UPDATE, 1 p.m.: The Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a search of the paths in the wooded area near Zane Middle School this morning and found no trace of mountain lion. LoCO spoke with Zane principal Jan Schmidt who noted the school added extra security to ensure students’ safety and will maintain extra precautions until the area can be checked further.  

“There’s no ‘lion’s den’,” Schmidt said, referencing LoCO’s somewhat jokey wording in our quickly conceived graphic — some parents didn’t appreciate the lightness, it seems. OK. After a trip to the principal’s office, we’ve learned our lesson. (Updated map below.) 

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Happy Mother’s Day, y’all. Speaking of mothers, A LoCO reader/mother of a Zane Middle School student reached out to us tonight to let us know that she’d received a phone message from the school warning that a mountain lion had been spotted in the wooded area on the north side of the school. A message from Zane Middle School’s Facebook page reiterates this message:

Oh my.

The message from Zane principal Jan Schmidt that went out to all parents of students at the school via automated phone message has been added below:

(AUDIO)