♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Coming up on next on "Arizona Horizon", it's our weekly ledge combative update with a look at the big issues happening in Arizona politics.

Also ahead, sky harbor airport offer a dementia workshop to help families and caregivers traveling with dementia patients.

Plus the best place to see while flowers in black is next on "Arizona Horizon."

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>> Good evening, and welcome to him "Arizona Horizon" I am Steve gold between in for Ted Simons tonight.

Republican Nikki Haley has suspended had he bed to become the Republican nominee to president, she did not throw her support behind presumptive nominee Donald trump but said he must he were the votes of her supporters.

>> In all likelihood Donald trump will be the Republican familiar knee when our party convention needs in July.

A congratulate him and wish him well I wish anyone else who would be America's president.

Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us.

I have always been a conservative Republican.

And always supported the Republican nominee.

But on this question, as she did on so many others, Margaret Thatcher provide some good advice when she said, quote, never just follow the crowd.

Always make up your own mind.

It is now up to dawned trump's to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support us, and I hope he does that.

>> Mean while, Republican senate candidate Kari Lake said she is go after the votes of those who supported Nikki Haley and those who would have been vote nod year Stan Sinema who announced she would not seek reelection.

Lake I said actively trying to court owl Republicans whether they are MAGA, somewhere in the middle, or traditional Republicans I want everybody's vote.

Meanwhile, lake has picked up the endorsement of U.S. senate whip John Thune, lack was scheduled to host a reception in Washington, D.C. fetch everything 17 U.S. sitting senators who can help boost her campaign and fundraising efforts.

Mark Kelly threw his support behind Rubén game owe running for Sinema's seat.

It could help game owe tap into Kelly amounts fund raising network.

>> And the U.S. Supreme Court has set a date for a hearing on Donald trump's immunity case, they set the date April 25th for the case to decide whether trump has immunity in a federal election subversion case.

The timing of the case could determine whether trump face a trial for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election before this November's president election.

And it's time for our weekly legislative update to discuss the latest topics in Arizona politics today we hear from the Republicans.

Welcome senate president pro tem, senator T.J. Shope welcome back to "Arizona Horizon."

>> Thanks to having me.

>> Let's start with the raymour you of hi Greg.

Governor hobbs vetred more power undocumented immigrants I presume you are unhappy with the veto el tell me why it would have been effective.

>> Our view is in the last few weeks and months we have seen the State of Texas, for example, obviously the State of Arizona with not just thousands of people coming across the border, many claiming asylum that probably isn't the way we think of asylum being claim ed in the normal way of the last several decades, nonetheless come across we have seen our own port of entry at Lukeville being for example, unprecedented measure of being closed.

So in one sense we are saying, yes, to what I think most folks on -- with my point of view would say is, yes, to illegal activity and no to the actual legal activity that crosses the border which really makes no sense and go to the state of the State odds with governor hobbs was putting out her plans, led with about the first 15 minutes on border issues and being tougher on immigration than the Biden administration has been.

We felt it was appropriate to say look, let's see where this stops.

Let's send this bill up and see.

Even more importantly, let's see where the constitutionally -- constitutionality stands today.

With over -- well over a decade.

With a new Supreme Court and such can see what we can do as a state in these situations.

>> Bob Rob Robb has a substack column I consider him a traditional consecutive he wrote this week the bill wasn't a true attempt at govern's, prude he want or otherwise it was the gathering of a political talking point for the 2024 legislative elections end quote.

How on target or off target was Bob there?

>> I don't know that it's that on target per se in the sense that we have easily eclipsed any other issue as far as immigration being the number one issue in the State of Arizona and it's not just entailing what we think of as people come across but drives the fentanyl.

The other items that are come across our border and what that's doing to our communities.

We see, you know, whether it's in Georgia or whether it's in Texas, whether it's in Arizona and other states across the country.

This mantra that exists now of every state is a border state if you stop and think about where all of these items are going.

All across the country.

And we said, no, you know what, let's take the stand today and make sure that we pass this legislation, we were able to do that last week.

>> Feels like we are always in the midst of an election year even if we are tech three not.

When we look at what happened in the U.S. senate pretty bipartisan group, mostly Democrats yous but a good number of Republican senators wanted to take action in a way that would seem like taking care of the aspects of asylum concern people have.

And the house didn't take it up.

This is a state situation I am asking about, but do you think there is legitimate voices on both sides that really are willing to come to the table to discuss extra mys or when we are in an election year these days to make it even more difficult?

>> I think any time newer an election year the cloudiness that is around any issue you is obviously there.

And there is no doubt about it.

However, I think ill be willing to sit across the table from anybody who wanted to come up with some serious ideas on how we are towing it secure the border and not just secure the border from the aspect of making sure we don't have drugs, we don't have people that are just come across.

We have no idea where they are from.

We view this oftentimes as just, oh, well, this is somehow anti-hispanic.

I am Hispanic, it's not anti-me.

This is a situation we truly don't know the folk that are coming across when we come.

They get sometimes an ankle monitor, sometimes a cell phone.

The anecdotal evidence is everywhere they don't hold on to the items and we can't find them later on unless they committee crime as we have seen and our county attorney Rachel Mitchell discussed at some point over the last with her issue with New York.

So these things are happening, I want to make sure that we have secure border but I want to make sure that for our legal ports of entry like we had, that was millions and millions of dollars that were lost by people who do business on both sides of the border.

We can do both and we need to do both.

>> We don't have much time I want to make sure we get to another legislative issue here.

But before that, good segue to senator Sinema deciding not to go to another term.

She upset her Democratic Brett Len in becoming independent of A lot of people think Arizona will lose something without her in the senate regardless of who gets elected in November.

What are your thoughts?

>> I think from a personal perspective you are truly you are seeing the end of the -- McCain-like idea of you are going to have a maverick, when senator cane was in office many viewed that as a positive because he was bucking the Republican party.

When senator Sinema did it it was not seen by positive in many of those same circles that used to cheer there.

Therein is the problem.

Both side retreat to their bases and I think that, but you are going stow general election where truly both bases have a candidate of their liking.

And we are going to have it out and Arizona once again will be a top story to follow for the next several months.

>> Strange transition, magic mushrooms what's going on the ledge slay?

>> We passed SB1570 which will allow at least the senate has for clinical use magic mushrooms for people who have PTSD.

Things like that.

Our idea is unlike medical marijuana where you can just go way precipitation from a doctor go to a store, pick up your item, leave, nobody knows if you are the one that consumption the product or not for medicinal purposes.

We want to have a controlled setting where if do you have these issues of PTSD, veterans that have come back from war that they will be able to go ahead have a doctor, somebody walk them through the process, we have seen great evidence of this works and we are looking forward to the result.

>> So briefly on them tell me, you have seen evidence that has convinced you this is a good way to go for now?

>> Absolutely the veteran community stepped up in a way I have not seen them step up in other pieces of legislation dealing with PTSD.

I have spoken to many that went overseas, Bob Parsons the founder of go daddy and PSG go.

That testify ed in front of your commit and said 2018 was the first time that he felt at home from Vietnam.

>> Okay.

>> And that was over 50 years ago because of his treatment.

>> Okay.

Senator Shope, thanks for the time today.

>> Through for having me.

>> Flying with a loved one who has dementia can be a challenge but sky harbor airport is adding this by offering dementia travel workshops tonight as part of our monthly AARP sponsored segment highlighting issues important to older adults in Arizona we look at this program that helps caregivers navigate a busy airport while troughing with someone with dementia to tell us more is mist I Cisnero-Contreras the soup deposit at that time of customer service, at sky harbor thanks to be here.

>> Thanks for having me.

>> What does it me to be a dementia-friendly airport first of all.

>> Sky harbor is always looking for ways to improve travel experience, all different thyme types of people travel and for all kinds of reasons we are looking to make improvements.

We want to make sure that we provide opportunities for them to explore the different resources that are va I believe to them.

We realize that it's not necessarily the person traveling with dementia that has the challenges but the caregivers.

Making sure we provide opportunities to share with them these resources are available to you if you like to travel we'll help you do that.

>> So what's involved with some of these workshops?

What sort of people do they hear from?

>> Sure.

We started the workshops last year.

We'll be having our next one in July.

And what the workshop includes is a panel of various stakeholders at the airport who provide services that would assist somebody with dementia or a caregiver.

So we invite the TSA, members of the aviation department, passenger assistance airlines, as well as subject matter experts on dementia so that we can breakdown from "A" to "B" to all the way to "Z" what it feels like to have dementia to understand how to communicate clearly with somebody with dementia as well as letting them know here are the steps to you would like to take a trip we'll tell thousand make it as simple for you as possible.

>> Are there sky harbor specialists or is it a matter of all the team members you mentioned getting special train something.

>> So as a dementia-friendly airport, what we do is try to train the staff.

So we are making sure that all airport employs are aware that we have people that travel with dementia and true described training so they know what to look for, how you can help them how to address people with dementia or their caregivers it's a great opportunity to not only see what we have available listed on the website but to come and talk through past experiences and plans in the future so he we can say chase good idea if you are doing that trip here are the steps to make it easier for you.

>> As part of being dementia friendly let's say someone has an episode of sorts, travel can be stressful approximate people who don't have added issue of dementia is it the employees or the caregiver dealing with situations should it arise.

>> Absolutely.

We are fortunate at sky what are bore to have medical attention if necessary.

If need be.

But like I said we have a subject matter expert who helps to train everyone and we also work very closely with the banner Alzheimer's institute and they provide the trainings as well And they are a great resource to us.

>> Interesting, okay.

So this -- we have often heard sky harbor is America's friendliest airport I wonder how this fits in.

I was thinking about stations where people can calm down or there are animals there to sort of emotional support animals think how does this plan in to what sky harbor wants to make available.

Because this is one of the busiest airports in the country I.

>> It is, as part of being dementia friendly we have spaces in the airport, we have the compassion corner which is three room space where you can sob certain and pray in the champion.

You can also visit our sensory room, which has seats from an airplane with a mural in the back you can see what it feels like to get on a plane and then we also have an office where we can sit and talk with you about resources available and you can pick up a compassion cacti lanyard, what we offer are these lanyards that signify that, hey, I have a hidden disability and I want you to know about it.

So that when our staff sees that they are wearing a lanyard they know this person has a hidden disability.

You Donald need to know what it is but I may address them differently or give they are more caption in addition, in other resources a resource that you can procure is have a navigator support guide.

We have over 450 navigator volunteers at our airport.

And they are trained volunteers who know the airport probably better than, you know, anybody who has been there for a very long time.

And what they will do is they will meet you and they will guide you and the caregiver the person with dementia and take them from arrival to check in through the security check point to their gate.

They might even if you ask them to they'll stay with you at your gate until you board.

So it is a nice service and that relieves the stress of the caregiver who is worried about okay, I gotta check in, and I got carry these bags.

Oh, but I also need to keep an eye on my loved one and I don't know where the nearest family restroom, is but your navigator support guys does and they'll help you, do you need coffee.

Do you need to pick up something along the way they'll point all those items out for you.

>> Terrific, thanks for being here.

>> Thank you so much for having me.

♪ Music Playing ♪ ♪ Music Playing ♪ >> Tonight on the news hour, Nikki Haley ends her white house bid.

Seth up a rematch between President Biden and former president trump.

That's coming up at 6:00 on Arizona PBS.

>> Wild flower season in full bloom around Arizona and there are certainly places around the State where you can catch the best blooms travel author rock ore Naylor joins us with some of the top spots to see wild flowers whole back.

>> Always a pleasure.

>> How long does our wild flower season lost.

>> Depends on the temperature how hot it heats up and how much rain we have had.

Last year, super bloom for the ages.

Nothing like that.

We'll not have that again this year, those come along very rarely.

This one might be a quicker season depending on how quickly it heats up.

Last year stayed cool in to April.

So right now, things are just starting to pop.

You know, and I love desert wild flowers even if we are not having a super bloom don't be a people I don't get off the couch unless it's assumer bloom.

Get out there.

Desert wild flowers are small miracles.

Here are these tiny little plants that elbow aside cactus and rock and Rattlesnake for their moment in the sun, they add a flash of poetry and perfume to our late winter days, take advantage of that much it's such a gift.

So right now they are just starting.

I would get peak will be about mid to late March.

The second and third weeks of March.

Is when really the peak color will go and if the color -- if the heat doesn't get too much, they'll last in to April.

And then right after that, the cactus start blooming think so a little bonus there.

>> So for our winter visitors who may not be as familiar what, makes our wild flowers stand out and be so beautiful.

>> Again, it all depends on the winter rains, popples are annuals which means they have to create an entire plant from a seed which is why they need more earlier rains and more consistent rains which we were miss this is year.

Last year we had that in abundance, that's why it brought out all of the poppies.

This year, we have some nice late season rains.

That benefits the perennials the already exit, plants like brittle bush, globe, marigolds they just need enough moisture to pop open the bloom.

But we get such an incredible mixture of the blooms and it's wonderful.

>> You are an Arizona expert in many ways you took photos during last wild flower season.

>> I couldn't resist I was chasing them all over the.

>> It's the first one is Bartlett lake.

>> And Bartlett lake is one of the few places some places have more than rain than others.

Bartlett lake is one places where they think they are still going to have a Brit pretty good season.

I would think to be heading down there on the drive to Bartlett you'll get to see nice flowers mixed in the hills make the drive out to Rattlesnake cove once you are there.

Along the roadside is where this was taken, you'll see really nice displays, poppies, lupens, brittle bush and others.

This is a good place to see white poppies which are pretty rare, a nice collection around Bartlett lake and you are at the intersection of desert and water.

Which is always a delight.

>> Happy oasis.

>> Yeah.

Just a sensation.

So that's a really good shot.

>> Next is a war owe lake.

>> This one I sent people here for weeks last year it was ongoing for about a month.

Justify the hillsides were drenched in poppies.

This year it won't be as nice, the poppies will be patchier but worth getting out it's a love low drive and you are near the lake there.

Great picnic spots and great hiking trails it's worth it just to get out and see what is there.

>> Okay.

This next one, we get to look at horses.

Salt river horses.

>> This was a not far from where the other one was take he.

This is out on the bush highway.

Just past saguaro lake, this was a great spot.

And the horses apparently were out all the time.

So it's wonderful to see these two icons of air here at the same time.

But even if the poppies don't come out the horses report there for the poppies they are there because of the fresh grass that's coming up.

That's good place to spot wild horses.

So as you are driving the bush highway just past saguaro lake there keep our eye peeled if you see cars pulled over on the shoulder a lot of times that means the horses are graze back there in the little value ill there was a herd there, must have been 50 of them.

And scattered little bands around there and so it was just wonderful because the hillsides are painted yellow and the horses are grazing what a wonderful Arizona day this is.

>> So we have less than a minute left.

>> Okay.

>> Went to get to Picacho peak.

>> It was the star of the season last year, nothing like I have never seen anything like this.

Just rivers of poppies.

Not so much this year, but go now.

You can go right now and you can go for the next couple of weeks, they say what they have now is pretty much what they are going to get.

It's some nice patches of poppies.

Again, that you can see from the roadside.

So you don't have to do a lot of hiking.

>> And very briefly, color.

How many important is the color when you are looking at them and taking the photos?

>> Well, kind of depends on what you want.

Some people really like the zoom in and get the close shot.

Get the oranges and yellows there, others like just sort of the whole swept landscape.

So depends on what you are looking for.

>> Roger Naylor thanks for being here.

>> A pleasure.

>> It is it for "Arizona Horizon" tonight I am Steve Goldstein in for Ted signs, have a great evening.

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