Bear Essential News September 2020, Tucson Edition

Bear 40 YEARS!

September 2020 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

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In This Picture: Find a hot dog, a microphone, a coffee mug, a fall leaf, a pencil, BALLOT, a balloon, a magnifying glass, a wrench, a superhero’s mask and the letters USA.

FEATURE

NEWS

NEWS

R ace for the White House Movie Theaters O pen! G irls W ho Code Key moments of voting rights Pages 8 & 9

Spotlight on Chadwick Boseman News Highlights page 3

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 5, 11, 12 & 14

FAMILIES

CONTEST

Cheese S ticks Hallow een Costume?

A fun & easy recipe!

Back Cover

Enter Bear’s virtual contest!

Page 13

2

BEAR 40 YEARS •

September 2020

www.bearessentialnews.com

September 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

B

News Highlights

Modified Mosquitoes May Be the Answer!

A whopping 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes are going to be released in Florida. Yes, 750 million. And yes, genetically modified.

Sounds like something out of a science fiction book or movie, right?

It’s true and is actually being done intentionally! Local officials in Florida have approved the release of the modified mosquitoes. The goal of this is to reduce the local populations of mosquitoes that carry diseases which can infect people.

Male mosquitoes actually don’t bite people—they feed on flower nectar. Female mosquitoes are the ones who bite people and require blood to produce their eggs.

So the plan in Florida is to release the male, modified mosquitoes and let them breed with the wild female mosquitoes in the hopes that only the males will survive to pass on the genes. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next spring in the Florida Keys.

While some people are optimistic about the goals of the release, others have questioned the plan.

These people have expressed concern about dam-

age to ecosystems and the potential for creating a mosquito that is more RESISTANT to insecticides.

For most people, mosquitoes are just a minor annoyance that can leave short-term itchy spots on the skin. Unfortunately, mosquitoes also carry a wide variety of diseases, including malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and Dengue fever.

There are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world and about 200 of those species live in the United States! In Arizona, mosquitos are most abundant between March and October, but they can be active year-round in parts of our state.

There are a few simple things you can do to help minimize your exposure to these pesky bugs. Mosquitos are weak fliers, so an oscillating fan can be an effective tool in keeping them at bay. Minimizing the standing water around your home and empty buckets and containers is a good idea, as is removing the unnecessary junk and waste if you have a yard. Things that you wouldn’t even expect, like old tires, can be sneaky hiding areas for mosquitoes.

udios © disneyst

may not be the biggest movie of the month if Disney has its way.

“Mulan” is now streaming on ulan Disney+. For i Liu as M e if Y s s e Actr $30, viewers can access the Premier Access feature to watch “Mulan” as often as they want as long as they subscribe to Disney+.

“Mulan” was originally supposed to premiere earlier in the year, but its release was delayed because of the pandemic that required theaters to close. Disney has not yet announced whether other movies will be released directly to viewers to watch from their living rooms or whether this will be a one-time type of distribution. There are still some places where the movie is being released in theaters. In places where theaters have been able to reopen and Disney+ is unavailable, like China, Disney is releasing the film to the big screen.

3

Black Panther Actor Boseman Dies at 43

Movie Theaters Are Ready to Reopen!

Big movies are coming back to the big screen… and your living room.

For many people, summer includes swimming to stay cool and checking out the latest movie at the local theater for some popcorn and frosty air conditioning.

This summer certainly looked different for a lot of people as COVID-19 shut down theaters and film companies for most of 2020. The good news for movie fans is that theaters are reopening and moviemakers are coming up with new ways to get films in front of audiences.

Harkins Theaters reopened all of its Arizona locations on Aug. 28. They will be showing a mix of some older movies and new releases and using strategies to help moviegoers stay safe that are becoming more familiar to all of us: requiring face masks, offering sanitizing stations throughout the theater, and requiring reserved seating to ensure social distancing.

Harkins, Century, AMC, Roadhouse and Galaxy have opened theaters in Tucson, showing new releases and some older movies. Like Harkins, these theaters are all taking precautions to help keep customers safe.

AMC’s reopening date coincides with the release date of a blockbuster PG-13 movie, “Tenet.” But that

BEAR 40 YEARS

Chadwick Boseman, known to millions as Black Panther, died of cancer Aug. 28 at the age of 43. Boseman portrayed real life American heroes and legends like Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall, but he will forever be remembered for his DIGNIFIED role as a fictional African king and superhero.

Boseman was born Nov. 29, 1976, in Anderson, South Carolina. He graduated from Howard University and started working in television and film. His breakout role was in the movie “42” as baseball legend Robinson.

He earned critical acclaim in the film, which showed Robinson’s struggles as the first Black athlete to play on a Major League team. MLB tweeted, “His transcendent performance in ‘42’ will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come.”

Chadwick Boseman FACTS: • Born Nov. 29, 1976 • Graduated from Howard University in 2000 and returned to deliver commencement speech in 2018 • Attended British American Drama Academy at Oxford

“Captain America: Civil War” was the debut of Boseman’s Black Panther in the Marvel Studios universe. After learning of his co-star’s death, Chris Evans posted, “Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create.”

As King T’Challa, Boseman led a “Black Panther” cast that smashed box office records and won Best Cast in a Motion Picture at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The crossed-arm salute and rallying cry “Wakanda Forever” became a universal message.

Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, but he kept the news private and continued to work in between surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy. He died at his home near Los Angeles with his wife and family by his side.

Spider-Man actor Tom Holland posted a photo of one of Boseman’s visits to meet a fan in the hospital. Holland wrote, “Chadwick, you were even more of a hero off screen than on.

A role model not only to me on set, but to millions of others around the world. You brought joy and happiness to so many and I’m proud to have been able to call you a friend.”

4

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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September 2020

Why Today Is a Great Day to Join Cub Scouts —Scout Me In! What’s best about being a Cub Scout? Is it all the great activities you get to do with other kids? Is it the family fun? The friends you make?

The Catalina Council hopes that you and your family are interested in joining!

Boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade can be Cub Scouts and find out for themselves. It’s quality time for the whole family, and

fun, hands-on learning and achievement.

All of the activities—all the fun you’ll have—are designed to build character and resourcefulness in our youth.

And kids can join at any age, with the Scouting activities always being age-appropriate. Cub Scouts are divided into boy dens or girl dens of the same age and grade.

A first-grader, for example, might need to find an egg carton and create a collection, explaining their collection to the family or other Cub Scouts in the den. Fourth- and fifth-graders will learn more specific skills to earn activity pins that are closely patterned after merit badges in Scouts BSA. Making new friends—hopefully lifelong ones— is another benefit of being a Cub Scout. And with it being sign-up time, today is a great day to join!

Check out 4 Easy Steps to Join Scouting to the left.

ting u o c S n i to Jo s p at e t S a Council n li ta a C 4 Easy r call od out.org o ighborho

Want another reason to join Cub Scouts? Join

by Oct. 31 and receive a voucher for a free “Cub Camp in a Box!” It includes everything you need for a fun camp at home with a T-shirt, wood projects, tie dye and much more!

ww.beasc d a unit in your ne 1. Visit w ng 385 to fin for meeti r 520-750-0 e d a le it un out to the ) date/time 2. Reach n or Zoom (in perso tion te applica le p ng! m o C .

3 in Scouti e r tu n e v our Ad 4. Start Y

CUB SCOUTING...

• Nurtures leadership and character growth • Strengthens families • Helps boys and girls develop interests and skills • Provides adventure • Creates fellowship • Promotes diversity • Teaches duty to God and country • Is FUN!

SCOUTING OATH

SCOUTING LAW

MISSION

Call 520-750-0385 or find a unit near you at BeAScout.org • 2250 E. Broadway Blvd. • Tucson, AZ

September 2020 •

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Get the Scoop!

Join the Club—Girls Who Code

by Reporter Travis Cooper, Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learning Girls in 6th-12th grades are invited to join a free “Girls Who Code” club hosted by Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) at UArizona. This year the club will meet online, so girls anywhere can join.

“Students with all levels of coding experience are welcome, though the program is designed as a first introduction to coding,” explained Amanda Bertsch, the Lead Facilitator of the club.

Girls Who Code is a global, nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the tech gender gap with more than 8,500 club chapters in the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.

The UArizona Girls Who Code club aims to spark girls’ interest in technology careers. But the program can enrich students regardless of their professional goals.

“Computer science skills are incredibly valuable— whether you want to be a programmer or a scientist or an artist selling your own work,” said Bertsch.

The club has led some students to big opportunities in technology and research.

“This summer I worked with researchers at the

University of Maryland to develop a neural network,” said Portia Cooper, an 11th grader at Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learning, who was selected to participate in a competitive, national AI program.

“I joined Girls Who Code when I was 12, and I found out that I love coding. I kept coding on my own and took programming classes,” said Cooper, who now volunteers at the club.

Through Girls Who Code, Bertsch hopes to give students early exposure to tech skills.

“I was lucky enough to grow up with computer science as a part of my life; my mother is a software engineer and introduced me to coding at an early age,” said Bertsch.

“I think everyone deserves access to the kind of resources that I had.”

An online Open House for the club will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon and can be joined at http://bit.ly/ua-gwc-meeting. If possible, students and their parents should join the meeting from different devices, as separate activities are planned.

Bertsch can be reached at abertsch@email.arizona. edu to answer any questions about the club.

What’s the Science Behind Face Masks?

by Reporter Aleena Rafiyath, BASIS Oro Valley Currently during the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have been a suggestion by scientists and health officials to help prevent the spread of the virus, along with hand washing and socially distancing. Here is information regarding the science of how mask wearing helps prevent the spread and which materials are best.

The information included is from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other relevant websites.

The CDC recommends that everyone wear masks in public, particularly in settings where it is hard to maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet between people). Masks made of the right material prevent respiratory droplets, which are possible transmission methods for harmful bacteria and the virus.

A study done by a microbiologist demonstrates the distance that respiratory particles can spread both with and without masks. This demonstration included using petri dishes and performing the many ways particles can spread. For example the microbiologist coughed for 15 seconds into the dishes from 2, 4, and 6 feet away. The farther the distance, the less bacteria growth

on the dish, but with a mask, the growth was even less for each distance compared to without.

Not all masks are the same. Some are more effective in preventing the spread of COVID than others depending on the material. Masks that are proven to be most effective are N-95 or KN-95. These are difficult to get these days because they are reserved for healthcare workers and certain essential workers.

Surgical masks are more available for the public and are the next best material. Amongst the cloth and homemade masks, these materials are next effective when in combination with each other: tightly woven cotton combined with chiffon, and cotton combined with natural silk.

The CDC recommends the best way to protect yourself during this pandemic is frequent hand washing, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces, social distancing and covering your nose and mouth with a mask in public places.

MORE SCOOPS, page 11 ➧

BEAR 40 YEARS

5

News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Girl Scouts Adapt

by Going Virtual

by Reporter Helen Johnson Orange Grove Middle School Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts is a wonderful community program. It lets girls be strong, respectful and kind, and it builds character. As a Girl Scout here in Tucson, I really enjoy earning badges with other scouts from my troop. Fun fact about Girl Scouts–our motto is “be prepared.”

In the 1947 Girl Scout handbook, it says: “A Girl Scout is ready to help out whenever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency.

When you read of great heroism or lives of men and women who gave great service to humanity, you will notice that these people were able to do so much only because they had trained themselves along the way.”

My favorite badge that we earned last year was “Detective.” We got to learn how to take fingerprints and solve a mystery!

This past year has been hard. Every Girl Scout gets to work with a partner to teach a badge to the others in our troop.

My partner and I were supposed to teach ours in April, but that unfortunately didn’t happen because of the pandemic.

There are levels of Girl Scouts; first comes a Daisy, then Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador. My troop bridged to Cadettes this year. Bridging is when you move up from your current level MORE GIRL SCOUTS, page 12 ➧

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September 2020

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BEAR 40 YEARS

SEAT BELTS! CAR SEATS! Seatbelt Basics Whenever you ride in a car, wear your seatbelt every time! No matter how short the trip, you still need to buckle up.

Always buckle up as soon as you get into a car. Riding in a friend’s or relative’s car is no excuse to skip the seatbelt. Even if your friend or friend’s parents don’t wear seatbelts, always wear yours.

Toddlers 2 and under must use rear-facing car seats, and car seats are a MUST for kids under 5 Booster Seats Kids who are five or older also need a booster seat. Booster seats help you sit up high enough so the seatbelt fits properly across your chest. Kids should remain in a car seat until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall and are at least 8 to 12 years old.

Get in the Back, and Buckle Up! Kids 12 years old and younger need to sit in the back seat and always buckle up. It’s simply the safest place to be. You have much less chance of being hurt if you’re in a crash. And you won’t be injured if the airbag inflates during a crash. Infants and children 12 years of age and under should travel in the back seat and be properly restrained.

What about Air Bags?

Air bags cushion passengers during a crash to keep them from hitting the dashboard or windshield. But even though air bags have saved many adults’ lives, kids 12 years and younger should never sit in the front seat of a car that has air bags. That’s because air bags are made to protect a bigger person’s body, and when they open they can hurt kids.

Take the True/False Test to see what you know about injury prevention!

T or F

Most injuries from car crashes can be prevented by using car seats and safety belts.

Every person in the car needs his own safety belt or age-appropriate child safety seat or booster seat!

T or F

It’s okay to buckle two people into one belt.

T or F

Never hold a child on your lap in the car.

T or F

It’s safe for children to ride in the cargo area of a station wagon, van or pickup.

T or F

Never leave a child alone in the car, even for a moment.

Infants and children 12 years of age and under should travel in the back seat and be properly restrained.

Answers: 1)T, 2) F, 3)T, 4) F, 5) T, 6)T

T or F

7

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RACE WHITE HOUSE Page 8

September 2020

FOR THE

Voting for the President Although the seemingly endless TV ads tell us who to vote for, we actually do not vote for president—at least not directly. When voters cast their ballot (election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3), they actually will elect other people to vote for them! This group that votes for president is called the electoral college.

National elections draw millions of voters compared to local elections. This national presidential election is really a separate election in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Every state gets electoral votes according to how many seats they have in the House of Representatives plus the Senate. That makes 538 people in the electoral college overall.

When we vote for president we are choosing which party gets the most votes in our state. Arizona, like most states, gives all its electors to whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes. Ne-

braska and Maine choose two electors by statewide popular vote and the rest by popular vote within each of its congressional districts.

The electoral college then votes for president and vice president with each elector casting one vote.

The candidate who gets more than half of the electoral votes becomes president. The president will be INAUGURATED on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.

But if no candidate gets a majority of the electoral votes (at least 270), then Congress votes to choose the winners, with the House of Representatives getting one vote per state to select the next president, and the Senate voting in the new vice president!

Major Events in American Voting The first national election was held over weeks from Dec. 1788 to Jan. 1789. George Washington won this quadrennial election (happening every four years) and was inaugurated on April 30, 1789.

Amendments are a way of making changes to the U.S. Constitution. On Feb. 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment, which made it unconstitutional to deny citizens the right to vote based on their race, was ratified by Congress, and later affirmed by the states. This was only the beginning of giving Black Americans the right to vote since many laws and voter restrictions were still in place. While the Constitution legally opened the voting booth to Black men, they still had obstacles to clear to cast their votes.

Some states kept Black Americans from voting using poll taxes, literacy tests, Jim Crow laws and intimidation.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which made it unconstitutional to deny a person their voting rights based on their sex. It took decades of campaigning for women in this country to get the right to vote. Read on to learn more about the CENTENNIAL of the 19th Amendment.

Not Everyone Could Vote Unfortunately the 15th Amendment did not give Native Americans the right to vote—they were not recognized as U.S. citizens at the time. Despite Native Americans being granted U.S. citizenship in 1924, many of them still were not allowed to vote, including here in Arizona! That changed with an Ari-

Help Boomer Bear answer this election question!

Circle the correct answer on the game board.

What is the Electoral College? a local college

electric company

part of the voting process

a new music group

Voting rights leaders march from Selma to Montgomery, AL in 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (center)

Before the 24th Amendment was ratified on Jan. 23, 1964, some states required voters to pay poll taxes in order to be able to vote in federal elections.

Charging such fees was deemed unconstitutional—it unfairly prevented poorer citizens, which often included Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans from voting.

Coming about from the Civil Rights protests and campaigning of the 1960s, the Voting Acts Right of 1965 made several state voting restrictions illegal.

Many of these state laws, many in Southern states, were meant to keep certain racial groups from being able to vote. By 1966 a quarter million new Black voters had registered to vote! A year later, only four of 13 Southern states still had less than half of their eligible Black population registered to vote.

The 26th Amendment, ratified by Congress on July 1, 1971, changed the legal voting age from 21 to 18. This amendment passed easily—the logic being that if a person at 18 was old enough to be drafted in order to fight for the country, that person ought to be able to vote, too!

2020 also marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that reasonable accommodations be made (including at polling places where you cast your vote) for people with disabilities.

Our democracy still has a ways to go before voting is truly representative of the American population. We need to continue moving forward, keep fairness in mind and encourage those eligible to step up and vote.

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 9

Unscramble the letters below to figure out the election words and candidate names. Good luck!

STIENEDRP

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

TEVO

__ __ __ __

OJ GEENORJSN

__ __

TERIFADI

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

in Salt Lake City, NV in 1895. Susan B. Anthony (front-center)

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

(Libertarian Party)

WOIHE SKINWAH __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (Green Party)

FERUAGFS

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

HESPOJ ENBDI

__ __ __ __ __ __

CAT

__ __ __

DANDOL PURMT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

CENIELTO

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

MEANNEMTD

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

spent decades protesting and demanding the vote.

Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were activists for women’s voting rights, or women’s suffrage, starting in the mid 1800’s in For American women, the right to vote came one America. Suffrage comes from the Latin word sufcentury ago. The 19th Amendment was RATIFIED fragium, meaning a vote or a right to vote. on Aug. 26, 1920. It decreed that “the right of Anthony voted illegally in 1862 and was arrestcitizens of the United States to vote shall not be ed, tried in court and fined $100. She continued to denied or abridged by the United States or by any advocate for women’s suffrage, but Anthony died in State on account of sex.”

1906 so she was never legally able to cast her vote.

Before the 19th Amendment, American women In January 1917, women started picketing outside the White House to urge President Woodrow Wilson to support an amendment to allow women the vote. The protesters stood outside the White House gates with their signs and banners, but without speaking and so earned the name the Silent Sentinels. These women waged their silent protest for almost two years. Hundreds were arrested and jailed, some were beaten and some went on hunger strikes.

Congress passed the Woman Suffrage leaders at the Rocky Mountain Suffrage Meeting 19th Amendment in June

Women in America Get the Vote

Image: commoms.wikimedia.org

T

he U.S. Constitution established our country as a democracy and defines how it shall run.

Although our democracy is not perfect, the freedom to choose who leads us—the right to vote— is one of our most important freedoms.

While ours is not the only democratic country, many people around the world do not have this key freedom. It is important to know that while just about every adult American is entitled to vote, that has not always been the case here in the United States.

Who gets to vote and even the voting age has evolved, and Bear Essential News goes over some of the most important changes that make it so more U.S. citizens can vote.

zona Supreme Court ruling in 1948.

“It has ever been one of the great responsibilities of supreme courts to protect the civil rights of the American people of whatever race or nationality, against encroachment,” wrote Judge Levi Udall.

A New Mexico court had a similar ruling later that year. Native Americans had to fight for their rights state by state. Utah was the last state to guarantee Native American voting rights in 1962.

•

Presidential Word Scramble

Photo credit: History.com

Have you ever thought about why we vote, or how the whole process even works? Boomer has done some research to help make it easier to understand!

September 2020

__ __ __ __ __

(Democratic Party)

(Republican Party)

1919, but it needed to be ratified by three-fourths of the states to become law. Tennessee was the 36th state to ratify the amendment on Aug 18, 1920. It was certified on Aug 26, and so became the law of the land.

In some U.S. territories and states, women were able to vote and hold elected office before the passage of the 19th amendment. Women in Arizona gained the right to vote in November 1912. One of the leaders of the state’s suffrage movement, Frances Willard Munds, was also the first woman elected to the Arizona Senate in 1914.

When it came time to ratify the 19th Amendment and give other American women the right to vote, four Arizona women in the state legislature sponsored the resolution to pass the amendment.

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

RACE WHITE HOUSE Page 8

September 2020

FOR THE

Voting for the President Although the seemingly endless TV ads tell us who to vote for, we actually do not vote for president—at least not directly. When voters cast their ballot (election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3), they actually will elect other people to vote for them! This group that votes for president is called the electoral college.

National elections draw millions of voters compared to local elections. This national presidential election is really a separate election in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Every state gets electoral votes according to how many seats they have in the House of Representatives plus the Senate. That makes 538 people in the electoral college overall.

When we vote for president we are choosing which party gets the most votes in our state. Arizona, like most states, gives all its electors to whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes. Ne-

braska and Maine choose two electors by statewide popular vote and the rest by popular vote within each of its congressional districts.

The electoral college then votes for president and vice president with each elector casting one vote.

The candidate who gets more than half of the electoral votes becomes president. The president will be INAUGURATED on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.

But if no candidate gets a majority of the electoral votes (at least 270), then Congress votes to choose the winners, with the House of Representatives getting one vote per state to select the next president, and the Senate voting in the new vice president!

Major Events in American Voting The first national election was held over weeks from Dec. 1788 to Jan. 1789. George Washington won this quadrennial election (happening every four years) and was inaugurated on April 30, 1789.

Amendments are a way of making changes to the U.S. Constitution. On Feb. 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment, which made it unconstitutional to deny citizens the right to vote based on their race, was ratified by Congress, and later affirmed by the states. This was only the beginning of giving Black Americans the right to vote since many laws and voter restrictions were still in place. While the Constitution legally opened the voting booth to Black men, they still had obstacles to clear to cast their votes.

Some states kept Black Americans from voting using poll taxes, literacy tests, Jim Crow laws and intimidation.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which made it unconstitutional to deny a person their voting rights based on their sex. It took decades of campaigning for women in this country to get the right to vote. Read on to learn more about the CENTENNIAL of the 19th Amendment.

Not Everyone Could Vote Unfortunately the 15th Amendment did not give Native Americans the right to vote—they were not recognized as U.S. citizens at the time. Despite Native Americans being granted U.S. citizenship in 1924, many of them still were not allowed to vote, including here in Arizona! That changed with an Ari-

Help Boomer Bear answer this election question!

Circle the correct answer on the game board.

What is the Electoral College? a local college

electric company

part of the voting process

a new music group

Voting rights leaders march from Selma to Montgomery, AL in 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (center)

Before the 24th Amendment was ratified on Jan. 23, 1964, some states required voters to pay poll taxes in order to be able to vote in federal elections.

Charging such fees was deemed unconstitutional—it unfairly prevented poorer citizens, which often included Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans from voting.

Coming about from the Civil Rights protests and campaigning of the 1960s, the Voting Acts Right of 1965 made several state voting restrictions illegal.

Many of these state laws, many in Southern states, were meant to keep certain racial groups from being able to vote. By 1966 a quarter million new Black voters had registered to vote! A year later, only four of 13 Southern states still had less than half of their eligible Black population registered to vote.

The 26th Amendment, ratified by Congress on July 1, 1971, changed the legal voting age from 21 to 18. This amendment passed easily—the logic being that if a person at 18 was old enough to be drafted in order to fight for the country, that person ought to be able to vote, too!

2020 also marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that reasonable accommodations be made (including at polling places where you cast your vote) for people with disabilities.

Our democracy still has a ways to go before voting is truly representative of the American population. We need to continue moving forward, keep fairness in mind and encourage those eligible to step up and vote.

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 9

Unscramble the letters below to figure out the election words and candidate names. Good luck!

STIENEDRP

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

TEVO

__ __ __ __

OJ GEENORJSN

__ __

TERIFADI

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

in Salt Lake City, NV in 1895. Susan B. Anthony (front-center)

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

(Libertarian Party)

WOIHE SKINWAH __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (Green Party)

FERUAGFS

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

HESPOJ ENBDI

__ __ __ __ __ __

CAT

__ __ __

DANDOL PURMT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

CENIELTO

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

MEANNEMTD

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

spent decades protesting and demanding the vote.

Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were activists for women’s voting rights, or women’s suffrage, starting in the mid 1800’s in For American women, the right to vote came one America. Suffrage comes from the Latin word sufcentury ago. The 19th Amendment was RATIFIED fragium, meaning a vote or a right to vote. on Aug. 26, 1920. It decreed that “the right of Anthony voted illegally in 1862 and was arrestcitizens of the United States to vote shall not be ed, tried in court and fined $100. She continued to denied or abridged by the United States or by any advocate for women’s suffrage, but Anthony died in State on account of sex.”

1906 so she was never legally able to cast her vote.

Before the 19th Amendment, American women In January 1917, women started picketing outside the White House to urge President Woodrow Wilson to support an amendment to allow women the vote. The protesters stood outside the White House gates with their signs and banners, but without speaking and so earned the name the Silent Sentinels. These women waged their silent protest for almost two years. Hundreds were arrested and jailed, some were beaten and some went on hunger strikes.

Congress passed the Woman Suffrage leaders at the Rocky Mountain Suffrage Meeting 19th Amendment in June

Women in America Get the Vote

Image: commoms.wikimedia.org

T

he U.S. Constitution established our country as a democracy and defines how it shall run.

Although our democracy is not perfect, the freedom to choose who leads us—the right to vote— is one of our most important freedoms.

While ours is not the only democratic country, many people around the world do not have this key freedom. It is important to know that while just about every adult American is entitled to vote, that has not always been the case here in the United States.

Who gets to vote and even the voting age has evolved, and Bear Essential News goes over some of the most important changes that make it so more U.S. citizens can vote.

zona Supreme Court ruling in 1948.

“It has ever been one of the great responsibilities of supreme courts to protect the civil rights of the American people of whatever race or nationality, against encroachment,” wrote Judge Levi Udall.

A New Mexico court had a similar ruling later that year. Native Americans had to fight for their rights state by state. Utah was the last state to guarantee Native American voting rights in 1962.

•

Presidential Word Scramble

Photo credit: History.com

Have you ever thought about why we vote, or how the whole process even works? Boomer has done some research to help make it easier to understand!

September 2020

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(Democratic Party)

(Republican Party)

1919, but it needed to be ratified by three-fourths of the states to become law. Tennessee was the 36th state to ratify the amendment on Aug 18, 1920. It was certified on Aug 26, and so became the law of the land.

In some U.S. territories and states, women were able to vote and hold elected office before the passage of the 19th amendment. Women in Arizona gained the right to vote in November 1912. One of the leaders of the state’s suffrage movement, Frances Willard Munds, was also the first woman elected to the Arizona Senate in 1914.

When it came time to ratify the 19th Amendment and give other American women the right to vote, four Arizona women in the state legislature sponsored the resolution to pass the amendment.

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• September 2020

Boomer’s Boredom-Busting Activity Page

Birthday On the Way? Did you know that over 17.7 million people celebrate their birthday every day around the world?

In the U.S., it’s over 814,000 each day.

Bear Essential News readers celebrate more than 8,300 birthdays per month.

Guess what? You’re one of them!

Color Boomer’s Birthday Picture!

Boomer Builds a Better Birthday Pizza!

Everyone knows that pizza is Boomer’s favorite food!

Now, he wants to build his best one ever!

Help Boomer choose the perfect toppings for his pizza.

Circle the items below that you think would help make the perfect birthday pizza.

pepperoni grapes cheese pickles banana avocado olives peanuts

tomato chocolate onion corn chips jello ham licorice mushroom

Boomer Bear celebrates his birthday in September!

September 2020 •

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Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 5

Making Moves on the Chess Board

by Reporter Francis Ali-Osman, Homeschool Being a Bear Essential News Young Reporter from 2011 to 2015 Young Reporter is teaching me to be and received a plaque for Outstanding creative, have a strategy, and to use Stories and Articles, and he also my time wisely. I learned that you can interviewed Brian Jeffries. Currently use these same tools in chess when he is a senior at Catalina Foothills. He I joined A Tale of Two Kings, a chess is really interested in chess because academy in Tucson. he likes competitiveness, It offers individual enjoys traveling for and group lessons, tournaments and loves chess camps, that his decisions control tournaments and the outcome of the game. now with coronavirus, Just like I am learning it also has online in Bear Essential News, options. Chess is creativity, focus, strategy almost 1,500 years and time management are old but it is still a very important in chess. Mr. popular game around Matthew highlights those the world. tools in our chess lessons.

One of the In the future, he hopes to coaches in the be a grandmaster and a Chess coach Matthew Coy lawyer. He said both of his academy is named Matthew Coy, but I goals are similar because call him Mr. Matthew. He teaches me they require strategy and focus to be about chess and why it is so popular a success. through life lessons. For example, In conclusion, in my opinion, there each player is responsible for moving is no better experience than being their own pieces. If they make a bad a Young Reporter for Bear. There is no chess academy better than A Tale choice, there is a consequence and of Two Kings. And there is no better they could lose the game. In life, if I coach than Mr. Matthew. make a bad choice, there is also a To find out more about chess consequence. and my number one coach, visit Mr. Matthew is creative, taleoftwokings.com. passionate, confident, friendly, and a wonderful coach. He was a Bear MORE SCOOPS, page 12 ➧

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Continued from page 11

Don’t Panic If You See a Gopher Snake!

by Reporter Lizzy Barrett, Old Vail Middle School “Eek! Mom, there is a snake in the backyard!”

I cried. A lot of people think that all snakes are bad, but this isn’t true. A few weeks ago, we saw a gopher snake in the backyard.

We called 911 and said this is a non-emergency call. The Rincon Valley Fire District came to our house to take care of the snake.

Firefighters Scott and Billy taught us how gopher snakes help us.

A gopher snake’s habitat is in deserts, woodlands, prairies, brushlands, forests and cultivated lands. Scott taught me that gopher snakes eat rats—they are helpful by getting rid of rodents and they can eat harmful insects.

In the book “Snakes of the West,” it says, “These are primarily rodent eaters, but lizards and birds and their eggs are also taken.” The Desert Museum website states, “On its back are 33 to 66 light- to dark-

brown or reddish blotches on a ground color of yellow, straw, tan or cream.”

If a venomous snake bites you, call 911 as soon as you can. The Mayo Clinic advises you to take off jewelry, tight clothing, and stay calm. You need to position yourself so the bite is below the level of your heart. You also need to clean the wound, but don’t use water. Do not suck out the venom and don’t apply ice. Do not attempt to catch the snake. Do not drink coffee. These things could worsen the snakebite. Scott said to keep your garage door closed because snakes like to slither inside.

Not all snakes are bad. In fact, gopher snakes keep rattlesnakes away. They mimic rattlesnakes to try to defend themselves.

Fortunately, you can tell the difference between a rattlesnake and a gopher snake. Scott said that

if the tail does not have rattles, then it is a gopher snake. You can tell by the neck as well. A rattlesnake’s neck is wider, but a gopher snake is no longer than the average rattlesnake. Plus, rattlesnakes have catlike slits as eyes, while gopher snakes have pupils.

If you see a snake, don’t panic. Stay away at a reasonable distance and call for help. Tell an adult first and then call 911. You need to tell them it is a nonemergency call. They will put the snake in a special box so they can relocate the snake to a better and safer habitat.

More Girl Scouts

Cont’d from page 5

to the next level. Cadettes are in 6th–8th grade in school. Now we are becoming even better leaders by solving problems and helping others. Earning badges toward advancement is like completing a journey.

When we bridged to Cadette in June, it was virtual.

Our troop leader set up a Zoom meeting and she told us to write down our favorite badge from last year, our favorite part of Girl Scouts and why. We talked and our troop leader had everyone bring a “virtual” treat.

We celebrated together but it was not the same as an in-person meeting. In a traditional bridging ceremony there is usually a bridge that you walk across.

Girl Scouts is an excellent experience for girls in grades K–12. I am so proud to be a part of this important community program! To learn how you can sign up, visit www.girlscoutssoaz.org.

MORE SCOOPS, page 14 ➧

Halloween Specials!

September 2020 •

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OCTt.h

25

Halloween Specials offered at Golf N Suff ALL DAY on Oct. 25 and FREE Train Rides for Kids in Costume at Trail Dust Town ALL DAY on Oct. 25

Virtuale Costumst Conte

Wear your costume and take your picture at one of the designated Virtual Costume Contest Stations—located at Golf N Stuff and Trail Dust Town.

See contest entry instructions in the ad below

BEAR 40 YEARS

FREE

Golf Pass! (with the purchase of another at the regular price)

36 Holes of the Worldʼs Finest Miniature Golf Arcade • Skee-ball Wet nʼ Wild Bumper Boats Cool Go Karts • Batting Cages Group Rates 6503 E. TANQUE VERDE RD. 885-3569

6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd. Call (520) 296-2366 ext. 13 for reservations!

www.golfnstuff.com

Expires 10/24/20

VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN

Costume Contest!

Join In the 2020 Virtual Costume Contest!

Entering the contest is easy! Take a picture of your child or family in their creative, funny, cute or scary costume.

Just follow these simple Instructions: • Email the picture to: Boomer@bearessentialnews.com • In the subject line put: TSN Halloween Costume Contest • In the body of the email please include: Adult name and phone number Age category (for more than one child, submit separate photos and indicate an age category for each photo).

Photos will be uploaded to the Halloween Costume Contest Album on Bear’s Facebook page. The photo in each category with the most Votes (likes, loves, etc.) will be the winner.

Contest runs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 31.

Categories for Entries: Ages 5 and under Ages 6-10 Ages 11-Teen Family Entry Winners will be announced Nov. 2 on Facebook and winner pictures will appear in the November issue of Bear.

Great P rizes for the

W in n ers!

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September 2020

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Continued from page 5

Family Goes on SAR Summer Streak

by Reporter Ellie Divijak, Dove Mountain CSTEM K–8 If you want to stay healthy and fit, you can run or walk a mile a day with the Southern Arizona Roadrunners Summer Streak Challenge. My mom, sisters and I have been walking or running a mile every day this summer. Most days we even take our dogs for a walk with us. We started on Memorial Day and finished our challenge on Labor Day. It is nice to go outside and get some fresh air every day, even if it is hot. During our family walks we have seen a lot of nature like bobcats, javelina, hawks, jackrabbits, tarantulas, etc.

If you miss one day you have to start your count of consecutive days all over! When you complete the challenge you get a water bottle sticker. You can get a sticker after 30, 60 and 90 days, as well as one for the full challenge of 106 days straight. At the end of each month of the challenge, Arizona Roadrunners gives away prizes. You can post a photo of when you walked or ran to the Southern Arizona Roadrunners page on social media.

I have had fun completing this challenge! One mile a day keeps the doctor away.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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September 2020

Cast Your VOTE for

CHEESE!

Go to BearEssentialNews.com/contests to VOTE!

Make a Cheesy-Fun Treat for Your Family!

Baked Mozzarella Sticks Ingredients: • 1 (12 – ounce) package reduced-fat Mozzarella string cheese • 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 8 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

Makes 6 Servings

Total time: 26 min Prep time: 20 min Cook Time: 6 min

• ½ cup prepared marinara sauce, warmed (optional)

I promise to always be the BEST cheese for YOU!

VOTE for ME! e Cheese! it r o v a F r ou Vote for Y ue qualities, ? s its own uniq vote for 2020 ch cheese ha We know eathese cheeses gets your but which of

Cheddar Swiss Mozzarella

heese

American C

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Pepper Jac

Instructions: • Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

• Remove cheese from packaging and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk egg until foamy. In a small non-stick skillet mix Italian seasoning with bread crumbs and place over medium heat.

• Cook and stir break crumbs until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

• Dip one piece of string cheese in egg until coated and then into toasted

bread crumbs, coating completely.

Redip the string cheese in egg and again into bread crumbs, if desired.

• Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining string cheese and place on baking sheet 1 ½ inches apart. Spray string cheese lightly with cooking spray.

Parmesan Gouda ate

did Write In Can

• Bake 5-6 minutes or until heated through. (Cheese may melt slightly and lose shape. Simply press it back into place.)

Optional: serve with warmed marinara sauce.

Enjoy!

www.arizonamilk.org