News Briefs: Meetings on mountain lions News Briefs: Meetings on mountain lions (October 27, 2004)

It's all about mountain lions these days, with two informational events coming up. The Atherton Citizen's Crime Prevention Task Force is hosting its annual town meeting with the Atherton Police Department at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 4.

An afternoon seminar on mountain lions is set for Saturday, October 30, at Little House Activity Center in Menlo Park.

The Atherton meeting will discuss mountain lions -- what they do and why they are here, as well as what to do if you see one, and precautions people can take, says Atherton police Lt. Glenn Nielsen.

Deborah Bartons, a city of Palo Alto naturalist who tracks the local mountain lion population, will speak at the meeting.

"The mountain lion phenomenon is new to most police departments," said Lt. Neilsen, who said he hopes people come away a little more informed because of this presentation. The town meeting will be held at the Foley Center, St. Josephs School at 50 Emilie Ave. in Atherton. Call 668-6500 for information.

At Little House, Bruce Elliott, a retired biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game, is leading the educational meeting on mountain lions on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. as part of the UC Extension program. The cost is $35 for members of Little House; $39 for nonmembers. Call (800) 660-8639 for reservations.

M-A Quiz Kids move ahead

Tough questions about science, history, math, current events, arts and literature proved no match for the members of Menlo-Atherton High School's varsity Quiz Kids team on October 23.

The team defeated the Sequoia High School team with a score of 370 to 110, team mother Sue Kayton said. The show is scheduled to air on Saturday, December 18, at noon on KRON's channel 4, she said.

M-A's team members -- captain Collin Cronkite, Rachel Barclay and Julia Choe -- will face San Mateo High School in the next round of play, Ms. Kayton said. For more information, call Ms. Kayton at 853-1711.

Tree planting at the creek

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo will join directors of the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority for a tree planting Thursday, October 28, from 4 to 5 p.m. The ceremony will mark the fifth anniversary of the creation of the JPA, made up of five agencies concerned with planning to preserve the creek and protect adjacent communities from flooding.

Participants will meet on the creek bank at Woodland and Euclid avenues, where Menlo Park, Palo Alto and East Palo Alto -- the three lower creek cities -- meet. For information, call the JPA at 330-6765.

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