About 10,000 years ago, huge glaciers melted, forming what we now know as the San Francisco Bay Estuary. Thousands of plants and animals inhabit the San Francisco Bay Estuary today. Although it has severely been polluted and damaged, there is still life that we can protect.

Sewage, agricultural runoff, boat discharges, spills, industrialization and more constantly pollute the estuary. This kills and damages organisms and the ecosystem. Dredging is a big problem involving the environment as well. The dredging causes hazards to the ecosystem by stirring toxics in the bottom sediment, it covers the bottom and organisms are removed from their homes and hurt, and much of the dredged sediments are dumped into other estuary sites.

Today, the mudflats are shrinking and there is a loss of sediment in the bay. Eighty percent of the bay's marshes and many of the mudflats were turned into salt ponds, marketable land, and cow pastures between 1860 and 1930. This reduced areas for tides.

Today, many of the wetlands are filled or altered because of urban development, flood control, agriculture, and other causes. This leads to animals losing their habitats and many organisms are in danger of extinction.

Although the bay is replenished by salt water coming from the ocean and fresh water from the rivers, streams, and other watershed sources, the water is still an issue and problem. Much of the freshwater flow is diverted for agriculture, humans, businesses, homes, and other uses instead of going to the estuary. This hurts the water quality, ecosystem, and fisheries.

There are many organisms that rely on the bay area and are hurt by the continuous damage. The fish population has greatly declined as a result from overfishing, dams, pollution and irrigation pumps that trap migrating fish. Birds depend on the habitat and resources of the San Francisco Bay Estuary area as well.

The Delta is one of the most important areas for migrating birds and many birds catch their food and build their nests in mudflats, wetlands, and other habitats. Restoration of the bay area has started and can use all the help it can get. People can help by cleaning creeks, environment, by planting native plants, by educating others, by organizing a fundraiser and by altering everyday activities and more.

Heather LeFevre

Monta Vista High School student

Biltmore parents need to teach responsibility to their children

Shashi Nagendra's letter in the Sept. 1 issue of the Cupertino Courier about the Biltmore Apartment complex and the story about the giant's garden is a fairy tale. The real world does not have giants, although people with giant egos are comparative.

The Biltmore staff is conscious of the safety of all of its residents, not just its few senior residents.

Walkways, driveways, and landscaped grounds are not designated play areas. There are no meadows. They are professionally landscaped gardens creating beauty and serenity for the residents.

Posted rules state that no one under the age of 14 is allowed in the spa. The water temperature is a constant 101 degrees. Yet, kids routinely use the spa. Imagine yourself relaxing in the spa and suddenly having a kid jump over your head into 3 feet of heated bubbling water. Try scary and dangerous.

The Biltmore does not have a park on the property. The entire complex is comprised of private residences laid out in a professionally landscaped park-like setting. They are not play areas for kids demonstrating disrespect for the property of others, or parents who want quiet time away from the noise of their own children. There's a Cupertino community park just one block away, accommodating all sorts of outside activities that are better suited for rough and tumble play than the Biltmore's park.

I've seen children at the Biltmore:

*Play unattended around rocky bottomed ponds and fountains. (It's possible to drown in an inch or less of water.)

*Throw stones, rocks, and sticks into waterways (intentionally or unintentionally) hitting the ducks.

*Narrowly miss being hit by cars while riding bikes, playing in driveways and parking lots.

*Use the handicapped parking ramps as super slides while bike riding, roller-skating or skateboarding.

*Climb trees and walk and sit on the branches. Some parents actually put them there. What are they thinking? I know ... It's the Biltmore's fault if a child is injured after falling from their tree.

I've narrowly missed being beaned while sitting on my patio, because of kids playing ball (using bats) on the walkway between apartments. It's sad when you cannot enjoy the outdoors on your own property.

Biltmore parents, I plead with you to watch your children. Childhood experiences encompass more than playing. Teach them responsibility for their actions, respect for their "elders," and the property of others. They are indeed precious. Child abductions occur daily. "Six hours" without seeing your kids is dangerous. If it means a little less "quiet time" for an "exhausted mom," so be it. Nobody ever said parenting was easy.

Barbara Lowell

Cupertino

Antenna decision was to send the plan back for some review

I just finished reading the Cupertino Courier's Sept. 15 article about the proposed Sprint PCS antenna on the cross tower at Redeemer Lutheran Church and wanted to point out that the city council did not actually take a vote on Sprint PCS's appeal of the planning commission denial of the proposed PCS wireless antenna tower.

Things were a little confusing for everyone near the end of the hearing, but the city council actually voted to refer the project back to the planning commission for a report on a possible redesign of the antenna tower to a lower height.

The city council will still need to take a final action sometime in the near future at a noticed public hearing. This matter needs to be clarified with your readership as there are many interested neighbors.

Colin Jung

Senior Planner, city of Cupertino

The article "CCC Delivers 14,000 Signatures" in the Sept. 15 edition of the Cupertino Courier should have stated that members of Concerned Citizens of Cupertino delivered three initiative amendments to Cupertino City Hall on Sept. 9.