT'S MORE AUDACIOUS THAN THAT, BUT ABSOLUTELY HOMELESSNESS WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US.

WE HAVE OFFERED ASSISTANCE TO FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE PARKS, AND THE RESPONSE WAS NO THANK YOU.

I'M AN ADDICT, AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING, SO THIS IS A VERY -- THERE'S NO ONE OFF -- I MEAN NO COMMON ANSWER TO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE, SO ALL WE DO IS ALL WE CAN DO.

>> RIGHT.

AND YOU WILL START DOING THAT WHEN?

>> STARTING IMMEDIATELY.

LIKE I SAY A LOT OF THE MONEY IS ALREADY IN THE BANK FOR A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS, AND OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'LL ADD EMERGENCY HOUSING YUAN -- UNITS TO HELP ACHIEVE OUR GOAL.

>> AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO SAY WE DON'T WANT THIS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE'LL HAVE DIFFICULT MEETINGS, WHEN WE SAY, WE HAVE TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A REGIONAL PROBLEM, AND TRADITIONALLY, THE HEAVY LIFTING HAS SOME FROM OUR CENTRAL PHOENIX AREA.

>> ALL RIGHT.

MAYOR, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> AND UP NEXT, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL GET A WINTER SEASON UPDATE.

>>> WINTER IS OFFICIALLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER, AND TEMPERATURES ARE STARTING TO DROP TO THEIR SEASONAL NORMS, BUT WHAT CAN WE EXPERIENCE FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?

WE ASKED ASU CLIMATOLOGIST.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET RAIN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE THE STORM COMING THROUGH, BUT NOT THE MOISTURE.

SO WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET SOME WIND, AND GET SOME COOLER TEMPERATURES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST DIDN'T TAP INTO THAT MOISTURE.

IT WENT TO HAWAII, I GUESS.

>> YEAH, HAWAII IS GETTING DRENCHED.

YOU MENTIONED THE TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE GETTING A LITTLE BIT LOWER.

WHAT ARE RELOOKING AT HERE?

>> THIS IS INTERESTING.

BECAUSE THIS GOES ALONG WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'LL HAVE GENERALLY COOLER TEMPERATURES, AND THE HEAT IS GOING TO MOVE OVER INTO THE MIDWEST.

>> AND THAT MEANS COLDER TEMPERATURES HERE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT AS FAR AS THE PRECIPITATION MAP, WHAT IS THAT TELLING US?

>> THAT IS TELLING US ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, THAT IT IS NOT DRYING OUT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER, BUT WE'RE MISSING THE MOISTURE.

WE'RE GETTING THE STORMS TODAY AND OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT WE'RE JUST MISSING THE MOISTURE.

>> SO WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, WE'RE GETTING NO RAIN AND COLDER TEMPERATURES -- THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NORM?

>> WELL, FOR THE WINTER, WE'LL HAVE FEWER OF THESE STORMS, SO WE'LL PROBABLY BE WARMING UP TO ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES WHICH MEANS PUSHING UP INTO THE 70S AND 80S, BUT THE RAINFALL IS JUST NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE CONCENTRATED UP MORE INTO THE NORTHWEST.

>> SO THIS IS A LA NINA.

>> YEAH, THIS IS A CLASSIC LA NINA.

AND THAT UNFORTUNATELY MEANS THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE MOISTURE.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE NORMAL.

LA NINA HAPPENS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN EL NIÑO.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT.

>> OKAY.

WE'RE SEEING THINGS GO UP TO THE NORTHWEST, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE NOW.

THAT'S THE FORECAST -- WHY DOES THE WATER TEMPERATURE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

>> IT DETERMINES HOW FAST THE AIR IS RISING OR SINKING, SO IF YOU HAVE WARM WATER, THEN THE WATER AIR RISES, AND COLD AIR SINKS.

IT GETS PRETTY COMPLEX IN TERMS OF THE INNER RELATIONSHIP.

AND BASICALLY IT MEANS WHEN WE HAVE COLD WATER IN THE PACIFIC, WE TEND TO BE DRIER.

>> CAN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FLIP?

>> UNFORTUNATELY NOT.

LA NINA IS THE STABLE PATTERN.

IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO CHANGE THAT WARM WATER INTO COLD WATER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT WANTS TO BE.

IT TAKES A SURGE OF WARM WATER FROM AUSTRALIA TO CHANGE THAT.

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAD AN EL NIÑO SITUATION, BUT NOT THIS YEAR.

THIS IS MUCH MORE STABLE.

THE COLD AIR -- COLD WATER, AND SINKING AIR IS MUCH HARDER TO MOVE OUT OF PLACE.

>> GLOBAL WARMING, IS THAT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS?

>> ACTUALLY, IT DOES.

WE FOUND WE ARE HAVING MORE EL NIÑO PERIODS IN RECENT YEARS.

THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE ONE OF THEM, AND FOR US THAT MEANS MORE WINTERTIME PRECIPITATION.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, OREGON AND WASHINGTON HAVE BEEN UNDER INCREDIBLE DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

>> YES, AND THEY ARE GOING TO GET HAMMERED FOR THE REST OF THE WINTER -- >> IT REALLY WAS.

IF YOU WANT TO GO SKIING IT WILL BE UP IN PLACES LIKE IDAHO, NOT DOWN HERE.

IN TERMS OF THE FINAL RECORDS, IT REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE FAIRLY NORMAL, AND WE NEEDED THAT NORMAL OPERATION.

>> RANDY, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

GREAT INFORMATION.

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>>> A RECENT EVENT FOCUSED ON TEACHING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THE FIRST AND ONLY MEXICAN-BORN GOVERNOR OF THE STATE.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE WITH AROUND AUTHOR TO LEARN ABOUT THE FORMER GOVERNOR.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BOOK ON GOVERNOR RAUL.

WHY THE TITLE?

>> THAT WAS WHAT HE WAS KNOWN AS BY HIS MOTHER AND FAMILY WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG BOY.

HE WAS THE NINTH OF 11 CHILDREN, AND ONE OF THE SMALLEST IN STATURE, AND HE WAS CALLED THAT UNTIL HE WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT -- THAT'S WHAT CAME TO ME IN A DREAM, WHICH IS WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO ASK HIM IF I COULD WRITE A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT HIS LIFE.

AND I ACTUALLY HAD THE DREAM AFTER I STARTED READING HIS AUTO BIOGRAPHY, WHICH HE GIFTED ME AFTER I MET HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND AFTER READING -- WHILE I WAS READING THIS STORY, I HAD THIS DREAM, AND THAT WAS MY SIGN TO ASK HIM IF I WOULD WRITE HIS STORY FOR CHILDREN OR YOUNGSTERS, AND HE WAS DELIGHTED.

>> I TAKE IT THE TITLE IS ALSO A FUNCTION OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS A BOOK FOR CHILDREN?

>> WELL, IT STARTED OFF AS -- WHEN I FIRST STARTED CREATING IT, I WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE AN EXTENDED PICTURE BOOK, BECAUSE I HAD PUBLISHED SUCCESSFULLY FOUR PICTURE BOOKS UP UNTIL THAT TIME, AND THEN I REALIZED AFTER A FEW YEARS, NO PUBLISHERS WERE INTERESTED IN IT BEING A PICTURE BOOK.

THE MATTER IS A BIT TOO DEEP AS A PICTURE BOOK, SO I FINALLY DID FIND A PUBLISHER THAT WAS INTERESTED IN IT AS A YOUNG ADULT CHAPTER BOOK.

>> I NOTICED THE COVER CAPTURES MANY IMAGES OF HIS LIFE.

YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER.

YOU HAVE A BOXING GLOVE.

THE GAVEL, AND THE RAIL OF CROSSING SYMBOL, WHY IS THAT INCLUDED?

>> BECAUSE IT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF HIS LIFE, AND WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, THE NORMAL COLLEGE IN FLAGSTAFF, WHICH WAS THEN CALLED NORMAL TEACHER'S COLLEGE, BUT NOW IT IS NAU, HE GRADUATED AS A TEACHER, AND NOBODY WOULD HIRE HIM BECAUSE HE WAS MEXICAN.

SO HE WAS QUITE DISILLUSIONED, AND HE TRIED TO GET A FEW OTHER JOBS, AND NEEDED TO WORK, AND COULDN'T GET HIRED.

SO HE HAD BOXED SUCCESSFULLY, IN THE WELTERWEIGHT, I WOULD SAY, CATEGORY.

AND HE DECIDED TO HOP ON A TRAIN, AND HE WOUND UP RIDING THE TRAINS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND WHEN HE COULD GET A BOXING MATCH, HE WOULD DO THAT, AND WHEN HE COULDN'T, HE WOULD JUMP OFF OF THE TRAINS AND GO WORK THE FIELDS, PICKING CROPS, AND HE HAD QUITE AN AMAZING LIFE.

>> HE DID.

AND HE WENT ON TO BECOME A LAWYER, AND JUDGE AND AMBASSADOR TO TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND THEN GOVERNOR.

>> YES, HE WAS AMBASSADOR TO THREE COUNTRIES, WHICH IS WHY THE THIRD COUNTRY, BEING ARGENTINA, HE WAS ANSWERING JIMMY CARTER'S CALL TO BECOME AMBASSADOR TO ARGENTINA.

AND THE INVITATION CAME WHILE HE WAS SERVING AS GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA, AND HE TOLD ME THAT WAS THE HARDEST DECISION HE EVER HAD TO MAKE.

>> I CAN IMAGINE.

>> YEAH.

HE FELT HE WAS LETTING HIS PEOPLE IN ARIZONA DOWN, BUT HE ALSO FELT LIKE HE COULDN'T SAY NO TO THE PRESIDENT >> I CAN IMAGINE.

YOUR BOOK WAS THE SUBJECT OF A ZOOM PRESENTATION TO A BUNCH OF 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS.

AND THE TOPIC ITSELF WAS "SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THE."

>> YES, MOST DEFINITELY.

ANYONE CAN BECOME WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE.

YOU JUST NEED TO WORK FOR YOURSELF AND NEVER GIVE UP, JUST LIKE HE DIDN'T.

AND THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU CAN'T DO IT, JUST LIKE HIS PRINCIPAL WHO CALLED HIM IN AND SAID, YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT STUDENT, ATHLETE, STUDENT, AND MORE, BUT DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> LIKEWISE.

>>> 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 ON ARIZONA PBS, ON CRONKITE NEWS, REZ-BALL IS MAKING A RETURN, AND ON BREAK IT DOWN, ISSUES WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND LBGTQ ISSUES.