Mailbag:

Chris [Epting], thank you for your piece on coyotes in the Aug. 6 Independent (“Humans cause coyote problems”).

I was saddened that a coyote had to be put down. I just wonder how aggressive the coyote was that was put down? To some, just a sighting may seem aggressive because of the fear in seeing a wild animal in general!

I have an Australian shepherd and we walk both the wetlands and Central Park daily. Our experience has been entirely different.

Once when I parked my car on Brightwater and was walking down the sidewalk toward the walking trail, my dog turned to me and starting barking, something she has never done before. Very quickly I found that it was because a coyote was in the shrub within three feet of where we stood.

My Aussie was warning me. The coyote came out of the bushes and ran down the sidewalk in the other direction, obviously scared of us. Another time, we were on the path coming up from the water and a coyote was on the path in front of us and politely walked away from us into the bush to make room for us.

I’ve seen nothing but avoidance and politeness from these animals. There’s plenty of rabbits and squirrels both at the wetlands and at the park for them to dine on so there doesn’t seem to be a reason for them to be aggressive. If they were hungry, it may be different but then if any animal is hungry, there’s a difference.

Honestly, I have been afraid every time I’ve seen a coyote and that has been four or five times this summer. And every time they have eased my fear showing no intention of bringing me or my dog harm by walking in the opposite direction.

It’s unfortunate that others have seen another side.

Jacki King

Huntington Beach

Past cultures are lost to development

The same problem [indigenous remains vs. development] has existed here in Arizona.

We seem to forget the indigenous communities that were here long before us. There is much to be learned about their culture.

We just can’t pave over their history. It’s past time to do the right thing.

Paul Moreno

Yuma, Ariz.

Historic sites deserve to be preserved

We read with interest Candice Baker’s article regarding the National Park Service and National Register of Historic Places (“Village site is eligible,” Aug. 6).

The listing of the Cogged Stone site at Bolsa Chica as eligible is wonderful news, as it is truly an internationally significant site.

Looking at nrhp.focus.nps.gov one can learn more about the lack of preserved sites in Orange County which only increases the need to preserve this site from development.

Carrie and Jim Thomas

Huntington Beach

Loss of village marks a tragic moment

Several years ago, we lost the oldest known prehistoric archaeological village and cemetery in Orange County.

Known as the Back Bay Newport site, this 9,000-year-old site was excavated and destroyed to make way for a gated housing development.

The archaeological work was done under less-than-desirable circumstances, and the Native American descendants and the public received no information about this ancient culture. Now it is one of the sad stops on the annual Ancestor Walk Pilgrimage by the Juaneno/Acjachemen and Tongva/Gabrielino tribal communities.

Another sad stop is the Bolsa Chica Mesa where 11 acres of the prehistoric village and cemetery known as the Cogged Stone site have been excavated and destroyed to make way for another housing development. The site was a village and cemetery that represents the remarkable achievements of an ancient civilization dating to 8,500 years ago. A culture that we know very little about and a people who deserve to have a place in history.

The Cogged Stone site is internationally known as the place of origin of the ancient stone sculptures we call cogged stones. These geometric stone sculptures have been found in small numbers at other sites in the region. Only here have they been found by the hundreds.

There is evidence to suggest that this was the manufacturing and distribution site for the cogged stones and that they were part of an ancient ritual complex that extended from Orange County along the Santa Ana River and into the Great Basin.

Interestingly, the only other place in the world where similar geometric stone sculptures are found is in the northern coast of Chile.

In recognition of its importance, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 17.

With a site of this significance, National Geographic should have been there to record the excavations so the public could learn about the thousands of artifacts, including cogged stones, and the remains of ancient houses.

To date a comprehensive archaeological report that meets federal and state standards is not available and an interpretive report for the public is not required.

Now the remaining six acres are threatened by the proposed annexation and rezoning by Huntington Beach.

While I support the annexation by the city, the proposed zoning to allow residential low density will result in the destruction of all that is left of this unique archaeological site, including human burials and cultural artifacts.

The loss of this intact portion of the site and most importantly, the disturbance of the remaining burials, represent a tragedy and a disregard for the local tribal community that should not be happening again.

Patricia Martz

professor of anthropology,

California State Los Angeles

Thanks to all who organized hunt

For the record, for what it’s worth (in my case, a nice gift certificate), I would like to say that I liked the recent city scavenger hunt.

Thanks to the Independent, the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and those other powers putting it on; it was fun.

There are a lot of nice folks at our local businesses.

Huntington Beach