Cliff Buchan
News Editor

A yearling black bear that has been roaming the Clear Lake area in Forest Lake this spring has been killed.

The 100-pound bear was shot and killed by a Forest Lake police officer shortly before 2 p.m. last Friday. The bear was put down in the area of 210th St. N. and Everton Ave. on the south end of Clear Lake.

Police said the animal was becoming too bold and no longer had fear of humans. The bear became troublesome on Friday when it entered a chicken coop to find chicken feed and generally was doing damage to property in search of food, police said.

When the bear came within a block of the Room For Growing day care facility, 4700 Scandia Trail N., police stepped in. Conservation officers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources requested police officers destroy the animal, police said.

“He just wasn’t going to leave the area,” a police spokesperson said this week.

Police have received more than 15 calls from the public on the bear which was finding food in garbage and bird feeders. Police believe the animal was a yearling that was out on its own and became too dependent on food sources that were related to humans.

Police said the bear was displaying little fear of humans and was walking through yards while people were cutting grass.

With the day care close at hand and many young children in the residential areas near Clear Lake, the decision was made to destroy the animal, police said.

Wyoming burglary

A burglary at a home in Wyoming this month has been a mean blow to the homeowner.

Sue and Dan Hefta were on vacation June 8-13 and returned home to find that their home had been burglarized. Sue Hefta continues to recover from a broken neck received in a car rollover a year ago and the family trip was their first vacation in a year.

Scott Dexter, acting police chief in Wyoming, said the burglars made off with jewelry, a computer and an X-box with total value of more than $4000.

The burglary investigation continues.

Deputy in crash

A Washington County Sheriff's deputy was involved in a two-vehicle collision on Manning Trail N. in Scandia on June 12.

According to sheriff's office reports, deputy Chris Howard was traveling northbound on Manning in a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria marked squad car when an 80-year-old male from Marine on St. Croix driving a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado exited westbound from the Big Marine General Store, 19261 Manning Trail N., in front of the squad car.

Both vehicles suffered extensive damage. The squad car hit the driver’s side of the Silverado.

Howard was transported to Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

The Marine man, whose name was not released by the county, was transported to Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming with minor injuries.

The Minnesota State Patrol conducted the accident investigation.

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