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Bear Resource Page - Aliso Street Bear

Opinion: TOO HARD TO BEAR: Why does the Department of Fish and Game want to expand bear hunting? - Suza Francina - March 1, 2010 - 4:42am - The following letter by Julia J. Di Sieno, executive director of Animal Rescue Team Inc., made the front page of the Santa Barbara News-Press editorial section yesterday (February 28, 2010). Animal Rescue Team was one of the wildlife organizations that offered to help save the Aliso Street bear last October.

Letter from Marjorie Emerson, Ojai, to Fish & Game re Plan to Expand Bear Hunting - Suza Francina - February 17, 2010 - 8:04am - Only recently did I learn my home state of California lists the Black Bear as a 'game' animal and permits killing of cubs as small as 50 pounds. I am horrified! Bears are shy, gentle animals that only come into contact with humans when they are looking for food or water or when people enter their territory.

Ojai memorializes Elliot, the bear that touched its heart - Suza Francina - February 13, 2010 - 6:56pm - A sensitively written story in the LA Times, by Steve Chawkins and the Story of the Bear Sculpture.

Photos from the Bear Art Dedication - Tyler Suchman - February 13, 2010 - 3:41pm - Bear Artist Mark Benkert at the Bear Art Dedication, and more photos after the jump, courtesy Randy Graham.

Bear Art Dedication – Friday, Feb. 12, 4 pm, Fountain Plaza - Suza Francina - February 11, 2010 - 8:28pm - Although the notice is short, I’m excited to share the news, and invite you to an important Public Art Dedication, in Ojai, California, Friday, February 12, 2010, at 4:00 p.m., 328 E. Ojai Avenue (fountain plaza behind Bonnie Lu’s).

Ojai Wildlife League Members Will Speak at Fish&Game Meeting in LA, Dec 9-10 - Suza Francina - December 8, 2009 - 7:58am - The Fish & Game Commission is meeting this week in Los Angeles (usually they meet in Sacramento). http://www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2009/120909agd.asp This is an opportunity to have public input regarding their policies. According to the Agenda, on Wed. Dec 9, they are addressing Marine Protected areas, and have public comment from 10-12:30.

Please Sign Letter to Pedro Nava from the Ojai Wildlife League - Suza Francina - December 6, 2009 - 8:29am - "Please read the letter below. If you approve, reply with your first and last name, to suewill@roadrunner.com as soon as possible and we will add your name to the signatures. Please respond even if you have already sent an individual letter."

Letter to Captain Roland Takayama, California Department of Fish and Game, re Ojai Bear Incident - Suza Francina - December 3, 2009 - 7:13am - "I am writing because even though I have done my best to understand the circumstances and policies that resulted in the order to kill the Ojai black bear on October 10th, 2009, I am still filled with grief when I think about what happened."

Letter to Assemblymember Nava from former Ojai Mayor, re Ojai Bear and Department of Fish & Game - Suza Francina - December 2, 2009 - 11:56am - "As someone who witnessed the bear’s death, I have written several Letters and articles pointing out the conspicuous omissions in Mr. Roland Takayama’s version of the bear incident. (See Letter below)."

More to the bear story: An Ojai resident responds to interview with Roland Takayama - Suza Francina - November 25, 2009 - 3:35pm - The following Letter to the Editor is my response to an interview with Roland Takayama in the VC Reporter. The interview was part of a larger story about the Ojai Bear, published 11/5/2009.

Pedro Nava Releases Memorandum on Ojai Bear Incident - Suza Francina - November 25, 2009 - 1:19pm - Pedro Nava Releases Memorandum on Ojai Bear Incident and California Department of Fish & Game Tranquilization and Euthanizing Policies. Nava Asks for Public Input

Ojai Wildlife League Meeting, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 - Suza Francina - November 10, 2009 - 6:22am - On Thursday, November 12, 7pm, we will be having our first organizational meeting to officially form the Ojai Wildlife League. The meeting will be held at Sacred Space Studio, 410 Bryant Circle, Suite A, in Ojai.

VC Reporter on The Ojai Wildlife League - Tyler Suchman - November 9, 2009 - 10:38am - The Ojai Wildlife League is criticizing Fish and Game officials for euthanizing a wild bear last month, as the head game warden defends his role in killing the 400-pound animal.

Bear Dance Ceremony in Ojai - Raymond Powers - November 2, 2009 - 11:36pm - From Julie Tumamait-Stenslie: Bear Dance Ceremony, Location:710 S. La luna Ave. Ojai ,Ca. 93023, Time:5:00PM Saturday, November 7th...

Ojai Poetry: The Ballad of the Aliso Street Bear and Other Poems - Suza Francina - November 1, 2009 - 9:56am - It's a beautiful, sparkling, sunny autumn day here in the Ojai Valley. Three weeks have gone by since the death of the Aliso Street Bear. Some are saying, "Why all the fuss over one bear, when every day millions of other animals and people are suffering and dying?"...

Not sure what to do if you see a bear? Check out the Ojai Wildlife League OWL website - Suza Francina - October 27, 2009 - 8:29am - Thanks to Cory Sipper and her husband Brad, the OWL website is up: www.ojaiwildlifeleague.com The following is a good example of what you will learn from the website. Being Bugged by a Bothersome Bear? Get Educated...

The Man Who Walks with Bears - Raymond Powers - October 27, 2009 - 1:01am - Black bears are often considered among the most dangerous animals in North America, depicted down the years as ferocious predators threatening to man. But, says one man, that perception could not be further from the truth....

Ojai Bear's Death Due to Department of Fish & Game Incompetence -- Guest Editorial by Ann Bryant - Suza Francina - October 22, 2009 - 7:43am - he beautiful but unfortunate bear who inadvertently ventured into Ojai recently should most certainly still be alive today and would be were it not for the inappropriate and woefully disturbing actions of a governmental agency --the Department of Fish and Game -- that answers to no one and blatantly disregards its own mission to protect California's wildlife...

Ojai Bear News: Pedro Nava Seeks Review of State Tranquilization and Euthanizing Policies - Suza Francina - October 21, 2009 - 9:21am - Assemblymember Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) sent a letter today to the Director of the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) requesting a review of the Department’s policies in regards to tranquilizing and euthanizing wildlife that are deemed to be a public threat.....

Aliso Street Bear Incident Ojai Community Meeting - Thursday Oct. 22nd, 7:30 pm - Suza Francina - October 19, 2009 - 3:58pm - Please join Sue Williamson, Tom Farmer and Chris Nottoli, three of the people forming the Ojai Wildlife League in an effort to bring together the people and organizations willing to prevent the deaths of wild animals who come into Ojai....

Bear Witness -- A Guest Editorial by Ojai Resident Chris Nottoli - Suza Francina - October 16, 2009 - 12:14am - Late at night on Oct. 9th my fiance’ and I had the rare pleasure of watching a huge, healthy bear lumbering around in our backyard... It was powerful, visceral, and as close as I get to a spiritual moment. But it was also so very sad for us. With the Sheriff’s Dept. surrounding the property just two blocks from the arcade in Ojai, we knew that this would end badly...

The Story of the Bear Sculpture - Robert Peake - October 15, 2009 - 9:44pm - Each morning this week, when I step outside my door to go to to work, I see the silhouette of a bear in the pine tree across the street. From this distance, it looks just like the several-hundred-pound black bear that I first discovered in the same position, on the same branch, last Saturday morning....

Bears To Be On Future Ojai City Council Agenda - Suza Francina - October 14, 2009 - 9:01am - The Council Chambers were overflowing. Every seat was taken. People were sitting on the floor. People were floating out the door. There was not enough room to hold all the outrage!....

Video filmed in Ojai: In Memory of the Bear on Aliso Street - Suza Francina - October 13, 2009 - 10:55pm - Just got home from City Council. Meeting highlights later. Rest assured the Bear will be on a future agenda. Found this video link of the Aliso Bear in the Comment section. Maheekat writes: "Here's some video of the bear for everyone"....

New Information on Ojai Bear Story Reported On Front Page of Santa Barbara News Press - Suza Francina - October 13, 2009 - 11:06am - Thanks to Ojai resident Cory Sipper for alerting me to the front page Ojai Bear story in today's Santa Barbara News-Press. Angel Pacheco, News-Press Staff Writer, reports new information that is critical in undertanding the full scope of what took place here in Ojai....

Inability or Choice: More Ojai Residents Speak Out About the Killing of the Aliso Street Bear - Suza Francina - October 13, 2009 - 7:59am - Part Two in a series on the Ojai Community's response to a killing of a black bear in Ojai. By Carol L. Healy. A totally different take on the days events then what I’ve read so far on the Ojai Post about the Bear...

More Ojai Residents Speak Out About the Killing of the Aliso Street Bear - Suza Francina - October 13, 2009 - 4:08am - Part One in a series on the Ojai Community's response to a killing of a black bear in Ojai. One of the most misunderstood of all creatures is the bear. Like so many other Ojai residents I am filled with sorrow and anger over the killing of a black bear...

Bear's Death Deserves a Constructive Community Response - Robert Peake - October 11, 2009 - 8:04pm - Saturday morning, I awoke to discover several police vehicles parked on our street, and a crowd gathering on our front lawn. The previous night, a several-hundred-pound black bear had scaled our neighbor's back fence, bounded down the gravel footpath between our houses...

The bear’s death warrant? Public liability - Suza Francina - October 11, 2009 - 5:17pm - After court decisions in Arizona eroded the state’s longstanding immunity from being sued over the actions of wild animals, lawyers began obtaining large verdicts from public managers over humans’ harmful encounters with wildlife...

What I saw from the Aliso St. Bear Tragedy – A Timeline - Tyler Suchman - October 11, 2009 - 9:01am - Submitted by Chris Nottoli. At about 10:30 pm on Oct. 9th, Deb called me at work to tell me there was a bear in our yard. It had come over the fence from Dennis and Janis’ place....

Pet Psychic Bear Coverage - Laura Stinchfield - October 10, 2009 - 5:33pm - It is now 5:24 pm and the Ojai black bear has been up in a pine on Alisos Street. Thanx to Deb Norton and Chris Nottili I & Brent have had a place to watch and talk to him...

Bear in Downtown Ojai - Tyler Suchman - October 10, 2009 - 12:49pm - It's about noon on Saturday and in case you haven't heard yet, there is a very large bear in a tree on Aliso St! He's been there all night and it looks like they are letting him stay until he decides to come down...