>>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," ARIZONA SIGNS A MULTI-STATE AGREEMENT TO CUT BACK USE OF COLORADO RIVER WATER FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

CHANGES FANS CAN EXPECT FOR NEXT YEAR'S WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN, ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A DISCUSSION ABOUT GAMING RESTRICTIONS FOR CHILDREN.

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

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

TODAY'S COVID REPORT SHOWS MORE THAN 3200 NEW CASES OF COVID CASES IN ARIZONA.

THE DEATH RATE IN ARIZONA STANDINGS AT FOURTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

THIS COMES A DAY AFTER THE STATE'S LARGEST HOSPITAL NETWORK, BANNER HEALTH SAID IT MIGHT HAVE TO CUT BACK ON ADMISSIONS AS EARLY AS MID-JANUARY WHEN CASES ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK.

THE MESSAGE FROM OFFICIALS, IT'S THE SAME, AND IT'S CLEAR.

GET VACCINATED.

>> IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED, YOU ARE VERY VULNERABLE, NOT ONLY TO THE EXISTING DELTA SURGE, BUT ALSO TO OMICRON.

AND WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT OMICRON BEING LESS SEVERE OR NOT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU NEED TO GET VACCINATED TO DIMINISH YOUR VULNERABILITY.

THE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASU BIODESIGN INSTITUTE COMPARED THE SITUATION TO QUOTE, KINDLING FOR THE FIRE.

>>> AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR'S FAMILY WANTS TO CELEBRATION ON MLK DAY.

THEY ARE PLANNING TO RALLY SUPPORTERS ON JANUARY 15TH, KING'S BIRTHDAY, AND THEN ARE PLANNING A MARCH IN WASHINGTON ON JANUARY 17TH, THEY WANT MOVEMENT ON CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS THAT HAVE STALLED IN CONGRESS.

>>> THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE WILL SUCCEED THE HUBBLE AS THE WORLD'S MOST COMPLEX SPACE OBSERVATORY.

>>> NEGOTIATORS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO VOLUNTARILY REDUCE THEIR USE OF COLORADO RIVER WATER FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, WE SPOKE TO SARAH PORTER, DIRECTOR OF THE KYL CENTER FOR WATER POLICY AT ASU'S MORRISON INSTITUTE.

SARAH PORTER GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.

TALK TO US ABOUT THIS 500-PLUS PLAN.

>> THE 500-PLUS PLAN IS A BIG DEAL, AND IT WAS JUST SIGNED A FEW MOMENTS AGO.

I'M HERE IN LAS VEGAS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, AND THAT'S WHERE -- IT'S NOT ONE AGREEMENT, BUT A SERIES OF INTERRELATED AGREEMENTS.

THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO SAVE OR CONSERVE AN EXTRA 500 ACRE FEET OF WATER IN LAKE MEAD.

AND THE LOWER BASIN STATES ARE ALLOCATED 7.5 MILLION ACRE FEET OF WATER.

WE WERE ALREADY IN A PLAN -- BECAUSE WE HAD AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A SHORTAGE IN AUGUST -- A PLAN TO CONSERVE IN ARIZONA ALMOST 600-ACRE FEET, AND THE OTHER STATES WERE ALSO GOING TO CONSERVE, AND WE'RE BOOSTING THAT AMOUNT BY ANOTHER 500 500-ACRE FEET.

AND IT'S AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE RESERVOIR FROM CRASHING.

>> AND THE 500,000 ACRE FEET EQUATES TO WHAT?

>> A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS THAT THREE HOUSEHOLDS USE ABOUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT PER YEAR, AND ABOUT 1.5 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS.

>> AND ARIZONA'S PART IN THIS SERIES OF AGREEMENTS?

>> I WOULD SAY ARIZONA HAS THE LARGEST ROLE.

TO GET WATER USERS TO LEAVE WATER IN LAKE MEAD, THEY NEED TO BE MADE WHOLE, AND SO THE COST FOR TWO YEARS OF SAVING 500,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR IS $200 MILLION.

ARIZONA IS KICKING IN -- THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IS COMMITTING A GOOD DEAL -- A LARGE AMOUNT OF THAT FUNDING, AND SO IS THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT.

THE CAP IS COMMITTING 20 MILLION, AND THE STATE OF ARIZONA 40 MILLION TO THIS EFFORT, AND THEN THE BIGGEST AMOUNTS OF CONSERVED ARE WATER USERS IN THE STATE.

THE TWO MOST SIGNIFICANT IS COMING FROM THE GILA INDIAN COMMUNITY AND THE COLORADO INDIAN TRIBES, SO THIS IS A LOT.

AND EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS NEW UNCHARTED TERRITORY, AND CITIES ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO CONSERVING WATER.

THE CITY OF PHOENIX AND SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES IN THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA -- THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS MAKING THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION, AND THEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

>> THE $60 MILLION COMING OUT OF ARIZONA.

THAT IS MORE THAN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA.

WHY ARE WE CONTRIBUTING MORE.

>> BECAUSE WE HAVE JUNIOR PRIORITY.

AND MARICOPA COUNTY AND THE AREAS HAVE THE MOST TO GAIN BY MAKING SURE THAT LAKE MEAD IS FUNCTIONAL.

>> YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO HELP, CONSIDERING THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING?

AND AGAIN, THEY DON'T WANT TO HIT THAT LEVEL, BECAUSE HYDROELECTRIC POWER WILL BE IMPACTED AND MANDATORY CUTBACKS WOULD BE EVEN MORE SEVERE?

>> THAT'S HARD TO SAY IF THEY WOULD BE MORE SEVERE.

IT IS BETTER TO GET PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE WATER, THAN SIMPLY TELLING PEOPLE YOU DON'T HAVE THE WATER.

WE'RE REALLY IN A TERRITORY OF UNKNOWNS.

THIS IS THE BEST EFFORT WE CAN DO.

THIS IS OUR BEST WATER MANAGERS' THINKING ON THE THING WE CAN DO NOW TO HELP KEEP LAKE MEAD UP, AND WE HAVE A WINTER OF GOOD SNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN IF WE HAVE ANOTHER WINTER LIKE WE HAD LAST YEAR.

WE HAD GOOD SNOW LAST YEAR, BUT THE GROUND WAS SO PARCHED, THAT VERY LITTLE OF THAT SNOW WOUND UP AS FLOWS IN THE COLORADO RIVER.

SO MUCH IS DEPENDANT ON HYDROLOGY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO ADJUST TO WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN THIS 20, 25 YEARS OF DROUGHT.

>> YEAH.

AND THE $60 MILLION COMES FROM ARIZONA FOR EFFICIENCY PROJECTS, THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

WILL THAT MONEY PAY FOR MORE GROUNDWATER PUMPING?

>> IT REALLY WON'T.

I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE KEEP DOING THESE EMERGENCY ACTIONS TO KEEP WATER IN LAKE MEAD.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE TWO YEARS OF EMERGENCY ACTION, AND WE NEED TO MAKE A BIG SHIFT TOWARDS LIVING WITH LESS WATER.

IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO PAY PEOPLE TO LEAVE WATER IN LAKE MEAD, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE CAN GO ON DOING.

WE HAVE TO MAKE A PERMANENT SHIFT.

>> SARAH PORTER, DIRECTOR OF THE KYL CENTER FOR WATER POLICY AT ASU'S MORRISON INSTITUTE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS A >>> UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A PUSH TO SUPPORT SMALL ARIZONA-OWNED BUSINESSES THIS HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON.

>>> SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ARE EFFECTING THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON, AND SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE MANAGED TO FAIR BETTER THAN LARGER NATIONAL CHAINS.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH KIMBER LANNING, CEO OF LOCAL FIRST ARIZONA.

KIMBER, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU.

>> YOU TOO, TED.

>> ARE THESE HAPPY HOLIDAYS FOR SMALL, INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES IN ARIZONA?

>> I WOULD SAY IT IS.

IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD SEASON FOR SMALL AND INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES.

SO THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY BUSINESSES THAT ARE -- IT'S SOURCING FROM EITHER -- NEARBY COMMUNITIES, REGIONALLY, OR EVEN IN THE U.S. THAT AREN'T CAUGHT UP IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE, SO ONCE AGAIN, POINTING AT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO SMALL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES, I GUESS THE IRONY IS, IS THAT IT MAKES IT AN EVEN BETTER TIME TO SHOP LOCAL, RIGHT?

>> IT SURE DOES.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL HAND-MADE GIFTS THAT ARE WONDERFUL, AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO GO LOCAL IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND ON IT.

AND REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT ANOTHER WAY WE CAN CONTRIBUTE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS BEING PATIENT, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

I WAS AT A RESTAURANT THAT I HAVE EATEN AT FOR YEARS AND YEARS, AND WHEN MY DISH CAME, IT WAS COMPLETEDLY DIFFERENT.

AND I KNEW IT WAS A SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE.

>> THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT EXIST, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING AND HEARING?

>> THOSE RELYING OWN PRE-MOLDED THINGS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, THEY ARE FEELING THE PINCH AND HAVING TO GET CREATIVE, AND IF YOU ARE FRUSTRATED THAT YOUR GROCERY STORE NOT HAVE GARLIC THE QUESTION SHOULD BE WHY WERE WE OUTSOURCING GARLIC, WHEN IT CAN BE GROWN RIGHT HERE.

AND RECORD STORES, IT IS A GREAT STUDY IN SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE ECONOMIC DEBATE OF GLOBALIZATION, VERSUS LOCALIZATION, AND WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION FOR YEARS, AND I WOULD ASK, HOW ARE THINGS GOING FOR YOU RIGHT ABOUT NOW?

>> YEAH, INDEED.

HOW IS IT GOING AS FAR AS SMALL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES, ARE LOCAL BUSINESSES ADAPTING BETTER?

HAVE THEY SURVIVED -- A LOT OF LOSS?

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING.

>> WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF LOSS, BUT IT IS MUCH LESS THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY COME ON STRONG TO HELP THEM COMPETE ONLINE, SO I WOULD SAY, ALL IN ALL, TED, THINGS ARE LOOKING POSITIVE.

THIS PANDEMIC IS DEFINITELY LINGERING, BUT I WOULD SAY ALL IN ALL, WE ARE LOOKING AT A VERY GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON, AND WE FEEL MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO THE CALL TO BUY LOCALLY.

AND BABY BOOMERS, AND MILLENNIALS, OTHERS ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BUY LOCAL.

>> ARE PUBLIC LEADERS, POLITICIANS, ARE THEY GETTING THE MESSAGE IN ARIZONA?

>> THEY ARE.

I'M WORKING TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL PROCUREMENT AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THE CITY OF PHOENIX SOURCED LESS FROM AMAZON LAST YEAR, THAN ANY OTHER CITY OF THAT SAME SIZE.

>> INTERESTING.

KIMBER LANNING, CEO OF LOCAL FIRST ARIZONA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> THE COPPER QUEEN HOTEL IN BUSINESSBY IS KNOWN FOR ITS HISTORY OF PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

THERE IS A NEW FILM CALLED "THE COPPER QUEEN," AND WE SPOKE WITH THE FILM'S DIRECTOR CRYSTAL MANICH.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT IS THE COPPER QUEEN HOTEL?

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.

IT'S A REAL HOTEL IN BISBEE, ARIZONA IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE, AND IT IS HAUNTED BY A GHOST NAMED JULIA LOWELL.

SHE WAS A PROSTITUTE AT THE TURN OF THE SENTRY, AND THIS OPERA IS A FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF HER.

>> AND I NOTICED ROOM 315, IS THAT WHERE SHE STAYED, IS THAT WHERE THE MURDER HAPPENED?

WHY 315?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

SHE LIVED IN 315, AND RECEIVED MINORS -- THE LEGEND GOES THROUGH THIS HIDDEN DOOR.

>> AND BISBEE IS A BEAUTIFUL TOWN.

COPPER QUEEN IS A BIG THING THERE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF GHOST STORIES ALL OVER BISBEE.

WHY THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR?

>> THE WRITERS WERE LOOKING FOR A -- A LOCAL ARIZONA STORY TO FICTIONALIZE INTO AN OPTION, BECAUSE IN 2015, THEY SUBMITTED THEIR IDEAS THROUGH ARIZONA SPARK, WHICH WAS THROUGH ARIZONA OPERA ABOUT THIS STORY, AND THAT'S HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THEIR OPERA COMMISSIONS.

>> VERY COOL.

SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.

WHICH CAME FIRST THE FILM OR OPERA?

>> THE OPERA WAS DEFINITELY FIRST.

IN MATERIAL 2019, I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT WHETHER I WANTED TO DIRECT IT.

IT'S A STORY ABOUT TWO VERY STRONG WOMAN.

AND WE START OUT IN THE HOTEL ROOM, WHERE WE MEET ADDISON.

AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE IS THERE, BUT THOSE TWO STRONG WOMEN, AND FANTASTIC STORIES WAS REALLY THE WAY FOR ME TO SAY YES TO THE PROJECT.

OF COURSE WITH THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, THE COMPANY, ARIZONA OPERA, DECIDED TO MAKE IT INTO A FILMED PRODUCTION.

>> AND I IMAGINE AS A FILMMAKER, YOU DON'T DO THAT ALL THAT OFTEN.

>> NO, NOT AT ALL.

AND IT EVOLVED INTO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS.

AT FIRST IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE FILMING ON THE STAGE, BUT ACTUALLY, IT -- BECAUSE THE PROJECT KEPT GETTING PUSHED BACK, AND WE TOOK ON MANLY FILMED AS OUR CREATIVE PARTNER, THE PROJECT BECAME BIGGER, SO WHAT HE ENDED UP WITH WAS EIGHT MONTHS OF PRODUCTION, AND WE DID A FULL STORY BOARDING PROCESS, SO WE COULD EXECUTE THE FILM LIKE AN INDEPENDENT FILM, BUT WE SHOT IT IN FIVE DAYS.

>> WOW, WITH ALL OF THAT PREPARATION, I WOULD IMAGINE -- DID THE FILM WIND UP AS YOU ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED?

>> I ALWAYS SAY WHEN A DIRECTOR HAS A GREAT TEAM, THE SHOW OR FILM IS ALWAYS BETTER, AND THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO EXECUTING THE SHOW, THE SINGERS WERE SO GAME, AND THEY HAD TO LIP SYNC, AND THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS AND THINGS THAT CAME ABOUT, BUT THEY REALLY ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE, AND I THINK WITH THE EXECUTION, DEFINITELY THE CREW WAS VERY CREATIVE, AND IT IS ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOUR CREW CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, AND I THINK THE PRODUCT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

>> IS THIS THE KIND OF THING YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT OPERA?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THE DIGITAL SPACE IS WHAT THE OPERA NEEDS TO REACH A NEW AUDIENCE.

I BELIEVE BOTH AUDIENCES CAN GO EXIST, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING A NEW PIECE, IT'S A WONDERFUL PROCESS, AND SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE THIS AND WILL INSPIRED TO PRODUCE MORE OPERA FILMS OR GO TO OPERAS LIVE.

>> HOW CAN WE SEE THIS?

>> YOU CAN GO TO THECOPPERQUEEN.ORG AND FIND OUT MORE.

>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

THIS SOUNDS VERY NEW AND EXCITING AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

THIS PROJECT WAS REALLY THE MERGING OF THE FILM AND THEATER WORLD.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

WELL, AGAIN, CRYSTAL MANICH, THANK YOU.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

CLEAR >>> 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 BIG CHANGES ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN, AND ON ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A DISCUSSION ABOUT GAMING RESTRICTIONS FOR CHILDREN.

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