New Members of Reid Park Zoo's Pride

Three lion cubs were born on July 28 to Kaya, a 4-year-old lioness at Reid Park Zoo. The 5-week-old cubs underwent a routine health check Tuesday.
The cubs are named: Ayotunde, which means “joy has returned” in Yoruba; Azizi, which means “precious” in Swahili; and Abuto, which means “I have hidden” in Luo, sit still for a moment after their checkup. Azizi was named in honor of her “grandmother” at the Fort Worth Zoo, who died two weeks after Azizi was born.
The cubs will be on display to the public in about two weeks, after they have received their vaccinations.

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Bobcat Kitties Up a Tree

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Hank Strempek submitted this photo, taken in July in his backyard near North Cortaro and North Silverbell roads. He wrote: "We enjoyed a week of bobcats in our yard. First Dad and Mom checked it out. Then the two cubs came to join us and Dad left. What fun watching the cubs romping and Mom teaching them. Stay out of the tree … but they didn't listen."

Read more: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/northwest/article_0eb33f85-c4fa-56f8-900c-61ad9da7de17.html#ixzz1VODlyq5R

UA: Signs of flowing water on Mars ID'd

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Dark lines that appear seasonally on sunny Martian slopes could be evidence of flowing water, University of Arizona scientists say in a paper published today in the journal Science.

The lines showed up when an undergraduate researcher at the UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory created digital terrain models of portions of the surface of Mars, basically converting the two-dimensional images taken by the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter into 3-D maps.  Read more

SunWatts farm

A full slate of local officials turned out last Thursday for the dedication and opening of Trico Electric Cooperative's SunWatts sun farm.
The company announced in March that it was building the project - an installation of about 840 solar panels next to its Marana office at 8600 W. Tangerine Road - from which Trico customers may sign up to buy power.
The panels were manufactured locally by Solon Corp., whose president and CEO, Daniel Alcombright, was one of six speakers to congratulate and thank Trico for building the project.
 Trico is selling the output of a quarter-panel, half-panel or full solar panel for $230, $460 or $920, respectively. Each full panel will produce 230 watts of power and offer 36 kilowatt hours' worth of credit on customers' electric bills.
That means people who purchase a full panel will get about $5 credit per month, at current rates.
The company has sold the output of 78 panels.

read more at http://azstarnet.com/news/local/northwest/article_377b5489-18b9-52f4-934b-f8488a3fa805.html#ixzz1SkkLELdP

UA Air-storage system as green-energy source

Solar power and wind energy are popular in the green movement, but when there's no wind or sun, there's no power.
So University of Arizona researchers are trying to find ways to store those energy sources and regenerate them through something that's always available: air.
The Compressed Air Energy Storage program is working to cheaply store compressed air for energy in man-made structures or in natural underground reservoirs. The stored air, created by compressors powered by another energy source, would power turbines when released and provide energy to homes and buildings when other sources of energy, such as solar power, aren't available. read more

Tucson Rock City

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If you want to check out a massive gold nugget, view the bones of a tyrannosaurus, or pick out that perfect gem or a mineral so tiny you need a microscope to see it - you're in the right place.
Those and many other finds will be for the viewing and buying at the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, known around town simply as the gem show. Actually a series of shows that spans the Tucson metro area, the showcase events open Saturday around town and run through Feb. 13. The majority of shows will be open to the public, but others are for wholesalers.
At the center of it all is the venerable 2011 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show at the Tucson Convention Center, which started as a small gathering for rockhounds in 1955 and has grown to be the largest gem and mineral show in the United States. It will take place Feb. 10-13. read more

Snow in Tucson

 

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A hard freeze was expected by early this morning in Tucson following a winter storm that dropped almost 2 feet of snow in the mountains and even left some of the metro area blanketed in white.

With clearing skies, unseasonably cold conditions are forecast for the next few nights, according to the National Weather Service.

Rain and snow fell in Tucson and the surrounding mountains Thursday, and the day's high only reached 50, 13 degrees below normal, the weather service reported.

Mount Lemmon, Oracle, Vail, SaddleBrooke and Bisbee all reported measurable snowfall. read more

Hiking doesn't have to be hard

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Some hikes are hard. Forget all about them for today. Forget the long, steep, rugged, remote trails that lure hikers who seek a grand challenge in the wilds of Southern Arizona.
Sometimes you just want to take a nice walk - a short but invigorating hike on a gently graded trail making its easygoing way through splendid scenery.
A fair number of trails around Tucson fill the bill - serving up great views without requiring the stamina of a Navy SEAL.
Savvy hikers also find that even some of our toughest trails offer no-sweat walking for the first mile or two.

Hike is a four-letter word.

That observation - from a family member who shall remain unnamed - vividly expresses the feelings of anyone who has ever endured a way-too-long, way-too-steep trek.
But here's the thing: A hike needn't be a grueling endurance challenge or - as one unhappy hiker put it - a "death march."
Those with no interest in death-march-style hiking can find a number of mostly flat and not-so-long trails near Tucson.
Today we offer a sampler - five easy pieces for hikers.

LINDA VISTA TRAIL
How easy: The trail - with a name that means "beautiful view" or "lovely vista" in Spanish - begins in Oro Valley and offers several short-hike options on connecting trail segments.
It's easy to put together out-and-back hikes totaling a mile or so, or link segments into loops of two or more miles. Elevation gains are 300 feet or less on most of the loops.
Sights to see: Diverse desert vegetation and big views of craggy Pusch Ridge make this an exceptionally scenic hike for so little effort.
Arranging a hike that ends around sunset means you'll be strolling home in golden light. Joe and Amanda Preto enjoyed that gilded beauty one day recently when they hiked down the trail following an ascent of a nearby peak.
Get there: Take North Oracle Road to Linda Vista Boulevard in Oro Valley. Turn east on Linda Vista and drive 0.2 of a mile to a trailhead and parking area on the right.

ESPERERO TRAIL
How easy: The lower 1.1-mile section of the Esperero Trail in Sabino Canyon winds through mostly flat desert terrain with some moderately steep grades near the end of the section.
An upper section of the Esperero Trail continues beyond the 1.1-mile point, marked by a junction with the Rattlesnake Trail. Be aware that this upper section, which extends about nine miles high into the Catalina Mountains, is steep and best left to experienced hikers.
Sights to see: Even though the walking is quite easy, the views of the towering peaks and ridges of the Catalinas will keep your camera finger busy.
On a recent hike, Bill Wittleder paused along the trail to watch deer moving in brushy terrain and browsing for food.
Get there: Take Tanque Verde Road to Sabino Canyon Road and continue north about four miles to the canyon, where you'll pay a $5 per vehicle fee.
From the eastern end of the parking lot, walk east about 0.1 of a mile on a broad path and watch for the signed Esperero Trail on the left.

CACTUS FOREST TRAIL
How easy: The 2.5-mile trail segment, in Saguaro National Park East, connects two points on the park's Cactus Forest Drive.
The terrain is mostly flat, and the trail accommodates either an out-and-back hike or a one-way trek by parties arranging a vehicle shuttle.
Sights to see: Superlative saguaros and other Sonoran Desert vegetation flank the trail, which is open to mountain bikers as well as hikers.
Dan and Lorena Moore paused on a recent hike to take in one of the route's unusual sights: the remains of lime kilns dating to 1880.
Get there: One way to get to Saguaro Park East is to take East 22nd Street to Old Spanish Trail and continue southeast to the park entrance at 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail. The entrance fee is $10 per vehicle. Start out on the one-way Cactus Forest Drive and watch for the trailhead at the 2.8-mile point on the drive.

FELIZ PASEOS PARK
How easy: The 50-acre preserve - in gently rolling desert terrain west of Tucson - includes short paved paths and unpaved gravel trails. The paved and unpaved segments are graded to accommodate wheelchairs.
Sights to see: Desert vegetation lines the paths, and information panels along the way provide details on wildlife and the natural habitat.
"We've seen javelinas and deer out here," said Chrissie Hansen, who walked park trails recently with Paul Crosby and several leashed dogs. "It's a beautiful area."
Get there: Drive west on Speedway to Camino de Oeste. Turn right, north, onto Camino de Oeste and continue less than a mile to the park entrance on the right.

VALLEY VIEW OVERLOOK TRAIL
How easy: The trail, in Saguaro National Park West, is 0.8 of a mile long and gains only about 100 feet in elevation. It ascends to a ridge, but the uphill stretch is short and gently graded.
Sights to see: From an overlook point at the end of the trail, hikers get an expansive view of the sprawling Avra Valley and Picacho Peak in the distance.
There's also much to see on the walk to the overlook: gargantuan saguaro cacti, sandy washes meandering through the landscape, and some small but shapely rock formations.
Get there: Drive west out of Tucson on Speedway, which becomes Gates Pass Road. Cross the pass, continue to Kinney Road and follow Kinney Road northwest to the Saguaro Park entrance. Stop at the visitor center, where you'll pay a $10 per vehicle fee and get a map showing the way to the trailhead along the park's Hohokam Road. source

TV's 'What Would You Do?' tackles SB 1070 here

When a man dressed like a security guard demanded "papers" from two Hispanic patrons at a local Mexican restaurant recently, Andrea Morken stood up.
"Excuse me. I don't think you can do that," Morken said loudly enough for the rest of the diners at BK Carne Asada and Hot Dogs to hear.
The Anglo guard struck an aggressive pose and repeated his demand.
"Actually you can't do that and that's not going to happen right now, right here, today," said Morken, who owns a day spa in Tucson. "So you just need to get on out of here now."
Others agreed, telling the security guard to leave the men alone.
"I am an American citizen," he shot back, "and I have the right to see if these two are illegals or not."
The man eventually left - to the applause of the diners - but he returned shortly and said he had called the authorities to come pick up the two men.
Fed up, Morken offered the patrons a ride. The older of the two stood to comply, then took off his sunglasses.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
It was ABC's John Quiñones. The man eating with him and the security guard were both actors. And the entire incident was being filmed by hidden cameras inside BK, 2680 N. First Ave., for an upcoming episode of the ABC show "What Would You Do?"
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Must-see sites show off Tucson's charms, beauty

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Where to take your guests:

Old Tucson Studios

Saguaro National Park

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Biosphere 2

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Dining destinations

read more about all these great destinations. Also see links on right sidebar.      

Mountain-lion Sightings

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Hikers have encountered mountain lions recently in Sabino Canyon northeast of Tucson and elsewhere in the area - prompting wildlife officials to urge caution.
Several lions - possibly as many as four - were spotted near Shuttle Stop 6 in Sabino Canyon in late September, said Joshua Taiz, district wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service.
"There appears to have been a territorial encounter" involving a female lion, two of her offspring and a male lion, Taiz said. The animals "kind of met in the canyon and people saw a bunch of cats."  read more

Best Places to Live the Simple Life: Tucson, Arizona

Tucson's Mexican, Native American and frontier roots have mingled to create a mosaic all its own.
It's hard to pin down residents on what exactly is so mesmerizing about this desert town, just an hour north of the Mexican border. Maybe it's the beautiful wilderness that rings the city, including about 1.8 million acres of the Coronado National Forest, with its 12 different mountain ranges. Or maybe it's the sweet smell of pan dulce that drifts from the Mexican bakeries. Or maybe it's the unique way the city's Mexican, Native American, and frontier roots have mingled to create a mosaic all its own. "This atmosphere just doesn't exist anywhere else—the people, the natural beauty, the cultural mix," says Elizabeth Rodriguez Miller, 55, who retired last year from her job as assistant city manager. "I feel lucky to live in a place where people can move so graciously from one culture to another." She and her husband, Marc, 57, also like the buzz of downtown—with its plentiful restaurants (a favorite is Casa Vicente), funky Fourth Avenue arts district, and world-renowned annual Mariachi Conference. And for simple pleasures, there's incomparable hiking and camping.

• Vibe: Latin culture embraces Native American spirit, cowboy grit, and Sunbelt growth
• Population: 525,500
• Median housing price: $155,500
• Average commute: 24 minutes
• Average number of sunny days: 286 per year
• Most relaxing way to spend an afternoon: Enjoying the cool breezes and plentiful hiking in the Santa Catalina Mountains, just north of town
• Simple fun for less than $10: Drinking a beer at the Hotel Congress, where famous criminal John Dillinger was nabbed back in 1934
• Who knew?: The saguaro cacti that grow all over Tucson have an average life span of 150 years

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Desert Museum is top-flight for watching hummingbirds

Birders flock to Arizona to add species to their life lists and to experience the birds' natural habitats.
So it might seem a bit unusual that the readers of Birder's World magazine chose an enclosed setting as the No. 1 spot to watch one particular type of bird.
It's true that bird-watchers enjoy traipsing through natural settings, said Birder's World editor Chuck Hagner, "but what's significant about the hummingbird survey is that 'My backyard' was No. 2 on the survey."
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, whose enclosed hummingbird aviary currently holds 17 hummingbirds of five species, was the top pick for good reason, said Hagner.
It offers the kind of up-close experience that hummingbird aficionados crave.
"Hummers inspire a real sense of devotion," Hagner said. "People take a special interest in hummingbird welfare, in their beauty and the way they fly. The notion that you can actually get close to these little guys is a profound experience for some people. That's why they hang feeders in the backyard."  read more

Desert Walk

We went for a walk this morning before it got too warm, and Elizabeth took some excellent pictures of the wildlife. Pictured is a turkey vulture, a horned lizard and a hawk next to its nest. Click image to view larger.

Celebrate National Parks and Our Own Icon

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The National Park Service turns 94 years old Wednesday.
But Saguaro National Park West, known for its sprawling Sonoran Desert ecosystem and craggy mountain ranges, remains ageless.
Also called the Tucson Mountain District, it was once part of the Tucson Mountain County Park. It was designated Saguaro National Monument in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Then, in 1994, it became the 52nd national park during President Bill Clinton's term.
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, men from around the country worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, building picnic areas and dams in the area and repairing roads. Evidence of their labor remains today.
Now, a new generation of men and women from around the world is hard at work in the park removing the latest threat to the desert, buffelgrass.
Located in the northern region of the Tucson Mountains, the park offers year-round programs with activities ranging from informative patio talks about the local wildlife at its Red Hills Visitor Center to twilight hikes along cactus-strewn trails.
For children, the park's Junior Ranger Camps teach how to pitch a tent, read a compass and map and cook on a camp stove and in the process learn some valuable life lessons.
Still, it is the saguaro, the symbol of the American Southwest, that reigns over the landscape with some of the most dense stands in the world.
Next week, looking toward the warm glow of the sunset when the sky is aflame with reds and yellows, you can wish the park service a happy birthday.
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Pima Air Museum in Top 10 for US

TripAdvisor named its top 10 U.S. aviation attractions this week, based on traveler ratings and its own experts. Naturally, the Pima Air & Space Museum made the list - but of course.
Here's what the travel site (www.tripadvisor.com) said about the Tucson tourist attraction:
"With more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft, the Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest aviation museums in the world. It features more than 125,000 artifacts of modern aviation, and counts gems like the B-29 Superfortress, SR-71 Blackbird, and World War II German V-1 'buzz bomb' among its exhibits. … As one TripAdvisor traveler raves, 'the selection of planes seems endless and any military aircraft fan will be in heaven.' " read more

Tucson: Gateway to the Stars

(Kitt Peak, with its diverse optical offerings, has a variety of tours and nightly stargazing programs. Click image to view larger)

Clear nights most of the year. World-class research centers. And a growing community of passionate amateur astronomers eager to share the view. • Welcome to Tucson. • "We know it as the astronomy capital of the world," said 21-year-old Joel Mueting, who came here from California to study astronomy at the University of Arizona.
"I've just always known I wanted to study space."
The Old Pueblo is filled with people who can remember that aha moment when they got hooked on the heavens.
For some, it's seeing the rings of Saturn through a telescope for the first time.
For Frank Lopez, who opened Stellar Vision Astronomy and Science Shop 24 years ago Sunday, it was going to the Flandrau planetarium on a fifth-grade field trip from Tully Elementary School.
After that, he said, "I was always asking for a telescope for Christmas."
Today there are more ways than ever to explore the universe and beyond. Many don't cost much, if anything at all. source

Tucson a "Cyclist's Paradise."

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Outside magazine, in its August issue, calls Tucson a "cyclist's paradise."
The article cites the city's extensive network of bike paths, tonic climate and clean air - along with surrounding lung-and-leg-testing terrain ranging in altitude from 2,400 feet to more than 9,000 feet.
"You can pedal through serene desertscapes on any number of the 300 miles of well-maintained loops within 45 minutes of town - virtually all year long," the magazine raves. "Which is why pro squads like Lance Armstrong's Team RadioShack train here in winter." read more

Federal judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law

Reporting from Phoenix —

A federal judge has halted the most controversial elements of Arizona's new immigration law, which had been scheduled to take effect at midnight.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton on Wednesday halted implementation of the parts of the law that require police to determine the status of people they stop and think are in the country illegally. She also forbade the state from charging anyone for a new crime of failing to possess immigration documents.

Bolton's ruling found that the Obama administration was likely to prevail at trial in proving the two provisions, and two other ones in the sweeping law, were an unconstitutional attempt by Arizona to regulate immigration. Arizona is expected to immediately appeal the decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. read more

New Prairie Dogs at Desert Museum

Three old bachelor prairie dogs were joined by 24 new, younger animals from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. The new animals (six males, 15 females and three of indeterminate sex) are out of quarantine, and now on display at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. They are already renovating the network of tunnels in the exhibit. read more