Early accounts of life in the Valley reported that both grizzlies and black bears were commonly spotted lurking in the grass on the plain. It's not surprising. Runs of steelhead swam up the Los Angeles River then, and wild berries grew in the canyons. In fact, records show that in 1873 a 2,350-pound grizzly bear was shot and killed just beyond Newhall Pass. The golden giants are long gone, but if you go hiking, biking or horseback riding in the Santa Susanas, don't forget that the smaller black bears are still with us. As a homeowner in Porter Ranch recently found out, sometimes a bear just has to come down out of the hills and cool off. (From the May 23, 2005 Daily News)