Lompoc, CA lion in town

[Emily]

From the Lompoc, CA Record
http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/20 ... news01.txt

Local's close encounter with a mountain lion
By Bo Poertner/Managing Editor
Purchase This Photo
George Weber, left, and his son Carlos look up the hillside from a deck in the back of their home looking south to where they saw the mountain lion. Both father and son have seen a mountain lion twice in their backyard.//Bryan Walton/Staff
Carlos Weber had one of those bad recurring dreams, where he's falling and floating and can't get his feet back on the ground.

As he often does when awakened by a nightmare, the 25-year-old electrician's assistant climbed out of bed and went outside to smoke a cigarette. Smoking and pacing always seemed to clear his head.

But this time, about

3:30 a.m. Friday, he pulled open the sliding glass patio door and was startled by a large mountain lion resting a few feet away.

“As soon as I opened the door, there it was. It made a snort and looked back at me,” Weber said. “As soon as it saw me it bolted and by the time I closed the door it was already up the hill. It was lightning fast.”

Weber, who works with his father, George, at Weber Electric, said he was momentarily stunned by the close encounter, “like my mind

couldn't understand there was a mountain lion right in front of me.”

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He said the animal appeared to be seven to eight feet long, from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. He is awaiting a return call from the state Department of Fish and Game.

The commotion woke George Weber, who looked out the back of the house and saw the cougar on the hill behind his Cambridge Drive home, near Evergreen cemetery on Lompoc's south side.

“I thought it was magnificent. This was a beautiful cat,” said George Weber. “I don't want it hurt. I want it maybe to be transported somewhere where it's safe.”

The mountain lion returned Sunday night and George Weber notified city authorities, who issued a warning Monday urging the public to be cautious when using southside city parks during evening hours.

Parks and Urban Forestry Manager Cindy McCall said Beattie Park, which is near the sightings, may be particularly dangerous because people often walk their pets in the park at night.

“People have a tendency to walk in that park at night with their ‘little lunch meat on a leash,' and their headphones on,” McCall said.

She said mountain lions have been seen occasionally in the hills south of the city, but Carlos Weber said he had never seen one near his house.

“I've never seen one in the 20 years we've lived here,” he said. “And now I've seen him twice in the last three few nights. He's not afraid of us in the least.”

George Weber agreed that the cougar is getting “too bold, too brave.”

In the meantime, Carlos said he's exercising more caution during his late-night smoke breaks.

“I never thought twice about coming outside to smoke a cigarette. Now I have to look around before I step outside,” he said.

He used to smoke and pace to clear his head. Now he stands beside the door and smokes, keeping a wary eye out for the mountain lion.

Bo Poertner can be reached at 737-1053 or bpoertner@lompocrecord.com.

April 2, 2008

[cecil j.]

From the Lompoc, CA Record
http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/20 ... news01.txt

Local's close encounter with a mountain lion
By Bo Poertner/Managing Editor
Purchase This Photo
George Weber, left, and his son Carlos look up the hillside from a deck in the back of their home looking south to where they saw the mountain lion. Both father and son have seen a mountain lion twice in their backyard.//Bryan Walton/Staff
Carlos Weber had one of those bad recurring dreams, where he's falling and floating and can't get his feet back on the ground.

As he often does when awakened by a nightmare, the 25-year-old electrician's assistant climbed out of bed and went outside to smoke a cigarette. Smoking and pacing always seemed to clear his head.

But this time, about

3:30 a.m. Friday, he pulled open the sliding glass patio door and was startled by a large mountain lion resting a few feet away.

“As soon as I opened the door, there it was. It made a snort and looked back at me,” Weber said. “As soon as it saw me it bolted and by the time I closed the door it was already up the hill. It was lightning fast.”

Weber, who works with his father, George, at Weber Electric, said he was momentarily stunned by the close encounter, “like my mind

couldn't understand there was a mountain lion right in front of me.”

Advertisement

He said the animal appeared to be seven to eight feet long, from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. He is awaiting a return call from the state Department of Fish and Game.

The commotion woke George Weber, who looked out the back of the house and saw the cougar on the hill behind his Cambridge Drive home, near Evergreen cemetery on Lompoc's south side.

“I thought it was magnificent. This was a beautiful cat,” said George Weber. “I don't want it hurt. I want it maybe to be transported somewhere where it's safe.”

The mountain lion returned Sunday night and George Weber notified city authorities, who issued a warning Monday urging the public to be cautious when using southside city parks during evening hours.

Parks and Urban Forestry Manager Cindy McCall said Beattie Park, which is near the sightings, may be particularly dangerous because people often walk their pets in the park at night.

“People have a tendency to walk in that park at night with their ‘little lunch meat on a leash,' and their headphones on,” McCall said.

She said mountain lions have been seen occasionally in the hills south of the city, but Carlos Weber said he had never seen one near his house.

“I've never seen one in the 20 years we've lived here,” he said. “And now I've seen him twice in the last three few nights. He's not afraid of us in the least.”

George Weber agreed that the cougar is getting “too bold, too brave.”

In the meantime, Carlos said he's exercising more caution during his late-night smoke breaks.

“I never thought twice about coming outside to smoke a cigarette. Now I have to look around before I step outside,” he said.

He used to smoke and pace to clear his head. Now he stands beside the door and smokes, keeping a wary eye out for the mountain lion.

Bo Poertner can be reached at 737-1053 or bpoertner@lompocrecord.com.

April 2, 2008

Hummm, looks like someone is getting set up for a super date take-out meal !