Hour 3: DSA in Arizona

Shop the Sherwin-Williams sale and get 30% off, Duration, Superdeck, and Woodscapes products August 14th through the 24th. Whether you're refreshing your interior or exterior, we've got the colors to bring your vision to life. And with delivery, getting everything to your door is easier than ever. Shop online to have it delivered or visit your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store. Click the banner to learn more. Retail sales only, some exclusions apply. See Store for Details. Delivery available on qualifying orders. Brumhead Show, KTAR News, 923, and the KTAR News app. All right, we've talked about this quite a bit on the show. We have got a podcast called Amazing Arizona's. We started it over three years ago, and the idea was to tell great stories of people that have been in Arizona and shape this state for generations, others that are transplants that have come here and have doing great things and have done great things in the past. And when we started doing research into this podcast, I thought this is just going to be a great historical archive of really... cool stories of people. And I've had the privilege of meeting a lot of them, people I never imagined I would meet. And their stories many times surprise me in a very, very good way. And I think one of those to kick off a segment here, we're going to do once a week on the show, this is the perfect person to do it. You will recognize the name, Supermodel, Kim Alexis. Kim, it is so good to talk to you again. Hey, Mike. Thanks for having me. It is. It's so funny that, you know, we've gotten to know each other outside of the podcast a little bit. And I love your attitude toward things. I love your desire to help people be better and to kind of love themselves and work on those things from the inside out. Can you talk a little bit about where that came from? I probably have always been that way. I'm a positive person and choose to find good in people because it's way too easy to focus on negative and then I find that I lose my peace. So for me, I try and focus on positive. And if you could say one reason of why I'm on the earth is probably to encourage and inspire others. And that's what I truly try to do in everything. Every message that I bring to other people is letting them know that you probably are better than you think you are. You can do more than you think you can. And I don't know. It's just years of being put in so many different situations, things I never thought I would do, places I never thought I would travel. And it's just important to look around the corner and you never know what you're going to see or who you're going to meet. And there's just great people and great places to go. And the world's filled with adventure and wonder if you really open your eyes to see it. And see, this is why I think you are such a great dichotomy. And it's because the world you lived in for, you know, when I was introduced to you, when you were a supermodel, you were the supermodel in the world, which is fashion and it is fame and it is attention. It would lend itself to make people think that you are a lot more self-serving than you are. You are quite the opposite of that. It really is a perfect dichotomy that you've come from a world that looks like it would be.

look at me, self-serving world, but you've spent so much of your time doing just the opposite. Yeah, I feel very uncomfortable with the look at me, believe it or not. So I prefer to turn things around. Let's talk about you for a minute. Yeah. So let's talk about you. If you don't mind, I want to talk about you. I want to go back to your career. Because from, you know, the outside looking in, you were what every guy wanted and every girl wanted to be like. And that was what that world was supposed to be. You were a model. You were the supermodel. Can you take us into that world? Was it as glamorous as it looked? Was it something you love doing? No and no. So I thought that I wanted to be a pharmacist when I was in high school and I got discovered. So my parents always taught me to try new things and just don't be afraid to try stuff. So I went to New York City, put college off for a year and immediately had covers of magazines and national ads and just work kept pouring in. I just kept showing up and working hard. In fact, then we didn't have the feedback. So we didn't understand. Us being on a magazine or on a cover would affect so many other people. And it wasn't until social media where I could communicate and talk back and forth with fans to a much greater degree that I realized, oh my gosh, you used to stand there and wait for the mailman to come bring your glamour magazine. So it was just a different way of, I think it was better for me that I didn't know what I was doing was affecting so many people. I just worked hard. It's not glamorous, and there's tons of stuff and pictures that never make it to the magazines. And you're just, it's, I mean, some people would say that it's skillless, but to me, there was skill and there was tolerance and there was patience. A lot of things that went on behind the scenes, having a business sense, learning how to protect your brand, even though 48 years ago we didn't know about such a thing. Well, see, I think that that's what, that learning tolerance and learning patience is what prepared you for marrying your husband, because I know him, and it's got to take tolerance and patience.

All right. No comment. I notice you're not going to comment on that one. I just actually was telling him, oh my gosh, you just keep asking me a million things. Let me ask you about, though there had to be moments. For you, like you said, this wasn't a world that you were looking for, it found you. Was there a moment that you look back and thought, I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm in this place. I think my big pivotal moment when I knew I had more or less made it in the business was about a year in. So I started right as I was 18. And so right about 19. Now, I've had covers of different magazines right away. For me, that was... very easy. It wasn't something I really had to strive for, but I didn't have an American Vogue cover. And so it took me about a year. I went and met with Richard Avedon, who was shooting all those covers. And when I got the cover of American Vogue, to me, I felt, ah, now I'm a model. So that was probably the moment. Do you, what advice do you give? Because I'm, I am absolutely sure that young people still come to you for advice. What advice do you give people? Because the world is different now with social media. What advice do you give people getting into that industry? There's lots of different things. Always be true to yourself. Always have something to fall back on. And don't be afraid to set healthy boundaries. People will keep pushing you and pushing you, trying to see how far they can get. And if you don't, they know, you're going to get yourself in bad situations. So it's really important to say, hey, you know what? That doesn't feel right to me. If that means I no longer work in this business, then I've got something else to do. So before I let you go, I know you're working on a project to help people. The podcast that you have, I know the launch has been doing very, very well. Tell people where they can find your podcast and what your podcast is about. So it's called unexpired where change means strength. And you have actually kicked off my first episode. So it can be found on YouTube if you want to see visuals of Mike and I, 13 other guests. And then it's on 13 other streaming platforms. So Apple and Spotify and all the different ones of different places where people listen to podcasts. But if you want to see it, it's on YouTube. Kim, I loved our time together on my podcast and being with you and yours. I think the world of you. I think that what you're doing is such a service to the community and for you constantly trying to give out to your community around you as an example that people should follow. And I appreciate you kicking off this new segment of the show.

Yay. Thanks, Mike. Have a great day. You too. That is Kim Alexis spending a few moments with. Yes, she does live here in the state of Arizona. And I just think she's a great addition here. She's been here for quite a while, making a big impact in the community around her. And we're going to do this once a week. We're going to call it amazing Arizonans because that's what it is. That's who these people are. Coming up, an update on the Middle East. What is happening? And what do you need to know? We'll do that here in just a moment. Happy Friday, and are we failing Arizona's students while four in five seniors got a diploma? Only two and five met the state's proficiency standards for English and math. Is the solution to hold back more kids? Join us on Outspoken with Bruce and Gatos on air online and on the KTAR YouTube channel. All right. Coming up in a few minutes, we are going to let you hear a little bit from our interview with gubernator, Andy Biggs and his now running mate for Lieutenant Gummerer. They were in studio with us for two segments, 9 o'clock hour. You can go check it out on the podcast as well, YouTube channel. But I will let you hear some of their comments in just a few minutes. What we do need to talk about is an update on what's happening in the Middle East. Kuwait reports Iranian drones were detected. They destroyed them overnight. The U.S. hit back. There has been an uptick in the violence recently. The Iranians striking the neighbor states. One of the things in the Middle East, I think that's kind of an example and it's gone a little bit overlooked is the deal that was finally struck that has going to take the government over. in Gaza, that the Hamas fighters, the terrorists of Hamas, have given up their desire to run Gaza. What this is going to do long term for the Palestinian people, all of the... Things we've continued to hear about free Palestine and this anti-Israeli movement, there's a big difference between being pro something and anti-something else. That is without a doubt an anti-Israel statement for this river, from the river to the sea is about wiping out the Jews and pushing them off the land. And that's been the sentiment of the Iranians. So when I bring up the Middle East and I talk about Iran, and now I'm talking about Hamas and Gaza, it's because they are interconnected. The same with Hezbollah to the north and their desire to do the same thing. And it is that they are giving their marching orders by the Iranians. And so all of this plays a big role. But the example of how Hamas was dealt with. And the idea that the brutality that it took.

because of the way they fight and how they use civilians as human shields, that it is a public relations fight as much as it is a physical fight. Because the world, you look at what the world says about Israel. You can talk about October 7th, all you want, and I do. It was an awful occurrence that should never have happened, and it showed the brutality and the lack of concern for human lives that Hamas had. But that was excused by so many people in this anti-Israel way of thinking. It was a despicable act. It was the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. And yet, when the Israelis went in and said, we are going to make sure this never happens again, there was this public relations campaign against them. And in the past, what they have always done is they have led with the idea that we want peace. Golda my ear, you go back and listen to the statements that were made by Golda Meyer. You go and, you know, if the Palestinians would put down their weapons, there would be peace. If Israelis put down their weapons, there would be no Israel. We can forgive you for killing our grandchildren. We can't forgive you for forcing us to kill yours. All of those things that were said, we are motivated by peace. We have been saying this with the Iranians. The president has been saying over and over again, we want a deal. We want it to be a peaceful ending to this. But we don't think they're ready that they keep doing. And they keep showing they're not at every turn. While in the middle of the negotiations and the pause that was just happening, there was a couple of days of a pause. And the president said, I don't think diplomacy is going to work, but we're going to try diplomacy again. We will let them continue to talk. What happened? A video was released by the Iranians that was called the killing or the murder of Melania Trump. And it also at the end threatened their son, Barron. So not only are you an antagonist and you're going to kill the president, you are telling the world how to kill the family of the president at a time when there's a pause and the violence to get negotiations happening. This is an attitude that we are not ever going to stop, that we are going to use whatever bit of propaganda and lies we have to to get you to stop punching, but we will always throw the first punch. And they've been doing it over and over again, attacking their neighbors, more ships in the strait, interrupting and disrupting commerce. Oil prices are elevated again today, moderately, but they're elevated again today. This idea of economic discomfort, the idea that you're going to do something to us with our economy, we're going to do what we can to you, going after their neighbors, lobbying missiles and drones indiscriminately at civilian targets in other countries. That's what they're doing. And what did it take to defeat the enemy that was Hamas? And it was a dedication to defeat. It was you can say what you want about us. You can call us what you want to call us. You can smear our reputation and say that we're your murderers and it's genocide. You can do all of that. We will not stop until our grandchildren are safe.

And that's what pushed Israel to the brink was the fact that they were massacring their grandchildren. They were massacring the grandparents. They were mutilating, raping, and murdering the women. All in these acts of terrorism that they said will never happen to another generation, at least not by Hamas. And now there's been a deal brokered, largely by the Trump administration. And I don't necessarily think that they're ever going to get credit for it. Hamas is giving it up. It is a major step toward peace in the region. Now, when it comes to all of this, I want you to hear the former Vice President Mike Pence, who we know has not had a great relationship with President Trump after his vice presidency ended. And it's been a little controversial. But listen to what Mike Pence had to say about the possibility of peace. They opened the door to a memorandum of understanding that would achieve our objectives, which, as I said, are very clear. No nuclear weapons, no ballistic missiles, freedom and navigation, and no more support for terrorism. They had a shot. They blew it. They started to fire on vessels transiting the strait, and the president responded with overwhelming force by the United States military. We control the airspace over. And he's 100% right. At some point, we have got to set aside your political differences with the President of the United States and understand that what is happening there is a necessary byproduct of the behavior of our enemy. And if they're going to continue to do this, this is the way that it's going to continue. And until they get that message, they will continue the tactics of the past because they have been able to get concessions from every American president that we've had, both parties. Every president's had to deal with this country. And none of them have been able to broker a stop to their march for nuclear weapons or them fostering terrorism around the world. Not one. We'll see if this works. Don't know that it will, but we'll see. We're going to let you here. We're going to talk a little bit about Congressman Andy Biggs run for the governor's office and the running mate he's chosen in our conversation with both. We'll do that here in just a moment. McDonald's is putting value back on the menu. Whether you're craving a Big Mac McNuggets or sausage egg and cheese McGrittles, make it a meal and save. Your favorite is now your wallet's favorite too. Extra value meals are back. Grab an epic meal for easy money. Ten piece McNuggets or filial fish served with medium fries and a medium cope. All for just $8. Price and participation may vary. Promotion pricing may be lower than meal pricing. Ba-da-pa-papa.

The Mike Broomhead Show, KTAR News, 923, and the KTAR News app. All right, very early this morning, it was announced publicly that Andy Biggs, Republican candidate for governor, had chosen a running mate to be lieutenant governor, and that pick was Sina Kerr, or is Sina Kerr. If you don't know Mrs. Kerr, she is a former state legislator. She was in the Arizona State Legislature in the Senate. She also worked for the Department of Agriculture. Her background, her and her husband are dairy farmers. They are agriculture experts. They have a great family. A bit in Arizona for a long time. She's a transplant. She is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Mexico. So she's got a great resume politically, bureaucratically, and she's just a great, was a lot of fun to talk with. So they came in studio after the announcement was made. I believe the first interview they've done. that they've done they did with us here in the studio. So it was very fascinating to talk with them. So one of the first things I did was I asked Andy Biggs. I asked him, why this pick? Sena is highly qualified. I mean, she's legislative experience. She's worked in the federal government. Been a businesswoman with her husband, Bill. She's ridden the paycheck. She knows how that works. And that's what I was looking for, somebody with a lot of experience. She knows the state. She's been all over the state. Everybody knows her in the rural areas and the counties. I just think I couldn't have found a better pick. So I asked Sena Kerr. I asked her about all of this and being... A representative of rural Arizona. What was fascinating about this was, how long ago was the podcast? Patricia, do you remember exactly how long ago it was? No, but I can find out. It was about a year ago, I think. It was last year, definitely, or last season, I guess you could say. We have the podcast called Amazing Arizona. It's brought to you by the people at Resolution Copper, and we had her as a guest. That was May 30th, 2006. March, March 30th, sorry. It was this year. It was this year. Okay. That's what I'm saying. It was this last season. Yeah. Wow. I thought it was longer than that. Okay. But it was a few months ago then. And she was a great guest and recommended to us. And I knew who she was. I'd been at events with her in the past. But I did not know her story. And the story was she's very humble. And I don't think it's not fake humility. You would say that, right? She's a very humble. No, she's very genuine. Even like I said, before I met her political, knowing that she was going to be a political leaning. But yeah, she's very reasonable, very humble, very. Just like everyday citizen, just like you and I. Seemed genuinely surprised to get a call from the administration that she was going to be an employee of the USDA, but kind of be the Department of Agriculture Representative in Arizona.

It kind of gave me the same vibes that she got when she got called by Andy Biggs. Which was, we asked her about that as well. But I asked her about this being the face of rural Arizona. And I love this answer. It's what I do. It's what I love. It's my passion. It's been my... lifetime career as an adult with my husband and my family on our farm, learning and growing each and every day, then to have the opportunity to represent agriculture at the state legislature in the Senate, and then to move to the federal position and have that perspective and see how policy is critical and go from being a policy maker to being one that then implements that policy on a federal level, and it just really broadened my understanding. and knowledge of how critical we have to get that policy right. And that's 100% true because in the podcast, if you go check it out Amazing Arizonans, she talks about how at 17 years old, her first date with her husband is milking cows. I swear, that's my favorite story of the whole thing. And what is great about that story with her is that you find out, I think you find out very quickly, is this person for me or not? Because for her husband now, for her husband to say, this is what I'd like to do on our first date. You are throwing it all out there. Right. This is, you are definitely saying you're not, you are putting who you are out there immediately. This isn't, let's get dressed up and go to a movie at a nice dinner. And then I'm going to tell you I'm a farmer and we're going to, this is. This is me. This is what our life is going to be if you're with me. If we end up together. So good. That podcast is available. It is a really good watch. And we'll tell you a little bit more. And the good part about this is this is long before she knew this was coming. Oh, yeah. Way long before. So it's not as it's not like we brought her in to talk to her and she was being a bureaucrat. No. It was just you're from Arizona. Have you done some awesome things? Let's talk to you. I had no idea her political leaning either. Right. I didn't care at the time. I was just listening to her talk about cows. It was a great story. And her love for agriculture, her love for rural communities, and how honored she was to be chosen to work for the Department of Agriculture and represent her state and then be that liaison for the... People in the industry she loves, right? That's a good word. I just learned it. Did I use it in the right place? That was perfect. And so I asked her about some of the things she did in the state legislature, some of the things that she's proud of. The water infrastructure finance authority legislation, because that gave us a real clear vision, you know, near-term and long-term vision for our water future. And that's what our water leaders need to.

do and have that's what our agriculture community has been so good at our ranchers before statehood right had that vision and we tend not to think that far ahead but we know our ag producers we don't think in years we think in generations yeah great perspective yeah and you know if andy bigs wanted to pick somebody that newer about more about water and rural arizona That was probably the best choice. And how perfect was the timing today in the conversation? Because as we're talking to them, you're breaking the story about water and the cuts that the government is telling us that the lower basin states are going to suffer cuts. It's going to be Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, California. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming will not have any cuts. Only the three lower basin states for now. For now. But so this is. It's very, very important. It is very, very important. Last thing I want you to hear is I asked Andy Biggs, I asked him, what do you expect from your lieutenant governor? You're right. It's really fluid and the constitutional amendment that the voters passed really. It leaves it strictly to the governor, but I would anticipate that SENA would work in a specific department and really work on that. We're going to be working administration, so we're not going to be pulling up in the ground like some administrations currently are doing. We want to get out all over the states, so I would expect her to be like me on weekends. We're going to be working in the states, but we're going to be working on policy. because policy's lifestyle and its success or failure of our economy and everything. So she's going to be working with us, write their hand and glove. And that's one of the reasons I wanted somebody with all those types of experience that I mentioned earlier. Now, here's the question. You know what I didn't ask them, Patricia? What? Every time this happens, I don't care who you are in this business, when an interview is over, at some point you think, dang it, I wish I would have asked this. That's true. Right? No matter what it is, no matter how. I thought the interview went very, very well. Yeah, you asked a lot. But after hearing this, let me tell you what I think. You know what we did not ask? What? We did not ask that we know that the progression in a White House is the president, generally speaking, JD Vance would run. Now, it might be Marco Rubio, but the vice president, George H.W. Bush was vice president to Reagan. He ran and became the president. Do you think Sina Kerr would say she's doing this job and would consider when this is done running to be the governor of the state? That is a good question. And I didn't ask it. Dang it. Well. We have time. I was going to say we could ask them again. We'll ask them again. Hopefully we'll have them on before. Absolutely. Happens. So I just think that that would be. And, you know, of course, even if she gave the answer you'd expect, which is I'm not thinking that far ahead. I'm thinking about doing the job, which is what we hear Marco Rubio say and JD Vance say. It still is an interesting. It is an interesting thing to put out there and to think about. Because if Andy Biggs wins and they lose and he leaves the office for any reason, she becomes the governor. I was going to say. Or if.

I don't want to put anything bad out there, but if she has to take over, how is that going to make her feel? Yeah. So we, anyway, it was a great interview. Go and check it out on the podcast. I think it would be great there. We are going to talk about water and we're going to talk about the economy because they're connected. We're going to do that coming up here in just a second. Hey, this is Jim Sharp, with an increase this year in the number of hikers needing to be rescued off of Phoenix's mountain trails and the chopper the city uses for those rescues, down for maintenance, where we see more heat-related hiking deaths? Join me on Arizona's Morning News Monday on KTAR's YouTube and 92-3FN. All right, this is, I thought this is, the timing on this is great. We talked earlier about this, a story that broke about water, that the federal government, the Bureau of Reclamation is saying that they proposal at least, it looks like what they are doing with the Colorado River, the Central Arizona project, is that they are going to have cuts forced upon the lower basin states, California, Arizona, Nevada. The upper basin states, at least right now, will not have any cuts. So I have here a press release that just came out not long ago. I think I got it less than 30 minutes ago. Arizona's House Speaker Steve Montenegro headlines says Arizona must defend its water future after federal Colorado River plan. State must protect its allocation, expand its water supply, and prepare for the long-term growth. And here's a quote, Arizona must be clear-eyed, united, and firm in defense of our water future. The Colorado River is vital to our state. And Arizona has spent decades preparing for drought, conserving water, storing water underground, and building a stronger water system. Our job is now to stay prepared, continue protecting Arizona's rights and defend our economy while making sure decisions in Washington recognize the contributions our state makes to national security and the economy. And I think that is about as well said as it can be said. It is imperative that Arizona stay united on this. We have done, you and I have paid for it with our tax dollars, but we have done a really good job in this state of water management, the overall process. I have a little bit of insight into this world more than the average person in my previous life as a contractor. I spent the last probably three years of my business working in the water world, working for private water companies, well sites, wastewater treatment plants, sewage lift stations. I worked in this world. That doesn't mean I'm an expert on the politics of it, but I've worked in this world. And I've seen...

How state-of-the-art facilities are built with the express purpose of squeezing every drop of water out of there. Back before it was a really well-known thing, of all places, in the town of Maricopa. Maricopa has expensive water. But Maricopa is the water in Maricopa. There's a private water company that has the water rights there. At least it did. I don't know if they still do. It's been 15 years since I've been out of the business. But back then they had a state-of-the-art treatment plant. And everybody talks about reclaimed water and then kind of filtering it and recharging it and making it drinkable. But what they were doing back then is they were treating their wastewater in Maricopa. And they were trans. And is this a little bit too gross to talk about how this works or what do you think? What are you going to say? I'm talking about how they treat a wastewater treatment plant and then they reclaim the water. I mean, it happens. Yeah, it does. At least they do it. Like they said, like he said in Forrest Gump, it happens. So. The waste is brought into a treatment plant and then it's moved and kept moving. And they separate the water from the solids. Is that too gross of a mental picture? No, I think that's a good way to put it. And so when they get done with the solids, it ends up what it looks like, it looks like mortar. For concrete, like a fence, a block fence. That mortar, you know, that's what it looks like. The mixture. Yes. And then it's taken to a, I believe, to a landfill. But the water then, the liquids, the water is treated multiple times. And the last piece of the treatment is ultraviolet lights. The water is not drinking water. They then send it from the plant to ponds around the golf courses and around the parts used for irrigation. Signs are up, not to be drinking the water, whatever. But they were doing this 20 years ago, 15 years ago, certainly. Reclaimed water. You've been hearing it all the time. Forever. Now with the technology as it is, people are talking that you can actually go a step further. And drink it? Yes. And send it back underground, send it back through that filtration. And it's drinkable. I'm with you. I think about that. When you think mentally, that doesn't sound like a great idea. It doesn't sound appetizing. No, and you're separating the number ones from the number two. I got nothing to do with those. Thank you. But. To be honest, everybody will tell you that every drop of water you drink at some time. Of course. And also, the other thing we're talking about doing as a solution is desalinization.

Well, what are the fish doing in that water? Yeah, I was going to say what else is in the ocean. Right. So it's inevitable. It's getting over the mental hurdle. Yes. But the idea here of us being punished after as good as we've been and the money we've spent and the technology we've implemented. Yes. Everything we've done to make sure we have the water we need, we are going to suffer cuts. It doesn't seem right. It certainly doesn't seem fair. No, not at all. So we'll find out. We're going to see. We'll see how this ends up going. All right. What we'll do, we've got to talk about the Middle East. We've got to talk about what's happening to fallout. Is this purely political division in America or are there people's concerns? And what is the president saying about ending this war? We're going to talk about all of that in the final hour and more with the governor candidates. We'll do that next.