♪ >>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, RECORD-BREAKING HEAT CONTINUES TO SURGE NEAR PHOENIX.

ALSO AHEAD, WHAT SENIORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW FDA GUIDELINES FOR VACCINES.

AND A WAY FOR ARIZONANS TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>>> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M STEVE GOLDSTEIN IN FOR TED SIMONS TONIGHT.

SAD NEWS TO REPORT, ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING TAKES THE LIVES OF FOUR PEOPLE AT A HIGH SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF ATLANTA WITH NINE OTHERS HOSPITALIZED WITH INJURIES.

IT HAPPENED AT APALACHEE HIGH SCHOOL IN WINDER, GEORGIA.

NORTHEAST OF ATLANTA.

LAW OFFICIALS GOT A CALL THIS MORNING SAYING THERE HAD BEEN A SHOOTING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

TWO STUDENTS AND TWO TEACHERS WERE KILLED.

U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND SAY FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING.

>> WE ARE STILL GATHERING INFORMATION BUT THE FBI AND ATF ARE ON THE SCENE WORKING WITH STATE, LOCAL, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.

I'M DEVASTATED FOR THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STANDS READY TO REVIVE ANY RESOURCES OR SUPPORT THAT THE WINDER COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

>> THE PUBLIC AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE J.D.

VANCE WAS IN MESA TODAY AT A CAMPAIGN STOP.

HE WAS WITH GENERATION CHURCH IN MESA TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND THE ECONOMY IN AN EVENT SPONSORED BY TURNING POINT ACTION.

TOMORROW HE'LL SPEAK AT THE BUILT MORE.

>> AS THE SUMMER HEAT HERE IN PHOENIX CONTINUES ON IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT FOR THE 100 DEGREE WEATHER HERE.

THE 99 DEGREE AVERAGE THIS SUMMER BREAKS LAST YEAR'S RECORD AND YESTERDAY WE BROKE IT OF 100 DAYS OR MORE SMASHING THE OLD RECORD.

RANDY, YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO POINT OUT BEFORE WE WERE GETTING STARTED THAT WE ACTUALLY CONTINUED A RECORD TODAY.

>> YEAH.

WE'LL BE SAYING THAT FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, A NEW RECORD-SETTING DAY.

BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GONNA BE 100 FOR PROBABLY AT LEIGH THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO WEEKS.

SO IF YOU ARE ENJOYING BREAKING RECORDS, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP ON BREAKING RECORDS.

>> SO I THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET WORSE FROM LAST SUMMER WITH ALL OF THE 110-DEGREE DAYS.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, RANDY?

AND LET ME ASK IT THIS WAY, IS THIS WHAT YOU ANTICIPATED?

DID YOU THINK IT WOULD BE AS BAD OR WORSE THAN LAST SUMMER?

>> I REALLY DID NOT ANTICIPATE THIS BEING THIS BAD.

WHAT THIS ACTUALLY IS A SIGN OF IS THAT OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING.

I'M OLD HERE, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 40 YEARS.

AND AND THE LAST FEW SUMMERS ARE LIKE NOTHING THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED FOR DECADES.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE GROWTH OF THE CITIES, IT'S THE CHANGE FROM THE CLIMATE.

BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS NOT HAVING JUST -- HAPPENING JUST IN PHOENIX BUT ALL AROUND ARIZONA.

WICKEN BURK WILCOX, FLAGSTAFF.

I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT CITIES NECESSARILY.

>> HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE MONSOON SEASON SO FAR.

AND I REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN MONSOON, WE HAD A HUGE STORM IN THE AFTERNOON AND THEN IT WOULD BE THE NEXT DAY, WOULD BE STICKY FOR SURE, BUT MIGHT STILL REMAIN CLOUDY, HIGHS 92, 93, JUST MORE MILD FOR A DAY OR TWO IF WE'RE LUCKY BUT IT HASN'T BEEN LIKE THAT.

>> NO, WE'VE HAD SOME STORMS BUT NOT THE BRANCHING STORMS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST WHERE, LIKE YOU SAID, WE WOULD GET IN BIG FLOOD OF WATER THAT WOULD THEN KNOCK DOWN THE TEMPERATURES FOR THE NEXT DAY.

AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE, UNFORTUNATELY.

WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT COOLING TEMPERATURES.

>> LOOKING AT THIS FIRST GRAPHIC, LOOKS LIKE IT'S SEPTEMBER.

NOW, SEPTEMBER THESE DAYS AT LEAST, WE DON'T EXPECT SEPTEMBER TO COOL OFF TOO MUCH, BUT THIS LOOKS PRETTY NASTY.

>> YEAH, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS IT DOESN'T COOL OFF MUCH, AND WE'RE EXPECTING ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES.

SO OUR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE STILL AROUND 106, 107 DEGREES THIS TIME OF YEAR.

WE'RE GONNA BE UP AROUND THAT 110 RANGE.

WE'VE SET A RECORD FOR THE NUMBER OF 110 DAYS.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP BREAKING THAT RECORD, I'M AFRAID.

>> ESPECIALLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

ONCE WE GET INTO LATE SEPTEMBER, THERE -- AND I KNOW THIS WOULD INDICATE, THIS IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN, BUT THIS A NORMAL SEPTEMBER, DO WE HAVE DAYS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET WHERE THE NORMAL TEMPERATURE IS UPPER 90s, OR NO?

>> WELL, WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IS MORE THUNDERSTORMS.

WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE CLOUD COVER THAT WOULD DROP OUR TEMPERATURES DOWN.

BUT AS WE LOOK AT THIS MONTHLY OUTLOOK OF PRECIPITATION FOR THIS MONTH, WHAT WE SEE IS UNFORTUNATELY THAT BROWN COLOR AGAIN.

WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE STORMS, THE NORMAL STORMS THAT WE SEE IN SEPTEMBER, AND THAT MEANS UNFORTUNATELY HOT AND DRY, OUR TWO UNFORTUNATE FAVORITE GROUPS HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> THIS IS CLOSER TO AN EXACT SCIENCE THAN IT USED TO BE, BUT MONSOONS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT.

SO IF WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH IN A WEEK OR TWO TO HAVE A COUPLE OF AFTERNOON STORMS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSER TO NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR SEPTEMBER?

IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT?

>> THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO LOOK AT AS WE MOVE IN FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER, IS THE THING THAT THE TROPICS ARE PRODUCING ANY PACIFIC HURRICANES DOWN OFF THE COAST OF MEXICO.

AND WHAT WE SEE TOWARDS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER IS THAT THOSE STORMS WORK THEIR WAY UP.

THEY DIE BEFORE THEY GET TO ARIZONA BUT THEIR MOISTURE COMES INTO US.

RIGHT NOW FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NO HURRICANES IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC.

>> AND TEMPS FOR THE FALL.

NOW, AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE HOTTER AND DRIER BUT AND NOTICE WE CHANGE COLORS TO EVEN DARKER RED, INDICATING STILL ABOVE-NORTH TEMPERATURES FOR THE FALL.

SO WE'RE NOT LIKELY TO TO SEE THOSE MOISTURE PULSES FROM HURRICANES, THE PATTERN, WE CALL IT LA NIÑA, IS WHERE THE STORMS ARE GONNA BE HITTING UP IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON, NOT COMING DOWN INTO ARIZONA.

>> NOT EVEN NOVEMBER, RANDY?

>> NOT EVEN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE LIKELY WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE GOOD RAINS UNTIL MAYBE NEXT YEAR.

>> WOW.

LET'S LOOK AT PRECIPITATION FORECAST.

YOU GET TO SEE THOSE BROWN COLORS.

>> NOW, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, CAN YOU CALL MY WIFE RIGHT NOW AND TELL HER THAT THESE ARE ACTUALLY NOT SO BAD.

>> WELL, AGAIN, I'M JUST THE MESSENGER.

BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A SITUATION WHERE THE RAIN, THE STORMS ARE ALL GONNA BE UP IN NORTHWEST, AND MAYBE ALSO ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD, BUT OUR STORMS AREN'T GOING TO COME INTO US.

WE'RE GONNA BE BAD, PROBABLY NOT AS BAD AS NEW MEXICO AND WESTERN TEXAS, BUT WE'RE -- THAT ALSO MEANS UNFORTUNATELY AN EXTENDED FIRE SEASON.

WE'LL PROBABLY SEE FIRES EVEN GOING ON INTO THE FALL HERE.

>> HOW MUCH DOES THIS PLAN TO BE A LONG-TERM DROUGHT, IS THIS JUST AN EXTENSION THAT?

>> WELL, THE SUMMER MONTHS DOESN'T CONTRIBUTE A LOT TO OUR MOISTURE.

SO IT DOESN'T REALLY HURT OR HELP US IN TERMS OF DROUGHT.

IT'S THE WINTERTIME RAINS THAT ARE THE IMPORTANT THING BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SAYING GOOD WINTER RANGE EITHER.

>> AND THE SNOW MACINACK OF COURSE WHICH IS WHAT HELPS, BUT IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT EITHER... >> LET ME CLOSE WITH A REALLY FUN QUESTION, WHAT'S THE POSSIBILITY OF HOW LONG WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS, IS THIS OUR FATE FOR A WHILE HERE IN THE DESERT SOUTH TEST?

>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE NOW OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS IS THREE OF THOSE HAVE BEEN PARTICULAR RECORD-SETTING TEMPERATURES.

WHEN YOU START TO SEE THE SAME THING HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD INDICATION OF SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE BEING OUR CLIMATE.

>> OKAY, RANDY, FINALLY, WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE DO WHEN THIS GETS HOT, STAY INSIDE OR GO IN THE POOL?

>> YEAH, TRY TO FIND RELIEF, WHETHER THAT'S INSIDE AN AIR CONDITIONED HOUSE OR IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO TRY TO DO.

KEEP COOL.

>> THANKS.

GREAT TO SEE YOU EVEN IN THESE CONDITIONS.

THANK YOU.

♪ ♪♪♪ S. >>> THERE ARE NEW GUIDELINES OUT OF VACCINE RELATION INCLUDING VACCINES FOR COVID, PNEUMONIA AND RSV.

TONIGHT WE TALK ABOUT OLDER ADULTS IN ARIZONA AND GIVE SOME CLARITY ABOUT WHAT SENIORS NEED TO KNOW.

JOINING US NOW IS DR. AME SHAW FROM AREA CLINIC ARIZONA.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

NICE TO BE HERE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT RSV.

THERE'S A VARIETY OF THINGS GOING ON.

WHO NEEDS TO BE GETTING THAT.

>> RSV, NEW RECOMMENDATIONS CAME OUT LAST YEAR.

IT'S VERY CLEAR, EVERYONE OVER AGE 75 SHOULD GET AN RSV VACCINE.

THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT ONES OUT THERE.

ANY OF THEM WILL DO.

BUT SOME OF THE PROTEIN-ORIENTED VACCINES THAT ARE EASILY AVAILABLE I WOULD PROBLEM BE THE ONE I WOULD GO WITH.

>> IS IT EASY ENOUGH FOR DOCTORS TO IDENTIFY WHETHER AN ISSUE IS RELATED TO RSV, WHETHER IT'S COVID, WHETHER IT'S THE FLU OR ALGAES.

>> YEAH.

THEY'LL DO A SWAB IN THE PAST BUT NOW WE DO MULTIPLE SWABS WHERE WITH ONE SWAB WE CAN INCREASE FOR MULTIPLE THINGS AND WE ARE INCREASINGLY TESTING FOR RSV.

IT IS NOT JUST A COMMON COLD, IT CAN ACTUALLY PUT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OLDER PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.

WE HAD ALMOST AT THE SAME LEVEL WITH INFLUENZA, YOU KNOW.

IT'S ALSO VERY DANGEROUS TO INFANTS WHO END UP IN HOSPITALS WITH HIGH LEVELS OF -- IF GRANDPA GETS, IT YOU KNOW, A GRANDCHILD COULD REALLY SUFFER.

>> AND EVERY YEAR FLU SEASON APPROACHES, AND THE DETERMINATION IS WE SHOULD ALL GET VACCINATED OR NOT, OF COURSE YOU WOULD RECOMMEND WE WOULD.

HOWEVER, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS THIS YEAR.

>> THE FLU VACCINE IS A LITTLE SIMPLIFIED THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR THERE WAS FOUR STRAINS BUT NOW IT'S A THREE STRAIN.

OLDER INDIVIDUALS ARE ALWAYS REQUESTED TO GET THE HIGH-DOSE FLU VACCINE.

THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM DOESN'T RESPOND AS EASILY TO VACCINE SO WE USE A LITTLE HIGHER DOSE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET A GOOD RESPONSE.

SO YOU CAN GET IT AT THE SAME TIME AS YOUR OTHER VACCINE, IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.

>> AND THE FLU IS STILL THE NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT VACCINE TO GET.

CAUSES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ILLNESS AND DEATH, SO VERY IMPORTANT.

>> AND PNEUMONIA.

>> IT'S A NEW ONE THAT WAS APROVED IN JUNE.

I THINK IT'S BEING SHIPPED SOON HERE.

YOU'LL SEE IT CALLED THE PCV21 VACCINE.

THE OLD ONE WAS EITHER THE 15 OR THE 20 VACCINE.

BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS 21 IS JUST 1, BUT THIS NEW ONE HAS 11 DIFFERENT STRAINS.

IT'S BEEN MODIFIED, AND IT REDUCES REALLY BAD PNEUMONIA, THE KIND THAT PUTS NEW AN ICU KIND OF PNEUMONIA, INVASIVE PNEUMONIA.

ABOUT 26% BETTER COVERAGE THAN THE OLD ONE.

SO VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU'VE NEVER GOT 10 AND OVER AGE 65, TO GET THE PNEUMONIA VACCINE.

IF YOU HAVE HAD IT AND IT'S BEEN OVER FIVE YEARS, DISCUSS IT WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY HIGH RISK CONDITIONS, THEN THE PNEUMONIA VACCINE IS RECOMMENDED.

AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE, JUST ONE SHOT.

>> GUIDANCE FOR COVID.

SOME ARE CYNICAL ABOUT ABOUT IT BUT THERE'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOT IT, I WAS BOOSTED A COUPLE OF TIMES, EVERYONE I KNOW DID THAT AS WELL, BUT NOW IT SEALS LIKE THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE GETTING THE VACCINE IS DOWN.

WE'VE HEARD IMCOMMUNITY AND OTHER VACTORS.

IS THAT -- AND OTHER FACTORS.

>> COVID IS STILL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ILLNESS.

WE'VE GOT THE BOOSTER AND CALLING IT A REVISED VACCINE JUST LIKE WE DO FOR FLU VACCINE, WE ADJUST IT EVERY YEAR.

SAME THING WITH COVID VACCINES.

WE'RE TRYING TO STAY AHEAD OF IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, COVID IS STILL CAUSING A LOT OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER INDIVIDUALS, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE UPTICK FOR THE VACCINES IS REALLY, REALLY DISMAL.

WE NEED TO DO BETTER BECAUSE IT'S STILL VACCINE PREVENTABLE.

PROBABLY 50 TO 60% REDUCTION IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATH.

SO REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO GET THAT COVID VACCINE.

IT'S GONNA -- IT PEAK AS COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR.

SO WE'RE HOPING IT WON'T HAVE TO BE A TWICE A YEAR VACCINE BUT IT PROBABLY WILL END UP BEING THAT DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY IT MUTATES.

AND THE NEW VACCINE THAT IS JUST HITTING THIS WEEK, GO AND GET IT THIS WEEK, IS REALLY WONDERFUL.

AND IN TERMS OF MATCHING THE CURRENT CIRCULATING STRAINS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

>> WE'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

>> YEAH.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO COVID, HOW MUCH DID THE COVID VACCINATION AND MISINFORMATION -- HOW MUCH OF THAT HAS CAUSED COMPLICATIONS IN YOUR ROLE, AND HOW MUCH HAS IT CAUSED COMPLICATIONS TO GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.

>> IT'S A HARD THING.

USUALLY IT'S LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAVE A VACCINE, AND SOME PEOPLE NEVER GET VACCINES, ET CETERA.

BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SELL VACCINES AS MUCH TO YOUR PATIENTS.

AND I'VE FOUND THAT I HAVE TO DISCUSS MORE HOW THEY WORK, PATIENTS ARE MORE SKEPTICAL AND FOR THE RSV VACCINE AND MRNA, I'LL TAKE THAT BUT NOT THE -- >> DOES IT DEPEND ON AGE OR.

>> JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT SENTENCE DETERMINE.

YES, THEY WERE DEVELOPED QUICKLY BUT WE SEE A BENEFIT.

AND I THINK PEOPLE FEAR THE MONSTER IN THE CLOSET, BUT REALLY THAT THESE SAME PATIENTS -- THERE'S PATIENTS THAT ARE STILL DIEING AND HAVE TO BE HOSPITALIZED, AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TALK WITH THEIR DOCTORS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.

>> GREAT INFORMATION.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> AN ORGANIZATION THAT BUILDS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.

JOINING US TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION IS THE CEO OF GLOBAL TIES CENTER.

TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT GLOBAL TIES IS AND HOW LONG IT'S BEEN AROUND.

>> SURE.

GLOBAL TIES ARIZONA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 60 YEARS.

ACTUALLY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO CONNECT ARIZONA WITH THE WORLD, ONE HAND SHAKE AT A TIMED WE'RE A CITIZEN DIPLOMACY-BASED ORGANIZATION, AND OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO ESSENTIALLY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM AROUND THE WORLD, ACROSS COMMUNITYS AND BUILD MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

>> IN A MORE CYNICAL TIME, WHICH I PRESUME MANY OF US THINK WE ARE, HAS IT BECOME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT, OR HAS THE COMMUNITY LEVEL -- PEOPLE JUST REALLY WANT TO MEET INTERESTING NEW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD?

>> YOU WOULD THINK MAYBE THAT IT IS MORE DIFFICULT, BUT ACTUALLY I THINK IT JUST HAS UNDERSCORED THAT IT'S INCREASINGLY MORE IMPORTANT, THIS TYPE OF WORK.

YOU KNOW, WE WORK VERY HARD TO BRING VISITORS FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD TO ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, MEET AMERICANS, MEET ARIZONANS, AND REALLY I THINK HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS ONE ON ONE, PEOPLE ULTIMATELY END UP UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME NEEDS, WANTS DESIRES.

>> SO IS IT A GIVE AND TAKE IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE WHO COME HERE FROM ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD GET AS MUCH OUT OF IT AS THOSE WHO LIVE HERE?

I WOULD THINK PEOPLE LIVING IN ARIZONA, IT'D BE SO GREAT TO BE EXPOSED TO THESE OTHER COUNTRIES BUT I IMAGINE IT HAS DUAL BENEFITS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

FOR FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT REALLY LEAVING HOME.

SO HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT HAVING TO GET THE PASSPORT AND SPEND THE MONEY.

THOUGH, I STILL RECOMMEND DOING THAT.

BUT FOR OUR VISITORS, OFTENTIMES THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S THEIR FIRST REAL EXPOSURE.

AND THE PROGRAM THAT WE IMPLEMENTED, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DIVISION LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AMONGST OTHER EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, REALLY HAS THAT DESIRE TO BRING VISITORS OVER TO WHERE WE MEET COMMUNITIES TO MAKE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADERS.

>> ARIZONA IS SUCH A DIVERSE PLACE AS IT IS, I IMAGINE THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE INTERESTING FOR PEOPLE TO COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE.

BECAUSE ARIZONA HAS A MIX OF SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOLKS.

>> IT REALLY DOES.

AND I THINK THAT VISITORS WALK AWAY BEING VERY SURPRISED, OF THE PLACE THEY JUST CAME.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A PRECONCEPTION THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT HERE.

AND ULTIMATELY WE DO HAVE THAT BUT WE ALSO GET TO SHOW THEM THE MANY OF THE PARTS OF ARIZONA THAT HAS IS INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL, THE LANDSCAPE, THE PEOPLE, THE CULTURE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE REALLY AMAZING INDUSTRY THAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

>> AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU ABOUT SOME GREAT STORY OR SOME GREAT EXAMPLE OR SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, THAT BECAME PARTNERS OR PEN PALS OR SOMETHING BASED ON GLOBAL TIES ARIZONA.

>> WE HAVE HOME HOSPITALITY VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR US FOR YEARS, OPENING THEIR HOMES TO OUR VISITORS TO ESSENTIALLY SHARE A MEAL AROUND THE TABLE.

WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.

WE HAVE ONE VOLUNTEER SPECIFICALLY THAT DOES THIS CONTINUOUSLY AND SHE BRINGS IN VISITORS, AND ULTIMATELY THEY HAVE A WHOLE WALL DEDICATED AT HER HOME TO WHERE THESE VISIT VERIFIES BEEN FROM.

>> WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS POSITION?

>> I HAVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE EVER SINCE INSISTS HIGH SCHOOL AND GOT TO GO WITH MY SPANISH CLUB TO SPAIN AS A TEENAGER.

EVER SINCE THEN, IT REALLY WAS A PASSION OF MINE TO BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE ACROSS CULL TOURS.

YOU KNOW, LEARNING A LANGUAGE IS ONE THING, BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO REALLY CONNECT WITH VISITORS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL, SHARE A COFFEE, SHARE A MEAL TOGETHER, AND REALLY HAVE DEEPER CONVERSATIONS AND DEEPER CONNECTIONS, THAT'S REALLY RARE STEREOTYPE IS SHATTERED.

>> WE'RE DOWN JUST A FEW SECONDS.

WHAT IS NEXT IS THERE AN EVENT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

>> I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE... WE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP THIS FALL FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MEET VISITORS AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER AND OPEN YOUR HOME AND HAVE A MEAL WITH A VISITOR.

>> GREAT TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT IS ALL FOR ARIZONA HORIZON TONIGHT.

I'M STEVE GOLDSMITH IN FOR TED SIMONS.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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