Bear Essential News June 2020, Phoenix Edition

Bear 40 YEARS!

June 2020 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

essential news

®

Wacky, Wonderful Places In This Picture: Find a pair of sunglasses, a paintbrush, a balloon, the word HOT!, a canoe, a slice of pizza, a swim fin, a toothbrush, the sun and the word CAMPS.

FAMILIES

CONTEST

FEATURE

NEWS

Travels with Boomer

S ummertime = Fun Time! Cool Milkweed Bug s P izza Box Challenge! Ice Cream Time

These places are Amazing! pages 6 & 7

Spotlight on NASA & SpaceX News Highlights page 3

NEWS & more news kids can use Scoops pages 5 & 8

AZ SciTech activity page Page 11

Win a prize pack!

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BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

June 2020

Let’s Go...

VALLEY METRO! ACTIVITY

Safety Begins With You! Valley Metro cares about the health and well-being of our community. For now, we are asking our passengers to use Valley Metro for essential trips only. That means taking the bus or light rail to get to work, go for groceries or for medical purposes.

Connect the dots to illustrate an important way to stop/slow spreading germs.

Then color to create a design.

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Safety begins with you. When you are on Valley Metro, we ask for your cooperation in several ways: Please practice social distancing. This means staying at least 6 feet away from others outside your family.

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Keep your hands off your face. Hand sanitizers can only do so much!

Buy your fare before your transit trip. Check valleymetro.org/where-to-buy to find the closest one.

Board the bus using the back door and show the driver your fare.

Thank you for doing your part for safety! We look forward to taking you to fun places once again.

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Carry and use hand sanitizers.

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Please wear a face covering. This will help keep you from spreading germs and help protect you from other people’s germs.

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Valley Metro at Home Valley Metro’s mission is to connect communities and enhance lives and one of our goals is to get you where you need to go as quickly and safely as possible. Online we have some activities to learn about Valley Metro services, the benefits of using public transportation, and how to use Valley Metro safely. Safety is a shared responsibility we all need to practice.

Please check it out and keep coming back for more cool stuff in the series. https://www.valleymetro.org/valley-metro-fun

Please visit valleymetro.org or call 602.253.5000 for all the latest updates.

valleymetro.org • 602.253.5000

June 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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News Highlights

An All-American Manned Mission!

Summer Is Time for Fun!

Clean the Windshield—It’s Movie Night!

to limit contact between people, from only allowing one family at a time to access restrooms to limiting concessions.

In Tucson, the Cactus Drive-In Theatre is hosting pop-up drive-in movies on a giant inflatable screen three or four nights a week. The people behind the pop-up have a goal of bringing a permanent drive-in theater to the city. Currently, West Wind Glendale 9 is Arizona’s only old-school drive-in still in operation.

Drive-ins have actually been around for more than 100 years as they first appeared in the 1910s!

The first patented drive-in opened in June 1933 in New Jersey, and it was advertised as a place where the whole family was welcome. The idea really took off and drive-ins gained popularity, especially in the 1950s and 60s.

At their peak, there were more than 4,000 drive-in theaters across the United States. That number has decreased over the years and now there are about 330 drive-in theaters still in operation. Who knows, maybe they will regain some popularity this summer if the pop-up drive-ins are successful! photo courtesy of azlocalbusiness.com

Grab your family and ask your parents to dust off their car keys because drive-in movie theaters are popping up across the state and allowing people to safely get out of the house for a little family film fun.

The concept is simple: with a large screen that lights up as the sun goes down, people can watch a movie from the comfort of their own cars, much like in the old days!

Earlier this spring, as movie theaters remained closed and people were looking for a way to get out of the house, pop-up drive-in theaters began opening across Phoenix. Around the Valley, you can find theaters at a variety of outdoor locations, such as Schnepf Farms and shopping centers.

There haven’t been any big new releases for the last few months, so the theaters are showing movies that cater to all sorts of tastes—from classics and horror movies to newer releases, such as “Onward” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.” All of the drive-ins are observing social distancing guidelines and taking steps

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Lightning delayed the launch by a few days, but when the 260-foot rocket powered its way into the sky on May 30, a long drought for America ended.

Dubbed the Demo-2 Mission, on board were long-time astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, heading for the International Space Station (ISS). This was the first time in almost 9 years that an American spacecraft carrying American astronauts lifted off from American soil!

The safe landing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis way back in July 21, 2011 marked the end of the shuttle program, and Hurley was the pilot! Up until May’s launch, NASA has relied on Russian spacecraft to get its astronauts to the ISS.

NASA photo

Summer is here and that means it’s time for some fun in the sun!

It has been a difficult few months for all of us, and the pandemic has left many people rethinking their summer vacation plans. Fortunately, we live in a state with lots of outdoor options for recreation.

The Phoenix Zoo, home to more than 3,000 animals, is reopening this month with shorter hours through Aug. 31. If your family is not quite ready to be around others just yet, the zoo is still offering its Cruise the Zoo option on select days through Aug. 10. Visitors can see some of their favorite animal residents from their car or motorcycle! For either option, tickets must be purchased in advance on the zoo’s website.

In Scottsdale, the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park began a phased reopening last month. The 30-acre park is a unique attraction and has resumed offering train and carousel rides.

If you are looking for some cooler weather, there are plenty of attractions to check out up north. Located in Williams, Bearizona offers both a walk-through and a drive-thru option to view North American animals in natural habitats. If camping or fishing sound more interesting, the White Mountains may be the right outdoor wonderland for a little summer getaway!

Throughout the state, there are several farms you can check out to pick your own produce and roam outside. Schnepf Farms can be found in Queen Creek, and Mortimer Farms is located in Dewey.

Arizona is also fortunate to be home to a number of national parks, monuments and memorials. These sites offer the opportunity to check out hiking trails, scenic views and historic sites. The parks are reopening in PHASES, so be sure to check out the National Park Service website before planning a visit.

For a truly unique Arizona experience, you can check out Kartchner Caverns. They started running limited cavern tours, by reservation only, earlier this month.

No matter what your interests may be or where you are in the state, you’ve got plenty of options for a little fun in the sun this summer!

BEAR 40 YEARS

Outfitted in SPIFFY spacesuits, Hurley and Behnken rode in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship propelled by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, which is partly reusable to save costs. NASA partnered with SpaceX, owned by transportation visionary Elon Musk, to develop this next generation of cargo and crew spacecraft. Gone are the dozens of toggle switches, indicator lights and gauges, replaced by large touchscreen control panels. And if that isn’t cool enough, the spaceship usually flies itself to dock with the ISS! Both astronauts are former military test pilots, and they did get the chance to fly their spaceship manually for part of their 19-hour trip, reaching an orbit 250 miles above the Earth.

“We did end up with one stowaway on board our vehicle when we launched today,” Behnken pointed out during a press conference from the ISS. “We do have an Apatosaurus aboard!” The sparkly blue-andpink long-necked stuffed dinosaur named Tremor was picked by the astronauts’ young kids to make the historic spaceflight.

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BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

June 2020

A Message from the Superintendent Dear School Leaders,

The Importance of Early Treatment!

CHECK

-UP!

EXAM, X-RAYS & CLEANING

$35

(for patients without insurance)

BRACES $

99

a month

www.KidzConnextion.com • 480-725-8413 • Text or Call 524 E. Baseline Rd. South Phoenix

2046 N. 24th St. Central Phoenix

2533 N. 75th Ave. West Phoenix

I

t is generally recommended that children visit the dentist every six months. Frequency of visits partly depend on the child’s eating habits, how clean his or her teeth are kept and whether the child drinks fluoridated water. Talk to your dentist to suggest a schedule of regular visits.

Summer is a great time to see the dentist.

Make an appointment now!

Unscramble each group of letters and you’ll discover the parts of a tooth. Use the words in the word search to help you.

I know that the past few months have been among the toughest of your careers. The last part of this school year was filled with unexpected circumstances that few of us could have imagined. Despite the challenges, we must recognize that Arizona’s schools have risen to the occasion to support their students, staff, and families in the face of these uncertain and challenging times. I have never been prouder to be a part of Arizona’s education community, and I am continually inspired by the work our schools have done during this emergency. While our coming school year will also look different from years past, and as the entire world grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I take heart knowing that our schools will continue to be bedrocks of support, comfort and stability.

There are still many unknowns about the future of this virus and its impact on our state. Still, the Arizona Department of Education remains committed to providing the field with as much guidance, support and clarity as possible.

With input from public health experts and education leaders across our state, we have developed “Arizona’s Roadmap for Reopening Schools.” It provides a series of recommendations for how schools can approach the 2020– 21 school year and offers adaptable considerations to meet each community’s unique needs. Given the fluidity of the public health situation, this will be a living document that will be updated based on the most current information.

Please continue to reach out to the Arizona Department of Education with your questions, feedback, challenges and success stories. We will continue to provide you with as much clear and timely support and guidance as possible.

Together, we will get through this and make sure all our students and their families have what they need to succeed.

Kathy Hoffman

Superintendent of Public Instruction For information on school openings and COVID-19 guidelines, visit www.azed.gov

pulp crown nerve root enamel

1. _______________________ 2. _______________________

4. _______________________

3. _______________________

5. _______________________

www.KidzConnextion.com

Be Prepared for Next School Year!

June 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Get the Scoop!

Milkweed Bugs Thrive in Arizona’s Heat!

by Reporter Athena O’Brien Cocopah Middle School

Milkweed bugs are my favorite bugs. Maybe you are small, red, and round with black antennae. As have seen them in your yard. They are red and gray they go through the nymph stage they get longer and with a black circle on their backs. The circle has two larger. They “molt” or shed their exoskeleton so they white dots, side by side in its center. They are oval can grow. They double in size within a few minutes. shaped, with short antennae, and small, round eyes.

The first markings they develop are black, saddleDid you know milkweed bugs have wings, and are shaped markings and able to fly? The first time I saw a milkweed two small black dots. bug fly, I didn’t As the nymphs get know what it was, larger, the dots get and it scared me larger too. Then a third a little. dot develops and the Milkweed milkweed bugs are bugs, and similar fully grown. looking bugs There are two called box elder different kinds of beetles flap their milkweed bugs, wings like a gray large and small. As blur, while their the name would red bodies sort of suggest, the large hang down, which milkweed bugs are d o fo r was what scared bigger than the fo hunt bug on the d e e w k il me. I thought it was small milkweed m tage A nymph s some kind of stinging bugs. Large milkweed bugs get as long as insect. They do not ¾ of an inch, while small milkweed bugs are only ½ bite or sting. Milkweed bugs eat the sap of milkweed of an inch. Small milkweed bugs are noticeable in plants, which is poisonous. As a result, milkweed bugs warm areas, like Arizona, all year round. If the area is are filled with poison, but they are only harmful to generally colder, they will only appear from spring birds. This prevents the bugs from being food for to fall. the birds.

Milkweed bugs eat milkweed plants, but milkweed Milkweed bugs have three stages: egg, nymph bugs in my yard seem to like a particular kind of weed. and adult. In my science class we built milkweed bug Rather than pull the weeds out, we kept them in for habitats and witnessed the bugs reach each stage the benefit of these cool bugs. Next time you go out of life. The eggs are very small and light yellow, into your yard, look for milkweed bugs! You might changing to red before they hatch. At first, the bugs even get to see one fly!

Life at Home During Coronavirus

by Reporter Gavin Abad, Kyrene del Milenio Elementary My brother and I were playing a video game when our mom informed us there was a new pandemic. We were all in shock. In the following days my mom kept us informed on the coronavirus.

A couple of weeks later school was shutdown and we started school from home. We used Zoom for some classes and Google Classroom for others. Well, here we are stuck at home doing online school and parents have to work five times harder. About school —I have to do work, chores, repeat. It is my new life now. I have to read the reader on a computer. Stores are closed and germs spread. We need to prepare for anything coming our way.

In 2005 President George W. Bush had read a

book about the Spanish Influenza and he went to top officials and told them the country needed to prepare for a pandemic that could happen in the future. In 2014 President Obama warned of the same thing. Our country did not prepare because people thought it could never happen, but here we are in the middle of a pandemic.

It can be a little scary, but there are ways to keep you safe. Make sure to constantly wash your hands and sanitize things around you house like doorknobs, cabinet knobs, counters and more. Keep social distance from others if you have to go to the grocery store and wear a mask and gloves.

BEAR 40 YEARS

5

News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Coronavirus Shuts Down Events, Schools & More

by Reporter Gianna Mercado Salvidio Apache Elementary Coronavirus is a new virus shutting down annual events, disrupting people’s daily lives, and infecting people worldwide.

Coronavirus, classified as COVID-19, forms in mammals and likely originated in bats. The first case of coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, China, on Nov. 7, 2019.

A 55-year-old individual was infected. By mid March, there were nearly 148,000 cases globally, with over 81,000 cases reported in China. COVID-19 has had cases on every continent except Antarctica.

To prevent the spread of this highly contagious illness, major sporting events were cancelled for the season. Some of the sports include spring training and regular season baseball, golf, basketball, ice hockey, boxing, tennis and swimming. More events were postponed for the public’s safety.

Sporting venues, unfortunately, weren’t the only public establishments shut down.

Restaurants and bars that don’t serve food were temporarily closed in New York and California. Business were encouraged to reduce business hours and enable employees to work from home, public and private schools were closed, non-essential government agencies were temporarily closed, and restaurants were limited to takeout and delivery all across America.

People in the U.S. were encouraged to work from home and self-quarantine.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued guidelines to aid in slowing the MORE CORONAVIRUS, page 8 ➧

REPORT FOR BEAR! Call toll free:

1-866-NEWS KID sponsors

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BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

June 2020

Boomer Bear Visits...

Wacky, Wonderful Places!

W

hile you might not travel far from home this summer, you can still visit some fantastic places online and in these pages!

HOOVER DAM

June 2020

Through engineering and architecture, it’s amazing how humans can reshape their surroundings. One spectacular area is partly here in Arizona with the massive Hoover Dam and its beautiful bypass bridge!

If your family is driving to Las Vegas from Arizona along US Highway 93, you’ll get to see the Hoover Dam—one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. Started by the federal government during the Great Depression, workers poured the first of the dam’s 4.36 million cubic yards of concrete in June 1933. Built to hold back the mighty Colorado River, this arch-gravity type dam is 726 feet tall. It opened on March 1, 1936.

The Hoover Dam created America’s largest reservoir—Lake Mead. When filled, the lake covers 247 square miles. Arizona, California and Nevada use water from this artificial lake. Ongoing drought and states drawing too much water have steadily lowered its water level. But Lake Mead remains a great spot for family fun, with boating, swimming, fishing and water skiing.

Just don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat!

The road leading to Hoover Dam is winding and traffic would often get snarled. So the government rerouted US 93 to a spectacular four-lane bypass bridge called the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened in 2010. This Colorado River crossing spans 1,060 feet and is 900 feet above the river! The massive twin arches that support the bridge are the widest concrete arches in the Western Hemisphere, and it is the second highest bridge in the United States.

Palm Jumeirah, UAE

Don’t forget to take lots of photos when you travel—and share them with your family and friends!

This man-made island extends into the Persian Gulf. Can you tell how it got its name? Palm Jumeirah is in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Construction on the fancifully shaped archipelago began in the summer of 2001 and took several years to complete.

The palm tree shaped area, made from sand DREDGED from the gulf and stones from the mainland, is home to many hotels, resorts and homes. The crescent is a breakwater, but it is split into three sections to allow some circulation of the seawater. The crescent surrounding the inner palm island is 650 feet wide and about 10.5 miles long. Palm Jumeirah was meant to be the first of three planned offshore developments. The other two have not been completed.

Six states along the Persian Gulf, including Dubai, merged in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates. A seventh state joined in 1972. The country has flat coastal plains, sand dunes and mountains to the east. About 85 percent of the population lives in the three largest states or emirates—Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

PALM JUMEIRAH

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 7

Cappadocia, Turkey If you visit central Turkey, whimsical earth formations called fairy chimneys might send you on a flight of fancy! These conical structures reach up to the sky in unique, fantastical shapes. Millions of years ago volcanic eruptions in the region resulted in tons of ash and lava that then turned into rock. This soft rock was easily shaped by wind and water, to become the fantastical shapes that dot the landscape and spark human imagination.

Due to the MALLEABLE nature of the volcanic rock in Cappadocia, early humans carved tunnels and caves into the rocks and valleys. Later people created homes and even ornate churches in the rock faces.

Some of the complex tunnels form underground cities that extend nearly eight stories below! The natural elements created quite the spectacle aboveground, too. The distinctive cone-shaped rocks look like columns, castles and even mushrooms—some going up about 13 stories, or 130 feet!

Turkey straddles both Asia and Europe, with the main landmass residing in Asia. The large peninsula is called Asia Minor or Anatolia. The country has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The capital of Turkey is Ankara. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923.

CAPPADOCIA Hoover Dam, USA

•

Machu Picchu, Peru

MACHU PICCHU

The striking view from high in the Andes Mountains shows the terraces and structures like the Temple of the Sun, built by huge stones put together without any mortar. The Incans built this impressive CITADEL in the 15th century, but ancient peoples were building terraces in the Andes over a thousand years ago to grow their crops.

Terraces are like steps— flat areas cut into the sides of mountains and hills to create farming areas on the steep slopes. These “steps” slow the water that runs down the mountains, providing better irrigation for crops and saving precious topsoil from being eroded. The terrace walls also help insulate the soil, keeping roots warm during the cold mountain nights.

Peru and neighboring Bolivia are where the potato was originated. Ancient Andean farmers also cultivated squash, peanuts and a quinoa-like plant. The country has tropical rainforests to the east, dry deserts to the west with the Andes mountains dividing the regions. The ancient civilization of the Incas fell when Spaniards colonized the Americas.

Peru declared independence from Spain in 1821.

LANGKAWI Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia Langkawi is an archipelago, or string of islands, along Malaysia’s west coast. If you want a bird’s eye view of the coastline and mountainside, try taking the cable car up to the Langkawi Sky Bridge. This 410-foot curved pedestrian bridge is 2,300 feet above sea level and provides a panoramic view for those who are not afraid of heights!

The bridge is on Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the Langkawi archipelago. The bridge is supported by steel cables suspended from a single tall tower. The bridge was lifted into place by helicopter. It was constructed in 2003 and 2004 and opened to the public in 2005. The bridge was closed between 2012 and 2015 for maintenance and repairs. It now boasts a glass walkway in the middle section, letting visitors marvel at the rainforest below.

The tropical country of Malaysia, containing many mountains, hills and coastlines, is split between the southeastern Asian peninsula bordering Thailand and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. The total area is slightly bigger than the state of New Mexico.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia achieved independence from Britain in 1957.

WHERE NEXT? If you and your family have the opportunity to travel to an interesting location this summer, please share your story and photos with Bear Essential News!

Happy Travels!

Feature images: shutterstock.com

Page 6

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

June 2020

Boomer Bear Visits...

Wacky, Wonderful Places!

W

hile you might not travel far from home this summer, you can still visit some fantastic places online and in these pages!

HOOVER DAM

June 2020

Through engineering and architecture, it’s amazing how humans can reshape their surroundings. One spectacular area is partly here in Arizona with the massive Hoover Dam and its beautiful bypass bridge!

If your family is driving to Las Vegas from Arizona along US Highway 93, you’ll get to see the Hoover Dam—one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. Started by the federal government during the Great Depression, workers poured the first of the dam’s 4.36 million cubic yards of concrete in June 1933. Built to hold back the mighty Colorado River, this arch-gravity type dam is 726 feet tall. It opened on March 1, 1936.

The Hoover Dam created America’s largest reservoir—Lake Mead. When filled, the lake covers 247 square miles. Arizona, California and Nevada use water from this artificial lake. Ongoing drought and states drawing too much water have steadily lowered its water level. But Lake Mead remains a great spot for family fun, with boating, swimming, fishing and water skiing.

Just don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat!

The road leading to Hoover Dam is winding and traffic would often get snarled. So the government rerouted US 93 to a spectacular four-lane bypass bridge called the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened in 2010. This Colorado River crossing spans 1,060 feet and is 900 feet above the river! The massive twin arches that support the bridge are the widest concrete arches in the Western Hemisphere, and it is the second highest bridge in the United States.

Palm Jumeirah, UAE

Don’t forget to take lots of photos when you travel—and share them with your family and friends!

This man-made island extends into the Persian Gulf. Can you tell how it got its name? Palm Jumeirah is in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Construction on the fancifully shaped archipelago began in the summer of 2001 and took several years to complete.

The palm tree shaped area, made from sand DREDGED from the gulf and stones from the mainland, is home to many hotels, resorts and homes. The crescent is a breakwater, but it is split into three sections to allow some circulation of the seawater. The crescent surrounding the inner palm island is 650 feet wide and about 10.5 miles long. Palm Jumeirah was meant to be the first of three planned offshore developments. The other two have not been completed.

Six states along the Persian Gulf, including Dubai, merged in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates. A seventh state joined in 1972. The country has flat coastal plains, sand dunes and mountains to the east. About 85 percent of the population lives in the three largest states or emirates—Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

PALM JUMEIRAH

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 7

Cappadocia, Turkey If you visit central Turkey, whimsical earth formations called fairy chimneys might send you on a flight of fancy! These conical structures reach up to the sky in unique, fantastical shapes. Millions of years ago volcanic eruptions in the region resulted in tons of ash and lava that then turned into rock. This soft rock was easily shaped by wind and water, to become the fantastical shapes that dot the landscape and spark human imagination.

Due to the MALLEABLE nature of the volcanic rock in Cappadocia, early humans carved tunnels and caves into the rocks and valleys. Later people created homes and even ornate churches in the rock faces.

Some of the complex tunnels form underground cities that extend nearly eight stories below! The natural elements created quite the spectacle aboveground, too. The distinctive cone-shaped rocks look like columns, castles and even mushrooms—some going up about 13 stories, or 130 feet!

Turkey straddles both Asia and Europe, with the main landmass residing in Asia. The large peninsula is called Asia Minor or Anatolia. The country has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The capital of Turkey is Ankara. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923.

CAPPADOCIA Hoover Dam, USA

•

Machu Picchu, Peru

MACHU PICCHU

The striking view from high in the Andes Mountains shows the terraces and structures like the Temple of the Sun, built by huge stones put together without any mortar. The Incans built this impressive CITADEL in the 15th century, but ancient peoples were building terraces in the Andes over a thousand years ago to grow their crops.

Terraces are like steps— flat areas cut into the sides of mountains and hills to create farming areas on the steep slopes. These “steps” slow the water that runs down the mountains, providing better irrigation for crops and saving precious topsoil from being eroded. The terrace walls also help insulate the soil, keeping roots warm during the cold mountain nights.

Peru and neighboring Bolivia are where the potato was originated. Ancient Andean farmers also cultivated squash, peanuts and a quinoa-like plant. The country has tropical rainforests to the east, dry deserts to the west with the Andes mountains dividing the regions. The ancient civilization of the Incas fell when Spaniards colonized the Americas.

Peru declared independence from Spain in 1821.

LANGKAWI Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia Langkawi is an archipelago, or string of islands, along Malaysia’s west coast. If you want a bird’s eye view of the coastline and mountainside, try taking the cable car up to the Langkawi Sky Bridge. This 410-foot curved pedestrian bridge is 2,300 feet above sea level and provides a panoramic view for those who are not afraid of heights!

The bridge is on Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the Langkawi archipelago. The bridge is supported by steel cables suspended from a single tall tower. The bridge was lifted into place by helicopter. It was constructed in 2003 and 2004 and opened to the public in 2005. The bridge was closed between 2012 and 2015 for maintenance and repairs. It now boasts a glass walkway in the middle section, letting visitors marvel at the rainforest below.

The tropical country of Malaysia, containing many mountains, hills and coastlines, is split between the southeastern Asian peninsula bordering Thailand and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. The total area is slightly bigger than the state of New Mexico.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia achieved independence from Britain in 1957.

WHERE NEXT? If you and your family have the opportunity to travel to an interesting location this summer, please share your story and photos with Bear Essential News!

Happy Travels!

Feature images: shutterstock.com

8

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

June 2020

B

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 5

Time to Enjoy the Earth

by Reporter Paul Perez, Kiva Elementary I’ve been enjoying the Earth while being out of school due to COVID-19.

I’ve been doing a lot of hiking through Arizona. I saw a lot of wildlife like chuckwallas, geckos and chipmunks. I even got to see a beehive up close. My dad got me a new bike and I’ve been riding it all over the neighborhood with him. My sister and I made obstacle courses in our backyard. I’ve had a lot of fun doing these things outdoors.

Let’s keep the Earth clean by doing our part in recycling. One thing you can do is donate things you don’t need or want. Another way to recycle is to turn a milk jug into a toy car. You can also recycle by doing a compost in your backyard. These are just a few ways to recycle to help the Earth. If we take care of the Earth, then it will take care of us by providing lots of fun activities.

More Coronavirus

Continued from page 5

spread of this virus in America. People are encouraged to stay home if they feel sick, keep their children home if they’re sick, keep entire households home if someone in household has tested positive for COVID-19, and older persons and people with serious underlying health conditions are encouraged to stay home and away from other people.

Young, otherwise healthy people are encouraged to do their part to slow the spread of the virus by working from home whenever possible, avoiding social gatherings and discretionary travel, and practicing good hygiene.

There is still a lot of information about coronavirus in development. Check out www.cdc.gov or national news or your local news station to stay informed on COVID-19.

June 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

BEAR 40 YEARS

9

Virtual Programs Bring Girl Scouts Experience Home This Summer Stay connected while social distancing with virtual Girl Scout programming! Girls can join the Girl Scout adventure this summer from the comfort of their own homes. In June, girls can meet through daily Zoom calls with camp staff and other girls their age. They will engage in activities that foster connectedness and social-emotional wellbeing.

Camp Club House participants will learn Girl Scout values, meet new friends, develop leadership skills, and become part of a network of girls building courage, confidence and character. Sign up for one week, or all four weeks happening June 8 through July 3.

Camp Club House is a great way for new members to begin their Girl Scouting journey, and all girls are welcome! Not a Girl Scout? Not a problem! Simply add a $25 Girl Scout membership fee to your registration of $5–$15 per week. All girls receive a camp patch and camper highlight form mailed to Emma from Tr oop 7286 join s Girl Scouts them at the end of the camp session. for a virtual ca online mpfire—s’mor es and all!

With resident and day camps cancelled due to COVID-19, Girl Scouts and local Arizona Cactus-Pine

JOIN GIRL SCOUTS ONLINE THIS

SUMMER Log on, tune in, and take part in virtual programming

.org/camp

z girlscoutsa

girlscoutsaz.o

rg/virtual-gs

Council are adapting to girls’ needs and providing ways to experience Girl Scouting at home. In July, girls can earn badges and patches, learn new skills and even earn summer school credit through the Council’s Summer Adventures program. This self-paced program has a mix of live and recorded sessions and downloadable content to allow girls and families to fit into their schedule. Girls in grades 7-12 can earn free summer school credit through ASU Prep Digital.

Program curriculum supports life skills, STEM, entrepreneurship and the outdoors, and is designed for each Girl Scout age level.

Summer Adventures is a four-week program, July 6-31, and perfect for any girl wanting to begin her Girl Scout journey. Girls learn new skills, get to be a part of a community with other girls their age and are engaged in a program that supports their academic success. They will be supported by program staff and licensed educators. A $100 donation is suggested for this four-week program.

However, thanks to the cookie program and generous supporters, participants may choose whatever amount they can contribute to help support this program.

To register and learn more about these programs and additional Girl Scouts at home programming, visit girlscoutsaz.org/virtual-gs. For additional support or questions about registration, call 602-452-7030 (Se Habla Español 602-452-7011).

Join Girl Scouts today!

Visit girlscoutsaz.org

Text joinGS to 31996 or call 602-452-7040

REGISTER TODAY! @GSACPC

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• June 2020

Black Mountain BMX

We Are OPEN and

RACING!

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www.blackmountainbmx.com Volume 41 • Issue 10

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Nancy Holmes

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