>>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE COLLAPSE OF SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON THE POWER DYNAMICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST.

ALSO TONIGHT THE LATEST ON ARIZONA'S PERSISTENT NURSING SHORTAGE, AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE PRESERVE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON ARIZONA'S HORIZON.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

QUICK CHECK OF HEADLINES.

ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL CHRIS MAIZE TODAY FILED A LONG ANTICIPATED LAWSUIT AGAINST A SAUDIA ARABIAN COMPANY THAT USE GROUND WATER TO GROW ALFALFA IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE.

THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS THAT IT ALLOWS WELLS TO RUN DRY, WATER LEVELS TO DROP AND THE GROUND TO SINK AND THUS ARE AN ILLEGAL PUBLIC NUISANCE THAT, QUOTE, ENDANGERS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR THE COMPANY'S OWN GAIN.

CHRISTOPHER RAY IS STEPPING DOWN AS DIRECTOR OF THE FBI.

IT COMES AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCED PLANS TO REPLACE RAY WITH A LONG-TIME LOYALIST.

STILL IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR RAY.

>> THIS IS NOT EASY FOR ME.

I LOVE THIS PLACE.

I LOVE OUR MISSION, AND I LOVE OUR -- I LOVE OUR PEOPLE.

BUT MY FOCUS IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ON US AND ON DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE FBI.

>>> AND ONE MORE HEADLINE, "TIME" MAGAZINE HAS DETERMINED ITS PERSON OF THE YEAR, AND HONOR GOES TO, YEP, DONALD TRUMP.

SECOND TIME HE'S RECEIVED THE DISTINCTION.

HE WAS PREVIOUSLY NAMED PERSON OF THE YEAR IN 2016 AFTER FIRST TIME HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.

OTHER FINALISTS THIS YEAR INCLUDE VICE-PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, ELON MUSK AND KATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES.

>>> THE COLLAPSE OF THE ASSAD REGIME IN SYRIA PROMISES TO BE A MAJOR SHAKE-UP IN THE POWER DYNAMICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST WHEN A CORRESPONDING SHIFT OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE REGION.

FOR MORE ON WHAT HAPPENED IN SQUARE AND WHAT IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN NEXT, WE WELCOME DANIEL RATTENBURG, CODIRECTOR OF AMERICA'S FUTURE SECURITY INITIATIVE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

>> WHY DID THE REBELS SUCCEED AND SO QUICKLY WHEN PAST EFFORTS HAVE FAILED?

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO SINGULAR ANSWER BUT CLEARLY PART OF WHAT HAPPENED, THE ASSAD REGIME LOST ITS ABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF.

IT HOLL HOLLOWED OUT ITS MILITARY AND LOST LEGITIMACY AMONGST ITS PEOPLE AND TURNED OUT THAT THAT DEGREE OF MILITARY ACTION BROUGHT IT DOWN.

>> WHO ARE THESE REBELS AND WHO ARE THEY ALIGNED WITH?

>> THAT GETS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.

THERE WAS A MASS DEMOCRATICALLY-INFLUENCED UPRISING IN 2011 THAT DESCENDED -- THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT SYRIAN REPRESSION THAT UPRISING.

WE HAD A CIVIL WAR, THE RISE OF ISIS, AS MANY PEOPLE REMEMBER, AND THROUGHOUT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AROUND GROUPS, THAT GROUP THAT TOOK DAMASCUS IS HTS, AND THE -- THEY'RE SUPPORTED PARTLY BY TURKEY IN THE SENSE THAT TURKEY HAS ITS OWN PUNDIT GROUPS AND NORTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY YOU HAVE A KURDISH LINE GROUP THAT THE U.S. WORK WITH EXTENSIVELY AND THE ANTI-ISIS CAMPAIGN.

>> DOES THAT SUGGEST THAT SYRIA WILL BE CARVED UP?

>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OR WHERE ALL THIS IS GOING.

I THINK THE FOCUS ON AT THE MOMENT IS TO FOLLOW THE -- THE FALL OF THE ASSAD REGIME IS A TRANSFORMATIVE EVENT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS WORTH CELEBRATING.

HERE IS A REGIME THAT WAS DESPICABLE IN ITS USE OF CRUEL VIOLENCE AND REPRESSED PEOPLE FOR SO LONG.

THEY'RE OPENING UP NOW THESE FAMOUS PRISONS, THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HELD THERE FOR YEARS, HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO WERE NORTHERN THIS PRISON.

THERE'S CENTERS OF TORTURE AND VIOLENCE OF A KIND THAT WE WILL LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THIS, ALTHOUGH, QUITE A BIT HAS ALREADY COME OUT, AND IT'S WORTH JUST TAKING A STEP BACK BEFORE WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THE U.S.

NEEDS TO DO AND HOW THEY'LL REACT AND JUST BE GRATEFUL THAT THIS HORRIFIC REGIME HAS FALLEN.

>> USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE?

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH.

THE IMPACT OF RUSSIA BEING PREOCCUPIED WITH UKRAINE... >> PART OF WHAT SAVED THE ASSAD REGIME WAS HEZBOLLAH COMING TO ASSIST THE ASSAD FORCES IN FIGHTING AGAINST A WHOLE SERIES OF DIFFERENT GROUPS AND THEN ALSO RUSSIA COMING IN, PARTICULARLY WITH AIR POWER, AND AGAIN, BEING PARTY TO A WHOLE SERIES OF DEVASTATING ATTACKS ON CIVILIAN SITES.

RUSSIA OBVIOUSLY BUSY WITH THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

HEZBOLLAH HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY DAMAGED BY RECENT ISRAELI ACTIONS.

SO THE CONTEXT IN THE REGION HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT, AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THIS.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO RUSSIA.

AT LEAST WHAT'S WHAT YOU COULD REALLY FALL BACK ON IF YOU WERE ASSAD.

THEY REALLY ARE WEAKENED BY UKRAINE, AREN'T THEY?

>> ABSOLUTELY, SURE.

AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER DEVASTATING CONFLICT, THE SUFFERING IN UKRAINE AMONG COMBATANTS ON BOTH SIDES IS EXTRAORDINARY, AND IT'S CHANGED AS RUSSIA PROJECTS ITS POWER AND OTHERS DECIDED IT WASN'T WORTH DEFENDING ASSAD.

>> YEAH, INTERESTING.

YOU MENTIONED HEZBOLLAH.

ATTACKS AGAINST HEZBOLLAH ARE AMAZING WELL PAGERS AND THE EXPLOSIONS AND SUCH.

HAMAS BEING WEAKENED.

THE HOOTIES BEING BOMBED BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING POT SHOTS AND STUFF AT SHIFTING.

DO YOU THINK ASSAD SAW THIS COMING?

>> THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

ASAD ASSAD MANAGED TO GET ON A PLANE AND GET TO RUSSIA WHERE HE'S WITH HIS FAMILY.

THE REGIME FELL VERY QUICKLY.

LOTS OF KEY INSIDERS FLED THE COUNTRY, MAINLY TO LEBANON.

BUT THERE'S VIM REALITY ATTACKS ON PEOPLE IN THE REGIME, AND THERE WILL LIKELY BE VARIOUS SYSTEMS.

BUT IT WAS A SHOCK TO MANY PEOPLE AND NOT WHAT THE COMMENTATORS EXPECTED.

>> WE SHOULD MENTION THAT ISRAEL, HEAVY AIR STRIKES ACROSS SYRIA, BASICALLY TAKE OUT ANY KIND OF MUNITIONS THEY CAN FIND.

>> MUNITIONS, CHEMICAL WEAPONS PRODUCTION, THE NAVY.

THEY'VE TAKEN TERRITORY IN THE SUBS.

>> AND WHERE DOES THAT LEAD?

>> RIGHT.

WELL, AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE GOING.

THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION, POTENTIALLY QUITE POSITIVE IN THE SENSE OF THE ASSAD REGIME IS GONE, THE CIVIL WAR, AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT, OVER.

AND THE HOPE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF PEACE AND SECURITY.

I MEAN, LET'S REMEMBER, OVER HALF A MILLION SYRIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND HALF OF THE POPULATION HAS BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES EITHER AS DISPLACED PEOPLE OR AS REFUGEES.

>> THEY CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE PART OF THOSE WHO FOR THE NEXT GOVERNMENT.

AND THE QUESTION IS HLTS, WHICH WAS AN AL-QAEDA AFFILIATE IN THE PAST, AND THERE WAS A WARRANT OUT ON THE LEADER'S HEAD BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

BUT THINGS CHANGE, AND THE HOPE IS THAT THERE'S SOME FORM OF COALITION GOVERNMENT THAT, THERE CAN BE SOME LEVEL OF PEACE AND SECURITY, AND THAT SYRIA FINALLY CAN JUST MOVE FORWARD.

>> YEAH.

THAT'S THE HOPE.

BUT IS CIVIL WAR LIKELY?

IS AUTHORITARIAN RULE LIKELY?

WE SEE THAT A LOT IN THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS.

>> SURE.

I THINK MAYBE THE PLACE TO TURN IS, WHAT COULD THE U.S. DO?

LET'S TRY TO TAKE SOME LESSONS FROM, YOU KNOW, RECENT ADVENTURES IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHICH APPLICATION OF POWER WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T, WHAT USE OF MONEY WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.

IT'S A CONSTANTLY SHIFTING SITUATION, SO WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW -- WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT IT IS A MOMENT FOR CELEBRATION IN SYRIA.

THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE STREETS, AND IT IS -- THAT'S I THINK THE MAIN THING TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR GOVERNMENTS TO COME AND DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS -- >> I JUST REMEMBER THE CELEBRATIONS IN IRAQ AFTER THAT FALL THE GOVERNMENT, AND THEN WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

>> IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT, THOUGH.

IN IRAQ, THE U.S.

FORCES OVERTHREW THE DICTATORSHIP OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.

HERE IT'S SYRIANS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIG LESSONS FOR WHAT SYRIA NEEDS IS FOR A SYRIA-LED POLITICAL SOLUTION TO COME OUT OF ALL THIS.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF PLAYERS INVOLVED.

THERE'S THE NEED FOR HUGE AMOUNTS OF INTERNATIONAL SOURCES.

BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE SYRIANS CONTROL THEIR DESTINY.

>> OKAY.

HOW DO THEY CONTROL THEIR DESTINY IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD HAVE TO BE A PARTNER THERE BECAUSE RUSSIA AND IRAN PROBABLY DON'T WANT ANY PART OF THIS NEW REGIME.

WE DON'T KNOW, BUT THEY LIKELY WON'T BE NEARLY AS INFLUENTIAL.

>> TURKEY GOING TO BE VERY INFLUENTIAL IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS.

THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN FOR THE KEY U.S.

ALLIES WHO ARE KURDISH BASED AND TURKEY HAS LONG HAD ALL SORTS OF COMPLICATED RELATIONS WITH KURDISH FORCES.

NOW IS THE TIME TO SORT OF SEE WHERE -- THE DUST HAS TO SETTLE, AND PEOPLE HAVE TO MOVE INTO THEIR POSITIONS.

HDS IS SAYING PUBLICALLY, ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, PARTICULARLY FOR A GROUP THAT WAS AFFILIATED WITH AL-QAEDA, BUT WE'LL SEE WHERE ALL OF THIS GOES.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE U.S.'S ROLE IS KEY.

WE HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING INTO POWER, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO DO IN SYRIA.

>> WHAT TO WATCH FOR.

WHAT SHOULD WE WATCH FOR OVER THERE?

>> WELL, SECURITY IS KEY.

SECURITY AND STABILITY IS WHAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO GET ITSELF ON STABLE FOOTING.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT LET'S BE HONEST, THIS IS ONLY DAYS OLD, THIS TRANSITION, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS TO SETTLE DOWN.

WE WILL BE WATCHINGING HOPEFULLY THE SENSE OF CALM, THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET BACK TO THEIR LIVES, PEOPLE BEING FREED FROM PRISONS, FOLKS LOOKING FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.

THERE'S STILL ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF HORROR THAT'S BEING REVEALED, AN INCREDIBLE DEGREE OF OPPRESSION IS REALLY -- IT'S JUST QUITE STRIKING.

>> LAST QUESTIONS HERE.

WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS, WERE YOU SURPRISED, A?

, AND, B, WERE YOU SURPRISED AT HOW QUICKLY THAT REGIME FELL?

>> SO IN THE INITIAL ATTACKS, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

THIS WAR HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME.

BUT WE DO SOME WORK IN SYRIA, WE HAVE SOME GOOD CONTACT THERE IS, AND THEY -- PEOPLE ON THE GROUND WERE SAYING THE REGIME'S GOING TO FALL.

THEY'LL TAKE DAMASCUS.

SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND SO, I KNOW, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

SO A LITTLE BIT BEFORE IT HAPPENED, I HEARD SOME OF THIS NEWS.

BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE IS AN OPEN QUESTION.

WE JUST HOPE, NOT TO JUST SAY THIS, BUT WE HOPE THAT THERE IS PEACE AND SECURITY AND A CHANCE FOR SYRIANS TO GET TO LIVE ON LIFE THAT ISN'T SO DEFINED BY CONSTANT VIOLENCE AND BLOOD SHED.

>> DANIEL RATTENBURG, GOOD STUFF.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

REGISTERED NURSE, BEDSIDE CARE VERSUS ADVANCE PRACTICE NURSES, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NURSING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSES, LICENSED, PRACTICAL NURSES, REGISTER REGISTERED NURSES AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS, AND SO SEEING INDIVIDUALS ADVANCE THEMSELVES IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER ALSO TAKES AWAY FROM THE BEDSIDE NURSE, AND SO THERE'S KIND OF THIS SNOWBALL EFFECT THAT OCCURS.

>> IS THERE ALSO MAYBE A CYCLICAL EFFECT HERE?

IS A REBOUND POSSIBLE AFTER HITTING A LOW POINT?

>> I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE SO.

WE HAVE NUMEROUS QUALIFIED APPLICATIONS GOING INTO NURSING PROGRAMS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I WOULD -- I WANT TO SAY 2023 THERE WERE 65,000 QUALIFIED APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO NURSING PROGRAMS.

SO CAN WE BUILD UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO BE NURSES TO GET INTO PROGRAMS?

CAN WE PARTNER WITH HOSPITAL SITE SO THAT WE CAN IMPROVE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE SO WE CAN GET INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE PROGRAMS FASTER?

I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIX THIS SHORTAGE.

>> I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK NURSING SCHOOL NUMBERS WERE DOWN.

IS THAT STILL GOING ON?

>> NOT THAT WE'RE SEEING.

>> OKAY, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

AND YOU MENTIONED RURAL AREAS IN PARTICULAR.

YOU HAVE TO GO A LONG WAY, IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH NURSES HERE, AND YOU GOTTA GO THERE... >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

>> WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRIDGE THE PUBLIC HEALTH GAP, WHICH WE'RE SEEING AND NURSING PROGRAMS ARE PUTTING BIG FOCUS ON COMMUNITY NURSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE IN THE UNDERSERVED POPULATION.

>> AND NURSING SHORTAGE HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IS IT WORSE HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> ARIZONA DOES HAVE ONE OF THE WORSE NURSING SHORTAGES.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>> I WISH I KNEW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I THINK THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAVEL, SO A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS -- ARIZONA HAS A LOT OF PROGRAMS SO PEOPLE COME AND GET LICENSED HERE AND ABLE TO TRAVEL ILL THINK THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE SIZE OF ARIZONA AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS WHY WE'RE GETTING HIT THE HARDEST BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S ONE OF THE LEADING STATES FOR NURSING SHORTAGES.

>> ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC.

I SEE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT COME INTO OUR PROGRAM AND THEY'RE EXCITED AND WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE OPENING CAMPUSES EVERYWHERE WITH THE INTENT TO HELP BRIDGE THIS GAP, SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN IMPACT THIS NURSING SHORTAGE.

>> ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> THANKS SO MUCH.

THE DEER VALLEY PETROGLYPH RESERVE SERVES AS A EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY USING PETITION GRIFFS, SOME DATING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

JOHN BELLO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEER VALLEY PETRO FIVE PRESERVE.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU, GOOD BE HERE.

DEER VALLEY PETROGLYPH RESERVE.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> IT'S LOCATED IN NORTH PHOENIX ON 35th AVE AND DEER VALLEY.

AND IT IS A 47 ACRE NATURE PRESERVE, AND WE HAVE A QUARTER MILE-LONG TRAIL OUT FROM THE EDUCATION CENTER TO THE MAJORITY CLUSTER OF THE PETRO FIVES WHERE WE HAVE OVER 1,571.

WHAT IS A PETROGLYPH?

>> PETROGLYPH IS AN ETCHED IMAGE ON A ROCK FACE.

SO IMAGINE A ROCK CARVING, SO TO SPEAK.

AND IN MODERN TERMS, YOU MIGHT EQUATE IT TO SOMETHING LIKE AN EMOJI ON A TEXT MESSAGE.

>> YEAH.

>> KIND OF LIKE AN ANCIENT GRAFFITI OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

SO IT IS DEFINITELY AN IMAGE THAT HOLDS A LOT OF HONOR AND RESPECT FOR THE DECENDENT'S COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT CREATED THE PETROGLYPH.

>> 500 TO 5,000 YEARS OLD?

>> YEAH, ONE OF OUR OLDEST ONES IS A PETROGLYPH OF AN ATWADDLE.

SO A WEAPON THAT WAS USED TO -- IN HUNTING PRACTICES.

>> WOW.

HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE AND FROM 500 TO 5,000, THAT'S A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, I WOULD THINK.

>> YEAH.

IT'S QUITE A WIDE DATE RANGE AND SO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE COMMUNITY IS -- THAT WAS OUT AT THE DEER VALLEY PETROGLYPH PRESERVE IN THE PAST COMES FROM DR. JAY'S INVESTIGATION IN THE 1980s.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE WESTERN ARCHAIC, SOME OF THE EARLIEST COMMUNITIES NEAR ARIZONA, WERE TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA, AND THEN THE HOMO COM WAS THE NEXT AND THEN A TIE-IN.

>> THIS IS KIND OF A BASIC QUESTION HERE, IN THIS AREA, WHERE WOULD BE THE NEAREST WATER?

>> IT'S ACTUALLY LOCATED ALONG SKUNK CREEK, WHICH IS NOW SORT OF -- THERE'S A DAM THERE, SO IT'S KIND OF -- IT'S NOT REALLY PRESENT ALL THE TIME.

AND THE DAM ITSELF CHANNELS FLOODWATERS DURING THE MONSOON SEASONS AND WINTER RAINY SEASON.

>> SO THERE WAS A REASON FOR THEM TO BE THERE.

>> YOU HAVE A NEW EXHIBIT CALLED TALES FROM THE LAND.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> TALES FROM THE LAND IS HONORING THE 30 YEARS THAT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE SCHOOL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE HAD BEEN MANAGING THE SITE.

AND SO THE EXHIBIT, WHICH OPENS UP ON DECEMBER 14th, WE'RE HAVING A FUN EVENT STARTING AT 10:00 A.M. AND THE EXHIBIT TELLS THE STORY OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE COME TO DEER VALLEY TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER, TO LEAVE THEIR MARKS AND TO TRAVEL ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

>> SO -- AND THIS IS BASICALLY AN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE, THEN A MUSEUM AND NOW A PRESERVE, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> WHAT PRESERVE DOES WHAT?

>> SO THE PRESERVE, THERE IS TO PROTECT AND EDUCATE THE GUESTS THAT COME THROUGH OUR DOORS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PETROGLYPH, THE LAND AND ALSO PROTECT THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE AS WELL.

>> AND HOW DID THIS LAND BECOME A PRESERVE?

>> SO THAT'S ALSO A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

SO IN THE 1980s, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND MARICOPA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL WERE IDENTIFYING AREAS TO CREATE DAMS TO PROTECT PHOENIX HOMES FROM FLOODING.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE SITES.

AND SO DURING THAT TIME, THEY EARMARKED THIS SPACE AS ONE TO PROTECT, TO HELP WITH THE FLOODING PROBLEM.

>> SO THERE IS PROTECTION HERE, AND THERE WILL BE PROTECTION AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE BECAUSE OF THOSE?

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

IS IT A QUARTER MILE TO GET THROUGH.

>> A QUARTER MILE TRAIL, ABOUT A HALF MILE TOTAL WALK.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN LOOK AT ALONG THE WAY?

>> YEAH.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EXHIBITS OUTSIDE.

WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PANELS AS WELL AS A SELF-GUIDED AUDIO TOUR.

ONE OF THE EXHIBITS OUTSIDE TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WAS THERE AROUND LIKEN AND PETROGLYPHS AS WELL AS OTHER TOOLS.

THESE ARE GRINDING TOOLS THAT WERE PRODUCED AT THE SITE, AND THEY WERE USED IN FOOD PRODUCTION.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED IN THIS AREA, DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY MOVED WHEN THEY LEFT?

>> SO THAT'S ALSO A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

SO THERE WAS ONLY ONE FAMILY THAT OCCUPIED THE SITE FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 800 AND 1100 CE.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE COMING TO THE SITE WERE ACTUALLY TRAVELING THROUGH FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA, SOUTHERN ARIZONA, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY WERE HEADING TO.

>> YEAH.

WELL, I'VE GOTTA STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS FASCINATING STUFF.

I NEVER EVEN KNEW THIS WAS OUT THERE.

JOHN, DEER VALLEY, PETROGLYPH PRESERVE.

YOU'VE GOT THIS PREMIER SET FOR DECEMBER 14th, 10:00 A.M. GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.