>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, WHY SO MANY PARENTS OF ARIZONA KINDERGARTENERS ARE OPTING OUT OF VACCINATIONS.

>>> WHY SO MANY ARIZONA VOTERS ARE REGISTERING AS INDEPENDENTS.

AND WE'LL REVISIT AN INTERVIEW WITH SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR'S SONS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE ARE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEDICALS MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

>> Ted: WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS TODAY CLOSED THE ARIZONA BORDER WITH MEXICO AT THE LUKEVILLE PORT OF ENTRY.

OFFICIALS SAY THAT STARTING TODAY, OFFICERS AT LUKEVILLE WILL BE REDIRECTED TO HELP U.S. BORDER PATROL TO ENTER THE COUNTRY TRUE THE THROUGH THE DESERT.

KYRSTEN SINEMA AND MARK KELLY SAY THIS FURTHER DESTABILIZES THE BORDER, RISKS OUR COMMUNITIES AND DAMAGES OUR ECONOMY.

REPUBLICANS ARE CALLING FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SEND OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO OPEN THE LUKEVILLE CROSSING USED FOR TRAVEL TO THE NEXT CAN STATE OF SONORA INCLUDING ROCKY POINT.

>>> VISITORS RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW IN EFFECT AT ALL BANNER HOSPITALS.

THIS IS DUE TO AN INCREASE IN FLU AND RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.

RESTRICTIONS INCLUDE NOT ALLOWING CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13 TO VISIT PATIENTS IN THEIR ROOMS AND CHILDREN MUST BE SUPERVISED BY AN ADULT IN PUBLIC WAITING AREAS AND CAFETERIAS.

SIBLINGS CAN VISIT NEW BABIES AND MUST BE SCREENED BY STAFF.

BANNER IS ASKING THAT VISITORS EXPERIENCING FEVER, COUGH, VOMITING OR DIARRHEA DO NOT VISIT THE HOSPITAL.

>>> A COUPLE OF ECONOMIC NOTES, THE PRICE OF GOLD HIT A RECORD HIGH OF TRADING FRENZY AND WAS SELLING OVER $2100 AN OUNCE.

ABOVE THE ALL-TIME HIGH.

IT'S EXPECTATIONS THE FED WILL CUT INTEREST RATES NEXT YEAR TO LOWER THE VALUE OF U.S. TREASURE INVESTORS AND INVESTORS MIGHT WANT A TANGIBLE ASSET LIKE GLOBE AND THE PRICE OF BITCOIN SOARED TO ABOUT $40,000 TODAY AND THAT'S IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN 18 MONTHS AND BITCOIN IS UP TO 150% FOR THE YEAR AND THAT SAID, THE PRICE IS FAR FROM THE HISTORICAL HIGH OF CLOSE TO $70,000 BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.

PART OF THE RECENT SURGE IN THE CRYPTO CURRENCY IS PART OF THE EXCHANGE COMMISSION LOOKING AT A BITCOIN FUND ALLOWING INVESTORS TO HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS TO THE DIGITAL ASSET WITHOUT OWNING IT.

>>> ARIZONA HAS ONE OF THE NATION'S HIGHEST VACCINE EXEMPTION RIGHTS FOR KINDERGARTENERS WITH MORE THAN 7% OF ARIZONA STUDENTS GRANTED EXEMPTIONS.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO THE OVERALL COMMUNITY HEALTH?

WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> Ted: WHAT'S GOING ON?

HIGHEST VACCINATION EXEMPTION AND 7% IN ARIZONA AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS LIKE, 3%.

WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

>> SO THERE'S A NATIONWIDE TREND.

IT'S NOT JUST AN ARIZONA TREND WHERE FEWER AND FEWER PARENTS ARE CHOOSING TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATES AND IN SOME STATES LIKE OURS, IT'S CALLED A PERSONAL EXEMPTION THAT THERE'S SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS.

NOT A LONG LIST BUT A SUBSET AND YOU CAN SIGN THIS PERSONAL EXEMPTION.

THE PARENTS CAN SIGN A PERSONAL EXEMPTION WITHOUT BEING VACCINATED.

ARIZONA IS AMONG THOSE PERMISSIVE STATES THAT HAS THIS OPTION SO THAT YOU CAN JUST SIGN THE EXEMPTION AND SO, WE SEE THE INCREASING TREND NATIONALLY WHERE LOWER VACCINATION RATES BECAUSE OF VACCINE HESITANCY AND ANTI-VAX MOVEMENT AND IT'S WORSE IN ARIZONA AND WE CAN GET INTO THE REASONING WHY.

ONE OF WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE PERMISSIVE SYSTEMS OF EXEZEKIEL EXEMPTING YOUR KIDS FROM SCHOOLS.

>> Ted: IT SOUNDS LIKE PERSONAL BELIEF IS ENOUGH FOR AN EXEMPTION TO WORK.

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

>> A FORM THE PARENT FILLS OUT AND IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU RENT A CAR OR SOME THINGS AND AT THE END, YOU SIGN IT SAYING YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE DANGEROUS ILLNESSES AND I'M EXEMPTING MY KID FROM THE VACCINES ANYWAY AND THEN THEY CAN ATTEND SCHOOL.

BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUSTJUST A BLUE, RED STATE THING.

TAKE WEST VIRGINIA AND MISSISSIPPI, THEY DON'T HAVE PERSONAL EXEMPTIONS.

YOU MAY THINK IT'S A POLITICAL THING AND IT'S NOT AS MUCH.

>> Ted: BUT IN TERMS OF EXEMPTIONS, ARE THEY EVERY EVER DENIED?

IS THAT EVER DENIED?

ARIZONA?

>> IF IT'S NOT SIGNED.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: BUT NO ONE WILL SAY NO?

>> RIGHT.

>> Ted: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE OVERALL HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY?

>> THE SCHOOL REQUIREMENT IS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED.

THOSE PARENTS SAYING, I'M NOT SURE AND IF THEIR KID NEEDS THAT VACCINE TO GET INTO SCHOOL, THEY'LL SAY, OK, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO IT.

IF THAT EXEMPTION IS IN PLACE, THEY'LL TEND TO EXEMPT THEIR KID.

SO THAT'S A PIECE OF WHY OUR VACCINATION RATES HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT THERE'S A BIGGER FACTOR HERE, WHICH IS THAT IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR PARENTS TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED BECAUSE SO MANY DOCTORS ARE NO LONGER PROVIDING VACCINES AND FEWER HAVE PARTICIPATING IN WHAT'S CALLED THE "VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM" IN PART MOSTLY, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THEY WEREOVER REGULATED BY THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND FACED THE PROSPECT AND ACTUAL SOMETIMES EVEN FACED RESTITUTION FINES FOR VACCINE WASTE AND THING LIKE THAT.

A LOT OF DOCTORS HAVE DROPPED OUT WHICH MEANS IT'S HARDER TO GET YOUR KIDS VACCINATED.

AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT IF YOU'LL HAVE GOOD VACCINATION RATES.

>> Ted: IT SOUNDS LIKE CONFUSION MIGHT BE A FACTOR, AS WELL.

IS THAT PART OF THE CONFUSION ASPECT FOR PARENTS, NOT KNOWING IF YOUR DOCTOR WILL DO IT AND IF YOUR DOCTOR SAYS NO, WHERE DO YOU GO?

>> YOU GO FOR A PEDIATRIC VISIT, LET SAY, AND YOU EXPECT THOSE SHOTS TO BE A PART OF THAT VISIT, BUT INSTEAD, SOME OF THEM ARE WELL, WE DON'T PROVIDE THE VACCINES HERE AND THEY'VE BEEN SENDING THEM -- REFERRING THEM, SAY, TO THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT OUR WIC CLINICS BECAUSE THEY'VE DROPPED OUT AND IT GOT -- THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ADVOCACY FOR MANY YEARS ON THIS AND IT GOT SO BAD THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR IMMUNIZATION HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO WRITE A REPORT RELEASED TODAY.

AS WE SPEAK, IT'S RELEASED AND IT DESCRIBES THE REASONS WHY DOCTORS HAVE BEEN DROPPING OUT.

I THINK IT'S BEEN A WAKEUP CALL TO THE STATE HELP DEPARTMENT'S NEW LEADERSHIP.

I DO THINK FINALLY WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT RECOGNIZE THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE AND THEY'VE COMMITTED, AT LEAST THEY SAY, TO THE KINDS OF POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO FIRST STOP DOCTORS FROM LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND THEN LATER TO BRING SOME OF THEM BACK.

>> Ted: HERD IMMUNITY, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THAT?

>> FOR MEASLES, BIG TIME.

MEASLES IS SUPER CONTAGIOUS AND YOU NEED VACCINATIONS RATES OF 95% AND IF ARE INTRODUCED INTO A CLASSROOM, IT CAUSES A CASCADE AND KIDS ARE OUT OF CLASS AND WHOOPING COUGH IS LESS CONTAGIOUS AND YOU CONTOLERATE THAT IN THE HIGH 80'S AND NOT FOR MEASLES, MUMPS, CHICKEN POX.

>> Ted: THAT BECOMES AN INCREASING CONCERN, DOES IT NOT?

>> FOR SURE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PARTS OF THE STATE THAT ARE VULNERABLE.

>> Ted: GIVE US A STATE-WIDE BREAKDOWN.

>> WE'RE AT 89% IF YOU USE IT AS A PROXY.

IN THE COUNTY, IT'S THE LOW COUNTIES AND SANTA CRUZ AND THEY'RE IN THE UPPER 90S AND SAME WITH YUMA COUNTY.

>> BEFORE YOU >> Ted: WHAT ARE WE SEEING AS FAR AS COVID, THE FLU AND RSV?

WE SAW WHAT BANNER DID TODAY.

>> THAT WAS A GOOD DECISION ON BEHALF OF THEIR PATIENTS.

INTO HAVESO YOU HAVE RSV AND INFLUENZA ABOVE THE FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE THIS TIME OF YEAR AND 30% ABOVE.

SO WE'RE HAVING A ROBUST AND A LITTLE BIT EARLIER SEASON FOR INFLUENZA AND RSV.

COVID-19 IS MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT'S NOT FORMALLY REPORTABLE AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT THE HOSPITALIZATION DATA.

HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP AND NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS ON THE SHOW.

>> Ted: NO KIDDING.

>> SO ALL THREE ARE ON THE WAY UP AND THE SOLUTION OF COURSE IS IS TO GRET GET VACCINATED.

>> Ted: ARE WE NOT HEADING INTO PRIME SEASON?

>> YEP, AND THEY'VE GOTTEN A HID START.

WHEN THESE VIRUSES GET A HEAD START AHEAD OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, THAT GIVES THEM AN AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR JANUARY.

>> Ted: AS MUCH AS FLU AND COVID BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE OUT THERE, IT DOESN'T SEEM FOLKS ARE GETTING VACCINATED?

>> THE THING THAT'S MOST TROUBLING, THE VACCINATION RATES IN NURSING HOMES ARE BAD, REALLY BAD.

LIKE 8% OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS IN ARIZONA HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, AND LESS THAN 1% OF THE STAFF AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE NEWEST BOOSTER, NOT GOOD.

>> Ted: WILL, GOOD TO SEE YOU AND INFORMATION FOR THE INFORMATION.

>> TAKE CARE.

>> Ted: UP NEXT, THE IMPACT ON VOTERS INCREASINGLY REGISTERING AS INDEPENDENTS.

>> CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH PASSPORT.

FEEL THE HOPE.

>> MY HEART IS RACING RIGHT NOW.

>> THE WARMTH.

>> OH, NEVER!

>> AND THE JOY OF THE SEASON.

WITH PASSPORT, SUPPORT YOUR STATION AND STREAM MORE WITH PASSPORT.

>> FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.

>> THIS IS AMAZING!

>> WOW!

>> IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE A HOME.

>> THESE ARE YOUR IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS.

>> NEVER ANTICIPATED THIS EVER.

>> I'M PLEASED TO TELL YOU YOU'LL BE FINDING YOUR ROOTS.

>> I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT WE FOUND, BUT WHAT WE FOUND WAS YOU.

>> COMING IN JANUARY TO ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: ARIZONA VOTERS ARE INCREASINGLY REGISTERING AS NEITHER REPUBLICAN NOR DEMOCRAT SO MUCH SO THAT 57% ARE PARTY NOT DECLARED.

WE SOUTH CAROLINA THOM REILLY FROM THE CENTER OF SUSTAINED DEMOCRACY.

NUMBER OF REGISTERED INDEPENDENT VOTERS INCREASING AND BY A WHOLE LOT.

WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?

>> THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT DESIGNATED AND 36% OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN ARIZONA AND 34% REPUBLICAN, 30% DEMOCRAT.

BUT AS YOU POINTED OUT FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER, WE HAD ABOUT 93,000 NEW REGISTERED VOTERS AND 57% REGISTERED AS INDEPENDENT OR UNAFFILIATED.

>> Ted: THAT'S AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER THERE, IS IT NOT?

>> IT'S REFLECTING WHAT'S HAPPENING NATIONAL LEGISLATURE.

SO THE POLL TRAX TRACKS PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AND BETWEEN 47% AND 49% NATIONALLY IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES OTHER THAN THE TWO PARTIES, MORE THAN TWO THE PARTIES COMBINED.

THAT'S PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY.

>> Ted: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

>> THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I THINK TWO POINTS I WOULD MAKE IS THAT ONE, THEY'RE INCREASINGLY DECIDING RACES AND TWO, THEY'RE UNPREDICTABLE.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, IN 2022 IN THE MIDTERM, ABOUT 31% OF THE VOTE NATIONALLY ARE INDEPENDENTS AND IN ARIZONA, IT WAS 40% OF THOSE THAT VOTED WERE INDEPENDENT.

>> Ted: YEAH.

CRITICS WERE SAY -- AND THIS WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS STORY FOR A LONG TIME ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THE PARTY FAITHFUL ON EITHER SAID SAYING INDEPENDENTS ARE UNINTERESTED AND UNINVOLVED AND THEY STILL LEAN LEFT OR ROUTE RIGHT AND DON'T WANT TO GET ALL OF THAT INTO IT.

DO THEY HAVE A POINT THERE?

>> THERE'S A POINT OF RESEARCH THAT INDIVIDUALS WERE EMBARRASSED ABOUT BEING A PART OF THEIR PARTIES, RIGHT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR RECENT RESEARCH WHERE WE LOOKED OVER 20 YEARS OF DATA NATIONALLY OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION FOUND THAT THIS GROUP OF VOTERS IS INCREASINGLY UNPREDICTABLE.

THEY MOVE IN AND OUT OF INDEPENDENT STATUS AND THEY DON'T HAVE MOST OF THE PARTY.

SO THE PREVAILING THOUGHT BEFORE WAS THAT INDEPENDENTS TENDED TO BE LEANER AND I SAY I'M AN INDEPENDENT, BUT WHEN THEY LOOK AT MY VOTING PATTERN, I VOTE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT.

HOW THEY IDENTIFY AND VOTE, THAT'S TRUE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, WE FIND THIS GROUP TREMENDOUSLY UNPREDICTABLE.

LET'S LOOK AT NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL VOTES FOR INDEPENDENTS.

INDEPENDENTS WENT FOR OBAMA BY 8 PERCENTAGE POINTS AND IN 2014, TRUMP FOR 20% AND 2020, BIDEN FOR 20%.

AND TODAY, TRUMP IS LEADING BY 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS.

>> Ted: THAT'S INTERESTING.

IT'S ALL THOUGHT THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A PURE INDEPENDENT.

ARE WE SEEING MORE OF THOSE FOLKS?

>> I THINK WE ARE.

I THINK WE'RE SEEING THIS GREAT DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TWO PARTIES AND THE CHOOSES WHICH I CHELSEY CHOICES.

SO ABOUT 60% OF GEN-Z AND MILLENNIALS HAVE NEVER BEEN A PART OF A PARTY.

THINK OF THAT.

MOST OF US, PERHAPS, WERE A PART OF A PARTY AND THEN LEFT FOR REASONS, BUT NOW WE HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN PART OF THE A PARTY.

AND THEY DON'T WANT IT.

>> Ted: THOSE ARE YOUR PURE INDEPENDENTS.

>> THEY ARE NOT AFFILIATING WITH THE PARTY.

THE BIG QUESTION I ASK SINCE I'M AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE, IF YOU DON'T GO TO YOUR POLITICAL PLAYBOOK WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW AN ISSUE OR CANDIDATE OR HOW TO VOTE, WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION?

SO YOUNG PEOPLE INCREASINGLY GETTING THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

BUT ANOTHER INTERESTING TREND LOOKING AT VETERANS, PARTICULARLY VETERANS UNDER THE AGE OF 50, ABOUT 60% OF THOSE ARE NOT IDENTIFYING WITH THE MAJOR PARTY AND IDENTIFYING AS INDEPENDENTS.

AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND WE ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NATIONAL VOTING FOR PRESIDENT TO SEE THIS BACK AND FORTH.

BUT THEY'RE INCREASINGLY, THEY AREN'T RELIABLE FOR EITHER PARTY.

>> Ted: LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, BUT THIS BALLOT MEASURE ON THE BALLOT HERE IN ARIZONA, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT TO ELIMINATE THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING INDEPENDENTS WOULD GO FOR.

>> NOT ONLY INDEPENDENTS, BUT OUR POLLING SHOWED THAT OVER 80% OF REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS FAVOR A SYSTEM WHERE AN OPEN PRIMARY VICTIM, SYSTEM RESONATING WITH INDIVIDUALS IN ARIZONA THAT YOU HUNTER HASN'T SHOULDN'T HAVESHOULDN'T HAVETO JOIN A PARTY TO VOTE.

>> Ted: AND YOU'RE PUSHING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> NOT THE BALLOT INITIATIVE BUT THE POLLING.

THAT'S SOMETHING ARIZONA SUPPORTERS SUPPORT.

>> Ted: THOM REILLY, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS A BANKRUPTCY DEAL THAT SHIELDS THE OWNERS OF A MAJOR OPIOID MAKER FROM CIVIL LAWSUITS.

COMING UP AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: FORMER U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR DIED LAST WEEK AT THE AGE OF 93 AND WE CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JUSTICE O'CONNOR LOOKING BACK WITH HER SONS LOOKING BACK AT A MOM WHO WAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN AMERICA.

THIS IS A PORTION OF THAT FROM 2019.

WE WELCOME BRIAN AND SCOTT O'CONNOR TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> Ted: WE'RE HERE IN THE HOME, IN THE O'CONNOR HOUSE.

>> INDEED.

>> Ted: YOU GREW UP HERE, CORRECT, IN THIS HOUSE.

>> WELL, SCOTT IS THE OLDER BROTHER, BUT YES, THREE SONS AND A NUMBER OF ANIMALS ALL GREW UP WITH OUR PARENTS.

>> Ted: THIS HOME WAS ORIGINALLY IN PARADISE VALLEY.

IS IT WEIRD TO BE WHERE YOU GREW UP BUT NOT WHERE YOU GREW UP?

IT WAS ESPECIALLY WEIRD BECAUSE MY WIFE AND I BUILT OUR HOUSE FROM ORIGINAL SITE FROM THIS HOUSE AND I COULD WALK OUT TO GET MY NEWSPAPER AND WITH AND I WOULD SEE A TRUCKLOAD OF ADOBE BRICKS HEADED FOR TEMPE.

>> Ted: DOES IT FEEL LIKE HOME OR A MUSEUM?

>> WE BOTH, I THINK, RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE HERE AND IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFY WITH THAT.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST IMPRESSION I GET.

>> IT'S SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.

YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOWS NOW AND YOU DON'T SEE CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN.

YOU SEE A STADIUM AND AN OFFICE BUILDING AND WE'RE ON THE BAY OF THE SALT RIVER.

THAT IS, IN FACT, ONE OF THE COMPELLING REASONS THAT CAUSED THE HOME TO BE MOVED HERE, IS THE BRICKS THAT YOU SEE HERE WERE ACTUALLY FORGED ON THE BANKS OF THE SALT RIVER WITH MY PARENTS WHO ASSISTED IN BUILDING THESE BRICKS.

SO IN A SENSE, IT'S BEEN RECLAIMED BY THE EARTH THAT BUILT THIS HOME.

>> Ted: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE AND BUILDING.

IS IT HARD TO SEPARATE MOM FROM JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR?

>> YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT SHE WAS THAT DIFFERENT UNTIL WE WERE PRETTY WELL ALONG TOWARD DELTA.

THE FIRST CLUE WAS IN 1978 WHEN I WAS CALLED HOME FOR A VACATION DURING COLLEGE.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS BREAK.

I HAD PLANS TO STAY UP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

BUT I WAS CALLED HOME BECAUSE MOM WAS GETTING HARD PRESS FROM REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN ARIZONA TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST BRUCE BABBOTT.

WHETHER YOU'RE A WELL-KNOWN CONSECUTIVE PERSON OR SOMEONE ON THE SUPREME COURT, THERE'S THAT PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND THEN THERE'S THE LIFE YOU LEAD WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHEN YOU CAN RELAX AND DO THINGS.

OUR FOLKS WERE ALL ABOUT DOING THINGS AND WITH US GROWING UP, WE WERE NEVER PUSHED IN ANY ONE DIRECTION.

WE WANT YOU TO BE LAWYERS BECAUSE BOTH OUR PARENTS ARE LAWYERS.

JUST AS MUCH AS WE WERE DOING SOMETHING AND NOT BREAKING THE LAW, JUST STAY ACTIVE.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN INSTILLED IN US.

AT THIS HOME, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.

WE WERE THE HOME BASE FOR THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD OF KIDS WITH BASKETBALL COURT AND VOLLEYBALL AND TRAMPOLINE AND ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS SO IT WAS ONGOING ORGANIZED CHAOS.

SHE GREW UP ON A RANCH WHERE IT WAS 30 MILES TO THE CLOSEST TOWN.

HER ACTIVITIES -- AGAIN, SHE'S CLOSE TO TEN YEARS OLDER THAN HER NEXT SIB LIN.

SIBLING.

SO HER PALS UNTIL THE AGE OF TEN AND HER SISTER, ANN, SHE COULDN'T PLAY WITH HER AS AN INFANT.

SHE WAS 12 OR 13 YEARS OLD BEFORE SHE HAD A SIBLING SHE COULD DO ANYTHING WITH.

HER FRIENDS WERE COWBOYS AND ANIMALS.

SHE HAD TO MAKE UP HER OWN FUN.

GROWING UP IN THIS HOUSE, IT WASN'T ABOUT TV OR ORGANIZED SPORT'S LEAGUINGS BUT INVENTING YOUR OWN FUN.

WE WERE AT THE END OF THE CUL DA CUL DA SACK AND LATE NIGHT HIDE AND SEEK AND BASKETBALL AND EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BROKE AT LEAST ONE BONE ON THE TRAMPOLINE EXCEPT FOR MY BROTHER AND OTHER.

MOM WAS ALL ABOUT FAMILIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT DIDN'T AROUND SITTING AROUND THE TELEVISION.

THERE WAS A MINIBIKE CLUB WHERE THE END OF PHOENIX GOING NORTH WAS SCOTTSDALE RECORD AND ROAD AND MAGS HAM BUN AND OTHER FAMILIES AND THE MINIVANS AND STATION WAGON BETWEEN PINNACLE PEEK AND SCOTTSDALE AND THERE WOULDN'T BE ANOTHER PERSON AND WE WOULD LAY OUT THE BA BUFFET TO RIDE YOUR OWN BURRITOS AND RIDE MINIBIKES AND THE PARENTS WOULD HAVE A BEER OR MARGARITA.

>> Ted: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN AND PEOPLE SAY YOUR MOM AND SEE SOMEONE NO NONSENSE, RESERVED, CAUTIOUS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.

WAS SHE LIKE THAT AROUND THE HOUSE?

>> THE STERN, CAUTIOUS ONE?

>> Ted: YES.

>> ONLY ON THE RARE OCCASIONS WHERE SHE HAD TO DISCIPLINE THIS ONE.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: AS A MOM, WAS SHE STRICT AND NO FEELING AROUND, I WOULD IMAGINE?

>> MAKE YOUR BED, HAVE YOU DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, THAT SORT OF THING.

I WILL SHARE THAT SHE'S PROBABLY THE MOST NOTORIOUS REPUTATION OF A BACK-SEAT DRIVER.

WHETHER YOU'RE THE SUPREME COURT POLICE, U.S. MARSHALLS OR HER SONS, THERE WERE TIMES THAT SHE COULD BE OPINIONATED.

>> Ted: I WOULD IMAGINE MAYBE A PERFECTIONIST, AS WELL.

>> IN HER OWN WORK, YES, AND FOR US, SHE HAD A NICE SENSE OF ALLOWING US TO BE OURSELVES RATHER THAN TRYING TO FORCE US TO BE COPIES OF HERSELF OR DAD.

DAD WAS CONTROLLING AND HAD A TOUGH RELATIONSHIP WITH MOM'S BROTHER ALLEN, WHO WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER THE RANCH WHILE HIS DAD WAS STILL ALIVE AND RESENTFUL OF THE FACT THAT THE SUNSON WAS RUNNING THINGS.

SHE WASN'T TRYING TO DIRECT WHAT WOE BE WHEN WE GROW UP.

SHE HAD A BIG NETWORK OF FRIENDS WHO WEREN'T DRIVING 40 HOURS A WEEK WHO WOULD DRIVE US TO ICE SKATING OR THE HERD MILLIMETER.

MUSEUM.

THERE WAS A RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRAD DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS BEFORE HE HEADED TO COLLEGE WAS OUR SHOW CHAEFFEUR.

>> Ted: THAT ENTER FROM 2019.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING!