Lee’s Summit residents report seeing a black bear near their subdivision

A bear roamed through southwest Lee’s Summit recently. At least a big, blackish-brown animal was seen that two residents identify as a bear. Missouri Department of Conservation officials haven’t confirmed a bear is in this area, but it’s not impossible. In June, people farther south reported seeing a bear outside the species’ normal Missouri range, a sighting that was confirmed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. MDC officials said a black bear seen in Benton County June 25 had moved to Morgan County by July 2, and agency officials think it could be the same bear seen in recent weeks wandering through Barton, Vernon and Bates counties. Bates County is just south...