Issue 778 Thursday, September 29, 2011

Supported by readers of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News

Lions’ new zoo home,Pages 4-5.

Detroit Tigers play on, Page 6.

Willow’s wonder tale, Page 6.

Meet ‘Jessie,’Pages 2 and 3.

MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COM2

Printed by: The Detroit Media Partnership Sterling Heights, Michigan, Fall 2011.

Woo-hoo! It’s going to be an awesome October, predicts the Yak. It’s pumpkins, apple cider and Halloween. It’s also the month of the World Series.

The Tigers are about to start down the long road to the American League division playoffs this week! Brush up on your baseball on Page 6.

The Yak also is following other big cats. Learn about the new lion habitat at the Detroit Zoo on Pages 4 and 5.

It’s the season to catch stars on the rise on the Disney Channel, which debuts a new show this week. Meet “Jessie,” a new comedy for kids on Pages 2 and 3.

Meanwhile, besides sending the Yak fabulous October art of pumpkins and Halloween, start thinking about Thanksgiving. See how you can write the Yak with your thankful thoughts on Page 7. Thank you for reading!

• Kids Making News, Page 6.

• A ‘Star Wars’ planet, Page 6.

• Your art, Page 7.

Larson, now 11, basks in the morning sun in his new, roomy habitat at the Detroit Zoo.

Photo by Per Kjeldsen

On the cover:

Also Inside:

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Have you ever heard the phrase life imitates art? Or art imitates life? Both of those sentences come to mind as the

Yak thinks about “Jessie,” the clever comedy debuting on the Disney Channel at 9 p.m. Friday. “Jessie” stars Debby Ryan as a small-town girl who lands a big, life-changing job as a nanny in New York City for a celebrity couple and their kids. A bit like another real-life famous couple, the fictional TV show couple is made up of

an ex-super model mom

and movie director

dad. They have four

children – including three adopted kids from the United States, India and Africa.

Some of the ideas for the show are borrowed from Debby’s own story. In fact, she is credited as a producer on the series and was thrilled to help share her ideas for the characters and stories. Plus, she says she helped audition the cast.

We had a chance to yak with Debby on a recent busy September day – between taping an episode and a wardrobe fitting. (Check out her great style on the show!)

Like the character of Jessie, Debby is also a military kid who grew up in the South. Debby began working with the producers on developing the new series last November and the show began shooting in early June.

Debby, who is 18, and lives in Los Angeles with her parents and big brother, says she really relates to the modern family in the show.

“I’ve been living in California for about three and a half years and if you come over to our house on Easter or Valentine’s Day, or just about any holiday ... you can see the kids who have

moved here to become actors or musicians … they all celebrate at our house.

“We’re kind of a surrogate family … and it feels really cool because

we have a traditional family and a somewhat blended family because there’s always someone staying with us,”

says Debby. Debby loves the non-stop sleepover feeling in her

home and the “more 2011, more relevant” family on her new show.

“Family isn’t just bloodstream, family is who’s there for you and who’s got your back –

and whose back you’ve got.”

Yakking with Disney’s Debby Ryan

Yak chat FALL TV

Debby Ryan stars as Jessie on Disney Channel’s “Jessie.” The new show premieres at 9 p.m. Friday.

Photo by CRAIG SJODIN/ DISNEY CHANNEL

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MEET THE KIDS You’ve read about Debby Ryan, who plays a nanny in the new comedy series,

“Jessie,” Now meet the kids she’s in charge of caring for:

Cameron Boyce: Cameron Boyce plays 12-year-old adopted son Luke Ross. His character is the funnyman of the family. Cameron has appeared in several movies including the Adam Sandler feature film, “Grown Ups.” He also appeared in “Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer.” He’s also had many TV acting jobs, including roles on Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up” and “Good Luck Charlie.” Besides acting, he loves to dance and he recently appeared in Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair” music video. When he is not acting or dancing, he enjoys basketball and playing games on his Xbox 360.

Karan Brar: Karan Brar plays 10-year-old Indian adoptee Ravi Ross. His character has an unusual pet: a seven-foot Asian Water Monitor Lizard, Mr. Kippling, that he keeps in his bedroom. Karan has also had some big screen experience. He recently starred in the popular movies, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.” When he’s not acting, he enjoys swimming, dancing, and volunteer work.

Peyton List: Peyton List plays 13-year old Emma Ross, a fashionable teenager and the only biological child of her celebrity parents. Payton also starred in the comedy “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” and has had many movie and TV roles. She loves Broadway shows, reading, dancing and directing home movies with her friends.

Skai Jackson: Skai Jackson plays seven-year-old African adoptee Zuri Ross, on the show. Although she’s the youngest on the set, she’s had plenty of acting jobs already. Skai’s feature film credits include “The Smurfs Movie,” “Arthur,” “Liberty Kids” and “The Rebound.” She’s also done lots of modeling and commercial work, including commercials for Band-Aid brand where she sang the Band-Aid theme song. Her hobbies include fashion designing, playing Nintendo DS and hanging out with her friends. Source: The Disney Channel

Thursday, September 29, 2011 3

Debby says the idea of adopting children (like superstar couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and their international family) is something that’s always been of interest to her. “The more I’ve learned about adoption, the more it’s been something that is on my mind and in my heart,” says Debby.

Debby views the show as an opportunity to showcase that families come in all shapes and sizes. “The word needs to be spread,” says Debby, “Your family isn’t weird – your family is a family.”

Speaking of family, when Debby is not working on her new show, she keeps busy collaborating on music with her brother, Chase, 20, in their home studio. In fact, one of her goals is to have her own record label.

Debby loves to write – poems, stories, screenplays, and music. She also writes a blog on her Web site at www.debbyryan.com. Separate from all these activities, she is researching how to launch a charity venture that will last a lifetime.

Debby’s accomplished a lot in her career already, but dreams of doing bigger things – “as a human being first, and as a celebrity second.”

By Janis Campbell

FAST FACTSBirthday: May 13, 1993.Growing up: Debby was born

in Alabama and spent time in Texas and Germany because her dad worked for the Department of Defense.

School: Debby finished high school when she was 16. She hopes to attend college in the future. She’s also studying Hindi.

At Home: Lives with her family, two dogs, a bunny and a neighborhood cat, in Los Angeles.

Photo by CRAIG SJODIN/ DISNEY CHANNELDisney Channel’s “Jessie” stars Kevin Chamberlin as Bertram the butler, Skai Jackson as Zuri, Cameron Boyce as Luke, Debby Ryan as Jessie, Peyton List as Emma and Karan Brar as Ravi.

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The Yak has written about many animals that were mistreated by their owners, or orphaned, or injured in the wild and

rescued, including birds, rabbits, beavers and porcupines.

But we had no idea that “big cats,” such as lions and tigers, are also sometimes kept as pets and mistreated. And we sure didn’t know that five of the Detroit Zoo’s six African lions were rescued.

So congratulations to all those involved in the design and construction of the zoo’s new lion habitat. For visitors, it’s uplifting to see such majestic creatures treated so well in captivity. As for the lions – two males and four females – well, it must feel pretty good to be kings and queens again.

“There are more big cats in private hands

than there are in zoos – that’s the scary part,” said Bob Lessnau, the zoo’s curator of mammals.

Three of the zoo’s lions are 19 years old, which is pretty old for lions. Two were rescued in Detroit – Katie in 1992 from a crack house and Percival in 1993 from an abandoned home. Bikira, the third member of “the Detroit lions,” as the trio of older lions is known, was born at a zoo in Arizona. She’s lived at the Detroit Zoo since she was nine months old.

Bob, who came to the zoo in 2008, was personally involved in the rescue of the other three lions in 2009 in Kansas. All three of the “Kansas lions” – Larson, a male, and Emily and Erin, both female, are 11.

“They were being held in a junkyard,” Bob

said. “It’s against the law to have big cats in Kansas. The guy lived in the middle of nowhere, and someone was tipped off (that) he had big cats on his property. The tip was investigated, and the cats were seized by law enforcement.”

Law officials contacted PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The animal rights group called the Detroit Zoo, and Bob and his crew drove to Kansas to pick up the lions.

Do the zoo’s lions like their new home? How could they not? It’s twice the size of their old habitat, with a large grassy area for roaming, a high rocky area for climbing, and two heated rocks for basking in cold weather.

“I think they like it a lot,” said Bob, speaking for all the lions, but especially for

At front, Erin soaks up some sun. The lioness behind her is Emily.

Photos by Per KjeldsenLarson surveys his spacious, sunlit kingdom.

Where Rescued Lions ReignA Majestic New Home To See

Yak U.: Zoo-ology

5MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COM Thursday, September 29, 2011

“the Kansas lions,” which he feels he knows better.

“The conditions they were living in (in Kansas) were horrific – just nasty. So the exhibit we had before was a big step up. There was no garbage, no rats. They were fed good meals; they were taken care of. Now, with the new exhibit, it’s like going to the Ritz Carlton Hotel!”

(Ritz Carlton hotels are among the world’s ritziest, or most luxurious.)

“You can see that they’re exploring. They’re a nice group of animals to watch, especially Erin. She’s more curious than the others and tends to really explore the habitat, which is nice.”

The “Detroit lions” seem to be pretty content, too, though it’s harder to tell because they’ve slowed down with age. “They move very slow and there’s some stiffness,” Bob said. “Percy doesn’t move around like he

used to and tends to lay around a lot.”

The two groups are kept separate for several important reasons.

“We did try to incorporate the females from Kansas with the girls from Detroit, but it just didn’t work. We knew the two males would never get along. And you have to look at the age factor. The Detroit lions are pushing 20, which is extraordinary for big cats. The Kansas lions are half their age. They’re a lot younger and a little bit more fit.”

Being around 11-year-olds would stress out their elders. So the Kansas lions are let outdoors in the morning and spend most of the day there.

Then they’re brought in and the Detroit lions go outside. Keep that in mind when you visit. And check the temperature: On days that it’s above freezing this winter, you can expect to see lions. They’ll stay cozy on the heated

rocks, which are close to the viewing window. Remember: Morning, Kansas lions; late afternoon, Detroit lions.

All six lions spend the night indoors in an area that is closed to visitors. It’s been upgraded, too – enlarged and redesigned for better flow and ease of movement by the cats.

“They don’t move around a whole lot, though,” said Bob. In the wild, “they hunt, they eat and they sleep. They’re at the top of the food chain – they have no natural predators. You’re talking about an animal that sleeps basically 20 hours a day.”

Sweet dreams, Detroit Zoo lions! Enjoy your new indoor and outdoor digs. For more, visit the Detroit Zoo Web site at www.detroitzoo.org.

By Patricia Chargot

Lions once lived throughout most of Africa, but today are found only in the southern Sahara Desert and parts of southern and eastern Africa.

There are an estimated 21,000 wild lions, less than half the total in the 1950s. Source: Defenders of Wildlife, www.defenders.org.

In 2000, it became illegal in Michigan to keep big cats as pets. Those who already owned them had to apply

for a special local permit. It is unknown how many permits were granted or how many people still have big cats as pets.

Photos by Per KjeldsenErin laps water from a special basin fed by a small fountain in the outdoor habitat.

The new lion habitat is twice the size of the old one, with two heated rocks for basking on mild winter days. At right, Larson takes a break from exploring his outdoor home.

Yakking about the newsA weekly wrap-up for young readers

A Cat TaleIn pet news, the most amazing story to

make headlines is the wondrous cat tale of Willow. The cat was found this month in New York City, five years after she disappeared from her home in Boulder, Colorado. “We put out the ‘lost cat’ posters and the Craigslist

thing, but we actually thought she’d been eaten by coyotes,” the cat’s Colorado family told the New York Times newspaper. Willow has a computer chip implanted in her. When she was found, a pet shelter was able to track down her owners. Boulder is more than 1,600 miles away from New York City. It’s not known how the cat spent her time.

Whales on the MoveIn other mammal news, huge blue whales

are wowing tourists who are whale watching in California. This is the annual migration of whales off the California coast. There are more whales than ever before spotted, according to scientists talking to ABC News and other media. Why the whale boom? Some scientists say the whales are changing their migration patterns to feed on krill, a type of tiny fish whose own population has increased in Pacific waters near California.

New ‘Star Wars’ PlanetPlanet watchers are calling this new

discovery the “Star Wars” planet, named after the fictional planet Tatooine. In the movie, the planet had two suns. This real planet, which was discovered in NASA’s Kepler mission, has two suns (or stars) around it as well. It’s named Kepler-16b and is about the size of Saturn. Scientists believe it’s a very cold, gassy planet. They expect to learn more by studying the new planet and its two stars. But there’s not a sign of life. “This one’s just outside the habitable zone,” astronomer Laurence Doyle said to the media as the discovery was reported.

Detroit Tigers fans are excited and so are the players. The Tigers clinched the American League Central division spot earlier this month. This Friday (Sept. 30 ) is when the American League division playoffs begin. The Yak will be watching Justin Verlander, Austin Jackson, Jose Valverde and the entire team try to make it to the World Series. Here is a little vocabulary for talking Tigers today:

HIT FOR THE CYCLE: It means getting every possible type of base hit - single, double, triple, and home run - in one game. If you hit them in that order, it’s called a natural cycle. Come back next week for another vocabulary word.

SEND FAN PHOTOS: The Yak is also looking for photos of Tigers fans and Tigers art to cheer on the team. You can e-mail the photos to cathyyaknews@gmail.com or send the art to Yak’s Tigers Snaps, c/o Detroit Newspapers, 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, Mi 48226.

Helping SomaliaUNICEF, the United Nations Children’s

Fund, has many contributors to help victims of global problems, such as hunger. One country, Somalia, in East Africa, is getting help from around the world for people suffering from the famine there. Making a difference is Andrew Adansi-Bonnah, 11. He lives in Ghana. UNICEF press spokespeople say he planned to raise 20 million Ghanaian cedis — or about $13 million — for the cause by walking from business to business, collecting donations in his home country. Andrew collected about $6,500 in pledges for the fund he started after working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations’ World Food Program, who helped with information and suggestions.

Thursday, September 29, 20116 MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COM

Yak’s Corner File PhotoPaws, the Tigers mascot, and the Yak are thrilled about the Tigers winning the Central Division title.

Photo From Animal Care & Control of NYWillow, a pretty calico cat, has had lots of media attention since the Colorado pet was found in New York City.

Kids In the News Tiger Fever

By Jana Nachar, 9, Dearborn Heights

By Mohannad Jabbar, 9, Troy

By Jameel Jameel, 5, TroyBy Jose Bravo, 3rd grade, Detroit

By Gabriell Evans, New Baltimore

Two artists on this page filled in the entire background with colors

and patterns. Experiment with different backgrounds and

patterns in your next artwork!

Think about art!

Send usyour art

MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COM Thursday, September 29, 2011 7

Draw on white 8 -by-11 paper and use bright colors. Be sure to print your name, age, city and phone number clearly on the back of your drawing. Send your art to Yak’s Corner Art, c/o DNIE, 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226

See more art online in the

Yak Art Gallery at www.yakscorner.com

What Are You Thankful For?

It may seem far off, but the Yak is already thinking about Thanksgiving! For our November 17 issue, the Yak wants to share your thoughts of thanks and your special artwork.

Here’s what to do:We would like you and your classmates to

mail the Yak a sentence about what you’re most thankful for this year. We would like those answers printed neatly with your name, age, hometown and school. Please include a teacher’s school phone number or your own so we can reach you if we have questions.

We’d like art to illustrate some of these thoughts, too. Art should be on a separate unlined sheet of 8½ by 11 paper, drawn in bold colors. Again, be sure your name is printed clearly on the back.

A classroom can mail them together. We need those responses by October 14.

Please mail to Yak’s Corner Thanksgiving, c/o Detroit Newspapers, 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226

MICHIGAN K.I.D.S. | WWW.DNIE.COMThursday, September 29 , 20118

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Build skills for reading –

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DPS, Detroit and State Police work together to make students safer

The Detroit Public Schools Police Department, Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police and citizen patrol groups are working together on a new plan to keep all children in Detroit Public Schools safe.

The plan will bring together the resources of all the various groups in the city to make not only schools safer, but the routes that students take to get to and from school each day, too.

There will be more monitoring of visitors to schools, new safe routes to some schools, more sharing of information between the agencies and youth character development training for police officers. There also will be more citizen patrols through a Call to Action for more volunteers to patrol in and around schools.

“In order for students to concentrate on academics and in order for parents to commit to sending their children to Detroit Public Schools, we have to ensure that our school buildings, school campuses and the neighborhoods surrounding our schools are safe,” said DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts.

“There is nothing more important than keeping our kids safe,” said Mayor Dave Bing.

Walking to school or to the bus stop can be filled with interesting sights and sounds. Pick one interesting thing that you see each day – a person, an animal or a house, for example, and write a short story. If it’s a person, imagine what he or she does. Whatever you choose, build a short story around it.

Source: Detroit Public Schools

The district’s Police Department includes 51 police officers patrolling schools 24/7, and three canine officers too. The district also has 47 Campus Police Officers at all high schools, and at other sites. And under a contract with Securitas, the district now provides security personnel in all K-8 schools, as well as additional security officers in all high schools.

Safety tips for the route to school•Whenever possible, walk to school with other kids•Always look both ways and use crosswalks•Never play by the curb when waiting for a bus•Never talk to strangers •Don’t take short cuts, such as empty lots•Memorize your address and a parent or guardian’s phone numberSource: eHow.com

Adults can helpVolunteers for safety patrols can call DPS Command Headquarters at (313) 748-6008 to learn how they can help.

About TheDPS Police

Department

DPS students talk to district leader Roy Roberts after the press conference announcing the new safety plan for the district.

Photo by Harold Harris, Special to Detroit Public Schools