Tuesday, April 7, 2020
More than a simple series of emails, teachers have been asked to quickly become masters of video chats and deploy distance learning strategies while working from empty classrooms or their own homes.
To recognize the hard work of Tucson’s educators, Tucson Values Teachers is seeking the public’s help for a special edition of its monthly award program by soliciting video nominations from students and their parents.
The Teacher Excellence Awards are delivered each month after colleagues, students and parents nominate an outstanding educator. Winners receive a plaque, bouquet of roses, $250 in cash and a $100 gift card to Office Depot/Office Max.
“We would have a real nice celebration in front of their kids,” said Tucson Values Teachers CEO Andy Heinemann. “But now, we’re not able to go to the schools. So, what we’re saying is, ‘Kids, parents, teachers are being very, very creative right now in delivering instruction in a virtual way. So, share with us how teachers are motivating you, how teachers are engaging you in instruction, because teachers are continuing to work.”
All kindergarten through high school teachers in Southern Arizona are eligible for the award. Five teachers will be selected.
To submit a nomination, students (and their parents) need to create a video highlighting how the teacher is going “above and beyond” to provide virtual instruction and why they should win a Teacher Excellence Award. Videos must be no longer than one minute and available in .mp4 or .mov formats.
Nominators must also fill out a form at this link.
“Deep down in every teacher’s heart, they really care about their kids, and teachers have accepted this challenge to teach in the best way they can in a totally different way—virtually—so that their kids can continue to grow,” Heinemann said. “What amazes me is that in this time of crisis and change, they’ve embraced this new way of teaching so that their kids don’t get behind.”
Tags: teachers , tucson , awards , excellence , nominations , Image
Pima County had 415 of the state’s confirmed cases.
The coronavirus had killed 73 people statewide, including 13 in Pima County, according to the Pima County Health Department.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 1,495.
The state remains under Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order that has closed a wide number of “non-essential” businesses, including many retails stores, barbershops, salons, and swap-meets. Public parks remain open but amenities such as playgrounds and restrooms are closed.
Under the stay-at-home order, Arizonans are still able to shop for groceries, medical and household needs, and pet supplies. They can also go work, pick up a take-out meal from a restaurant, travel to take care of a family member, friend or pet, and can still go walking, hiking, biking and golfing, provided that they adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Gov. Doug Ducey yesterday issued an executive order halting evictions for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Ducey announced a halt on evictions for residential renters on March 24.
The executive order encourages landlords to defer rent payments for small businesses facing economic hardship amid COVID-19 and suggests waiving all fees and interest from late payments.
Tags: update , stats , arizona , coronavirus , covid19 , spread , Image
Monday, April 6, 2020
Though the moon will be in its perigee—its closest point to earth—during the daytime, it will be full after the sun has already set.
"At 10:35 p.m. EDT—7:35 p.m. here—the moon will be exactly full as it will be opposite from the sun in its orbit," said Tim Swindle, who heads the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. "And since it's a full moon, it will rise right around sunset, 6:38 p.m., with sunset occurring at 6:47 p.m., to be exact."
According to Drunken Chicken co-owners Ben Sattler and Micah Blatt, they launched the Pay It Forward Program because they believed it was the right thing to do considering the unprecedented circumstances we’re living through and the dangerous nature of the healthcare industry right now.
“We decided to do this because we realize that times are tough for everyone, and we wanted to do something for those who are literally risking their lives to help our entire community,” Sattler and Blatt told Tucson Weekly.
To participate in the pay it forward program, all you have to do is make a donation when you’re placing an order. The restaurant has set donations amount that correlates to a food item (or beer). There is also an option to donate however much you want.
Once enough money is raised for a food run, Drunken Chicken will load up a delivery vehicle and head to a predetermined healthcare facility. According to Sattler, they will change facilities with every order.
In addition to the free meals, the eaterie is also donating 10 percent of all sales from the program to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
“We have seen an unprecedented response from those in the restaurant/service industry, and it's the reason that many restaurants, such as our own, can continue to exist,” Sattler and Blatt said. “We’re doing our best to survive these times, much like others, and in keeping our strong sense of community, we can all overcome this terrible disaster together.”
Tags: food , chow , nurses , doctors , first responders , donation , healthcare , Image
The executive order also encourages landlords to defer rent payments for small businesses facing economic hardship amid COVID-19. Ducey also suggested waiving all fees and interest from late payments.
“Arizona is grateful to the many landlords who are already working as good partners with small businesses during these challenging times,” said Gov. Ducey in his announcement. “This order helps ensure no small business or nonprofit will face eviction due to COVID-19 and that landlords and small businesses work in partnership to make sure we get through this emergency together. There’s more work to do to ensure Arizona’s small businesses can make it through this public health emergency. As we continue to prioritize public health, we will continue to do everything in our power to support those in our small business and nonprofit communities serving us.”
Tags: evictions , small business , Ducey , order , covid19 , Image
The female calf weighed 295 pounds at birth. The zoo said she is “healthy, standing and nursing.”
“Semba is an experienced mother,” said Dr. Sue Tygielski, Director of Zoological Operations, in the announcement. “After 22 long months of gestation, she had smooth labor without any complications. As African elephants continue to face increasing challenges in the wild, each birth contributes to the global population and sustainability of this vulnerable species. Today, the birth of this calf gives us cause for celebration at Reid Park Zoo, and it gives us optimism for the future.”
The new calf is the sixth member of Reid Park Zoo’s elephant herd and joins Semba, father Mabu, female Lungile, nine-year-old brother Sundzu and little sister Nandi, who turns six this summer. The calf is the second African elephant born at the zoo. Nandi was born in 2014.
The herd has already met their newest member and will take the next few days getting to know her.
“Semba is an excellent mom, and she has had close and nurturing interaction with the calf,” Tygielski said. “Elephant births are exciting but also a test of patience for staff and the elephant mom.”
The zoo began observing breeding behavior between Semba and Mabu in late spring of 2018 and soon found out the former was pregnant. The zoo crew has been on a 24-hour baby watch for the last seven weeks.
“This is a great day for Reid Park Zoo, and really, a beacon of hope,” said Nancy Kluge, Reid Park Zoological Society President, and CEO. “Coming during this challenging time in the world, this baby elephant is a symbol of the beauty and resilience of life for so many. We are just thrilled for Semba and the whole herd. We are grateful to our community for following Semba’s pregnancy, especially while the Zoo has been closed. We look forward to the day when we can welcome the public back to Reid Park Zoo to help us celebrate the joy of this new baby and our elephant herd.”
Check-in on the newest elephant in Tucson for yourself by following her webcam at reidparkzoo.org.
Tags: reid park , zoo , semba , elephant , baby , congrats , Image
The Tucson Association of REALTORS, Tierra Hope Foundation and Long Cares Foundation came together to make the donation.
“We are grateful for this support from the Tucson Association of REALTORS,” said food bank CEO Michael McDonald. “Our doors are open and we continue supplying people with emergency food at this time, even as we see demand increase. Working together with support from our community will allow us to get through these challenging times.”
The food bank provides aid and resources to five different counties in Southern Arizona: Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, and Santa Cruz, totaling 23,000 square miles and over 1.2 million people.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Southern Arizona, the food bank is now producing approximately 8,000 meals a week.
“The need is great and what better way to give back than through dollar donations,” said Steve Redmond, president of Tucson REALTORS Charitable Foundation, in a statement. “We felt passionate about giving back especially since Arizona Gives Day is Tuesday, April 7. We encourage people to contribute directly to communityfoodbank.org this Tuesday to make a difference. Even a small donation goes a long way.”
Arizona Gives Day is sponsored by Arizona Gives, a program run by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and Arizona Grantmakers Forum. Since its inception in 2013, the event has provided more than $17 million in fundraising for nonprofits across the state.
More information can be found online at azgives.org.
The food bank is considered an essential business and continues to operate during Gov. Doug Ducey’s stay-at-home order.
The facility has shifted its operations considering the circumstances and has shifted to drive-thru distribution at its main warehouse on West Country Club Road in order to minimize personal contact, according to public relations and marketing specialist Norma Cable.
Cable added that nearly 60 members of the Arizona National Guard are working to help package and distribute emergency food.
The best way to support the food bank is by donating online at communityfoodbank.org.
Tags: arizona gives , community , donation , funding , food bank , Image
Friday, April 3, 2020
Qualified range masters are highly trained in gun safety and essential to operating a safe shooting range, according to Cliff Gyves, director of Pima County's Shooting Sports Program. Due to safety issues, NRPR staff are unable to cover range master duties when they are absent, Gyves said.
Shooting ranges affected are:
-Southeast Regional Park Shooting Range
-Southeast Archery Range
-Southeast Clay Target Center
-Tucson Mountain Park Rifle and Pistol Range
The Tucson Mountain Park Archery Range, along with the Virgil Ellis Rifle and Pistol Range in Ajo are still operational since both are unstaffed.
Tags: ranges , closed , shooting , archery , pima county , Image
The 4-H and Blue Ridge district operate a fabrication laboratory, or Fab Lab, located in Pinetop. The facility is an “open door open-source educational resource” that includes several classrooms designed for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) work. The Fab Lab is home to a collection of digital fabrication equipment and electronics platforms.
Kevin Woolridge, a science and math teacher at Blue Ridge High School who opened the lab in 2018, began working with Navajo County Extension Director Steve Gouker and two students this week to begin producing face shields.
The group hopes to create 300 face shields by the weekend and will donate what they make to the Whiteriver Indian Hospital on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
"I'm ecstatic to help," Woolridge said, in a statement. "We are all forced to be at home, social distancing right now. It's helping to focus our energies, and to do something like this – actually making a difference to help keep our health professionals and first responders safe – we're very excited to do this."
In addition to the face shields, Woolridge and his team are also producing an H-tube, a ventilator part that would allow one ventilator to be used on four patients in an emergency situation.
"There is not an acute need for an H-connector right now, but we started the conversation because everybody in the U.S. will be hit by a shortage assuming the current state of affairs and the supply chain disruptions continue. There just aren't enough ventilators," said Bijun Kannadath, a research assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the College of Medicine-Phoenix. "We are doing in vitro testing to investigate the potential usage and see if it's a feasible alternative, but hopefully we don't need it. It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
Tags: ua , uarizona , cooperative , extension , 4h , supplies , healthcare , Image
That's exactly the message being put out by area shelters - Pima Animal Care Center, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, and The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter.
They suggest having a plan for an emergency (which isn't a bad idea to have whether there's a pandemic or not) so that your beloved pet doesn't end up in a shelter, scared and alone.
The following are the three biggest tips on how to have an Emergency Plan for your pets:
Tags: pets , animals , shelter , pacc , hssa , hermitage , cats , dogs , Image
