The state Department of Natural Resources will re-establish the Black Oak Bayou as a wetland mimicking the natural water fluctuations found there before it was closed off from the Kankakee River.

Under the plan, Chuck Williams, a state Republican Party official and financial backer of GOP causes, will control the park's amenities for decades to come.

Until recently, Indiana had not had a confirmed black bear sighting since 1871.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources had to cancel more than 4,000 cabin and campground reservations this summer because of flooding.

The fee increases ranged from $2 to $4 per night. Campground fees vary by season and amenities.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said in a news release that several Michigan City residents also reported a bear going through trash and birdfeeders in the area Tuesday evening.

A bird biologist said she found the fork-tailed flycatcher Tuesday while conducting a survey for another bird in Daviess County.