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Bear sightings reported, but not verified By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
The East Toledo Senior Center held a Halloween party that included lunch, charades, and a visit from “Olaf” a 5 month old pig that performed tricks. At left, Diane Thorn rewards Olaf for performing. Top right, Bonnie Drayton nuzzles with Olaf. Bottom right, Laverne Edwards and Jean Yard watch a game of charades. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)
Phony dollar bills pop up once again For the last several months, there have been increasing reports of counterfeit bills circulating throughout Oregon. Although it stretches back from earlier this year, recent police reports state that the phony greenbacks have made their way to merchants, particularly Walmart at 3721 Navarre Avenue. Among the reports: • On Oct. 9, a $20 bill was used to make a purchase at Walmart, according to police. “The suspect made a purchase from register No. 9 and paid in cash,” states the police report. “The suspect gave the clerk a $20 bill, which was turned in with the clerk’s drawer to the counting room.” An employee found the bill as she was counting the money from the drawer • On Oct. 6, a $5 bill was detected in a cash drawer in Walmart, likely received between Noon and Midnight, according to the police report. • On Sept. 28, a woman found pieces of counterfeit $10 bills in the Walmart parking lot after she was exiting the store at 3721 Navarre Ave., between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
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It’s very difficult to tell the difference. The quality is very good.
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By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
“When she was walking to the parking lot, she noticed what appeared to be torn money on the ground,” states the report. “She gathered up the pieces and went to her vehicle. Upon further inspection, she found the pieces made several $10 bills with all the same serial numbers: CG29669764A. When she realized it was counterfeit money, she brought it to the Oregon Police Department.” • On Sept. 6, a $20 counterfeit bill was passed at the Bob Evans Restaurant, 2849 Navarre Ave. • On July 26, a counterfeit $20 bill was found in a deposit bag at Walmart. • On May 6, someone unknowingly
passed a counterfeit $20 bill at Circle K, 401 S. Wheeling St. • On Jan. 16, a $100 counterfeit bill was used to pay for merchandise at Walmart. Hard to tell Oregon Police Chief Mike Navarre said the counterfeit money is often difficult to detect. “They’re really good ones. They’re hard to tell,” he said. The reports started to peak about six months ago, he said. “In the last six months, they’ve become more and more prevalent.” Tracing the imitation currency’s origins is not an easy task because the money is circulated from person to person. “It’s extremely difficult to find out who is printing it. It gets out into circulation and just gets passed hand to hand,” he said. In addition, technological advances have made the fake bills more similar to the real thing. Counterfeit currency is usually computer generated. “It’s very difficult to tell the difference,” said Navarre. “The quality is very good. I couldn’t begin to tell you where they’re coming from.” Continued on page 2
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State and Wood County officials said they’ve been unable to verify recent reports of black bear sightings. Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said his department has received two reports – the most recent one last month outside of the Village of Luckey – but it hasn’t been verified by his staff. “I believe we had two bear reports but neither one has been confirmed by a deputy,” he said Tuesday. Likewise John Windau, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources office in Findlay, who said his office has received sighting reports in two local counties. “We have received reports of black bears this year in Wood and Lucas counties, but none of them were able to be verified,” he said. Last year, the ODNR’s Division of Wildlife received 158 sightings throughout the state, involving what is considered to be 74 individual black bears. One confirmed sighting took place in Seneca County but there were no reported sightings in Wood, Lucas, and Sandusky counties. That is a decrease in the total number of sightings compared to 2012 when 224 sightings involving an estimated 93 individual black bears were received. The wildlife division says the number of individual bears is considered a subjective judgment. The number of sightings in 2013 confirmed by evidence such as tracks or photos was lower than in 2012 but the percentage was somewhat higher as 54 (34 percent) of the 158 sightings were confirmed by division personnel. “These 54 sightings represented an estimated 28 bears in 23 counties,” a summary of observations by the ODNR says. “For comparison, in 2012 65 (29 percent) of 224 sightings were confirmed for an estimated 35 bears in 21 counties.” Bear sightings were reported in 35 Ohio counties in 2013. Of these, a little more than half were in northeastern counties. “Formal sightings from 1993 through