>> Ted: THE LATESTEST TO HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AND A WRITER COMES TO TERMS BY WALKING THE LAKE NORTH AND SOUTH AND LANGUAGE IN TIMES OF MISCOMMUNICATION.

THOSE STORIES ARE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> WELCOME TO ARIZONA.

QUICK CHECK OF HEADLINES, THE STATE SUPREME COURT SAID IT WILL MEET ON MARCH 21st, CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT WHETHER OR NOTKARILAKE AND THE JUDGE AND STATE COURT OF APPEALS FOUND NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT LAKE'S CLAIMS THAT SHE WON THE RACE AND SHE LOST TO DEMOCRAT, KATIE HOBBS.

>>> ARIZONA TOWNHALL FOCUSED ON FINDING WAYS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AND WE WELCOME SUSANNE PFISTER AND TOWNHALL BOARD MEMBER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: WHAT IS THIS?

>> THIS IS A WONDERFUL INVENTION, IF YOU WILL, OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, GOING STRONG IN ARIZONA FOR DECADES AND IT HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME AND IT REALLY, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS REALLY GONE THROUGH AN EVOLUTION.

WE HAVE 20 TO 30 COMMUNITY TOWNHALLS ON A TOPIC ALL OVER THE STATE AND THEN WORKED TOGETHER ON A FINAL REPORT THAT GOES OUT TO COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUT THOSE COMMUNITY TOWNHALLS ARE REALLY POWERFUL AND VERY IMPACTFUL.

>> Ted: TALKING MENTAL HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT DID THE REPORT LOOK AT AND FIND?

>> IT TALKED ABOUT HOW -- WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST EVICTION RATES IN THE COUNTRY AND ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF HOMELESSNESS AND WE'VE SEEN 40 40% TO 60% INCREASES IN HOUSING COSTS AND WE HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING PROGRAM AND PROBLEM IN ARIZONA.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT WAS THE INTERRELATIONSHIP.

I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE SOME RENTAL MORATORIUMS, BUT PEOPLE WERE STILL GETTING EVICTED OR THEIR RENT WENT UP 40% WHEN THEIR SALARY MAY HAVE GONE UP 5%.

AND THEN THEY GET INTO WHERE THEY'RE COUCH SURFING WITH FRIENDS AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY STRUGGLE AND WITH THAT TRAUMA, THEY END UP HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND USE SUBSTANCES TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

AND SO, YOU SEE THAT KIND OF SPIRAL GO ON WHERE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGING IN SURVIVAL CRIMES IN ORDER TO JUST GET FOOD AND GET HOUSED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

>> Ted: YOU THINK OF IT -- AT LEAST, INITIALLY I THOUGHT OF IT AS A VEN DIAGRAM.

YOU HAVE THIS AND YOU'RE TALKING AS OF THIS IS A SUCCESSION AND THINGS DEVOLVE.

>> SAY THEY'VE HAD TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND YOU THINK OF ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN ARIZONA WHO LOST LOVED ONES THAT COMPLETELY DEVASTATED THEIR FAMILIES.

AND THAT CAN CREATE DEPRESSION AND EXTRAORDINARY MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL CHALLENGES.

SO WHAT THE TOWNHALL REPORT LOOKED AT IS HOW THOSE FOLLOW THROUGH AND WHAT IS NEEDED, THOSE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TAKING CARE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

>> Ted: WHAT IS NEEDED AND HOW DO YOU GET IT DONE?

>> WE'VE GOT GREAT EXAMPLES IN ARIZONA AND PROBABLY THE BEST IS ACCESS, OUR MEDICAID PROGRAM DID A SPECIAL EMPHASIS WITH THREE THOUSAND OF ITS MEMBERS, THOSE ON THE SERIOUSLY MENTAL ILL SPECTRUM AND WITH WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, THEY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE COST BY $5500 PER MEMBER PER MONTH FOR $82 MILLION.

THESE PEOPLE NORMALLY WOULD BE IN AND OUT OF ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS AND HAVING LOTS OF HIGH-END COSTS WITH POLICE AND FIRE AND BECAUSE ACCESS WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING ON WRAP-AROUND SERVICES.

SO IT'S MAKING SURE THEY HAVE CHILDCARE AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE DRUG TREATMENT REGIMENS.

YOU CAN'T BE A DIABETIC THAT NEEDS INSULIN AND YOU DON'T HAVE A REFRIGERATOR.

SO HOW DO KEEP PEOPLE ON THEIR MEDICATIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> Ted: INTERESTING IDEAS AND YET THE LAWMAKERS ARE FOCUSING ON HOUSING AND IS THAT THE RIGHT FOCUS?

>> IT IS A SHORT-SIGHTED FOCUSED AND SILOED.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE CREATED, A VITALIST WHEEL FOR COMMUNITIES AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO LOOK AT HOUSING AS HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE AND THOSE PROBLEMS INTEGRATED WITH ACCESS TO ECONOMIC WELL-BEING AND TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO, IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT IN THAT MORE HOLISTIC FASHION, WE CALL IT WHOLE PATIENT CENTERED CARE NOW, WHICH YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND YOU ARE MISSING THE CRITICAL PIECE AND WE DO HAVE SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF WHERE THAT HAS WORKED.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY, THE LEGISLATURE AND SOME OF THE 25 BILLS THAT ARE STILL REMAINING REALLY ARE VERY SILOED AND THE LEGISLATURE IS EITHER GOOD AT MANDATING THINGS OR PREVENTING THINGS AND THEY SORT OF SEE THAT AND YOU SEE THOSE BILLS AS KIND OF EITHER FORCING CITIES TO DO THINGS OR NOT LETTING THEM DO IT.

WHAT WE NEED IS A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY.

>> Ted: FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO READ THIS REPORT AND GET IDEAS, WHERE DO THEY GO?

>> AZTOWNHALL.ORG AND FOR INFORMATION FOR VITALISTS, GO TO VITALISTSHALL.ORG AND WHERE THING ARE WORKING WELL IN ORGANIZE.

>> Ted: EVIDENCE BASED, YES.

GOD TOGOOD TO HAVE YOU.

>>> UP NEXT, AUTHOR TOM ZOELLNER TAKES A LOOK INTO THE HEART OF ARIZONA.

>> Ted: TOM ZOELLNER IS A FIFTH GENERATION PERSON IN ARIZONA AND A 790-MILE ADJOURN IN JOURNEY IN ARIZONA AND TITLED "RIM TO RIVER" AND WE WELCOME TOM ZOELLNER TO ARIZONA AND I'M GETTING THROUGH YOUR BOOK AND THIS IS GREAT.

I REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THIS.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>> IF YOU.

>> Ted: WHEN DID YOU DECIDE THAT WALKING THE STATE WAS A SWELL IDEA?

>> I QUESTIONED THAT DECISION EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

THE ARIZONA TRAIL IS THE SPINE, REALLY, OF ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WALK ACROSS THE STATE, NORTH TO SOUTH AND IT STARTS AT THE UTAH BORDER, WINDS, OF COURSE, THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON AND SKIRTS PHOENIX AND DOWN TO THE MEXICAN BORDER.

>> Ted: YOU DID IT AND AS YOU WERE DOING IT, THOUGH -- WHEN YOU STARTED IT, DID YOU SAY, I'LL GET A BOOK OUT OF THIS OR ARE YOU TAKING STEPS AND GOING, THIS REMINDS ME OF THIS AND THAT?

>> MORE OF THE LATTER AND MORE, I THOUGHT I KNEW ARIZONA PARTNERSHIP THINK EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE IS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH WHERE THEY LIVE AND SOMETIMES THAT'S A CONTENTIOUS RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A PERFECT STATE AND I THINK I'VE HAD A LONG ARGUMENT WITH ARIZONA BUT ALSO A LONG LOVE AFFAIR AND A WAY TO GO DEEPER?

>> Ted: I LOVE HOW YOU INTERSPERSE PERSONAL THING AND RUNNERS IN THE RESERVATION LANDS.

THE GRAND CANYON IS OBVIOUS AND THE GRAND CANYON, HOW DO YOU WRITE ABOUT THE GRAN CANYON?

>> YOU KNOW, WRITERS OF ANY BACKGROUND HAVE STRUGGLED TO DESCRIBE THE GRAND CANYON AND IT'S TOTALLY INDESCRIBABLE.

I THINK IN THAT INSCRIBABILITY, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF IT.

YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT.

WE CAN SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT ARIZONA.

>> Ted: YOU WENT EXISTENTIAL, WENT TO THE WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE THERE.

>> THE UNKNOWABILITY OF REALITY.

>> Ted: YOU MENTION FOOD AND THIS IS AN OLD TIME FAVORITE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS AND ARIZONA HAS SOME INTERESTING CUISINE, DOES IT NOT?

>> IN THIS BOOK THAT THERE IS A DISTINCTIVE ARIZONA FLAVOR THAT COMES FROM PUT SIMPLY, A COLLISION BETWEEN NOT ARCAINI CUISINE AND MINERS TO SETTLE.

>> Ted: WHEN FOLKS FIRST GOT HERE, THE RELIGIOUS FOLKS, THEY SAW THE NATIVES EATING, QUOTE, THE LANDSCAPE AND THAT IS A PART OF ARIZONA, CUISINE.

YOU MENTION OLD RESTAURANTS AND BARS.

>> WE'RE A STATE THAT RETURNS TO ERASE THE HISTORY AND YET, THERE ARE STALWARTS THAT HANG ON AND THE SPIRIT ROOM IN JORDAN AND EL CHARO IN TUCSON AND PLACES THAT SEEM LIKE HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER.

>> Ted: YOU DID A SIDEBAR AND EXTENSIVE SIDEBAR INTO INTO THE ROBERT FISHER CASE.

>> OH, GOSH, THIS WAS A NOTORIOUS 2001 HOMICIDE WHERE A GUY KILLED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN SCOTT'S SCOTTSDALE AND BLEW THE HOUSE UP.

I WAS WORKING ON IT AND THEY NEVER CAUGHT HIM.

THIS STORY, I CAN'T LET GO OF AND FOR ME, IT'S A WINDOW SPOT LATENT HISTORY OF VIOLENCE INTO ARIZONA.

HE DISAPPEARED NEAR THE PLACE WHERE SOMETHING CALLED THE PLEASANT VALLEY WAR WAS FOUGHT.

IT WAS A TURF VALLEY IN BETWEEN RIVAL RANCHERS IN 19th CENTURY ARIZONA AND THAT SENSE OF BLOOD STAINEDNESS IS A PART -- AN COMFORTABLEANUNCOMFORTABLE PART OF OUR HISTORY.

>> Ted: I REMEMBER A DETECTIVE TELLING YOU, HE DIDN'T WANT THIS INFORMATION GETTING OUT AND THIS IS A MEMOIR ASPECT OF YOUR BOOK.

>> A REPORTER'S DRIVE AND I WAS TOLD LATER THAT WE WERE WAITING FOR HIM TO COME BACK AND YOU PUT IT IN THE PAPER, YOU KNOW, THESE PARTICULAR DETAILS AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SCREWED UP OUR CASE AND THAT WAS ONE OF THESE MOMENTS, WELL, I WAS DOING MY JOB, BUT, BUT, AND A MORAL QUESTION THAT HANGS OVER IT.

>> Ted: MORAL QUESTION AND A LOVE SONG TO I-10 FROM PHOENIX TO TUCSON.

>> ANYWHERE IN THE STATE AND MOST RURAL PIECE OF INTERSTATE AND DID IT 500 TIMES AND LATER TONIGHT EVEN.

EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT, I SEE SOMETHING NEW AND JUST LIKE THE STATE OF ARIZONA, YOU HAVE TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THAT STRETCH OF I-10.

>> WE LIKE PICACHO PEEK.

>> Ted: I THOUGHT PERSONALLY, ONE OF THE SURPRISINGLY TOUCHING ASPECTS, TALKING ABOUT GREEN VALLEY AND RETIREMENT HOMES AND RETIREMENT VILLAGES AND PLACES IN ARIZONA, THAT WAS VERY WELL DONE.

>> IT'S 13% OF OUR ECONOMY, SECOND ONLY TO FLORIDA.

PEOPLE COME HERE TO LIVE OUT THEIR LAST DAYS AND THERE'S A COMPLETE POIGNANCY ABOUT THAT.

TELEPEOPLE >> Ted: PEOPLE LOST THEIR HUSBANDS AND AND MEN LOSING THEIR WIFES.

>> THE GRAVEYARD IS STRANGELY UNPEOPLED AND FOLKS CHOOSE TO BE BURIED IN MASSACHUSETTS OR OHIO.

>> Ted: I FIND THAT TOUCHING.

WHAT DO YOU WANT VISITORS TO TAKE FROM THIS BOOK?

>> ARIZONA IS BOTH WORSE THAN YOU THOUGHT AND BETTER THAN YOU THOUGHT.

>> Ted: FOR BOTH VISITORS AND LOCALS?

>> EVERYONE WHO HAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH THIS STATE.

>> Ted: YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO "BISBY."

>> I LOVE THAT BOOK.

>> Ted: THIS IS IN THE SAME LIBRARY, IF YOU WILL, AND THINKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING ELSE SIMILAR TO THIS?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE NICEST THINGS ANYONE EVER SAID ABOUT THIS BOOK, IN THE SAME LIBRARY AND LIT ALONE THE SAME SHELF WITH RICHARD SHELTON'S MEMOIR.

AND IN A SENSE, THIS IS A BIT OF A HOME KANSAS HOMECOMING LIKE HIS WHAT'S.

>> I'M AN ACADEMIC.

>> Ted: "RIMTO RIVER," CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IS LAUNCHING A NEW EXHIBITION THAT LOOKS AT LANGUAGE IN TIMES OF MISCOMMUNICATION.

LAUREN O'CONNELL IS WITH THE MUSEUM AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GOD TO BE HERE.

>> Ted: I FIND THIS FASCINATING, LANGUAGE WHEN THE LANGUAGE IS NOT NECESSARILY TELLING THE TRUTH AND WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> LANGUAGE IN TIMES OF MISCOMMUNICATION IS AN EXHIBITION THAT THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART FEATURING ARTWORK BY 18 ARTISTS, ALL OF WHICH INCORPORATES LANGUAGE OR MODES OF COMMUNICATION OR RESEARCH MATERIALS TO ADDRESS THE WAY THAT WE COMMUNICATE IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE MANY FICTIONS THAT SHAPE OR REALITY.

>> Ted: YOU MENTION DIFFERENT MODES AND FICTION AND POETRY.

>> ABSOLUTELY, POETRY, SPECULATIVE AND SLAYING, AS WELL OBOR GROUPS NOT A PART OF THE MAINSTREAM COMMUNITIES AND RESEARCH MATERIAL MIGHT BE THE NEWS OR ARCHIVES AND THEN MODES OF COMMUNICATION SUCH AS PROPAGANDA AND OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATING, SOME.

>> Ted: ALL WITHIN OUR COLLECTIVE REALITIES AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME BASE THERE AND THAT BASE CAN BE WIDE.

LET'S LOOK AT THE EXHIBITS USING LANGUAGE AND THERE ARE BANNERS REGARDING AMERICAN INDIANS AND WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> THIS IS PART OF A PROJECT CALLED "THE NATIVE GUIDE PROJECT."

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROJECT IN WHICH SHE WRITES PHRASES USING POSITIVE RE ENFORCEMENT AND IT'S A TYPE OF WAY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT THEY ADDRESS MICROAGGRESSIONS TOWARDS INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.

>> Ted: I WAS GOING TO SAY, IT'S GREAT HOW I ACKNOWLEDGE THE NATIVE AMERICA AND LITTLE BITE THERE.

>> AND I THINK MANY INSTITUTIONS AND PLACES ARE WORKING TOWARDS -- OFTENTIMES STANDARD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND IN ADDITION, OFTENTIMES WE ADDRESS THE COMMUNITIES AS IF THEY'RE FROM THE PAST.

BUT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE STILL PRESENT HERE TODAY.

AND SO, OFTENTIMES HER WRITING TALKS ABOUT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE.

>> Ted: ANOTHER ARTISTS, APRIL BAY.

TALK TO US ABOUT HER WORK.

>> SO APRIL BAY IS AN ARTIST WHO HAS CREATED A WHOLE PLANET AND IT'S A PLANET CALLED "ATLANTICA AND"AND YOU CAN GET THERE BY GOING THROUGH PORTALS INCLUDING TROPICAL PLANTS, SPECIAL LIGHTING, SOUND, AND THE ARTWORK SHE CREATES FOR IT ARE OFTENTIMES ADVERTISEMENTS OR TOURIST GUIDES FOR THE PLACES.

AND YOUR PROGRESS WHICH IS A LARGE PAINT, MOSTLY PINK WORK WITH GLITTER, TEXT, ALL COLLAGED AND CHINESE WORK FABRIC REFERRING BACK TO WEST AFRICAN CULTURE.

SO YOUR PROGRESS REFERS TO THE FAMOUS INTERVIEW WITH JAMES BALDWIN WHEN HE WAS ASKED HOW MUCH MORE TIME UNTIL AFRICAN-AMERICANS WILL MAKE PROGRESS.

AND HE TURNED TO THE -- YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS, TURNED TO THE INTERVIEWER AND SAID, HOW MUCH TIME FOR MY PROGRESS.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MORE TIME TO YOUR PROGRESS AND TURNING THE ONUS ON THE DOMINANT CULTURE.

>> Ted: BEFORE WE GO, SOUTH ASIAN MUSLIM LIVING IN THE U.S. AND PROCESSING THAT EXPERIENCE.

ANOTHER ARTIST.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HE CREATED A WHOLE SERIES CALLED "CONCERNED" AND THEY INCLUDE WRITINGS THAT HE WROTE AND COLLAGES THAT INCLUDE MIDCENTURY MODERN AND ERDU WHICH IS THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE OF PAKISTAN.

>> Ted: THAT'S A NICE PIECE OF ARTWORK.

ABOUT 30 SECONDS, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT FOLKS TO TAKE ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT?

>> AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MUST REALLY COME TOGETHER AND LEARN HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND THE LANGUAGE WE USE IS IMPACTFUL AND SO, ALSO TO REALLY KIND OF OPEN THEIR EYES TO GET BETTER PERSPECTIVE AND COMPASSION.

FRIDAY NIGHT IT'S AT SMOKA.ORG.

>> Ted: GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

- Another powerful edition of Arizona Horizon.

That has been a part of the news and public affairs programming in the Grand Canyon state for as long as I can remember.

When I came to Arizona back in 1988 as a young journalist in Lake Havasu City, >> WHEN I CAME TO ARIZONA BACK IN 1988 1988 AS A YOUNG JOURNALIST, I WAS WATCHING MICHAEL GRANT AND FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S.

>> Ted: TED SIMONS GETTING THE KINDS OF ANSWERS THAT ALL OF US WISH WE CAN GET EXIT AND IT IS POWERFUL NEWS COVERING IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE AT THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE AND NOBODY DOES THAT BETTER AND HERE WE ARE IN ELECTION SEASON AND ARIZONA HORIZON AND ARIZONA PBS, FLAT OUT THE BEST ELECTION COVERAGE YOU CAN GET AND IT'S RIGHT HERE AND SO GIVES US A CALL, TEXT US OR GO ONLINE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ARIZONA