Staff Reports
A big brown bear wandered into an Eagle River neighborhood this week and made a mess — ripping a glass panel off a truck canopy and scrubbing at garage doors like it was cleaning up after a sugar binge. At the same time, state troopers logged a very different kind of nuisance: someone who dialed 911 twenty‑nine times and ended up in custody. Both stories are small, local, and a little ridiculous — and both point to a simple lesson: common sense still matters.
Eagle River bear tears into truck and garage doors
Video and local reporting show a very large brown bear that targeted a truck used by Jason’s Donuts, apparently drawn by the lingering smell of fried dough. “This is what we woke up to,” said shop co‑owner Andreea Koski, pointing to the ripped glass panel. Neighbors reported deep claw marks up the side of a garage door, and a Pioneer Doors manager said several doors nearby were damaged. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game was called to take a report, but there’s no public update yet on whether the bear was captured, relocated, or euthanized.
Food‑conditioned bears are a public‑safety risk
Here’s the hard truth: bears that learn to find human food stop being wild in a harmless way. Wildlife managers warn that food‑conditioned bears are more likely to return to neighborhoods and, eventually, to be removed or killed. That’s not drama — it’s wildlife management. Small businesses like donut shops should secure trash and vehicles, and residents should pull in garbage, remove bird feeders, and follow Alaska Department of Fish & Game guidance on living with bears. Do that, and you reduce the odds of a hungry bear turning your garage into a chew toy.
Meanwhile: 29 misdials and an arrest for interfering with 911
In Palmer/Mat‑Su, the Alaska Department of Public Safety recorded a stranger kind of nuisance: Katherine Ivanoff allegedly misdialed 911 twenty‑nine times, got verbally abusive when contacted by troopers, and was arrested for Interfering with Emergency Communications under AS 11.56.785. This isn’t just a funny police blotter line. Misusing emergency lines ties up resources and could cost someone their life if help is slowed down by prank calls or careless behavior.
Common sense can prevent both problems
One story is about wildlife and smells; the other is about people and phones. The fix in both cases is low‑tech and simple: secure your trash and vehicles, and don’t waste 911. Alaska is full of wild things — bears included — and we should treat that reality with respect, not surprise. And if you own a donut shop, maybe don’t advertise on wheels that smell like cinnamon sugar. It’s good business, good safety, and common sense — which, judging by these stories, is still in short supply.
