Bear Essential News - November 2018 - Phoenix

40 YEARS!

Bear

essential news

®

November 2018 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

Wildlife Conservation Around the Planet

In This Picture: Find a sugar skull, a canoe, a recycle symbol, native corn, CONSERVATION, the U.S. Flag, a slice of pumpkin pie, STEM, a vote check mark and THANKS!

FEATURE

NEWS

NEWS

FAMILIES

S aving Species

Trouble with Hubble!

The NBA Is Back!

Arizona zoos doing their part! pages 10, 11 & 12

Spotlight on Midterm Madness News Highlights page 5

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 7, 8, 13 & 18

Oliver In

the City

Find the urban wildlife!

Page 3

CONTEST

Holiday Tickets Color to win!

Page 15

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BEAR 40 YEARS •

November 2018

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November 2018 •

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November 2018

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e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

B

News Highlights photo courtesy of NASA

Hubble’s most famo us image— “Pillars of Creation.”

rain clouds and light pollution, so it gives scientists a better view than ground-based telescopes.

Hubble, which launched into orbit in 1990 aboard the space shuttle Discovery, is one of NASA's most successful and long-lasting science missions. The initial images Hubble sent back were blurry, so astronauts went to fix its primary mirror in 1993. Astronauts have serviced the telescope four times since then, most recently in 2009 when all six gyroscopes were replaced.

NASA expects Hubble to continue operating into the 2020s and providing amazing discoveries along the way. Even if another gyro fails, NASA explains that the telescope can continue doing Hubble-quality science, just in a smaller fraction of the sky.

Third-grader Makes the Find of a Lifetime!

photo courtesy of Andrew Vanecek

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Midterm Madness!

Hubble Hits a Hurdle One of NASA’s most famous telescopes, Hubble, hit a rough patch last month but is now back on track!

The Hubble Space Telescope began experiencing a problem on Oct. 5, when one of its gyroscopes failed and a back-up gyroscope sent back abnormal readings. The telescope went into a protective safe mode as scientists worked to solve the problem. Engineers were able to TROUBLESHOOT the problem with the back-up gyro and Hubble returned to normal operations on October 26.

Hubble actually has a total of six gyroscopes. The telescope needs to have three functional gyroscopes to work at maximum efficiency, and two Hubble gyros had previously stopped working before the October 5 failure.

The Hubble Space Telescope is actually a joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). Hubble’s job is to orbit Earth above the atmosphere and send images back to Earth. It has sent back hundreds of thousands of images, which has helped scientists determine the age of the universe and many other mysteries from the space around us.

NASA says that Hubble was the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo turned his selfmade telescope toward the sky in 1610. One of the reasons Hubble has been so successful is its location.

Hubble is positioned above the atmosphere, far above

BEAR 40 YEARS

TÅNNÖ, Sweden—An 8-year-old girl just had a summer she and her family will never forget. Every summer, Saga Vanecek and her family enjoy a cabin by a lake called Vidöstern in Southern Sweden.

But a record hot summer had really lowered the water level of the lake. On July 15, Saga was playing on the beach with her friend when her dad, Andy Vanecek, asked her to get a buoy from the cabin. He wanted to warn boats that the lake bottom around the buoy was very shallow.

As she waded into the cool water, Saga decided to make the most of it.

“I was crawling along the bottom of the lake on my arms and knees, looking for stones to skim (also known as stone skipping) when my hand and knee felt something long and hard buried in the clay and sand,” Saga recalled to The Guardian in October. “I pulled it out and saw that it was different…one end had a point, and the other had a handle, so I pointed it up

to the sky…and called out, ‘Daddy, I’ve found a sword!’ I felt like a warrior.”

But this delicate, rusting and muddy sword is far from ordinary. While experts need to study it much more carefully, archaeologists believe it’s most likely a Viking sword and estimate that it’s between 1,000 and 1,500 years old. It is a very important ARTIFACT scientifically, historically and culturally to the area.

The ancient sword was handed over to a nearby museum, which asked Saga and her family to keep the find a secret.

The museum wanted to search the lake to find more artifacts before they announced Saga’s big discovery! While that area of the lake didn’t turn out to be the Viking burial site the museum had hoped for, workers did discover a brooch from around AD 300–400.

According to legend, the Lady of the Lake is the one who gave King Arthur the famed blade Excalibur. So locals are having fun calling Saga the “Queen of Sweden!”

November is a big month: time to stuff yourself with tasty food at Thanksgiving and start the countdown to winter break! But there’s another big event in November that you have probably heard your teachers and family members talking about too— elections.

Elections happen every year in November, but the election this year has gotten a lot of attention because it’s what is known as a midterm election.

This is the term for an election held every two years for Congressional seats when the election falls in between a presidential election.

You’ve probably seen a lot of ads on TV and social media trying to encourage adults to vote.

Some adults choose not to vote and many take it

Election Facts: • 2018 Midterm Elections Tuesday, Nov. 6 • 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, extends voting rights to African Americans.

• 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, extends voting rights to American women.

for granted, but it has not always been a guaranteed right for everyone.

The right to vote has been part of our country since it began, but was initially only for land-owning white men. Early in the 1800s, as states joined the union, each state created their own constitution which governed who was allowed to vote. Eligible voters continued to be mostly white men who owned property. Women began to organize and campaign for the right to vote, which was the start of the Suffragette Movement.

In 1848, Wisconsin entered the union and expanded voting rights to people who were living here from other countries if they had lived in Wisconsin for one year and planned to become United States’ citizens.

In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution extended the right to vote to African American men by banning voting restrictions based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” While this was a big win on paper, many states used poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation to keep these individuals from voting.

It took another 100 years of laws before most African Americans were able to register to vote.

For women, a handful of states had granted them the right to vote in the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until 1920 and the passage of the 19th Amendment that the United States guaranteed women this right.

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November 2018

This Girl Scout Supports the Military & Their Working Service Dogs Girl Scout Kaitlyn Van Der Werf is the cat’s meow among cookie sellers in the Valley. This hard-working 11 year old sold over 3,000 boxes (3,313 to be exact) last spring. Wow! During the cookie selling season, Kaitlyn might spend four to five hours a day at a cookie booth.

But things don’t get dull—Kaitlyn enjoys meeting people and supporting causes that are important to her. She donates part of her cookie money (and cookies, too) to the military and also donates toys and treats to military working dogs. Kaitlyn donates to Packages From Home, a non-profit that sends care packages overseas and also helps

veterans and their service dogs.

Speaking of dogs, Kaitlyn recalls a time when a stray dog wandered into the store where her cookie booth was stationed. Kaitlyn’s mom, Kristin, says that fortunately the dog was friendly, but that it created quite a commotion!

Kaitlyn is home schooled. Getting out in the community helps her gain confidence. She notes, “I used to be super shy and stand behind my mom.” These days, she is a super salesperson.

Being a Girl Scout is something that Kaitlyn recommends. “It’s fun, you get to try new things and it’s just great,” she says. She has been in Girl Scouts for seven years and loves going on trips with her friends in Troop 2232. They recently visited Disneyland using cookie money they earned.

Kaitlyn is proud of her work and how it benefits others. “I feel I can definitely help with a lot of stuff,” she says.

If you know a girl who is interested in Girl Scouts, the Thin Mint Sprint 5K is a great place to learn more. Friends, family and non-Girl Scouts are invited to participate in fun activities and experience Girl Scouts first hand. It happens on Dec. 8.

Join Girl Scouts today!

Join a troop, start a troop or volunteer!

Visit www.girlscoutsaz.org, email join@girlscoutsaz.org or call 602-452-7040.

EVERY GIRL can become a Girl Scout!

Find out more at girlscoutsaz.org/join

November 2018 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Get the Scoop!

The NBA Is Back in Play

by Reporter Carsten Fuller, Highland Lakes School After an exciting preseason, the NBA regular season tipped off on Oct. 16. The Boston Celtics kicked the season off against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics beat the 76ers 105-87 and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100. Although the offseason has been very interesting and eventful, I think it is safe to say that anybody who watches basketball is totally psyched and ready for the offseason to be over and for another great season to start!

And even though the offseason is extremely boring, as opposed to watching people get dunked on for two hours straight, there has been a lot of action off of the court, too. For example, Lebron James has decided to move all the way to L.A. to play for the Lakers where he signed a $154 million contract. And Kawhi Leonard was traded by his coach Gregg Popovich for DeMar DeRozan

who had played on the Toronto Raptors for a long 9 years. Also, Paul George has agreed to sign a four-year contract extension with the Thunder, so he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Besides all of the things that had happened in the offseason, the main reason I am excited for this season is because Celtics main players Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are able to play this season for the first time since early last season when they were both injured. But despite the Celtics not having their two star players, the Celtics were very successful last season and fell just short of getting to the finals.

So in conclusion, this is starting to look like another great season for the NBA and their fans as they watch to find out who the new 2018-2019 NBA Champions will be. So don’t forget to cheer for your team as they battle it out against 29 other teams for the NBA title!

Teacher Is also a Military Veteran

by Reporter Eryn Rocha Arizona Desert Elementary Veterans Day is a day that we celebrate to honor those who have served in our military.

Deborah Sanders, first-grade teacher at Arizona Desert Elementary is a veteran. Sanders is a retired military officer who served in the Air Force for 21 years. Sanders retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel.

“My career began in the military during my freshman year of college. I joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at my school.

I stayed in ROTC for four years and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant when I graduated,” says Sanders.

Sanders had many jobs throughout her military career. Sanders stated she served as a Aircraft Maintenance and Logistics Officer, Squadron Commander and Air Force Inspection Agency Inspector.

Sanders says, “For me, being a veteran is just like being any other person. I know that serving in the armed forces elevates many to higher levels in society. I did not join the military for recognition and praise. I had an opportunity to serve my country and I did so willingly.”

Sanders advice to kids wanting to go into the

BEAR 40 YEARS

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Here is How a Nurse Was Born

by Reporter Bianka Bolado Apache Elementary Jacquelyn Levy was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1984. At the time, Levy was the only grandchild so she spent a lot of time with her grandparents. She liked to play blocks and many games, but most of all, she loved playing doctor with her grandpa.

Through the years of growing up, she gained more knowledge of the medical field and realized that nurses gave more one-on-one care with the patients. It was at the time when she realized she wanted to be a nurse. To help prepare for college credits, she attended Mesa Community College where she did two years of prerequisities and two years of nursing school.

In May 2007, she was awarded the science of nursing degree. She began her nursing career in Watseka, Illinois. She worked at Iriquois Memorial Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). When she moved to Arizona she decided to work with Geriatrics at Sierra Winds. She has worked there for three years which she loves and wouldn't change for anything.

MORE SCOOPS, page 8 ➧

military, “The military is indeed a great way of life.

You are embraced by a huge family that will be there for you. The military offers career choices and opportunities to help you focus, grow, learn and be the best that you can be. The military is truly a great service oriented job. In many ways it is just like teaching. In both you sacrifice much for the greater good of mankind.”

Adviser: Karen Golden

REPORT FOR BEAR! Call toll free:

1-866-NEWS KID sponsors

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November 2018

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Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

In Utero Stroke Survivor Thrives with Parents’ Help

by Reporter Nash Jensen Apache Elementary When looking at me, you would not know that I have a disability, at least not until you saw me trying to hold a lunch tray, running the Turkey Trot or trying to do the dreadful pull-ups that are required in PE. But it is true, I suffered a stroke in utero. I know you are sitting there thinking, how is it possible that you had a stroke while in your mom’s belly?

But it is true. According to Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association, “Perinatal stroke occurs in 1 in every 2800 live births.”

Now, I know when hearing this you are automatically scared and feeling unsure what to expect, but let me tell you, my parents have chosen to help me not fall into the statistics of what comes with Pediatric Utero Strokes—they have helped provide me with everything possible to be just like an everyday 11 year old.

When I was 9 months old, I had an MRI that officially diagnosed me as having a stroke in utero, during the first trimester to be exact. With this diagnosis, it was found out that I was partially paralyzed on the left side of my body. Unlike most pediatric stroke survivors, my disability was only physical and I did not suffer a mental disability; however, I still had barriers to overcome and challenges to meet head on.

Shortly after my diagnosis, I started physical and occupational therapy. I had two eye surgeries before kindergarten and did not start walking till I was almost 2 years old, but those were not setbacks, they were accomplishments. The first few years of school were tough for me—not everyone understood why I couldn’t do things the same as they could, but my Dad, Keith Jensen, came to school the first week of school and met with my class and explained what had happened and showed how my friends could help

me. My dad has continued this tradition and comes every year to help educate everyone.

Although things have not always been the easiest for me, I have

accomplished so much in my short 11 years. Last year, I was in the Apache Elementary School Robotics Club and my team went to regionals.

Although we did not win, it was a great experience.

“Nash has come such a long way and he is having a great year,” said Heidi Stillman, Apache Elementary Principal. This year, I am in Robotics again, as well as student council.

I also participate in recreational basketball and flag football. I recently graduated to the next level of physical and occupational therapy with my outside clinic after several years of hard work and my eyes are glasses wearing free!

Next time, you think you can’t do something that is hard, look for a great support team to help you accomplish your goals, big or small and you too can overcome your own delays, just like me.

Adviser: Tara Woodward

MORE SCOOPS, page 13 ➧

November 2018 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

BEAR 40 YEARS

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Enter the Name the

Sea Lion Pup

CONTEST!

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park welcomed a second baby sea lion this summer and now, they need your help! The zoo is asking the public to come up with the perfect name for the new addition! Names can be submitted through facebook.

The winner and winning name will be announced November 9th.

Aquarium

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Zoo

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Safari Park

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Dragon World

Making a Difference Since what we do here in the Sonoran Desert can have affect our oceans, it makes sense to do things that are positive when it comes to the health of our oceans.

About 50 miles from Arizona is the Gulf of California, home to the vaquita— the most endangered cetacean in the world! Cetaceans are marine mammals that include whales, dolphins and porpoises. With its numbers dwindling, fewer than 30 vaquitas remain and some experts say there may be just a dozen left!

Vaquita means “little cow” in Spanish. Adults grow to about five feet long (the females are a bit larger than the males) and weigh less than 100 pounds.

With its chunky body and rounded head, this cute marine mammal is the smallest of the porpoises!

Here are some things you, your class and family can do to help.

OCEAN TRASH—our oceans have accumulated alarming amounts of plastic and other trash, and it poses a major health risk for marine life that can become entangled in trash or ingest it by mistake. With 80 percent of this trash coming from the land, reduce the amount of trash you throw away, especially “disposable” items like plastic bags, food containers, plastic water bottles, etc.

And to reduce plastic items we throw away, look for alternatives like reusable water bottles and canvas bags your family can use at the grocery store. Try to buy products with less packaging, and skip the plastic straws. Pack your lunch in reusable lunch containers and pouches. Don’t do balloon releases—those balloons can end up elsewhere and harm wildlife. Also remember to recycle!

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Adventure Land

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Mining Experience

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Increasing public education about ocean conservation is a critical mission of Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park. It also supports other conservation efforts through its annual Animal Care & Conservation Awards.

These $1,000–$10,000 awards recognize worthy efforts in field convservation, public display and education and basic research designed to preserve our planet and inspire future generations to care about wildlife and wild places.

2018 RECIPIENTS—The Marine Mammal Center (Marinemammalcenter. org), Zoological Association of America Wildlife Conservation Fund (ZAA.org), The International Crane Foundation (Savingcranes.org), The Cheetah Conservation Fund (Cheetah.org), Gibbon Conservation Center (Gibboncenter.org), International Rhino Foundation (Rhinos-irf.org), Turtle Survival Alliance (turtleFor more information: 623-935-WILD (9453) or visit us on facebook, survival.org), The Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Program (www.

Instagram or Twitter @zoowildlife, and wildlifeworld.com endesu.org.mx/desarrollo-sustentable/), Chaco Center for Conservation & Research for Tapir Conservation (www.cccipy.org/en/ Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park, AZ (SE corner of State Route 303 and Northern Ave.) We’re open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. Zoo exhibits are somos.php), Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (www.cbsg. open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last zoo admission is at 4:30 p.m.) Aquarium exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 org) and The Zoo Conservation Outreach Group (ZCOG.org). p.m. Daytime admission includes access to the zoo, aquarium and safari park.

nd Adventure La

Now Open!

!

Tons of Rides

W i d l e l i m S

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November 2018

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Susan Schmitz/Shutterstock

Reptiles Need Care, Too!

You’ll be amazed to know how much YOU can do!

Wildlife Conservation Around the Globe—Begins at Home!

Even creepy, crawly critters need love and care, sometimes. Luckily, these reptiles have a friend in the Phoenix Herpetological Society. This organization helps native and non-native reptiles through rescue and rehabilitation and also focuses on conservation education.

“Reptiles aren’t as cute and cuddly as some mammals,” admits Katelyn Garcia, but they are important members of our ECOSYSTEM, she notes. Garcia is the director of outreach for the Phoenix Herpetological Society.

“Snakes, they eat rodents, and as humans we can get diseases from rodents,” she says. “If you were to decrease the snake population, it would lead to an increased rodent population and more people would get sick.”

Garcia says people kill rattlesnakes and non-venomous snakes because of fear. But, the best thing to do if you encounter a snake near your home is to call PHS or another organization that will relocate the slitherer. Another option is to stay clear and not bother the snake.

“As long as you leave a snake alone, it’s not going to chase you or try to bite you,” explains Garcia. “They need their venom for their food.”

The Phoenix Zoo Helps Native Ferrets Avoid Extinction Efforts to exterminate prairie dogs throughout the West nearly led to the extinction of black-footed ferrets, the only ferrets native to North America. Now a handful of zoos, including The Phoenix Zoo, are helping this weasel-like predator make a comeback in Arizona and elsewhere!

“The biggest thing that happened was the persecution of the prairie dogs. The government even had a bounty on prairie dogs—they were thought to destroy crops, and ranchers were concerned that cattle would break their leg in prairie dog holes,” explains Brad Poynter, curator of conservation and science for the zoo. “By wiping out the prairie dogs they ended up wiping out the ferrets because that was their only food source.”

Wildlife experts believed the ferrets were extinct until a small group was discovered in Wyoming in 1979. All 24 of the remaining ferrets were caught for a captive breeding program in hopes of saving the species!

Out of that surviving population, only nine ferrets reproduced, which means the surviving population doesn’t have as much genetic diversity as it should. The Phoenix Zoo was one of the first zoos to join the federal program around 1988. Today there are five zoos breeding about 1,000 ferrets plus the National Ferret Center. The Phoenix Zoo has been highly suc-

cessful. “We’ve produced over 500 ferrets. All are either slated for release or if genetically valuable or not over-represented, stay in the breeding program,” Poynter says.

During this time, several sites in different states now have wild populations of black-footed ferrets, including a successful one near Seligman, Arizona. But a bacterial illness called the sylvatic plague is a setback to ferrets’ successful return to the wild. The plague kills prairie dogs and ferrets and can be TRANSMITTED from prairie dogs to ferrets through fleas.

Fortunately, the Seligman population has not been hit by the sylvatic plague and the ferrets’ numbers are growing naturally.

If the wildlife experts can get the sylvatic plague under control, the captive breeding program might not be needed in about 10 years!

Working on the survival of 11 native species, like the Chiricahua leopard frog, Three Forks Springsnail and narrow-headed gartersnakes at the Phoenix Zoo, Poynter describes his job as challenging and really rewarding.

Did You Know!

Alligators normally have between 74 to 80 teeth in their mouth, which can wear down or fall out through life. They can grow up to 2,000 teeth before they die.

Mature male alligators can reach lengths of up to 15 feet and weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

Two of the

Three White Rhinos Find Haven At Wildlife World Zoo

At the beginning of the 20th century, a half million rhinos roamed the planet. Sadly, the number of these magnificent mammals has dwindled to just 29,000 in the wild.

All five remaining rhino species—black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan—are in peril from poaching, deforestation and habitat loss due to human ENCROACHMENT. Rhinos can be found in Africa, Indonesia and India. They are poached for their valuable horns, which certain Asian cultures wrongly believe have medicinal properties and other uses when ingested. The demand from Vietnamese and Chinese people who believe in (and can afford) the expensive, illegal horns drives the poaching.

Despite efforts to protect them, often with armed guards, three or more rhinos are poached per day in South Africa alone!

Almost a year ago, three young female white rhinos arrived at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park from South Africa. Their new, safe home is the Rhino facility, part of the new 9-acre expansion to Safari Park.

“It’s my hope that through education and awareness, we can work together in the fight for the rhino’s survival—to guarantee a viable genetic population and ensure that no more rhino species go extinct,“ says Mickey Ollson, director and founder of Wildlife World. “If the persecution of this species continues, we will likely see the rhino go extinct within our lifetime,” The white rhino is the second largest land animal on the planet. It is listed as near-threatened, but conservation efforts have its numbers on the rise! Wildlife World also awards funds to conservation organizations. Over the past 20 years, it has awarded more than $20,500 to rhino conservation efforts. o Zo Wildlife World three white rhinos at

An Aruba Island rattlesnake—ready to strike.

Injured Sea Turtles Find a New Home at OdySea Sea turtles are millions of years old, but nowadays these cool creatures are endangered. Loss of habitat, pollution and injuries caused by fishing and boating accidents mean that these gentle giants face a fearsome fight for their future.

OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale is home to several rescue sea turtles whose injuries make them unable to be released back into the wild. Three of the turtles—Charlie, a loggerhead sea turtle, and Greta and Valor, green sea turtles—have a condition that sounds funny, but is deadly serious.

Bubble butt means that these turtles have air trapped under their carapace or shell. The air affects the turtles’ buoyancy and makes it hard or impossible for the turtles to dive. Charlie was struck by a boat, which also paralyzed her rear flippers. But she was cared for by a Florida rescue facility where workers attached weights to the back of her shell and taught Charlie to swim and dive again. Now

this 135-pound turtle makes her home in Arizona at OdySea. Boudreaux is a green sea turtle who is a double amputee. Two of his fins had to be removed after becoming entangled in fishing line. He was found off the coast of Texas, but this 90-pound male now calls OdySea home.

OdySea gives a home to these tough, terrific turtles who would not be able to survive in the ocean on their own. It also has a mission to make things better for marine animals in their natural environment.

In 2017, OdySea won the Reef Alliance Award for its conservation and education efforts. OdySea offers educational presentations to classrooms and the community, takes part in clean up events like the Lake Pleasant and Salt River clean ups, and promotes marine life conservation every day. The folks at OdySea are doing their part to care for the animals that call the Scottsdale aquarium home, and make things better for marine life in the wild.

MORE WILDLIFE, page 12 ➧

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November 2018

It’s a

Butterflies To Go!

Continued from pages 10 & 11

Caution: Anteater Crossing You might not think of anteaters when you think about Tucson, but then again, maybe you do! Not only is the giant anteater the symbol of the Reid Park Zoo, but the zoo was home to the oldest anteater on record and is a leader in anteater reproduction, according to Brittany Caldwell. Anteaters born at Reid Park Zoo now live at zoos all around the world.

Caldwell is an education specialist at Reid Park Zoo, and she notes that zoo workers have learned much about this South American animal and share this knowledge with colleagues. The zoo also works on a project to help anteaters and humans to coexist—many anteaters get hit when crossing the road in their native land, Caldwell says.

Protecting an animal benefits more than just that species. “Biodiversity is critical to having a healthy planet,” says Caldwell. When any species’ numbers are decreased or wiped out, it can have devastating consequences for a widespread area.

Large animals in particular can be an umbrella species or keystone species, meaning that “by protecting them, everything else that also uses that space is protected…we take care of everybody also in that habitat,” explains Caldwell. This includes animals, insects, plants and even organisms that “we may not even know exist there,” she adds.

Have you been to Butterfly Wonderland at OdySea in the Desert or Butterfly Magic at Tucson Botanical Gardens? When you visit these or other butterfly exhibits, you help to preserve an important habitat!

Sustainable butterfly farms in Central and South America supply the exhibits and that helps to preserve precious rainforest habitat.

“Butterfly exhibits are supporting farmers in small communities,” explains Michael Madsen, curator of the tropical conservatory at TBG. He says that dozens of small farmers in areas like Costa Rica can make a living by harvesting butterflies instead of cutting trees and clearing land for agriculture. “(When) people care about the environment and keeping it clean, that’s a very important part of the butterfly trade,” says Madsen.

Did you ever wonder where the butterflies go when an exhibit ends? They are not released—all are non-native species. They get packed up and sent to another exhibit!

But how do you put a stamp on a butterfly?

Butterflies are cold-blooded, so they slow down when chilled, Madsen explains. Temperatures are turned down to make these flutterers less active, then they’re collected and placed in glassine envelopes “so they can’t flap around, can’t hurt themselves,” says Madsen. The envelopes go into a box with ice and are overnighted to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Virginia.

“They are in the box for less than 24 hours,” according to Madsen. Talk about airmail!

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Continued from page 8

Series of Unfortunate Events Is Full of Mystery, Adventure

by Reporter Ella Parsons Homeschool Do you like books with codes, mysterious tattoos and anagrams?

The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket is about the three Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny. They are trying to escape from Count Olaf, a villain only interested in their fortune.

They bounce around from guardian to guardian, but Count Olaf always shows up in a different disguise and schemes to murder the guardian to recapture the Baudelaire siblings.

With Violet’s inventing skills, Klaus’s researching skills and Sunny’s super sharp teeth, they survive 13 adventures. I’ve read all 13 books and seen the two seasons of the Netflix series. I’m planning to have a Series of Unfortunate Events birthday party with an “Escape from Count Olaf Room” with locks and codes, foods from the stories, and activities with disguises.

It’s a fun and mysterious series, so read at your own risk!

MORE SCOOPS, page 18 ➧

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Set the Stage for the Holidays!

! y r r Hu ov. 28

ne N Deadli

Win Tickets to one of these Holiday Events!

Color the picture and mark 1st, 2nd & 3rd next to the Holiday performances you & three family members would most like to see. Coloring page is also available online. Dozens of lucky winners! BearEssentialNews.com (click on Holiday Contests!)

LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS!

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Musical” Presented by East Valley Children’s Theater Nesbitt/Elliot Playhouse/Mesa Arts Center Nov. 29–Dec. 9 • 480-644-6500 • evct.org

“Miracle On 34th St.”

Presented by Arizona Broadway Theatre Nov. 23—Dec. 9 • 623-776-8400

“Holidays at the Zoo” • Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium Nov 23–Jan. 2 • 602-254-2151 • wildlifeworld.com “A Charlie Brown Christmas” • Presented by Arizona Broadway Theatre for Young Audiences Dec. 7–22 • 623-776-8400 • azbroadway.org “Winter Wonderland Express” • Enchanted Island Amusement Park Dec. 15 & 16 • 10 am–7pm • 602-254-1200 • enchantedisland.com “Zoo Lights” • Phoenix Zoo

Nov. 21–Jan. 13 5:30–10:30 pm • 602-273-1341 • phoenixzoo.org

“The Night Before Christmas” • Great Arizona Puppet Theatre Dec. 5–23 • Selected Times • 602-262-2050 • azpuppets.org

“Lights of the World Phoenix” • Arizona State Fairgrounds Nov. 2–Feb. 3 • lightsoftheworldus.com Herberger Theater $100 Gift Certificate for Any Show!

602-252-8497 •herbergertheater.org

“The Nutcracker” Presented by Ballet Arizona • Phoenix Symphony Hall Dec. 21 • 602-381-1096 • balletarizona.org

“Christmas Farm Lights” Presented by Vertuccio Farms • Mesa

Nov. 23–Jan. 11, 2019 (not open 12/24-25 and 12/31 or 1/1/19) 480-882-1482 • vertucciofarms.com/christmas-light-show/

Send to Bear Essential News/Holidays

2525 E. Broadway Blvd. #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 Entry Deadline is November 28, 2018

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Color the picture for a chance to win tickets!

Must be 14 or younger. One winner per household. Entries for multiple contests may be mailed in same envelope.

Send in your completed picture for a chance to win tickets!

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November 2018

Holiday Performances

2018–19 CALENDAR

S

ome families see certain shows each year as part of their annual holiday tradition. Some families may see a performance for the very first time as a special way to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. No matter which category your family falls into, make this holiday season meaningful, memorable and magical with a spectacular show or fun activity that you and your family can savor together.

There are a lot of options on the holiday menu at Arizona Broadway Theatre. Enjoy a Christmas classic with ABT’s production of “Miracle on 34th Street.” Based on the beloved film, “Miracle on 34th Street” tells the tale of a last-minute Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Santa. This replacement Kris Kringle may or may not be THE Santa Claus.

Filled with humor, spectacle, and treasured songs like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” this heart-warming musical is a must-see for the family this holiday season. “Miracle on 34th Street” runs Nov. 23 through Dec. 29. For more information, visit azbroadway.org.

Another classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” is also at ABT Dec. 7–22. All of your favorite Peanuts characters will come to life in this stage production of this sentimental seasonal story.

When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees during the Christmas season, Lucy prompts him to become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang need Linus to remind them of the real meaning of Christmas. Schroeder’s jazzy music, Snoopy’s antics and the holiday message will delight audiences of all ages. For more information, visit azbroadway.org.

The Great Arizona Puppet Theatre will make you jolly with its show, “The Night Before Christmas.” This joyful celebration of Christmas includes multiple stories, lots of music and an amazing array of puppets.

If you have seen this show before, get ready for some new stories this year that will make this family-friendly show better than ever! This show is recommended for ages 3–12. It runs Dec. 5–23, with a special event on Dec. 16 that includes the Annual Christmas Party. Tickets and reservations are required for the party. For more information, visit azpuppets.org.

If you are dazzled and delighted by holiday light displays, head over to the Arizona State Fairgrounds to check out the largest light and lantern festival in North America. Lights of the World will brighten the downtown Phoenix skies from Nov. 2. through Feb. 3, 2019. Admission includes free carnival rides. Kids 3 & under are admitted free.

Feel like a world traveler while you soak in the sights and sounds of different countries around the world, then go for a whirl on a fun carnival ride at Lights of the World. For more information, go to lightsoftheworldus.com.

November 2018 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

For farm family fun and an incredible holiday light show, head to the farm.

Vertuccio Farms in Mesa will host Christmas Farm Lights Nov. 23–Jan. 11.

This inaugural Christmas Farm Lights celebration will turn the farm into a winter wonderland with over 2 million lights courtesy of Dazzling Lights AZ. Go wild for the millions of lights on view at the Phoenix Zoo this Nov. 21 through Jan. 13. There will be glittering lights galore at the annual ZooLights event, and families will find a few new surprises, too. Animal viewing is limited during ZooLights, but you can meet a real reindeer, glide over to the Stingray Bay, ride the Polar Slide, or catch a show at the 4-D Theater.

ZooLights happens nightly from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit phoenixzoo.org.

If you are looking for a story with laughs and heart, check out “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the Musical” at East Valley Children’s Theatre. Based on the popular book by Barbara Robinson, the play tells about a couple’s struggle to put on a Christmas pageant at their church. They get more than they bargained for when the play is taken over by the Herdman kids—possibly the worst juvenile delinquents in history.

Will the story of the Holy Night be ruined by these holy terrors? Find out at the Nesbitt/Elliot Playhouse/Mesa Arts Center on Nov. 29 through Dec. 9. For more information, visit evct.org.

There are few things that evoke the holidays like fluttering snowflakes and a sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy! The music of “The Nutcracker” will have visions dancing in your head, but you can see them brilliantly brought to life by the dancers of Ballet Arizona with music by the Phoenix Symphony.

See the nutcracker prince battle larger-than-life mice and visit an enchanting world of swirling sweets and more! “The Nutcracker” is at Symphony Hall in December. For more information, visit balletarizona.org.

All aboard the Winter Wonderland Express as it takes its annual excursion to a snow-filled Enchanted Island Amusement Park on Dec. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This holiday train ride takes you to Enchanted Island with Christmas decorations and filled with snow!

Take pictures in the giant snow globe, play in the snow or even go sledding.

Visit Santa from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and enjoy hot cocoa and candy canes. For more information, visit www.enchantedisland.com.

Enjoy Holidays at the Zoo at Wildlife World Zoo from Nov. 23 through Jan. 2. See the largest collection of exotic animals in Arizona with more than 600 avian, terrestrial and aquatic species.

Check out the 100-foot-high Vertigo Swing, roller coaster, Soaring Eagle Zip Line and the Flying Scooter, too. Zoo exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aquarium exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.wildlifeworld.com.

Whether you plan to gear up for the season or relax for the holidays, the perfect way to celebrate is by enjoying a holiday performance or event with friends and family!

For more information on all of these activities, find contact information on page 15 in this issue. Enter the coloring contest for your chance to win tickets to a holiday performance or special event.

! s y a d i l o H y p p a H

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November 2018

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 8

by Reporter Paul Perez Kiva Elementary On Fall Break, I went to Bookmans in Phoenix with my grandma. It was my first time there. They had so many cool Pokemon cards and Minecraft books. I also looked at a lot of toys, like Streetfighters, board games and books. It was hard to make choices. They told me that if I brought in 10 book reviews they would give me $10 to spend on another book. It really turned out to be my lucky day!

When we went to check out the cashier said I was the lucky winner of the day and everything we had bought was free. This is the best store ever! I can’t wait to go back.

All Bookmans have a lucky winner twice a day, everyday!

by Reporters Natalia Garcia Servin & Jayden Rodriguez Arizona Desert Elementary The Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico. It is celebrated particularly in the central and south regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. We celebrate to remember people who have passed away.

On Nov. 4, St. Mary’s Basilica is hosting their fifth annual Día de los Muertos Festival, at 231 N. Third Street—it is free to the public. The family-friendly event includes children’s activities, face painting, balloon animals, live entertainment and Ballet Folklorico, food trucks and other events. There will also be a Día de los Muertos procession.

It will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is suggested that you bring a donation of non-perishable food for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank.

The marigold is the traditional flower of honor to celebrate the dead. These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offering. It is also believed the bright petals with their strong scent can guide souls from cemeteries. Families will also offer trinkets and sometimes favorite candies.

The common symbol of this celebration is the skull. Celebrants also decorate with skeletons, called calacas, wear masks (caretas) and eat food such as sugar and chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead.

Photo: wikipedia.org

Bookmans Store Makes a Big Impression

Celebrate Día de los Muertos

Adviser: Karen Golden

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November 2018 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

BEAR 40 YEARS

Thanksgiving Crossword Challenge!

Kids! Can you complete this crossword using the clues provided?

ACROSS

DOWN

3. A crop of the Pilgrims.

5. A day to give thanks.

7. A kind of meat for the holidays.

8. A Thanksgiving Day bird.

10. Native Americans.

11. You put this into a turkey.

1. They came over on the Mayflower.

2. To collect a crop.

3. A Thanksgiving basket.

4. A fruity Thanksgiving side dish.

5. A time-honored practice.

6. A crusty dessert.

9. Sweet potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

19

Answers: ACROSS 3. Corn, 5. Thanksgiving, 7. Ham, 8. Turkey, 10 Indians, 11. Stuffing DOWN 1. Pilgrims, 2. Harvest, 3. Cornucopia, 4. Cranberries, 5. Tradition, 6. Pies, 9. Yams

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