Wait a minute, they charged a 71 year old lady with feeding wildlife because a bear got into her trash can? Are you sure? There must be more to that story.
Her trash removal company should have provided her with a bear proof container. That's what happens in Glennallen. If a bear starts showing interest in our trash can we call our local trash company, C B S, and within the blink of an eye they are there replacing it with a new can. I mean, they are right on it, FAST!  
I once watched a black bear return to his favored can only to find it had been replaced by a bear proof one. He got up on top and jumped up and down, tried to pry the lid up, pushed down on it, smacked the sides of the can, and sat down looking at the thing perplexedly Oh man, it was SO HILARIOUS!.