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State and federal authorities investigating the apparent shooting deaths of six sea lions in the Columbia River below the Bonneville Dam said they were treating the area on the Oregon-Washington border as a crime scene. Federal permission for the states to capture and kill a limited number of sea lions, which eat endangered salmon, has been on hold during an ongoing court challenge.

The recently opened David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens housing complex, named for New York's former mayor and his wife, is earning recognition as Harlem's first affordable "green" community. The 85-unit development incorporates solar shades, recycled building materials, a rainwater harvesting system, and energy-efficient mechanical systems in the low-income residence.

A youth reading survey released Monday by Renaissance Learn-ing, which monitors student reading progress online in more than 63,000 schools, found that seventh-graders averaged 7.1 books read in 2007, but 12th-graders only 4.5, according to The Washington Post.

To prevent beetle-infested trees from falling on visitors, the US Forest Service has announced it will close 21 campgrounds and recreation sites this summer in Wyoming and Colorado.

"Iron Man," the Marvel Comics adaptation starring Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, enjoyed a spectacular opening weekend, hauling in $104.2 million since its Thursday debut, the second-best premiere ever for a nonsequel. Movie attendance overall is down 6 percent in 2007.

Illinois announced plans Sunday for a seismic safety task force to assess earthquake preparedness in high-risk areas. A magnitude 5.2 quake shook the state last month.

In a National Hockey League playoff game that ran into early Monday morning, the Dallas Stars scored 9:03 into a fourth overtime to defeat the pesky San Jose Sharks, 2-1, and clinch their series in six games. Dallas faces Detroit in one conference final; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh meet in the other.

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