A black bear was sighted last week in Cottage Grove, causing a brief stir before retreating, presumably, to more reclusive turf after a brief foray into the hubbub of civilization.
The bear, likely hungry and disoriented after waking from hibernation, was reported in several locations, said Capt. Pete Koerner of the Cottage Grove Police Department. The animal was seen in a wooded area near Oakwood Park, in the parking lot of the armory, a wetland near the Cottage Grove/Newport border and behind the Rush Nightclub on Hwy. 61, Koerner said. No reports of sightings were made over the last weekend, and the bear appeared to be headed for the Mississippi River and more familiar territory.
The city gets reports of bear every couple of years, he said, and this animal did not appear aggressive and police officers kept tabs on its behavior and travels.
MaryEllen Amland was one of those who reported the bear. She spotted the animal running along a train as she went to pick up her mother for a morning appointment. "I thought 'Is that really a bear?' It was just amazing to see," she said. "I had never seen one in the wild."
Harland Hiemstra, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said it is a little unusual but not unheard of for black bears to be found so far south of the Twin Cities. The best advice for anyone who spots a bear is to leave it alone and don't raise a commotion, he said. If bears become a public safety concern, local law enforcement officers are forced to dispatch the animals.
"Personally, I think it's kind of cool that we live in a place where we see some strange wildlife once in a while," Hiemstra said.
Cottage Grove
Fundraiser planned for injured officer
A fundraiser to aid the family of Frank Mackall, a Savage police officer who is from Cottage Grove and was injured during a call on Jan. 2, will be held from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 3 at the Cottage Grove VFW/Big Red Barn, 9260 East Point Douglas Rd S.
Mackall was responding to a prowler call when his patrol car hit a patch of ice and spun out of control. He was seriously injured and spend 84 days in the hospital. His wife gave up her full-time job to help with his care. Before becoming a police officer, he was a volunteer for the Cottage Grove Police Department Reserve Officer Program.
