♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON", RESIDENTIAL EVICTION RATES ARE UP FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR IN THE METRO PHOENIX AREAS ALSO TONIGHT, THE NUMBERS ARE IN ON LAST YEAR'S WEATHER SIX AREA COUNTIES HAVING THEIR WARMEST YEARS ON RECORD, AND NEW RESEARCH LACKS AT HOW MONKEYS CATCH VIRUSES AND WHAT THAT MEANS REGARDING HUMAN IMMUNITY, THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> "ARIZONA HORIZON" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS.

MEMBERS OF YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

>> GOOD EVERYBODY AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON", I AM TED SIMONS, RESIDENTIAL EVICTION RATES IN THE METRO PHOENIX AREA ARE UP AGAIN, WITH ONE MARICOPA COUNTY OFFICIAL CALLING THE SITUATION A CRISIS.

TO LEARN MORE WE WELCOME KATHERINE REAGER SENIOR REEL REPORT REAR ARIZONA REMEMBER AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TOE SUE, I WISH WE REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT EVICTIONS GOING DOWN.

>> BUT WE ARE NOT.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> SEVERAL THINGS.

WHEN THE ZONE BROKE UP THERE WERE ISSUES THERE AND YOU SEE HOMELESS PEOPLE FARTHER SPREAD OUT.

WE HAVE APARTMENTS GOING UP BUT THEY ARE NOT A FORDABLE.

OTHER STATES HAVE MEDIATION AND LIKE YOU CAN'T EVICT BEFORE THIS.

AND WE CONTINUE HAVE THAT.

WE HAVE HAD NOT CHANGES TO THE PRACTICE HE IS TO HELP PEOPLE FACING LOSING THEIR HOME.

>>> WHEN YOU ABOUT AN INCREASE IT'S 80,000 FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT, AGAIN, AS FAR AS EVICTION, YOU ARE SAYING MEDIATION IS NOT THERE.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO BE GOING WRONG.

IS IT COST OF LIVING, AFFORDABLE HOUSE, COMBINATION OF ALL OF IT.

>> ALL OF THOSE, WHEN PANDEMIC HIT,, WE HAD MORATORIUMS.

BUT OUR COST OF LIVING DIDN'T KEEP UP WITH OUR RENTS.

WE LEAD THE ANYTHING NO '21 AND '22 HIGHEST RENT INCREASE AND YOU ARE INCOMES NOW ARE CLIMBING BUT DID NOT KEEP PACE WITH THAT.

>> WHY ARE RENTS SO HIGH HERE?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TO BEGIN WHEN WE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH AND PEOPLE COMING HERE AND WORKING REMOTELY.

WE HAD A LOT OF BIG INVESTORS CAME IN AND BOUGHT COMPLEXES THEY DIDN'T NEED A LOT OF WORK PAINT, WHATEVER, AND THEY WOULD RAISE THE RENTS AND SO TENANTS COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, FACE THE HIGHER REPRESENTS AND RENTSES OR DOWN A BIT BUT STILL CLOSE TO THE LEGAL LIKE HOME PRICES WE ARE STILL UP THERE.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE HIGH REPRESENTS AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY GO UP, THERE IS A DIP RIGHT NOW.

BUT IN GENERAL THEY HAVE GONE UP.

THEY WOULD SUGGEST NOT ENOUGH ON THE MARKET.

I AM SEEING APARTMENTS BEING BUILT EVERYWHERE.

>> THERE ARE NOW YOU ARE SEE CONCESSIONS ARIZONA HAS MORE CONCESSIONS FOR APARTMENTS THAN ANY OTHER MAJOR CITY IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE HIGH END APARTMENT, THEY ARE LIFESTYLE A APARTMENTS THEY CALL THEM.

AND THEY ARE NOT AFFORDABLE FOR MEDIAN INCOME.

50% OF METRO PHOENIX RENTERS ARE STRETCHED PAYING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME.

THAT'S HALF.

YOU THINK THE LOWER INCOME, WHERE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THE PUSH FOR THAT HOUSING.

>> BUT WOULD NOT THERE BE A MARKET THEN FOR THAT PARTICULAR CROWD OF FOLKS?

>> YEAH.

THERE ARE AFFORDABLE HOMES AND APARTMENTS BEING BUILT BUT NOT AT THE SAME PACE AND IT'S NOT AS PROFITABLE FOR AN INVESTOR TO DO THAT.

AND WE HAD DIFFERENT LOW INCOME TAX CREDIT AND EFFECT INCENTIVES TO HELP.

AND SOME OF THAT WENT AWAY.

AND NOW WE NEED TO TRY TO GET IT BACK.

AND THE AID AND SUPPORT ISN'T AS STRONG.

AND A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY IS ON HOLD AND THAT WAS AFFORDABLE DEVELOPERS WERE RELY ON THE GROUND THAT.

>> TALKING ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDS AND SHELTERS IN A SECOND.

AS FAR AS THE AVERAGE JUDGMENT, $3,300 IS THE AVERAGE JUDGMENT.

A COUNTY OFFICIAL, I THINK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CALLED A CRISIS.

>> YEAH.

AND SHE SAID SHE WAS REALLY GOING TO FOCUS THAT AND THAT WAS GREAT TO HEAR.

BECAUSE OF THAT, AND SHE WAS MEETING WITH THE CITY OF PHOENIX TO FOCUS ON IT.

3300, IS A LOT.

>> YES, IT IS.

>> IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY YOUR RENT, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IT UP, THE JUDGMENT, TO STAY IN YOUR HOUSE, THERE WAS LEGISLATION PASS THAT IF SOMEONE IS ABLE TO DO THAT, THEN THE JUDGMENT AND THE EVICTION GOES OFF THEIR RECORD.

BECAUSE THAT WILL HURT YOU TRYING TO RENT AGAIN.

NOW, ONCE IT'S ON THE RECORD, THOUGH.

>> RIGHT.

>> LANDLORDS CAN ALWAYS FIND IT.

THEY ARE JUST HAVING -- THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN AND WHAT THEY CAN GET PASSED IN THE LEGISLATURE TO HELP.

>> WHAT IS BEING INTRODUCED AT THE LEGISLATURE?

WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN THERE?

>> THE BILLS THAT I HAVE SEEN SO FAR ARE WAYS TO LIMIT FEES AND INCLUDING LEGAL FEES FOR PEOPLE IN EVICTION, LANDLORDS A BILL TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHERE TO GET HELP IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR RENT.

AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TRAINING.

BUT THEY ARE ALSO MOST OF THEM ARE BACKED BY DEMOCRATS.

UNFORTUNATELY IN THE PAST, BECAUSE OF THE HOUSE, THEY HAVEN'T -- THE EVICTION BILLS HAVEN'T GONE ANYWHERE.

>> I WAS GOING SAY, USUALLY DOWN THERE, ONCE YOU CAN CONVINCE A REPUBLICAN TO RESPONSE SO SOAR THE BILL IT STARTS MOVING.

>> Reporter: IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

>> I SAW A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT HAD THAT, YESTERDAY WAS WAS THE ANNUAL POINT IN TAME WHERE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, WE DON'T GET THE COUNT FOR A FEW MONTHS.

WHICH MAYBE WILL HELPFUL BUT LAST YEAR WAS A RECORD IN THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS THEY COUNTED AND IT'S A WAY UNDER COUNT THEY SAY.

>> AND, AGAIN, THE IMPACT ON HOMELESSNESS IN THE AREA YOU MENTIONED THE ZONE AND THE CLEARING OUT OF THAT AREA WHICH WAS A CONCENTRATION POINT FOR THE UNSHELTERED.

CAN YOU SEE CORRELATION HERE, CAN YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING THIS WAY, THIS IS GOING THAT WAY?

>> I -- WE WORKED ON A STORE ON HOMELESS, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

>> YES.

>> A PACKAGE.

AND I WALKED INTO THAT MEETING AND I SAID, WE'VE GOT APATHY OUT THERE.

A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WAS THIS MOMENTUM AND EVERYBODY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING AND HELPFUL AND EITHER PEOPLE THINK OH, THE PROBLEM IS BETTER, YOU KNOW, EVICTIONS AREN'T THEY RECORD FILINGS AREN'T AT THE RECORD.

OR PEOPLE ARE WORN OUT BY IT.

OR THEY DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK TO FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING PARTNER, TOM SIMPLOT.

SHEILA HARRIS THE FOUNDING, THEY TELL US THERE IS APATHY.

PEOPLE ARE NOT CHARGED UP AND AT ARMS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT EVICTIONS AS THEY WERE A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO -- >> I WONDER IF IT'S BECAUSE THEY THINK THERE IS EVERYTHING THEY TRY TO DO, WE STILL SEE THE NUMBERS GO UP.

>> YEAH.

AND IT'S LIKE I JUST THINK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE, IF YOU DRIVE DOWN 15th AVENUE, AND YOU GO UNDER THE FREEWAY AND THE HOMELESS, IT'S HEARTBREAKING.

>> YES.

>> HOMELESS AND THE PEOPLE THERE AND THE NUMBERS THEY JUST KEEP GROWING AND GROWING.

AND THE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT.

>> ARE THERE ANY SIGNS THAT EVICTION RATES, AND WE ARE TALKING FILINGS HERE FOR THE MOST PART IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS, BUT THESE FILINGSES AND, EVICTION RATES, IS THERE ANY SIGN THAT THINGS ARE EASING OR PERHAPS GETTING READY TO GO IN THE OTHER DIRECTION?

>> I THINK RIGHT NOW THE LOWER RENTS, THERE IS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NOT ENOUGH BEING BUILT IS HELPING.

YOU KNOW, THE MERGER OF SOME OF THE BIG PROVIDERS COMING TOGETHER, THAT IS VERY RECENT, THAT COULD HELP WITH MORE SERVICES, HELP MORE ORGANIZATION, HELP SHARE THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE, SO I AM HOPEFULLY ABOUT THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT HEARING ANYONE SAY, ANYONE, YOU KNOW, WATCH THIS IS ON THE FRONT LINES, OH, YEAH, WE ARE GETTING BETTER, NO.

NOT HEARING THAT.

>> YEAH.

CATHERINE REAGOR ARIZONA PUBLIC, AZCENTRAL.COM.

I SAW PHOENIX RANKS FIFTH FOR THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S A POSITIVE SIGN.

>> YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD SIGN, THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT AND BRINGING IT UP.

THAT'S SOMETHING, AND WE HAD A SLOW OFF IN DEVELOPMENT.

BUT THAT IS A POSITIVE.

>> YEAH.

>> I'LL TAKE IT.

>> WE'LL LEAVE ON A POSITIVE THEN, BE CATHERINE, DO GOOED TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> THANK.

>> PHOENIX HAD ITS SECOND WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD IN 2025.

THIS HAS A NUMBER OF ARIZONA COUNTIES CHECKED IN WITH THEIR WARMEST YEAR TO DATE.

WHAT DRIVING THE INCREASE IN TEMPERATURES AND HOW LONG WILL THE G GO ON JOIN SAVINGS RANDY CERVENY FROM ASU, YOU ARE TALKING TO US BEFORE WE EVEN GOT BACK ON THE AIR, THERE IS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

PHOENIX SECOND WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD.

NOT REALLY A SURPRISEING IS IT?

>> NO.

I GUESS THE SURPRISE IS HOW MOST PEOPLE PERCEIVED THE SUMMER AND PARTICULARLY THE SUMMER, BUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.

HAVING HAD SUCH A HORRIBLE SUMMER IN 2024, WE WERE THINKING THIS IS NOT SO BAD.

IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE SECOND WARMEST.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE HAD THE WARMEST AND IN 2024 YOU THINK IT'S GOTTEN BETTER BUT IT HASN'T.

>> WE HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE REGARDING LAST YEAR AND THE FACT IT WAS THE SECOND WARMEST YEAR.

WHEN ANY TALK ABOUT THIS, TALKING OVERALL.

AND THIS MEANS HOW MUCH DO NIGHTTIME HIGHS PLAY IN TO ALL OF THIS?

>> PLAYS A REALLY BIG ROLE, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING.

IS THAT THE NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES ARE HIGHER.

SO WHEN YOU DON'T GET DOWN IN TO THE 80s FOR LOWs, AND YOU ARE IN THE 90s, YOU HAVE LESS CHANCE TO COOL DOWN.

YOU ARE GOING TO BUILDUP TO A HIGHER TEMPERATURE.

>> AND AS THE GRAPHIC SHOWS, THE DAYS WITH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES OF 100 PLUS, OBVIOUSLY ON THE INCREASE, AND THE HIGHER YOU GO, THE HIGHER THE LOW GOES.

>> YEAH.

WE HAD 122 DAYS ABOVE 100 DEGREES THIS LAST YEAR.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE THE SAME THIS YEAR.

>> ALL RIGHT.

EVERY COUNTY APPARENTLY IN ARIZONA HAD ONE OF THEIR WARMEST AND WE GOT COCONINO, GRAHAM, MOJAVE, PINAL, PIMA AND YAVAPAI WARMEST EVER FOR THESE COUNTIES.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT'S GOES ON?

>> IT'S NOT JUST AIR.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE UNITED STATES AS A WHOLE, HAD THE FOURTH WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD.

THE GLOBE AS A WHOLE, HAD THE SECOND WARMEST YEAR ON EARTH -- EXCUSE ME, THIRD WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD.

SO IT'S NOT JUST US.

, WE ARE HOT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY POINTS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING, IS THAT IF YOU HAD JUST ONE PLACE OR TWO PLACES AND IT WAS OCCASIONALLY HAPPENING YOU COULD SAY, WELL, IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

IT'S THE ENTIRE PLANET THAT'S HAVING THESE CONDITIONS.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE THEN, PEOPLE JUST THINK EVERYTHING IS WARM AND THAT'S END OF IT.

BUT HOW IS CLIMATE CHANGING?

>> THAT'S WHY WE PREFER THE TERM CLIMATE CHANGE TO REFER TO THIS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST TEMPERATURE.

IT'S THE NUMBER OF STORMS, IT'S THE NUMBER OF DROUGHTS, IT'S THE NUMBER OF OTHER PHENOMENON THAT ARE GOING ON THAT ARE RELATED TO CLIMATE.

THIS LAST YEAR ACROSS THE GLOBE AND THIS IS A KIND OF A BUSY MAP, BUT IT POINTS OUT THAT WE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF DISASTERS.

NOW, THE UNITED STATES UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T LIST BILLION DOLLARS DISASTERS ANYMORE.

BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES DO.

THEY REALLY PLAY A ROLE WITH THIS.

WE HAD 55 WEATHER EVENTS THAT WERE BILLION DOLLAR PLUS DISASTERS.

>> YES.

AND WHEN WE LOOK THIS THING YOU ARE RIGHT, A LOT OF GOING ON BUT THEY ARE GOING ON ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> RIGHT.

>> IS ANY PLACE IMMUNE FROM THIS RIGHT NOW IN.

>> NO.

ACTUALLY, NOT.

THERE ARE -- EVEN IN PLACES THAT YOU THINK ARE COLD OR THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE THESE KIND OF CHANGES, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING STRANGE AND UNUSUAL WEATHER.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THAT, IT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY.

AND THAT'S AGAIN ONE OF THE KEY POINTS IS THAT WE ARE HAVING MORE OF THESE EVENTS HAPPENING EVERY YEAR THAT UNTIL WAS THE SECOND WARMEST YEAR.

LAST YEAR WAS THE WARMEST.

SO WHEN YOU START TO SEE THESE THING HAPPENING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU REALIZE SOMETHING IS HAPPENING.

>> AND SOMETHING JUST HAND IN THE U.S., AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN WITH THE NOR'EASTER, THROUGH MOST OF THE EASTERN SEABOARD HERE, JUST ALARMING AND CRIPPLING COLD.

IS THAT PART OF THIS WHOLE DYNAMIC SNICK.

>> YEAH, IT IS.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OUR CLIMATE STARTS TO TEETER-TOTTER.

IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT.

IF YOU HAVE INCREASED HEAT ON ONE PLACE, YOU HAVE TO READJUST THE CLIMATE IN ANOTHER PLACE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NORTHEAST THIS WEEKEND IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY COLD THE WESTERN UNITED STATES IS EXTREMELY HOT.

IT'S A SEESAW PATTERN THAT STARTS TO DEVELOP.

>> , AGAIN, THIS IS -- ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE -- I MEAN, WE HEAR ABOUT FOSSIL FUELS AND ALL SORTS.

DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> WE ARE GETTING BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, ONE ARE THE THINGS I ALWAYS COME IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT IS EL NINO AND LA NINA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT'S GOT SCIENTISTS PUZZLED WAS LAST YEAR WAS A LA NINA IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A COLDER WARM THAT MEANS COAL PACIFIC OCEAN, SO YOU FIGURE IT WILL COOL DOWN IT SHOULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE PLANET.

IT WASN'T.

WE WERE THE THIRD HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD ACROSS THE GLOBE EVEN WITH LA NINA.

THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE NOT NOT.

AND WE ARE THE CAUSE OF IT.

>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO REDEFINE ALLAH NINA AND EL NINO ESPECIALLY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD?

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO REDEFINE WHAT IT'S EFFECTS ARE.

WE USED TO THINK OH, LA NINA INDICATES THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COOLER ACROSS THE GLOBE.

NOW WE ARE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON, FRANKLY.

>> AS FAR AS YOU TALK ABOUT STORMS AND THINGS THING, CORRECT ME IF I AM I DON'T THINK I AM CLAGUE CLIMATOLOGIST.

>> WARMER AT MUSE FORE HOLDS MORE WARMER, MEANS MORE STORMS, DO I GET THAT RIGHT?

>> YOU DO.

THAT MEANS HURRICANES, OUR HURRICANES ARE CAUSING MORE AND MORE FLOODING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS, THOUGH, IS, AGAIN, WE HAVE SAW SAW SITUATIONS, YOU CAN HAVE HURRICANES, BUT YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE MORE DRAUGHTS.

DROUGHTS ARE BECOMING MORE SEVERE, IT'S NATURE RESTRUCTURES SO THAT THE WET THINGS BECOME WETTER AND THE DRY THINGS BECOME DRAWER.

>> SOMEONE SAID INSTEAD OF GLOBAL WARMING THEY ARE CALLING GLOBAL WEIRDING.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE.

THERE IS A LOT OF STRIKENESS.

>> LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO HERE, COUNTIES SEEING RECORD NUMBERS, FEE I CAN SEEING SECOND HIGHEST, THESE SORTS OF THINGS, DO WE EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME IN.

>> YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY.

THE LONG-TERM FORECAST FOR THIS YEAR IS NOT NOT DIFFERING FROM TWO COMMON WORDS HOT AND DRY FOR THE SOUTHWEST, SEEING IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SUMMERTIME.

I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS BUT THIS YEAR LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE PROBABLY DRIER AND HOTTER THAN LAST YEAR WAS.

>> WE SHOULD MENTION EVERYONE THE HIGH COUNTRY THIS WINTER WE HAVE HARDLY HAD ANY SNOW.

>> EXACTLY.

ONE OF THE DRIEST YEARS SO FAR UP IN FLAGSTAFF THAT WE HAVE HAD.

AND THE YEAR IS ONLY NEARLY A MONTH OLD.

>> YEAH, RANDY CERVENY, ASU CLIMATOLOGIST, GREAT INFORMATION, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> WISH IT WAS BETTER.

>> WE'LL WORKING ON IT.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> THE LEE RIVER IS WIDE AND STRONG?

WHAT WE NOW CALL ARIZONA.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> FOR THE RIVER PEOPLE.

THE GILA WAS LIFE.

GENERATIONS WERE WELCOME AND THEY BUILT AN INTRICATE NETWORK OF IRRIGATION CANALS INCLUDING THEIR ANCESTORS.

THEY HARVESTED HAVE FERTILE RIVER BANKS AND FISHED IF ITS WATERS THE REFER WASN'T JUST A SOURCE OF FOOD, IT WAS CENTRAL TO CEREMONY.

TRADE, AND IDENTITY.

BUT OVER THE NEXT CENTURY CHANGE CAME SWIFTLY ASSET THER AS RECEIVED IN THE 1800s UPSTREAM DAMS AND DIVERSIONS BEGAN TO SLOW THE FLOW.

MINUTE MUCH OF THE GILA'S WITHOUT IS WAS CLAIMED BEFORE IT COULD REACH THE FIELDS THE RIVER PEOPLE SUFFERED DEVASTATED LOSSES.

IT WAS RESHAPED BY RESERVOIRS, CANALS AND LEGAL BATTLES OVER WATER RIGHTS, TODAY THE GILA STILL FLOWS BUT DIFFERENTLY.

DECADES OF ADVOCACY HAS RESTORED SOME WATER ALLOWING THEM TO REVIVE TRADITIONAL CROPS AND CULTURAL PRACTICES.

THE RIVER REMAIN A REMIND PERCENT OF RESILIENCE, ADAPTATION, AND THE DEEP TIES BETWEEN WATER AND PEOPLE IN THE DESERT.

FROM A LIFELINE IN THE 1770s TO A CONTESTED RESOURCE IN MODERN ARIZONA, THE GILA RIVER STORY IS MORE THAN JUST GEOGRAPHY IT'S A TESTAMENT TO SURVIVAL AND FOR THE RIVER PEOPLE, ITS FLOW CARRIES THE PART, NOURISHES THE PRESENT AND SHAPES THE FUTURE.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪ >> ASU RESEARCHERS ARE STUDY HOW QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY VIRUSES SPREAD IN YOUNG MONKEYS TO BETTER LEARN HUMAN INFECTION AND IMMUNITY PATTERN IN CHILDREN, FOR MORE ON THIS RESEARCH WE WELCOME INDIA SCHNEIDER-CREASE FROM ASU'S SCHOOL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> THANK YOU.

>> THESE MONKEYS, THESE ARE COOL LOOKING LITTLE MONKEYS, TALKING ABOUT I CAN'T LOTTA MONKEYS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.

>> IN MY PERSONAL OPINION THEY ARE PROBABLY THE BEST MONKEY SPECIES.

THEY ONLY LIVE IN OATH I CAN'T.

THEY LOOK LIKE BABOONS BURR RELATED BUT HAVE DIVERGE NOD MILLIONS OF YEARS, THEY RESTRICTED ONE OF THE ONLY PRIMATE SPECIES NASA CAN'T TODAY HIGH TAL TUESDAY.

>> OKAY.

HOW BIG ARE THEY?

>> THE MALES WILL BE ABOUT 22KG.

AND THE FEMALES LESS THAN THAT.

SO THEY ARE KIND OF DOG SIZE.

>> THAT'S SIZABLE.

>> SUBSTANTIAL.

>> QUITE A CROWD.

SO YOU ARE STUD STUDYING THESE MONKEYS TO SEE WHAT, LIKE HOW SOCIAL THEY ARE AND HOW THAT AFFECTS IMMUNITY SPIN FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT?

>> YEAH, IS FOR THIS STUDY WE WERE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT HOW VIRUSES BEHAVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE HOST DEVELOPMENT.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT KIND OF FACTORS PLAY INTO THE ACQUISITION AND DISTRIBUTION OF VIRUS WHEN HIS WE HAVE A LOT OF INFANTS THAT ARE -- THAT HAVEN'T DEVELOPED IMMUNITY YET.

>> AND THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF THESE PARTICULAR MONKEYS IS KEY BECAUSE PITS KIND OF SIMILAR TO HUMANS.

>> EXACTLY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE STUDY THIS KIND OF THING IN WILD SYSTEMS, STUDYING INFANTS, VIRAL ACQUISITION IN HUMAN INFANTS IS HARDER AND CAN BE REALLY PRACTICALLY AND ETHICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO, RIGHT?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE CONFOUNDING VARIABLES, YOU HAVE MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS, YOU HAVE VARIATION IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT COULD AFFECT VIRAL COMPETITION, LIKE MATERNAL SMOKING OR C-SECTIONS OR TREATMENTS, VACCINES, BUT FOR PRIMATES THEY ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO US.

WE SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME BUILDING BIOLOGY AND PHYSICIANOLOGIST AND THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE CONFINING VARIABLES.

>> THEY ARE JOUST OUT THERE IN SAVANNAH, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

OUT IN THE HIGHLANDS JUST LIVING THEIR LIVES.

THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICINE OR HOSPITALS AND SO WE CAN REALLY AND WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT THE KIND OF THEIR LIVES ARE CLOSER TO THE LIFE LIFES THAT HUMANS HAD OVER THE COURSE OF EVOLUTION.

>> WHAT'S GOING ON ON WITH THE LITTLE BABES AND I WHAT IT MEANS AS FAR AS INFECTION AND REGARDING A TRANSFER OF INFORMATION TO US?

>> FOR THIS PARTICULAR STUDY WE DID.

WE LOOKED A ONE TYPE OF VIRUS CALLED SEDIN OWE VIRUSES AND LOOK AT HOW INFANTS ACQUIRED THESE OVERTIME.

SO WE HAVE A LONG-TERM RESEARCH SITE IN.SIMIEN MOUNTAINS WHERE THE MONKEYS ARE IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA.

AND WE STUDY THE SAME INDIVIDUALS OVER TIME AND TRACK THE INDIVIDUAL.

SO WE KNOW THEM BY FACE, WE -- THEY ALL HAVE NAMES.

SO THAT GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT REPEATED SAMPLES FROM INDIVIDUALS SO WE CAN LOOK AT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL PATTERNS AND THAT GIVES US THE POWER TO TRACK ACQUISITION.

FOR THESE VIRUSES THEY ARE IN PEOPLE AS WELL.

GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS AND WHAT WE SEE IN HUMANS IS THAT QUESTION PEAK AROUND WHEN KITS START GOING TO DAY-CARE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE DAY-CARE KIND OF -- IT'S BASICALLY A SOCIAL EVENT BEING RIGHT, THAT PULLS IN LITTLE CHILDREN FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AND NOBODY HAS IMMUNE AT THIS YET AND SO THEY ARE ALL KIND OF POTENTIAL HOSTS AND CARRIERS.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE START TO SEE MANY VIRUSES PEAK, INCLUDING SEDIN OWE VIRUSES, THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECTED FOR THE I CAN'T LATTAS.

SURPRISELY WE FOUND IT PEAKED FOR THEM IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LIFE.

THEY DON'T GO TO DAY-CARE BUT START PLAYING WITH OTHER INFANTS AT AROUND SIX MONTHS OF AGE, THEY HAVE A LOT OF -- WE CALL THEM PLAY GROUPS.

SO THEY ARE -- THEY JUST ARE RUNNING AROUND AND TUSSLE AND PLAY BY THE AND DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT FACILITATE VIRAL TRANSMISSION SO THAT'S WHEN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD GO UP.

BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AND WHAT WE THINK IS GOING ON, JUST LOOKING THE -- AT THEIR BEHAVIOR, THEIR MOTHERS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THEIR LEAVES THEY CLOSE TO THEIR MORE THIS IS AND DON'T STRAY VERY FAR WE THINK THEY ARE EXPOSED AS A BYPRODUCT OF THEIR MOTHER AMOUNTS SOCIAL INTERACTIONS BECAUSE THEIR MOMS MUCH OF THEIR DAY IS SPENT GROOMING OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE ALL DIFFERENT AGES, THEY MIGHT HAVE BABIES.

SO THEY MIGHT BE CARRIERS SO THE INFANTS ARE GETTING EXPOSITION THE THROUGH THE WHAT MATERIAL SOCIAL.

INTERACTION WHICH IS REALLY COOL AND NOT TO PLACE BLAME ON MOTHERS IT'S AM LAY GOOD THING IT MEANS THEY ARE GETTING POSITION, OUR EARLY ON BY THE TIME THEY GO TO THE HE WHIFF LET OF, YOU KNOW, DAY-CARE, THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS WERE MORE ROBUST AND CAN DOLE WITH IT BETTER.

IT ALL MAKES SENSE AND EAST LIKE IT WOULD APPLY TO KIDS, HUMAN, KIDS, BECAUSE OF DAY-CARES IT'S THE WILD WEST THERE.

IT'S A BATTLEFIELD AS FAR AS VIRUSES AND GERMS ARE CONCERNED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WHAT DOES YOUR RESEARCH MEAN AS FAR AS HUMAN INFECTION AND HUMAN IMMUNITY?

>> YEAH, IT'S -- SO, YOU KNOW, IS WHAT THE REASON THAT WE STUDY THESE TYPES OF DYNAMICS IN WILD PRIMATES IS BECAUSE IT REALLY PROVIDES THAT EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT FOR UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS THAT WE SEE PLAYING OUT IN OUR OWN SPECIES.

SO REALLY HAVING THAT INFORMATION AND KIND OF PULLING THAT TOGETHER FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT VIRUSES AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT CONTEXT AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES, CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND AND WORK TO PREDICT AND MITIGATE SOME VIRUSES AND ALSO TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ARE JUST NATURAL AND FOR WHICH IMMUNITY IS BUILDING IMMUNITY IS REALLY CRITICAL PART OF HEALTH.

>> SO BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY MERGE, HOW THEY SPREAD, HOW THEY RESOLVE, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

>> EXACTLY.

AND HOW OUR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS ARE REALLY CRITICAL PARTS OF HEALTH.

RIGHT?

YOUR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, YOUR SOCIAL LIFE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH BUT ALSO OF YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

>> YOU JOKE ABOUT DAY-CARE CENTERS BEING A BATTLEFIELD OF VIRUSES BEING EXPOSED A BIT IS NOT A BAD THING.

>> EXACTLY.

IT'S A VERY NECESSARY THING.

>> YEAH.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.

THIS MUST HAVE BEEN FUN, THESE LOOK LIKE FUN ANIMALS.

>> DO THEY LIKE LAW HUMANS?

>> THEY ARE PUNISHMENT THIS POPULATION IS VERY WELL HABITUATED WE HAVE STUDIED THEM ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.

WE HAVE FULL-TIME RESEARCHERS OUT THERE COLLECTING DATA.

SO THEY ARE VERY USED TO HUMANS.

THEY ARE VERY USED TO OUR TEAM IN PARTICULAR.

AND SO WE JUST KIND OF GET TO OBSERVE.

>> YES.

>> ALL OF THEIR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS KIND OF PLAY OUT IN THIS MAGNIFICENT SETTING.

>> INDIA SCHNEIDER-CREASE, WHAT A GREAT FIELD OF STUDY.

MUST HAVE A GREAT TIME DOING IT.

>> IT'S THE BEST.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND SHARING THE INFORMATION THIS IS GREAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I AM TED SIMONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪