Town Bears Up Well to Unusual Visitor in Downtown Tree

A 300-pound black bear who stumped police and entranced onlookers by spending Tuesday in a downtown tree headed back to the woods early today.

“That poor bear wasn’t going to come down in the day,” firefighter Bill Sargent said. “It was just waiting for night and for everyone to get away.”

“I don’t know what the townspeople will do for excitement today, though,” Sargent said. The tree was about 500 feet from town hall in this community of about 6,000 residents.

The police dispatcher was busy Tuesday with calls from people who had ideas on how to get the bear down.

“One person said to get a long pole, tie a rag on the end and dip it in honey” to coax the animal down,” said the dispatcher, who refused to give her name.