Cliff Buchan
News EditorBlack bears are back in the Forest Lake area roaming through city neighborhoods.
Chief of Police Clark Quiring said his office has received three reports of bears in the area. It is likely the bears are a mother and two cubs.
Bear reports from the public were made from 1835 Ivywood Ave. on June 6, 8928 Scandia Trail N. on June 7 and from the area of SE 10th Ave. and SE 7th St. on Tuesday morning.
Quiring said the public is to exercise common sense if the bears are sighted.
ìBe careful in general,î Quiring said. ìUse common sense. They are wild animals. Donít get between the cubs and the mother.î
Business owner hurt
in 3-car crash
The owner of a Forest Lake business was seriously hurt in a car crash on TH-97 and Fenway Ave. at noon on Saturday.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Diane L. Hammes, 57, an owner of Natureís Image, was westbound on TH-97 and waiting to turn south on Fenway when her 2002 Pontiac was rear-ended. The impact pushed the Hammes vehicle into the eastbound lane where it was hit by a third vehicle.
According to the State Patrol, Hammes was ejected from the vehicle. She was airlifted to Regions Hospital, St. Paul with serious head injuries, but was improving on Tuesday.
Her vehicle was rear-ended by a 1998 GMC driven by Joseph R. Heuer, 23, of Forest Lake. He received minor injuries. The driver of the third car, Nicole Stelzner, 21, of Blaine, received a broken arm in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.
Other reports
In other reports this week, police are:
ïInvestigating the theft of a $900 home-built computer from a vehicle at Holiday, 315 SW 19th St. on June 7.
ïInvestigating the overnight theft of plants valued at $1415 from the Plant Place, 808 S. Lake St. on June 4.
ïInvestigating a burglary and vandalism of a home under construction at 5223 N. 202nd St.
ïCharged four juveniles with underage consumption and a fifth juvenile with assault during incidents at the Youth Night at the Central Learning Center, 200 SW 4th St., Saturday night.
Quiring said the underage drinking tickets were issued by a city police officer working the dance. According to police reports, the four kids drank alcohol at a home and came to the event intoxicated.
One of the four, a 13-year-old female, had a blood alcohol count of .18 and was taken by her parents to Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center in Wyoming for medical care.
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