BartonView
Barton View
March 2010, Volume 4, Issue 3
A Newsletter for Barton Hills
Coyotes
Many of us grew up watching Warner Brothers’ cartoons where the dull-witted Wilie Coyote was constantly outsmarted by the Road Runner. In reality, this could not be farther from the truth for the coyote is one of nature's most cunning and clever predators. In the tales and traditions of Native Americans, the coyote is usually portrayed as a very savvy and clever beast - often referred to as "The Trickster.” Modern coyotes have displayed their cleverness by adapting to the changing American landscape. Much of their adaptabilty can be attributed to the fact that they are both hunters and scavengers and will eat almost anything. They eat any small animal they can capture, including mice, rats, gophers, rabbits, squirrels, snakes, lizards, frogs, fish, birds, and small deer. They also happily dine on insects, fruits & berries, grasses, carrion, garbage, garden crops, poultry and pets (mostly cats). Because they sometimes kill lambs, calves, or other livestock, many ranchers and farmers regard them as destructive pests. Coyotes occasionally kill domestic dogs (and foxes) that they consider territorial intruders. They are very protective of their young and will attack dogs that get too close to their dens and pups. Coyotes can vary in size, but the citydwelling versions of these canines are still going to be larger than foxes, says urban wildlife biologist, Kelly Bender, of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. You might have seen a gray fox, as they do live in the Austin area. Though it can often be difficult to judge the size of an animal, Bender says, a coyote is generally going to weigh about 35 to 45 pounds, roughly the size of a border collie. A gray fox, on the other hand, is going to be much smaller, with shorter legs and a sleek, almost catlike appearance. They also have shorter muzzles than coyotes as well as reddish areas on their front legs, neck and head. Coyotes are can run up to 40 mph and have a remarkable sense of smell, keen vision and hearing. Sightings of coyotes are most likely just after dinner and before dawn as most hunting activity takes place at night. They do not hunt alone, but are usually in groups of two or three. Undisturbed and hungry coyotes, however, will hunt or scavange during daylight hours. Although extremely shy and wary of human contact, when people provide food, coyotes lose their natural fear of humans and can become increasingly aggressive. In this way, they also become dependent on the easy food source people provide. Humans increase the likelihood of contact and conflicts with coyotes by deliberately feeding them or inadvertently feeding them by providing access to food sources such as garbage or pet food. Once a coyote stops hunting on its own and loses fear of people, it becomes dangerous and may attack without warning. As humans share more and more space with (Continued on Page 5) Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.
Travis County Voter Registration News
Thanks to legislative efforts that promote voter registration in Texas, as well as the efforts of many local volunteers and groups, Travis County enjoys a very high rate of voter registration: 95%. Despite the overall high rate, one group within the population typically does not register and therefore, does not vote. If you had to guess which age group is least represented among registered voters, which one would you choose? You probably didn’t guess seniors, age 66 and above, who tend not to move and remain registered to vote. Nine out of ten seniors fit that description. Baby boomers and the oldest Gen X voters, age 46 – 65 follow seniors in high levels of registration at about 8 in 10. Voters age 26 – 45 participate at a somewhat lower rate; however, this group constitutes about one-half of all registered voters in Travis County. That leaves the group with the most to gain (or lose) in the long run: the young. Only 1 in 3 eighteen to twentyfive-year-olds is registered to vote. Why? While we don’t have all the answers we do have some educated guesses. There are a couple of main reasons why people (including 18-25 year old people) do not register to vote. One is because they don’t know if they can and (Continued on Page 3) Barton View - March 2010
Barton View welcome A Newsletter for Barton Hills Residents by Barton Hills Residents Barton View is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Barton Hills residents. Residents, community groups, churches, etc. are welcome to include information about their organizations in the newsletter. If you are involved with a school group, play group, boy scouts, girl scouts, sports activity, social group, etc. and would like to submit an article for Barton View you can do so by emailing it to
[email protected]. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, recipes, special celebrations, birthday announcements and military service are also welcome.
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Barton View Voter Registration - (Continued from Cover Page) the other is that they don’t know how. So here are the basics: • In Texas, a person must be 18 years old, a United States citizen (by birth or naturalization) and a resident of the county where they wish to register. • • Applicants must provide their full name, residence address and identification information (such as a driver’s license number or Texas Identification number). • • Applicants can find postage paid voter registration applications in public libraries, schools, post offices and in many private businesses such as HEB and Randalls stores. • • Anyone can download a voter registration application at www.traviscountytax.org. • • A downloaded application will require postage and must be addressed to Travis County Voter Registration / P O Box 149327 / Austin, TX 78714-9327. • • Registration takes effect 30 days after the Voter Registrar receives the completed application. Over the next six months, we will be targeting 10,000 young adults to join the ranks of Travis County registered voters. In early October of this year, the success of “Challenge 10,000” will be measured by
comparing today’s rate among young voters (71%) to a rate that we anticipate will more closely resemble the overall rate of 95%. The most important goal of Challenge 10,000 involves voter awareness for all citizens, but especially those between the ages of 18 and 25. If you are a registered voter here’s what you can do to help promote this effort: 1. Check your voter registration status by clicking on www. traviscountytax.org or by calling 854-9473. Make sure all of your information is correct and up to date. Once you know how easy it is to check, you can help someone else! 2. Ask the people around you, especially those who are 18 – 25, if they need assistance with voter registration, then help them or refer them to the Voter Registration helpline: 854-9473. 3. Volunteer your time to register voters as a Volunteer Deputy Registrar. Contact Cheryl Reese at 854-9473 extension 33284 or
[email protected] to get started! Look for an update on Challenge 10,000 coming this summer! Travis County Voter Registration, a division of the Travis County Tax Office / 5501 Airport Boulevard / Austin, TX 78751 Nelda Wells Spears, Voter Registrar and Tax Assessor-Collector /
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Barton View A Toast to the Children of Central Texas Round Rock Circle of Friends Invite You to 11th Annual Wine Tasting Event
Round Rock Circle of Friends invites the community to help ensure good health for the children of Central Texas at the 11th Annual Toast to the Rock event, benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. The event will be held on April 18 from 3pm-6pm at the Fern Bluff Community Center, 7320 Wyoming Springs Drive, in Round Rock. Dell Children's is a tremendous asset to our community. The state-of-the-art facility provides exceptional care, close to home, to thousands of children and their families. (We support a 46 county area throughout Central Texas) It continues the legacy of outstanding service of Children's Hospital of Austin (closed on July 1, 2007) with new space, new
technology, new programs – and more hearts and hands to make it all happen. Together, we are creating a new standard in pediatric care. We are growing a worldclass medical center dedicated to the care of
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children and adolescents, regardless of their families' ability to pay. We offer help, hope, and healing to our children for generations to come. Toast to the Rock is a fabulous afternoon of wine-tasting, food sampling, silent auction and musical entertainment. Tickets are $50 per person and $90 per couple and can be purchased online at www.ToastToTheRock. com. For more information please visit our website or contact Martha Grandin,
[email protected], or Holly Coe, gcoe@ austin.rr.com event co-chairs.
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Barton View - March 2010
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Barton View Coyotes - (Continued from Cover Page) coyotes, this has become more of a problem in some urban areas. Wildlife authorities say that minimizing contacts with coyotes (and other types of wildlife) is the best way to prevent such occurences. Below are some of their suggestions: • Do not leave small children unattended where coyotes are frequently seen or heard. If there are coyote sightings in your area, prepare yourself and your children for such a possible encounter. Explain to them: DO NOT RUN and BE AS BIG, MEAN, AND LOUD AS POSSIBLE. By shouting a phrase such as “go away coyote,” they also inform any nearby adults of the coyote’s presence better than a general scream. If you are with your children when approached, pick up the child, if possible, and act aggressively. Wave your arms, throw stones, and shout at them. Try to appear larger; e.g., if you are sitting down – stand up. If you are already standing – step up on a rock or bench. You want to convince the coyote that you are not prey, but are a potential danger to it. If encounters occur regularly, keep noisemakers and other scare devices nearby. Vinegar water in a squirt gun, pepper spray, or a paintball gun are powerful deterrents at close distance. • Never feed coyotes and do not give them access to garbage. • Prevent access to fruit and compost. Keep compost piles securely covered and cover new compost material with soil or lime to prevent it from smelling. Never include animal matter in your compost. If burying food scraps, cover them with at least 12 inches of soil. Clean and put away any stinky tools used to turn the compost such as your shovel. • Feed dogs and cats indoors. If you must feed them outside, do so in the morning or at midday and pick up food, water bowls, leftovers, and spilled food well before dark every day. • Do not feed feral cats. Coyotes prey on these cats as well as any feed you leave out for them. Prevent the build-up of feeder foods under bird feeders. Coyotes will eat birdfeed and are attracted to the many birds and rodents that come to the feeders. • Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn. If left outside, cats and small to mid-sized dogs may be killed by coyotes. If you lose a pet, let your neighbors know. Once a coyote finds easy prey, it will return to hunt in that area. In 2005, the City of Austin started a management program to help deal with coyote problems. If coyotes are sighted in a residential area, they urge residents to follow the precautions noted above. For a link to more information, visit www.statesman.com/lifeguide. To file a report, call Animal Damage Control at 854-9613 or #311. Notes regarding coyote tracks: Coyote tracks are difference from domestic dogs in several ways: A coyote’s rear paw tracks are smaller than its front. Dogs typically have symmetrical paw prints. On a trail, the front and rear paw tracks are quite close or even overlaid, giving the appearance of a two legged animal. The prints are eleven to sixteen inches apart, depending on the size of the animal and speed of travel. Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.
JOIN US FOR SOME GOLF AND A GREAT CAUSE! DATE - Wednesday, May 19th LOCATION - Flintrock Falls Golf Course COST - $165 per golfer Honorary Chairs this year will be Garrett Weber-Gale, two-time Olympic gold medal swimmer and Ian Crocker, three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer and former world-record holder in the 100m butterfly! Special Guest Emcee will be Bob Fonseca of the 93.7 KLBJ Dudley and Bob Morning Show To register online, please visit www.colinshope.org
WWW.COLINSHOPE.ORG Barton View - March 2010
Barton View Austin Newcomers Club
March Luncheon
Austin Newcomers is a social organization dedicated to introducing residents to the Austin Community and giving them the opportunity to meet and make new friends. Join us at our monthly luncheon as well as take the opportunity to learn about and become involved in many varied fun Interest groups. Time:11:00 AM Social - 12 Noon Luncheon Date: March 17, 2010 (Reservations required by Thursday, March 11th) Location: Green Pastures Restaurant 811 W. Live Oak Street, Austin, 78704 Luncheon Cost: $20 per person For Luncheon Reservations email:
[email protected] or contact Marilyn Amey, 473-0118 For more Newcomers information visit www.austinnewcomers.com or call 512-314-5100 March Program: Get to know Austin Monthly and how it informs and entertains it’s readers in the capitol area
Avery Ranch Barton Creek Barton Hills Bella Vista Belterra Canyon Creek Cherry Creek on Brodie Lane Circle C Ranch Courtyard Davenport Ranch Forest Creek Granada Hills Hidden Glen Highland Park West Balcones Highpointe Jester Estates Lakeline Ranch Lake Pointe Lakeway Lakewood Laurel Oaks NA
Speaking to us this month will be Melissa Delaney, editor-in-chief of Austin Monthly and assistant editor Austin W.G. Morton. Austin Monthly is a glossy full color, urban lifestyle magazine which depicts Austin’s culture with stories, event listings, fashion, shopping, dining, the arts, restaurant reviews and reflective personal essays. The magazine continues to grow at a rapid pace since it’s initial publication in 1992. Melissa Delaney, is an award winning journalist who worked as a reporter and editor at Boston area newspapers, then joined the staff of Computerworld during the height of the tech boom. After years of freelancing at several national magazines, Delaney joined Austin Monthly where she steers the staff through the planning, creation and production of the magazine. Austin Morton is a 2008 Virginia Tech graduate. She currently edits the Events, Scene and Style sections. Austin says although she has been here 2 years, she still learns something new just about everyday while reporting on all the City of Austin has to offer.
Legend Oaks II Long Canyon Lost Creek Mayfield Ranch Meadows of Brushy Creek Pemberton Heights Ranch at Brushy Creek River Place Sendera Shady Hollow Sonoma Steiner Ranch Stone Canyon Travis Country West Twin Creeks Villages of Westen Oaks Vista Oaks Westcreek Westminster Glen Wood Glen
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Barton View - March 2010
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Barton View
Recipe of the Month Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients • 1 package frozen broccoli • 1 cup cooked rice • ½ cup chopped celery • ½ cup chopped onion • 1 small jar Cheese Whiz • 1 can cream of chicken soup • 1 can cream of mushroom soup Directions Place rice in greased casserole dish. Saute onions and celery. Cook broccoli until crispy tender. Combine vegetables, soups, and cheese. Pour over rice. Bake at 375° until bubbly. If you would like to submit YOUR recipe email it to
[email protected].
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