Alamo • Danville • Blackhawk • Diablo • San Ramon
VALLEY
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THE
SENTINEL always for the community VOl 21 nO 2
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for this Activity Guide
East Bay Regional Park District Regional in Nature Activity Guide
February 2016
www.valleysentinel.com
SPOTLIGHT
Left to right: Supervisor John Gioia, Davis Bullock, Supervisor Candace Andersen, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Supervisor Federal Glover
California High School Senior receives Student Humanitarian of the Year Award
ECRWSS
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PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID DANVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 70
Contra Costa County held a special ceremony celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the 38th annual See AWARD page 6
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A current street view of the Danville Hotel Town Center captures the newly refurbished original building (in red) and a some of the new Hartz Avenue retail shops. The Danville Hotel is one of the historic buildings being featured in the Museum of the San Ramon Valley’s current exhibit, “Historic Icons of the Valley” on display until February 28. Visit the Museum located at 205 Railroad Ave., Danville. See article page 9.
Coyotes adapt to urban and suburban spaces By James Hale Despite bounties and largescale efforts to kill coyotes for more than 100 years, coyotes have expanded their range throughout the United States and Canada tremendously. Two centuries ago, the early explorers of this continent made frequent references to wolves and foxes in their journals, however they seldom mentioned coyotes. Extirpation of wolf populations and the expansion of widespread agribusiness and forestry have favored conditions for the adaptive coyote. The larger and more powerful gray wolf is one of the few natural checks on coyote abundance. Today, coyotes thrive in suburban settings and even some urban ones. Researchers estimate there are up to 2,000 coyotes living in
the greater Chicago area and this scenario applies to other urban landscapes across North America. Coyotes inhabit Golden Gate Park after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and dispersal from the peninsula. They are found in Central Park in New York City after crossing bridges and are frequently seen throughout the Los Angeles megapolis. Coyotes are commonly encountered throughout the East Bay Area because of our habitat protection with the East Bay Regional Parks, Mount Diablo State Park, watersheds and open spaces. Evolutionary theory suggests the coyote evolved in North America during the Pleistocene epoch 1.81 million years ago alongside the dire wolf. Coyote is ultimately
derived from the Aztec word coyotl, meaning trickster. Its scientific name, Canis latrans means “barking dog” in Latin. Because the coyote is so prevalent throughout the west, many of our towns, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, parks and other land features have been named after this wild canine. Native American lore about the coyote is rich and plentiful. Much magic has been associated with the coyote, who is the creator,
This month’s Special Sections:
Kids Camps page 9 Senior Living pages 10-11
teacher, culture hero, trickster and keeper of magic. The coyote is a fascinating animal filled with paradox, but at the heart of its energy is the balance of wisdom and folly. Their is always hidden wisdom when the coyote is concerned. Coyotes figured prominently ithe creation or etiological myths and narratives of the Chocheno, See COYOTES page 4