Notices

New Way to Vote in Rockland County

Please make sure you have your speakers turned on to be able to listen to the narative.

Bear Sightings in Pomona?

It happens every year in the spring and summer when the black bears wake up and are hungry from the long winter. The most important thing to remember is this: Take away the food and you will take away the bears. We cannot emphasize this enough. (reprinted from a DEC article and printed in the May 2006 Village Green).

Link: Village Green

For those of you who are concerned and need more suggestions, these might help:

• Discontinue feeding suet and/or bird seed to birds for the entire summer. Bird feed is a very strong attraction even if they can't reach it.
  
  
• Do not leave garbage outside of houses or garages, including dirty diapers or diaper pails. Use plastic bags inside garbage cans to help hide odors.
  
  
• Bears are attracted by smells. With the exception of ammonia, Lysol, camphor and other cleaners, everything smells like potential bear food.
  
  
• Remove the grease can from gas and charcoal grills after every use. Clean barbeque pits and grills thoroughly before leaving them outside.
  
  
• Do not place food outside to attract raccoons, squirrels or other wildlife. Do not feed family pets outside. An empty dish can attract a bear.
  
  
• Turn off kitchen exhaust fans that vent to the outside when not in use. Make sure the vent screen is cleaned regularly.
• Leave outdoor lights on or a radio playing all night.
  
  
• Do not hand-feed bears from cars at campgrounds and dump sites.
  
  
• and...we have it on a reliable authority that bears are so sensitive to smells that they are even attracted by a lip gloss in a glove compartment of a car, so...food is what they are after and if you alleviate all the smells from your yard/house, you will not attract them. They are not looking to bother people.