♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Coming up next on "Arizona Horizon", a legislative update looks at the latest activity at the state Capitol.

Also tonight a local news reporter releases an award-winning mystery novel.

And a new Art exhibit explores the future matriarch of the black community.

Those stories and more next on "Arizona Horizon."

>> Had hour of local news is maze possible by the contributions of friends of PBS.

Members of your PBS station, thank you.

>> Welcome to "Arizona Horizon" I am Ted Simons, we begin with an update at the state capital as the legislature could be headed to a mid session break to a lack of legislation in general and budget bill in particulars, joining us tonight.

Senator house minority whip that's I Gutierrez also with us.

Thank you for being here.

A lot of stuff we are trying to trying get to.

Let's start with you.

Pronoun bills, we are seeing a lot of this going on is it still going on?

>> Unfortunately it is still going on.

The Republican party is obsessed with pronouns, showers and genitalia and governing it.

It was a disappointment to have a last bill of appropriations this session be this pronoun bill.

I was honored to be will be my colleagues every single Democrat on the committee had really moving testimony to speak to how hurtful this bill really is.

>> This is SB1166.

>> Correct.

Yes.

>> What does the bill call for?

>> It calls for public schoolteachers to to notify a parent if their student asks to be called a nickname that is not -- -- >> Gender specific?

>> You know, the nickname Patty is short for Patricia, anything other than that we have to notify the parent.

Oregon if they would to be called by the pronoun other than the one assigned to them at birth.

It asks for teachers, like myself, I a public schoolteacher to out students to their parents.

Which is very, very harmful.

What my students tell me is they sometimes don't feel comfortable herring that with their parents because of the views their parents hold and for fear they might be kicked out of their home.

>> The sponsor of the bill says parents have a right know if there is a bender are issue going there.

Is he wrong?

>> He is wrong, yes, I believe he is wrong.

What my job as a public schoolteacher is, is to have my students feel safe in my classroom so that they can learn.

And if I can make them feel safe by justice listening to their preferred pronoun then I will do that.

And I will show them that respect.

I feel that they -- a lot of them, you know, it's a time of questioning in high school.

What proud noun do I want to use.

What is the harm of them trying out different pronounce?

>> And I think, again, the sponsor would say what is the harm of letting the parent if there is a question of a gender issue going on there?

Because they are, after all, their parents.

How do you respond to that?

>> I agree with representative Gutierrez.

So these children who want to be known by different pronouns, they have reasons for doing so, if they are not telling their parents.

Which in the senate side mentioned the children going through questions about their gender are some of the most vulnerable people we don't want to do anything that would harm them before they are ready to.

>> When the sponsor and the Republican party and Lawmakers say that most parents would embrace their kids and would love their kids regardless of that kind after situation.

Are you not buying that?

>> I wish that were true.

Of course, we want to make sure that everyone has that safe and loving environment, but I think Nancy, representative Gutierrez as a teacher knows that's not always the case.

>> It's not always the case.

I have had students who absolutely cannot be themselves around their parents and they want to be themselves at school.

And it's heartbreaking, but it is certainly not my responsibility to insert myself into a family dynamic and tell parents something that they don't ask their chirp themselves.

And that's what I said in committee.

If you don't know what your -- what pronouns your child wants to use being it's probably because you have never asked them.

>> Or they don't want to tell you?

>> I think it's more of a question of ask.

I think as a parent, myself, I have asked my children and I was prepared with whatever answer they gave me.

And I think it's just the -- my job as a teacher to make my students feel safe.

>> Where is this going?

What's next with all of this?

>> Well, I think it will pass party line on the floor.

And it will be vetoed by the governor is my guess and my hope.

>> This was a ballot referral originally, was it not?

>> That one I am not -- >> I am not sure.

Something was about referral -- was a ballot referral and I think it didn't make.

It.

Did I get that right?

>> There have been many ballot revels it's hard to keep track.

>> I want to get to you.

I want to talk about the right to contraception.

What this was about I refer to this as a little bit of attempted legislative jiu jitsu here.

What happened?

>> Can you thank you, Ted.

Absolutely.

What happened was an attempt of this jiu jitsu.

I introduced as Well, a representative Stephanie stall Hamilton introduced root to contra accepts as a bill at the beginning of the accepting.

We know that after the Supreme Court overruled roe V way with the Dobbs decision, over turning almost five decades of precedence that preserved the right to abortion federally.

That now the rights are at the state level and what we have saw that we saw that these rights are continuing to be under attack.

And that extends to the right to contra accepts, justice Thomas' descent in that case highlighted that contra accepts is one that he would like to revisit.

We I want used to those bills to protect the right to con extra accepting in Arizona state law.

Never received a hearing.

Got for the point in session when it was starting to become too late to get committee hearings and so we wanted to offer the opportunity to Republicans to protect this law in Arizona.

To protect the right in Arizona state law before it's too late.

>> And get people on the record to vote yea or nay or something like that?

>> Absolutely.

People want to no, voters wants to know are your legislators going to stand up to your rights.

>> Critics called it more than performance theater.

There are no Arizona laws regarding contraception it was just way to show republicans believe in X, Y, Z.

How does this differ than when Republicans send something to the governor that they know she will not sign but they want to make her look bad.

How does this differ?

>> It differs greatly.

There is a little bit of theater in legislature.

But we are trying to preserve a right in the state law.

There may not be attacks right now in Arizona right now on these rights, but we know that there are other places where some of these rights are under attack.

Just yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case that they had no reason to that would potentially overturn two decades of access to the pills that allow for abortion access.

We know I hope maybe representative Gutierrez can talk about what's happening in batch.

Voters wants to know and they want it see who is standing up to protect their rights Ask.

>> We don't have time for Alabama but we have time for Arizona and time to talk about what is not happening regarding the budget.

What's going on here?

Well, we are ready, willing and able to speak about the budget but We need the bills through our third reads first.

Swear hearing rumors about maybe a break, and that is rolled by the party in charge, by the Republicans.

One good reason to wait for the budget is that we are waiting for April 11th for the newest numbers in our state.

We are hoping, it seems that our revenues will be a little bit better than we saw in January.

And so we will still a deficit.

Still need to make cuts.

But we are hoping that with those revenues hiring we'll have to make future cuts.

>> Age hearing from Republicans that they want to have bullet talks, but the governor doesn't.

She keeps reschedule, do you think this is what's going on?

Is she just waiting for out for different -- why is had no movement here?

>> They may say so, but I think everyone benefit when his we wait for the updated numbers so we can butt a bad budge net place.

I will also note that ter still trying to push through or, you know, approve agency continuations, a lot of these agencies are currently being held up, particularly in the senate, too fast whether we'll even have those agencies in July or not.

>> Is there any movement at all on those?

>> Some movement, but I think there are some -- there are some agencies that we did vote to continue just recently.

There are other major agencies that still remain in limbo and I think we need to address that before we can figure out the bullet.

>> And a break is -- I would think a break would be likely because if nothing he would, you guys gotta campaign for offices.

There is a lot of folks running for A lot of things.

>> There are.

And but also, for those of us who live in Tucson and outside of the Maricopa county to have to drive in, and do the pledge and pray and then just drive home is a waste of resources.

We would much rather be talking to constituents, doing work in our own communities than wasting time on the I-10 coming back and forth.

That's where we will utilize that break to be in our districts and do that work.

>> Representative Nancy Gutierrez and senator, goof Goode to have you here.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you.

>> Thank you so much.

>>> Next time on antiques road show are these treasures a barring honor bust.

>> I am a live long thrifter and I thrift when I am stressed.

>> What did you actually pay for that paints something.

>> $15.99.

>> That's pleasantly surprising.

>> When you brought him to the table I was immediately engrossed in them.

>> I wish I could shop with you.

>> Watch' particulars road show next time from North Carolina museum of Art in Raleigh.

>>> Monday night at 7:00 on Arizona PBS.

>> All aboard.

[ train whistle ] ♪ Music Playing ♪ ♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Monday night at 9:00 on Arizona PBS.

>> A local broadcast news reporter is out with an award-winning mystery novel set right here in the valley.

The book is titled "off the air" and the author, Christina Estes takes readers through a bona fide whodunit amid a number of local landmarks that give the mystery novel a definite sense of place well, come journalist and author Christina Estes to "Arizona Horizon", welcome you, you have been a guest here, you have been a guest host here, this is like home to you.

>> Now I am an author here.

>> Now you are an author.

Was there always a mystery write your shoulder when you were going through life?

>> I think so.

When I was little I loved to read mysteries, nancy drew and you know when you are little there is that always that annoying adult that says what document to be when you grow up?

>> Right.

>> I would say author but I never knew any authors or anybody that pursued that but I saw reporters and heard them and radio and TV and that steered me towards journalism.

>> It's a case of write what you know, that what's going on here?

>> Absolutely.

And it's set in Phoenix.

>> Yes.

Controversial talk radio show host dies.

Okay.

And there is all sorts of competition for your protagonist here who is, by the way a news reporter, TV news reporter to get the story.

There had to be a lot of things that you could bank on in the past?

>> Absolutely.

And I love that I have all of those experiences.

What I found in writing is that I have these great experiences spending more than 20 years here in Phoenix reporting, but I was also stale reporter and so the challenge was to make it shun fiction and not a news report.

>> I know A lot of people in journalism in nonfiction find it difficult to write fiction, did it find it difficult to write something that really didn't happen?

>> I can but what was more difficult is the actual novel.

I was thinking I write every day hard how can it be it's a different beast to write 300-plus pages versus 400 words on a website or 30 seconds in a newscast.

>> It takes time, you could be outdoing things but you have to sit down beside that computer on are typewriter in the old days.

You gotta work.

You gotta write.

>> Yeah.

>> Nothing gets done if you don't get it done.

>> Can you please explain that to my dog.

He feel very neglected sometimes.

>> Is journalism a character in this boom?

>> I think so.

Because it's so interesting, so the early feedback that I have received has been just, oh, my gosh, across the gamut.

People who have experienced local news, say, oh, my gosh, this is so spot O this is awesome.

It's like the most accurate representation that we have seen yet.

And other people who have no clue what goes on behind the scenes, some of them are like, wow, I don't want anything to do with that.

I would never want that job.

And I am thinking, but I love my job.

>> Well, yeah.

And I think the protagonist loves her job she has a lot going on, things with neighbors and all sorts of things.

Phoenix, the valley, Arizona, characters in the book?

>> Absolutely.

Yeah.

When I moved here more than 20 years ago I came here to work with the ABC affiliate here in phoenix and I signed a three-year deal and I was like I am getting out here the minute that three years is up I am gone.

I made the mistake of moving in the summer, from the midwest where it was green and then here it was really hot and brown and dry.

But here I am Phoenix grows on you.

>> Yes.

>> And the neighborhoods grow on you and the beauty grows you and the weather and the friendship.

>> When you are writing the book, I want to get the process here.

It's a whodunit not a Grant hardy Thomas thing like and and Jane Austen, how hard is it which you are writing to keep it under wraps?

>> Now I want to share things with you but in my mind I am thinking don't go down that avenue.

The ending is not what I thought it would be.

>> I was going ask you that.

>> Yeah.

>> Did the characters change?

Did the ending change in.

>> The ending did change.

When also affected some of other things in the book.

And if I talk anymore I will say something.

>> All right.

>> And I -- but I hope people will read it.

Talk about it after reading it and maybe we can too, because there was a reason that I chose that ending.

>> Yeah, were you happy?

There is a reason you chose it.

But it wasn't your original end something.

>> Absolutely not.

It's not an ending that anybody would advise you to go down.

>> Were you happy with the ending?

Or is there still work to be done?

Is this a first in a series hung.

>> It is, Ted, yeah, yeah, yeah.

>> Congratulations.

>> Thank you.

And here is what I learned in the process being several things, I will never be 100 percent satisfied with everything I write.

It just happens.

>> I was going ask you, first of all, how does it feel to hold a book in your hands that you -- it's your book.

How did it feel the first time when you held that book?

>> It was amazing.

For sure.

I was jut like it's see smooth.

It's so -- it was like a baby.

Like a baby skin.

So smooth.

Then I heard the audio version a couple of weeks ago and that made me burst into tears because I had heard the words in my head for years, only my voice saying it.

>> Yes.

>> And to hear this professional, beautiful narrater, made me cry.

>> Well, how emotional can that be.

But it would also I think be -- do you go to book stores and just kind of walk down the aisle and look for -- >> I am going to.

Just published yesterday so I haven't had the opportunity yet.

>> Okay.

>> But today, somebody posted on social media, they showed a photo at a library any what net cash Illinois, my first library post and that also made me cry.

>> Wow, that's the thing, you are what you work for so many years and and were striving to be, you are there now.

>> My younger tricky loving person is bursting inside.

>> I'll see how you like this next question.

It's a cliché it takes a lifetime to write the first novel.

You don't have that kind of time for the second novel.

Are you ready for it?

>> I am working on it right now, yes.

And my editor won't see this it's due in May.

[ Laughter ] >> So but, again, it's -- but, again, it would be easier I think, because you went through some pretty rough spots early on.

You went through whatever questions you might have had and character development issues.

I mean, you are a pro now.

You are an established author.

>> Well, I don't know that I would go that far.

That's very nice, first after, thank you.

I read shonda rhymes book you are supposed to say thank you, smile and shut up.

So thank you.

Smile and -- >> We look for more than that.

>> No, but it's always a learning process.

So you are right, though, the second one I am more excited about it because I feel familiar with the characters.

>> Now, having read your book I was looking for a handsome and charming PBS television host.

I didn't see it.

I didn't see it in there.

>> No.

But -- >> Will that be in the sequel.

>> If you pay close attention to the last chapter there is a character named Ted woods and it's a combination of you and Mike woods who was a meteorologist at champion 15 many years ago I combined your names.

>> I missed that part.

I saw the Ted but I missed that part.

>> Thank you.

>> Are people coming up going is that me?

>> Absolutely.

In some cases the characters aren't them but I put names that mean something to me.

It doesn't mean that's their character.

But -- >> Last question.

Hollywood television, I don't know what goes first anymore.

Television or Hollywood.

>> Streaming.

Everything is digital, slight.

>> Any interest?

Getting any nibbles out there?

>> I have no idea at this stage, Ted.

Just published yesterday.

>> But, mind, to have -- you know, the pre-publishing, nothing has been shopped around or anything?

>> I don't know.

Ted, my mind is all about the book.

>> Yeah.

>> Honestly I know there are some authors that's their you want not goal.

My ultimate go is to celebrate this book, get my second one in on deadline and do some more.

I adjust focused I want this base series to work.

>> It's obvious fine six so much a part of them the valley is local folks, history, lore, congratulations.

>> Thank you so much.

>> And we are out proud of you.

>> Thank you.

I really do feel the love.

So thank you so much.

>> And thanks for sharing here and best of luck out there.

>> Thank you, Ted.

♪ Music Playing ♪ >> At the entrance of bull head city's community park on say route 95 is a marker honoring northeastern Arizona's vital relationship with the Colorado river.

[ horn honking ] >> For nearly 30 years in the mid 1800.

Commercial steam ships serves the maining communities of northern Arizona, hauling supplies from as far downriver as Yuma.

Cargo was unloaded at nearby hardyville.

Often returning downstream with barge loads of local ORE. Bulls head rock from which bull head city derived it's name was Located upstream.

The escarpment.

Was used as a navigation parker and the point where Mojave Indians boarded the riff.

The bulls head rock was sunk in 1953 with the building the Davis dam.

♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Today the Colorado is still bull head city's lifeblood.

Jet skis have replaced the steam ships and Lofton, Nevada's steam boats have replaced the mines.

The wallets instead of the ORE from the mountains.

♪ Music Playing ♪ >> I am William, tonight on the news hour, investigators gather more details on what led to the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Coming up at 6:00 on Arizona PBS.

♪ Music Playing ♪ >> A new Art exhibit at Mesa community college explores the future matriarchs of the black community and includes the works of 10 black female artists.

To learn more we welcome Mesa community college artisan resident is who curated the exhibit along with one of the featured Arties Ryan Johnson, thanks being to mere.

>> Thanks to having.

>> Antoinette, future matriarchs, explain, please.

>> I am the current artist in residence at Mesa community college approached me because they were having exhibition that explore a group of black women this lived in a segregated neighborhood in mess actual they asked me to contrast that though an exhibition of my own that represents the president and future I came up with future matriarchs to explosion the future community.

>> The artists you chose -- did you choose artist or artworks?

>> I chose artists and I chose works with the school.

So we collaborate odd that piece.

>> What were you looking for?

>> I was looking for black women who were not a phrase to use their week.

Who would be bold and not apologetic and who had something powerful to say.

I wanted diversity in what they were saying.

And we are looking at some of the examples here.

What document people to take from the exhibit?

>> Oh, I want people to not only see our struggles as a community, because a lot of these pieces talk about different social, political issues the black community struggles with.

I want them to see our strength, resilience and beauty.

Because two things can be true at once.

>> Ryan, what got you interested in all of this?

>> Well, how I got interested in Art in general?

>> Yeah.

>> Was my grandpa.

Nigh grandpa was an artist p my family likes to joke it went through generations and went through me.

But when I was younger I saw it like this water color painting that he had done and was it a basketball player and he was making a shot and it looked to me young mind it was so realistic I couldn't believe that he did it and that inspired me to start doing Art I started like in my room drawing little things and did kind of eventually came to humans and I at some point strictly was like I am just doing drawing my mom is one day you will be painting and I D I ended up doing painting.

>> And was there a time when you said, you know what, I am pretty good at this?

>> Yeah.

>> I am just not doodling around.

>> At some point I realized I can do something with this.

My mom put me in Art school and I just continued doing that.

>> I want to look at some of your work.

I think we have a couple of them here.

This is -- now, that's -- there we go.

It is one of them.

Talk about that piece.

>> It's part after I trio that I made and it's called stretched.

It's the last one in the series and did kind of goes in order and this one is the last one.

And it's kind of about being an overachiever but taking on so much at the same time that you just feel that like burn.

Like you feel burnt out and that's what I was feeling in my junior year when I started the series, I was taking out a lot of stuff, working on college, my Art career and it was kind of starting to bubble up and it started as this first piece that felt very dark and you kind of like feel like -- yeah, you feel like very dark and you are trying to buildup and it feels terrible the next one is kind of like, oh, okay, I am kind of okay now.

And and then last one is okay, everything is finally over.

I felt like and I kind of did flowers and like the yellow to feel like spring you are finally over but the piece is called and the cycle begins again, because after spring it continues it's like overachievers always take on a lot.

And continue to do that.

>> We have another piece of yours as well and I want you to explain this one.

Do we have that one up and ready?

there we go.

What are we looking at here in.

>> This piece I did this for a class in college.

And it was -- we had to do a political piece and this is something I am very passionate about and always have been.

It's about police brutality.

And I want to kind of express it through -- there is an old piece called the creation of Adam by MichelAngelo and it's a piece between Adam and god, but it's to me this one I kind of wanted to create in a way where police are supposed to be people that we are supposed to look up to, but for the black community it's always kind of been hard to do.

And they are the only people to call when you need help sometimes, so that's kind of what this piece is about.

>> Antoinette, this is the kind of thing that you were looking for, wasn't it?

>> Yes.

yes.

I was looking for people who use their voice.

And what I love about having Ryan in the show is she's actually our youngest artist in the show.

I feel like she is a huge and wonderful representation of the future of our community.

>> As far as the exhibit is concerned, Mesa community college.

>> Yes, Mesa communality college the Art gallery.

The last day is actually this Monday.

>> Wow.

>> So people have to ski dad the down there.

>> Do you have something in the works after this?

>> Oh, yeah.

Actually have a solo exhibition at MCC that will be in the fall.

So I'll share that as it comes closer.

But.

>> And Ryan, last question to you.

Is this a career?

Is this what you are going for the rest of your life do you think?

>> Absolutely.

>> And exhibits like this, I would think kind of spur that on, doesn't?

>> Yeah, of course.

>> Congratulations, to both of you.

Antoinette cowley, good to see you again you have been on the show name numerous times and good toe saw back and Ryan maybe we'll have you back as well.

Congratulations on your success, thanks for joining us, we appreciate it.

>> Thank you.

>> That's for now, I am Ted Simons, thank you so much for joining us.

You have a great evening.

♪ Music Playing ♪ ♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Arizona PBS celebrates a moment in time.

Made possible by Rock Springs cafe.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and protege Albert McCarthy a classic luxury hotel since 1929 the built more hotel stands a one of America's Premier hotels across the decades hosting presidents and