{"id":2445993,"date":"2019-07-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=308905"},"modified":"2019-07-04T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-04T06:00:00","slug":"its-high-time-for-a-fine-at-aspen-businesses-that-feed-bears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/its-high-time-for-a-fine-at-aspen-businesses-that-feed-bears\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s high time for a fine at Aspen businesses that feed bears"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9217540842648\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-308905-513\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Food scraps lie in the alley behind Clark's Oyster Bar on an early June morning. The restaurant received a warning for not adequately locking its compost container.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Food scraps lie in the alley behind Clark&#8217;s Oyster Bar on an early June morning. The restaurant received a warning for not adequately locking its compost container.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8.jpg\" alt=\"Food scraps lie in the alley behind Clark's Oyster Bar on an early June morning. The restaurant received a warning for not adequately locking its compost container.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski shows what a citation looks like when she issues it to an individual or business that failed to comply with city ordinance in securing their trash.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski shows what a citation looks like when she issues it to an individual or business that failed to comply with city ordinance in securing their trash.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-1.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski shows what a citation looks like when she issues it to an individual or business that failed to comply with city ordinance in securing their trash.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Unrinsed recyables overflowng in a container belonging to Paradise Bakery was knocked down by a bear on a recent morning\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Unrinsed recyables overflowng in a container belonging to Paradise Bakery was knocked down by a bear on a recent morning<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-2.jpg\" alt=\"Unrinsed recyables overflowng in a container belonging to Paradise Bakery was knocked down by a bear on a recent morning\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains to an employee of Clark's Oyster Bar why it's important to keep human food locked up so it doesn't attract bears. In front of them is bear scat and a knocked over compost container.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains to an employee of Clark&#8217;s Oyster Bar why it&#8217;s important to keep human food locked up so it doesn&#8217;t attract bears. In front of them is bear scat and a knocked over compost container.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-3.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains to an employee of Clark's Oyster Bar why it's important to keep human food locked up so it doesn't attract bears. In front of them is bear scat and a knocked over compost container.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Baguettes were blatanly placed on top of a compost container in an alley behind Restaurant Row in downtown Aspen in June. It's a $250 fine to violate the city of Aspen's trash ordinance. Steep fines occur for the second and third offense.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Baguettes were blatanly placed on top of a compost container in an alley behind Restaurant Row in downtown Aspen in June. It&#8217;s a $250 fine to violate the city of Aspen&#8217;s trash ordinance. Steep fines occur for the second and third offense.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-4.jpg\" alt=\"Baguettes were blatanly placed on top of a compost container in an alley behind Restaurant Row in downtown Aspen in June. It's a $250 fine to violate the city of Aspen's trash ordinance. Steep fines occur for the second and third offense.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Aspen Community Response Officer explains to an employee of Clark's Oyster Bar one June morning why the restaurant's compost container does not comply with the city's trash ordinance. Restaurant employees did not secure the container correctly and it attracted a bear during the early morning hours. Human-bear conflicts an result in the bruin being euthanized.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Community Response Officer explains to an employee of Clark&#8217;s Oyster Bar one June morning why the restaurant&#8217;s compost container does not comply with the city&#8217;s trash ordinance. Restaurant employees did not secure the container correctly and it attracted a bear during the early morning hours. Human-bear conflicts an result in the bruin being euthanized.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-5.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen Community Response Officer explains to an employee of Clark's Oyster Bar one June morning why the restaurant's compost container does not comply with the city's trash ordinance. Restaurant employees did not secure the container correctly and it attracted a bear during the early morning hours. Human-bear conflicts an result in the bruin being euthanized.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-6.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains one early June morning to the staff at Paradise Bakery that the restaurant could get cited for violating the city's trash ordinance. The restaurant's recyclables container got broken into by a bear earlier that morning. While recycables containersdo not legally have to be secured, if the contents are unrinsed they can attract bears.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains one early June morning to the staff at Paradise Bakery that the restaurant could get cited for violating the city&#8217;s trash ordinance. The restaurant&#8217;s recyclables container got broken into by a bear earlier that morning. While recycables containersdo not legally have to be secured, if the contents are unrinsed they can attract bears.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-6.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski explains one early June morning to the staff at Paradise Bakery that the restaurant could get cited for violating the city's trash ordinance. The restaurant's recyclables container got broken into by a bear earlier that morning. While recycables containersdo not legally have to be secured, if the contents are unrinsed they can attract bears.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-7.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times | Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski investigates a turned over dumpster behind a home on Hopkins Avenue on a recent morning. She later tries to find the individual responsible for not securing the trash and allowing a bear to become habituated to human food instead of natural sources.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski investigates a turned over dumpster behind a home on Hopkins Avenue on a recent morning. She later tries to find the individual responsible for not securing the trash and allowing a bear to become habituated to human food instead of natural sources.<\/strong><br \/>Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/Bears-atd-07XX19-8-7.jpg\" alt=\"Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski investigates a turned over dumpster behind a home on Hopkins Avenue on a recent morning. She later tries to find the individual responsible for not securing the trash and allowing a bear to become habituated to human food instead of natural sources.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/its-high-time-for-a-fine-at-aspen-businesses-that-feed-bears\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/its-high-time-for-a-fine-at-aspen-businesses-that-feed-bears\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It\u2019s just after 8 a.m. on a Thursday in June and Aspen community response officer Alyse Katynski has issued two warnings to businesses that didn\u2019t secure their trash, allowing a bear to feed on the previous day\u2019s food scraps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">If Paradise Bakery doesn\u2019t rinse out its recycling properly and Clark\u2019s Oyster Bar doesn\u2019t secure its compost container with a lock at all times during the day and night, they\u2019ll be fined $250 for violating the city\u2019s solid waste ordinance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On her early-morning routine patrol, Katynski, who works for the Aspen Police Department, found Clark\u2019s compost container knocked over in the alley with oyster and clam shells and fruit strewn about next to a pile of bear scat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She pointed out the mess to Clark\u2019s kitchen manager, who was surprised to see it and said it must have happened the night before while the staff was still working.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski told him it didn\u2019t matter, and the container needed to be locked at all times and the lock Clark\u2019s had was insufficient anyway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She explained how important it is to not give bears a human food source. She referenced a <a id=\"N0x1ca7cf0N0x1c046d0:N0x1ca7cf0N0x1a756f0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/wildlife-officials-bear-killed-in-aspen-was-the-one-that-bit-hiker-on-hunter-creek-trail\/\">recent encounter<\/a> with a hiker on the Hunter Creek Trail who was bitten by a bruin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The animal, whose stomach was full of birdseed, was later found and killed by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It is the state agency\u2019s policy to euthanize a bear if it has had a conflict with a human.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski followed up with the general manager of Clark\u2019s later that day, and because the restaurant had gotten missed on the APD\u2019s preseason restaurant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cityofaspen.com\/409\/Aspen-Bears\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"(opens in a new tab)\">\u201cBear Aware\u201d<\/a> educational outreach, she issued them a warning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She did the same at Paradise Bakery, whose recycling container had been knocked over and rummaged through by a bear, leaving a crushed and licked peanut butter container in the middle of the alley between Hyman and Cooper avenues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski talked to the staff behind the counter as they were busily waiting on the morning rush of customers. They told her their manager would be in a half-hour.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski returned later and explained that recyclables left in an alley, in a container that can be accessed by wildlife, must be thoroughly rinsed and clear of debris. Paradise Bakery is reportedly looking into replacing their recycling container to one with a locking mechanism, which will prevent unauthorized people from using it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen Assistant Police Chief Linda Consuegra said recycling that is not rinsed is as much of an attractant as food waste.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe ask people to take recycling out the day of pickup,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Recycling containers are not required to be secured like all trash and compost dumpsters are.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While the APD may issue far more warnings than tickets, at the end of the day, it\u2019s about changing behavior.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s a case-by-case basis,\u201d Katynski said. \u201cWe want to be diligent to protect the bears and wildlife; they were here first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski has issued three first offense <a id=\"N0x1ca7cf0N0x1c04790:N0x1ca7cf0N0x1a75ed0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/aspen-officials-up-wildlife-harassment-fines\/\">citations<\/a> so far this year. They\u2019ve gone to Cache Cache for multiple instances of an unsecure compost container, and HOPS Culture and Shadow Mountain Lodge for unsecured trash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">HOPS general manager James Harvey said it was a mistake that will not happen again, and sent a message to the community via the owner of the restaurant, Alex Cesaria.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe love the bears and we are happy to pay the fine and we will make sure it doesn\u2019t happen again,\u201d Harvey said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The businesses got tickets because they had been previously contacted about the importance of not providing a food source for bears, or had repeatedly violated the city ordinance, Katynski said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe aren\u2019t just talking to people anymore,\u201d she said, adding stricter enforcement is coming with high season here. \u201cThe bears are asking for it, and the citizens are too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She and the rest of APD\u2019s community response officers patrol the alleys all over town each morning to assess bear activity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Oftentimes it\u2019s difficult to identify what dumpster or recycling can belongs to what business, and if it was \u201cpoached\u201d by someone else throwing their trash away.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cOur challenge is to get to the bottom of the investigation,\u201d Katynski said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But the emphasis remains to educate all restaurant staff that securing trash is part of their daily routines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe education is important because the employees change every season and the managers change every season,\u201d Katynski said, adding that the APD has Spanish speaking officers to explain to restaurant staff as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Matt Yamashita, who handled the euthanization of the bear in the Hunter Creek incident, said Aspen is a difficult place to get community buy-in on the issue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">That\u2019s partly because of the transient nature of the resort town and its affluence, he noted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey don\u2019t see what happens later this year \u2026 they don\u2019t see the trap and they don\u2019t know the fate of the bear,\u201d Yamashita said. \u201cBusinesses should be the ones to reach the tourists \u2026 they have a prime opportunity to set an example.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Katynski said she has faith in the APD\u2019s efforts and that local businesses will get their acts together.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe hear CPW, we hear our citizens and we hear our bears,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are in it to win it for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\"><em><a href=\"mailto:csackariason@aspentimes.com\">csackariason@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/its-high-time-for-a-fine-at-aspen-businesses-that-feed-bears\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Food scraps lie in the alley behind Clark&#8217;s Oyster Bar on an early June morning. The restaurant received a warning for not adequately locking its compost container.Carolyn Sackariason\/The Aspen Times Aspen Community Response Officer Alyse Katynski shows what a citation looks like when she issues it to an individual or business that failed to comply [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2445993","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-20 20:14:09","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2445993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2445993\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2445993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2445993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2445993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}