>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A NEW INFLATION BILL SIGNED TUESDAY BY PRESIDENT BIDEN CONTAINS GROUND-BREAKING LEGISLATION TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THAT AND MORE AHEAD ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M CATHERINE ANAYA IN FOR TED SIMONS.

ONE DAY AFTER ERECTED, TWO SHIPPING CONTAINERS AFTER GOVERNOR DUCEY'S ORDER HAVE TOPPLED.

THE TWO CONTAINERS WERE THE ONLY ONES LEFT UNBOLT EDAND UNWELDED WHEN CREWS FINISHED WORK AND DUCEY'S SPOKESPERSON TOLD THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC IT WAS DONE BY PEOPLE AND NOT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SAID, QUOTE, WE STRUCK A NERVE AND SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY.

CREWS WERE SENT OUT TO PUT THE CONTAINERS BACK IN PLACE.

>>> A MISSOURI MAN INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY LEAVING A THREATENING VOICEMAIL ON STEVEN RICHARD'S CELL PHONE.

RICHARD LEE HOORNSTRA WAS INDICTED FOR MAKING A THREAT AND HE WAS INDICTED FOR MAKING AN INTERSTATE PHONE CALL AND COULD FACE TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR THAT.

>>> RUDY GIULIANI APPEARED BEFORE A GRAND JURY.

THIS WAS INTO EFFORTS BY ALLIES TO OVERTURN RESULTS IN GEORGIA IN A 2020 ELECTION.

GIULIANI DID NOT MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE HEADING INTO TESTIFY.

>>> FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE HE WOULD GIVE, QUOTE, DUE CONSIDERATION, TO TESTIFYING BEFORE THE HOUSE COLLECT COMMITTEE INVESTING THE JANUARY 6th RIOT AT THE CAPITOL.

>> IF THERE WAS AN INVITATION TO TESTIFY, I WOULD CONSIDER IT BUT YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION THE CONSTITUTION A FEW TIMES.

THE CONSTITUTION WE HAVE THREE EQUAL CO-BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT AND ANY INVITATION TO BE DIRECTED TO ME, I WOULD REFLECT ON THE UNIQUE ROLE THAT I WAS SERVING IN AS VICE PRESIDENT.

THE UNPRECEDENTED IN HISTORY FOR A VICE PRESIDENT TO BE SUMMONED TO TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL, BUT AS I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE.

>> THE NEW INFLATION REDUCTION ACT SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ON TUESDAY INCLUDES MORE THAN $360 BILLION TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS NEW LAW MEANS AND THE IMPACT ON ARIZONA IS SANDY BARR OF THE GRAND CANYON CHAPTER.

YOUR INITIAL REACTION, LONG OVERDUE?

>> YES, A LONG HAUL AND IT'S NOT QUITE EVERYTHING WE WANTED, BUT IT IS A REALLY GOOD START AND A GOOD PACKAGE FOR ARIZONA, SPECIFICALLY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW IT AFFECTS ARIZONA, SPECIFICALLY, AND WHAT CHANGES WILL WE OR SHOULD WE EXPECT WITH THAT KIND OF FUNDING AT THE STATE LEVEL?

>> WELL, WE WILL SEE FUNDING FOR INVESTMENTS IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCLUDING REBATES.

THERE ARE REBATES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WITH LOWER INCOMES AND MODERATE INCOMES AND REBATES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES AND SUPER EFFICIENT HEAT PUMPS AND THERE ARE TAX CREDITS FOR SOLAR, BOTH ROOFTOP SOLAR AND THE LARGER SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS.

BOTH OF THOSE WILL BENEFIT PEOPLE IN ARIZONA AND ESTIMATED THERE WILL BE ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 150,000 PEOPLE WHO INSTALL ROOFTOP SOLAR BECAUSE OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL.

THERE ARE TAX CREDITS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND BOTH USED AND NEW VEHICLES.

SO THAT SHOULD MAKE THOSE VEHICLES MORE AFFORDABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE AND HELP REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS BUT CLEAN UP OUR AIR, AS WELL, WHICH WE NEED.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE INCENTIVES AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S THE KEY TO TRANSITIONING TO EKNEWABLERENEWABLE ENERGY?

>> I BELIEVE WE NEED INCENTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS AND THOSE TWO THINGS WORKING TOGETHER ARE SO IMPORTANT.

THIS BILL PROVIDES A LOT OF INCENTIVES.

IT'S IMPORTANT IN A STATE LIKE ARIZONA WHERE THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE JUST AREN'T DOING ANYTHING ON CLIMATE CHANGE.

THEY'RE NOT PASSING BILLS.

THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE NOT FUNDING IT.

SO A BILL LIKE THIS WILL HELP US WHERE A SUNNY STATE, IT'S GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY AND THERE WILL BE MORE JOBS, CLEAN ENERGY JOBS THAT COME OUT OF THIS, AS WELL.

AND SO, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY GOOD BILL.

THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS IN IT THAT WE DON'T LIKE AND WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT.

IT'S A GOOD BILL FOR ARIZONA OR LAW, I SHOULD SAY.

>> EXACTLY, THE LAW, AND EXPECTED TO LOWER GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS BY 40% BY THE END OF THE DECADE.

HOW WILL THAT IMPACT ARIZONA IN ITS CLIMATE CHANGE, DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, ARIZONA IS FEELING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE EVERYDAY.

WE FEEL THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND SO, THE MORE THAT WE CAN REDUCE EMISSIONS SOONER, THE MORE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, AVOID THE WORST IMPACTS DOWN THE ROAD AND WE ALREADY HAVE HISTORIC DROUGHT, SHORTAGES ON THE COLORADO RIVER THAT ARE PARTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THAT, TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

, THE EXTREME HEAT.

SO YEAH, WE NEED TO SEE THOSE EMISSIONS COME DOWN, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IN THIS BILL IS THAT THERE ARE PROVISIONS TO HELP US DEAL WITH WHAT'S ALREADY HERE.

SO IT'S HOTTER, SO MY ELECTRIC BILL IS HIGHER AND IN THIS BILL, IF I CAN INVEST IN MORE EFFICIENT APPLIANCES OR HEAT PUMP, THAT CAN HELP BRING DOWN THAT ELECTRIC BILL AND BEGIN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT ENERGY BURDEN THAT WE HAVE IN ARIZONA.

>> I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE DROUGHT FOR A MOMENT, THE SITUATION THERE BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS HOW THE LAW WILL IMPACT THAT NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ISSUED THAT MANDATE FOR UNPRECEDENTED CUTS TO WATER USAGE.

>> YEAH, THERE IS FUNDING IN THE BILL FOR DROUGHT MITIGATION AND SO, YEAH, WE'VE YET TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THAT WILL DEVELOP, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS TO HELP CONSERVE WATER AND LOOK AT PROGRAMS TO REDUCE AGRICULTURAL WATER USE AND THAT'S STILL THE BIGGEST USER OF WATER IN ARIZONA AND MORE THAN 70% OF OUR WATER IS USED BY AGRICULTURE.

SO WE NEED A LOT OF PROGRAMS TO DO THAT.

WE ALSO NEED TO DO THINGS TO CHANGE OUR LAWS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THAT'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

>> I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, HOW SOON WILL WE SEE THE EFFECT OF THE IMPACT OF THIS LAW ON OUR EVERYDAY LIVES?

WHAT'S YOUR FEELING?

>> I THINK WE'LL SEE IT FAIRLY SOON.

NEXT YEAR, 2023, WE'LL START SEEING SOME OF THE IMPACTS.

AND I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY BECAUSE THAT HELPS US TO BRING OUR BILLS DOWN AND THAT LEAVES US MORE MONEY TO DO OTHER THINGS.

AND IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES.

THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANTS TO INVEST IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EFFECTED AND AIR QUALITY MONITORING.

THAT CAN HELP PLACES LIKE RANDOLPH, ARIZONA, AND THAT AGAIN IS A PREDOMINANTLY COMMUNITY OF COLOR THAT IS AFFECTED BY AIR POLLUTION.

SO GET THAT MONITORING SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE AIR IS CLEANED UP AND THEY'RE BREATHING CLEANER, HEALTHIER AIR.

>> WHICH IS WHAT WE ALL WANT, CORRECT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE NEED IT HERE.

>> APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> UP NEXT, YOU'RE GOING TO MEET THE POET WHO'S BEEN NAMED THE NEW ASTRONOMER AT THE GRAND CANYON.

>> THE GRAND CANYON ANNOUNCED A NEW ASTRONOMER AND OFFERS PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS, EDUCATORS AND OTHERS A CHANCE TO PRACTICE DISCIPLINE UNDER THE NIGHT SKY.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING AS A PART OF THAT FABULOUS PROGRAM IS POET LAUREN CAMP AND LAUREN, IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU ARE THE NEWEST ASTRONOMER AND WORKING AT THE SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK AND NOT A BAD PLACE TO BE.

THIS PROGRAM LAUNCH JUST LAST YEAR AND FAIRLY NEW AND HOW DOES THIS PROGRAM WORK?

GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT IS THE IDEA BEHIND IT.

>> THIS IS SET UP MUCH LIKE THE NATIONAL PARKS OR MOST OF THE NATIONAL PARKS AND ONLY THIS ONE HAS A SPECIFIC FOCUS, WHICH IS DARK SKIES, NATURAL DARKNESS, ASTRONOMY, AND BASICALLY THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT, OF MAN-MADE AND OTHER LIGHT.

AND SO, IT'S A MONTH OF OR CLOSE TO A MONTH OF JUST EXPLORING AND EXPERIENCING AND DISTILLING THROUGH WITHOUT DISCIPLINE THE PERSON HAS.

>> SO YOU'RE A POET AND I KNOW YOU ALSO TEACH CREATIVE WRITING AND SO WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT APPEALED TO YOU SPECIFICALLY?

>> OH, EVERYTHING.

[ Laughter ] >> THE IDEA OF BEING IN ONE ASTONISHING PLACE FOR A MONTH AND WATCHING THE LIGHT.

THE IDEA OF TURNING MY FOCUS FROM WHAT IS SO EASILY SEEN TO WHAT IS HARDER TO SEE AND FIGURING OUT WHAT LANGUAGE -- WHAT I COULD MAKE LANGUAGE DO IN EXPRESSING THAT.

AND THEN HOW I COULD SORT OF BUILD POEMS THAT WOULD GIFT THAT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER GET TO SEE NATURAL DARKNESS.

>> SO HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SHARING, THEN, THAT CREATIVITY, THAT POETRY WITH PARK VISITORS SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND WHAT'S THE RESPONSE BEEN?

>> WELL, SO FAR, I'VE DONE ONE INTERVIEW DOWN AT -- ONE INTIMATE CONVERSATION, I SHOULD SAY AT THE PHANTOM RANCH, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON WITH THE GROUP THAT WAS DOWN THERE.

IT WAS A LARGE AUDIENCE FOR THE BASE OF THE CANYON.

AND A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.

WE HAVE THREE JOINT RANGER TALK READINGS ON THE 24th AND 28th AND THEY WILL BE ONE HOUR IN WHICH I'LL SPEND THE FIRST PART OF IT READING POEMS THAT I'VE CURATED FROM THE 700'S THROUGH TO CONTEMPORARY TIMES INCLUDING A FEW OF MY OWN AND GETTING PEOPLE READY TO EXPERIENCE THE NIGHT SKIES.

SO WHILE THEIR EYES ARE DARK ADAPTING, I'LL BE READING THEM POEMS AND THEN A DARK SKY RANGER WILL BE DOING A LASER CONSTELLATION TALKS AND A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF EMOTION AND EXPERIENCE.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO BE EDUCATED ON SOMETHING SO SPECIAL.

HAS THIS -- AND I KNOW YOU AREN'T, OBVIOUSLY, THROUGH THE PROGRAM YET, BUT HAS IT BEEN EVERYTHING YOU EXPECTED IT TO BE UP TO THIS POINT?

>> YES, IT'S BEEN MORE, ACTUALLY.

I MEAN, I CAME VERY OPEN MINDED AND JUST RECEPTIVE TO WHAT THE CANYON COULD OFFER, WHAT THE TRUE DARKNESS COULD OFFER.

AND I GOT HERE AND FOUND THE WHOLE THING IMMENSE AND SACRED AND REALLY, LIKE, ALMOST TOO MUCH TO TAKE IN.

AND SO I BEGAN TO JUST DISTILL IT DOWN TO EARLY MORNING AND LATE NIGHT, LEAVING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO ALL OF THE TOURISTS WALKING ON THE RIM AND JUST START TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I COULD SEE IN THAT DARKNESS.

AND IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE GIFT AND A LUCKY OPPORTUNITY.

>> LIFE-CHANGING, WOULD YOU SAY?

>> YES, 100%.

>> THAT'STHAT'S SO WONDERFUL.

>> YOU DO TEACH CREATIVE WRITING IN NEW MEXICO AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FIND YOU ON THE INTERNET AND LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR POETRY AND ALSO YOUR WRITING AND THEY CAN FIND YOU AT LAURENCAMP.COM.

>> THANK YOU.

ALSO THEY CAN FIND SOME POEMS ON THE GRAND CANYON PARK MEDIA PAGE.

>> CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.

IF YOU WERE TO APPLY TO, WHO WOULD THAT PERSON BE?

>> SOMEONE WHO WOULD KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD SAY ABOUT DARKNESS AND WHO HAS A CRAFT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH ASTRONOMY, BUT MAYBE ASTRONOMY ADJACENT OR MAYBE DARKNESS ADJACENT OR MAYBE COMPLETELY LIVES IN THE LIGHT.

SOMEONE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

>> SOUNDS FASCINATING.

LAUREN CAMP, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> A VALLEY PEDIATRICIAN IS USING THIS STAGE TO SHED LIGHT ON THE TOPIC OF TEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND HE ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER PHYSICIANS CREATED A PLAY THAT REVOLVES AROUND ISSUES FACED BY TEENS AND SPECIFICALLY FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANTS AND HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE PLAY IS PEDIATRICIAN AND FOUNDER OF AGAVE IS DR. RAJEEV AGAR-WAL AND DR. PADMA-A-KING.

YOU BOTH PERFORMED EARLIER THIS MONTH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT AND WHERE DID YOU FIND THE TIME TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

>> SO THE IDEA COMES FROM ASSOCIATION AND I AND DR. A-KING, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, HOW DO WE BRING THESE TWO THINGS TOGETHER?

AND ALSO, WE BOTH ARE CREATIVE AT HEART, YOU KNOW AND SHE'S A PROFESSIONAL DANCER AND YES, YES, MANY YEARS.

>> FABULOUS!

>> I'VE HAD DABBLING WITH THEATER AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING INTERESTING AND, OF COURSE, THAT SOMETHING INTERESTING HAS TO HAVE A MESSAGE WHICH SPEAKS TO BOTH OF US AND WE SAID, OK, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING IN THE PERFORMING ARTS AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS BORN OF COURSE AND PUSHED BACK BECAUSE OF COVID AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IT ON STAGE TWO WEEKENDS BACK.

>> THAT'S FABULOUS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PLAY ITSELF.

IT'S DESCRIBED AS SHOWCASING A SLICE OF LIFE AND LIVING DESI STYLE.

AN EXAGGERATED SATTIRE OF SORTS AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS?

>> THAT MEANS OUR COUNTRY AND SO, THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM AND, YOU KNOW, PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL HEALTH IS SUCH A DIFFICULT TOPIC FOR MOST AND SO WE JUST WANTED A FUN WAY TO BRING IT ACROSS INSTEAD OF IT BEING A DEEP, DARK SUBJECT MATTER AND WHY DON'T WE BRING OUR OWN LIVES AND OUR LIVING AND FUN AND COMPLEXITIES TO STAGE WHILE BRINGING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF MENTAL HEALTH AND TO TALK ABOUT IT AND RAISE AWARENESS AND REDUCE STIGMA.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE BOTH IN PRACTICES, IN PROFESSIONS WHERE YOU TALK TO TEENAGERS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TEENS ARE STRUGGLING MOST THESE DAYS?

>> YOU KNOW, I SEE 16 AND UP AND YOU CAN PROBABLY TALK MORE TO THAT.

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, THIS IS A TABU TOPIC AND NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT.

EVEN MORE WELL-CHILD CHECKS, VERY OFTEN, WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN SEE IT VERY EASILY AND WE DO THE SCREENINGS, THE HQ9'S AND PARENTS ARE COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO IT AND THIS HAS INCREASED EVEN MUCH MORE SINCE COVID.

SOCIAL MEDIA HAS TAKEN OVER AND I SEE KIDS AND THAT'S ALL THEY'RE DOING AND THE MESSAGES THEY'RE GETTING ARE SOMETIMES ARE NOT THE RIGHT MESSAGES AT THEIR AGE AND THEIR FRONTAL CORTEX IS NOT DEVELOPED.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE BECOME SO MUCH WORSE IN THE LAST, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO.

I WOULD SAY THAT IS A TRULY POST EPIDEMIC AFTER COVID, MENTAL HEALTH.

AT EVERY AGE AND EVEN LITTLE KIDS, 1-YEAR-OLDS AND 8-YEAR-OLDS AND 16-YEAR-OLDS AND THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER AND WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT.

>> I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR YOU'RE BRINGING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT IN ANOTHER CREATIVE WAY, SUCH AS WITH THIS PLAY.

AND WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS PLAY THINKING, FEELING, WHEN THEY SEE IT THAT MAYBE THEY HADN'T FELT BEFORE THEY SAW IT?

>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO NORMALIZE AND TALK ABOUT IT.

IT'S NOT A BAD THING AND IT'S NOT WEAKNESS.

IT IS A PART OF LIFE.

IT'S A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS.

>> YOU SHOULDN'T BE SCARED OF THE TERM "PSYCHIATRY" OR "MENTAL HEALTH" AND THIS CAN ALSO BE TREATED.

WE NEED TO GET THAT HELP.

>> I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS AND FOR DOING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I MEAN, YOU'RE MAKING SUCH A DIFFERENCE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT WILL DO IT FOR US AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME, AS WELL, AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

That has been a part of the news and public affairs programming in the Grand Canyon state