🌱 First Spring Bear Sighting + Purple Streetlights To Be Removed

Hey, neighbors! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Phoenix Patch newsletter — here to explain everything that's fit to print about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and warm. High: 93 Low: 66.

Our local sponsor has some great stuff to offer:

Today’s Phoenix Daily is brought to you by Banner Health. Banner Health makes health care easier, so your life can be better. Find a provider, schedule an appointment, or find the nearest Banner Health location here. With options like telehealth visits, online appointment booking, urgent care services and a convenient app, Banner Health ensures you get the care you need when you need it. Learn more about Banner Health's services in and around Phoenix here.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Here are the top 3 stories today in Phoenix:

1. The Arizona Game and Fish Department issued a warning to the public to be alert to the presence of bears after the first confirmed sighting of a black bear in 2023 in the southeastern part of the state. The bear, estimated to be around two or three years old and weighing 150 pounds, was seen foraging garbage near Peppersauce Canyon on April 12. With bears emerging from semi-hibernation in March, conflicts with humans can occur when the animals search for food, usually attracted to homes where they can access bird feeders, garden areas, trees with fruit, and household garbage. To avoid conflicts, residents are advised to store garbage in secure locations and refrain from feeding wildlife. (KTAR.com)
2. Phoenix has just under 1,000 purple streetlights throughout the city due to a manufacturing defect in the lights' phosphor coating. The problem was noticed a year ago, and 350 lights have been replaced so far, with 900 left to go. Although the purple lights are not a safety hazard or impacting traffic signals, the replacements will continue for the next several months. Phoenix has approximately 90,000 streetlights in total, and the known lights with defects are a small percentage of this total. (The Arizona Republic)
3. The Phoenix chapter of Free Bikes 4 Kidz, a nonprofit organization, partnered with the Mayo Clinic and the Phoenix Indian Medical Center to collect used bikes on Saturday. With a goal of 1,000 bikes, the organization collected used bikes at three locations across the Valley for refurbishment and donation to underserved children. Since the launch of the program in 2010, the nonprofit has donated over 120,000 bikes and helmets to children nationwide. In addition to providing bikes to children in need, the organization's bike collection initiative is also good for the environment, having kept over 260,000 pounds of rubber and 3.4 million pounds of metal out of landfills. (AZ Family)

Sponsored by Banner Health:

Flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are chirping, but your house is still holding its winter allergens. Enter spring cleaning. A good spring cleaning won’t just make your home look better; it can also help you and your loved ones to feel better. Presented by Banner Health, here are five ways spring cleaning can actually improve your health.

Today in Phoenix:

• Dinosaurs In The Desert At Phoenix Zoo (9:00 AM)
• Family Lawn Games At The Waldorf Astoria Resort (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Do you have thoughts about the upcoming City of Phoenix Water Services Department water and wastewater rate increase proposal? Join the city of Phoenix at an upcoming Village Planning meeting with Water Services staff. Find a date and location near you, leave your feedback, and get the facts here. (City of Phoenix, AZ USA via Facebook)
• Only a few days left! The City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department wants to hear your thoughts! Public comment for the draft of the Annual Action Plan is open through Tuesday. Review the plan and submit your feedback here. (City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department via Facebook)
• StartUpPHX presents Creative Talk: Being Your Own Boss online at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 27. Chat with experienced creative entrepreneurs about how they have managed their businesses alongside their creativity. Register here. (Phoenix Public Library)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Our World Energy — (Visit website)
• 9 Cent Color Copies — (Visit Website)
• Faceless Digital — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (April 25)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with your next update!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.