In the February the Alert first learned from Crystal Smeltzer of the presence in our village of a new charismatic megafauna: a bear. Or perhaps two? She hadn’t actually seen it yet, but her neighbors had, and she had seen its digestive evidence. Finally we now have photographic evidence, courtesy of nightstalking paparazza Shelley Kidder, who fired the three shots below. The DNR has been notified and they strongly recommend that everyone not only empty, but completely remove, their bird feeders for the next two months or so, in the hope that the bear will move on. Exterior garbage, needless to say, should also be disposed with. Note that it is illegal to discharge a firearm within the Village limits. Ken Bonney also remarked rather sternly at the March council meeting that shooting at the bear with rubber bullets would likely be an extremely bad idea. Let’s hope we can coexist peaceably with our ursine visitor until he/she decides to move on.