u/athenswca

Good morning neighbors! We've received reports of a young bear (older than a cub, not yet a full adult) spotted midway up 2nd Street this morning (June 26).

Black bears generally avoid humans and are likely in the area trying to find food.

Here are some sensible precautions you may want to take until further notice:

Secure all food sources (e.g., garbage, pet bowls, bird feeders, compost) and move them into your house or garage if possible
Keep pets and children inside when not supervised
If you plan on using your grill this weekend, clean it afterwards to clear up any meat scraps
Consider putting your trash cans out on Monday morning as opposed to Sunday night, to help remove the temptation to find food there
Coordinate with your neighbors so everyone stays on the same page, especially if they might not have seen this news otherwise

If you see the bear:

Do NOT approach or attempt to feed them
Give the bear space and a clear escape route
If noticed, back away slowly - never run
Keep dogs leashed and stay together if in a group

If you hear growling/huffing/clacking teeth - it means the bear feels threatened and you're too close!

When you're safe, report your bear sighting to the Ohio DNR:

Hotline: 800-945-3543
Email: wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov
Website: https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/stewardship-citizen-science/wildlife-reporting-system

After that, consider also alerting your neighbors, posting in neighborhood groups, etc.

We only know about this sighting because someone shared about it in a Facebook group. If that hadn't happened, a lot of us wouldn't know there was a bear at all.

Stay safe!

Do you live or work on the Westside? We want to hear from you!

Join us at Arts West on July 11 at 2 pm for a community forum.

This forum is an opportunity for people with connections to the Westside to share their ideas, identify neighborhood needs and priorities, and help shape goals for our community. More importantly, it’s a chance to connect with neighbors and work together to turn those ideas into action.

Light snacks will be provided. We'll also have fun activities for kids attending with their parents & guardians.

This forum is part of the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, a collaborative effort between the Westside Community Association and Habitat for Humanity.

(If you use Facebook to keep track of events, we've got an event page here. You can also copy the event to your Google Calendar here.)

PS: If you shared your opinions with us during Porchfest, this is the next step to gathering information on what we as a community want to see on the Westside in the next 5-7 years. We will have future events so, if you're not able to attend this one, stay tuned to our social media, website, and newsletter for future dates!

(Edited to add the PS points)

Bear spotted on 2nd street this morning

Westside Community Forum July 11 @ 2 pm