Your adjudicated newspaper for Riverside County
desert
STAR W E E K L Y
PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID
2 asteroids to scream past Earth Wednesday, including one discovered only LAST WEEK
Desert Hot Springs, CA PERMIT NO 00005
August 28, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 66
Reach for the Sky
New Sunnylands exhibition blends the art of Herb Alpert and Canada’s First Nations carvers By Desert Star Staff RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.—Carving totem poles out of sky-high cedar trees is a tradition for the Hunt family, members of the Kwakiutl tribe of British Columbia, Canada. From one generation to the
next, through mastery of woodcarving, the family has preserved a vital component of its Native American culture. For Herb Alpert, the musical-industry legend, totem poles carved by the Hunts and others were a source of
National Dog Day!
Inspiration. As an artist who paints and sculpts, Alpert decided to “go vertical” and create great works of his own after seeing the totem poles of Canada’s indigenous peoples in Vancouver. Sunnylands Center &
Gardens is showcasing the work of Alpert and the Hunts in its newest exhibition, Reach for the Sky: Tradition + Inspiration. The show blends pieces of art by three generations of the Hunt family—brightly-colored totem poles, ceremonial
masks, and wall plaques— with Alpert’s contemporary paintings and vertical, abstract bronze sculptures. “At the heart of this exhibition, the time-honored
Wild Dog habitat to say hi to mom, dad, and puppies. The African Wild Dog puppies are growing fast and now 17 weeks old and weigh
around 24-27 pounds. They are fully weaned from mom’s milk and eating solid foods on their own. You can catch them spending
most of their summer days lounging in the cool high grass alongside their parents.
Continues on Page 12
Celebrate by Adopting an African Wild Dog
By Desert Star Staff One of the world’s most endangered canids is the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). Currently listed as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), African wild dog populations number fewer than 5,000 individuals. As one of the most endangered African carnivores, African wild dog populations are struggling and in decline due to humanwildlife conflict, habitat destruction, and canine diseases, like distemper and rabies. The Living Desert
supports specific African wild dog conservation projects that work to bolster wild populations. Beatrix, Kiraka and the newest additions are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which enables a healthy, genetically diverse, and self-sustaining population of species in human care. African wild dogs are a highpriority species for wildlife conservation, and you can help by adopting one today! If you’re planning to visit The Living Desert today, be sure to stop by the African
Continues on Page 5