LOS ANGELES, California- A Southern California freeway was shut down while state wildlife officials tried to remove a bear that wandered into lanes. Lt. Kerry Carter says the adult black bear walked onto the freeway, which had to be closed for much of the morning commute. Fish and Game Department workers eventually cornered the bear in a flood control channel, and tranquilized it with a dart gun. "I had a big position I was going to pull the trigger on but missed the trading dead line because of this flippin' bear," said angry bond trader Stormy Kroemer, who got stuck in traffic and a cell phone dead spot on the way to downtown Los Angeles, 20 miles away.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota- A squirrel delayed a game with the Yankees, which later was suspended by rain. The best way to get squirrels off the field? Some say have hawks or eagles roost in the right and left field light standards so they can swoop down and snatch squirrels when they appear. "What great TV that would make," said Rob Rode, an official with FOX Sports North. "It's either that or give the ground crew tasers. I hate squirrels. I was golfing once and a squirrel stole my five wood club head cover and then tried to bite me. If we could get a falconer to come in and hunt these squirrels we'd be on Sports Center every night," said a the frustrated executive, who noted if the squirrel hadn't caused a delay the Twins would have won a shortened game instead of the contest being suspended. The Twins lost the game the next day when it was resumed.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota- Danni Scopazzi was named "Dad of the Year" by workers at the day care center his son Roy attends. But after holding Roy over a guard rail to get a closer look at the Como Zoo's cougar exhibit, the Kinder Care facility has revoked the award. While ignoring signs which said "Warning- Stay Back," Scopazzi held his two year old over a railing and up to a wire fence to get a better view of a cougar, who proceeded to claw the boy through the mesh. Superficial skin wounds and pride are not the only injuries the Scopazzis endured. "I was really proud of that award," said the embarrassed father. "But I guess I made the day care center look bad, so they want their certificate back."

ALBERTA, Canada- Canadian beavers have built the world's longest dam-so big it can be seen from space. The incredible construction is a staggering half mile long and twice the size of Hoover dam. The furry critters used trees, mud and stone to make the giant moat to help protect themselves from predators. Sharon Brown, a biologist from Beavers United: an educational organization in North America, said several beaver families joined forces to create the massive dam, containing thousands of trees, and taking months to complete. When asked if the massive dam, visible from satellites, could be a signal to alien spacecraft, marking a remote landing spot, Brown said, "What? Are you serious? How did you get in here?"

ULUKHAKTOK, N.W.T.- Researchers in the Northwest Territories say they have found the first recorded case of a second-generation hybrid polar-grizzly bear in the wild. Officials said tests showed the bear was the offspring of a female hybrid polar-grizzly mix who had mated with a male grizzly. And this wasn't the result of a one-night stand. Female bears don't release their eggs until they are in the company of an approved male for at least two days. The female polar bears are actively choosing grizzly men. Some male grizzlies are even hunting seals on the sea ice, as polar bears do. "Perhaps the grizzly males are trying to impress the polar gals by doing things they like to do," said biologist Scott Ferrell. "It's like me going with my wife to look at antique furniture when I'd rather be watching a basketball game," added the scientist. Is this evidence of climate change? Ferrell believes it is. "If it was all snow and ice the grizzles would not even be that far north for this hooking up."

MONTGOMERY, Ohio- An accident involving a deer has forced police to shut down the right lanes of northbound I-71 in Montgomery. Police say a deer jumped off the overpass onto a car that was traveling on I-71 around 11:30 a.m. A woman inside the car was injured and transported to an area hospital. The right two lanes of the interstate were blocked causing traffic to backup for several miles for much of the day. The stalled vehicles included trucks carrying produce that was ruined by sitting in the heat. A Happy Farms company spokesman said, "One of our VPs hit a deer this morning on the way to work. Now this. Makes you wonder."

Tyrone, Georgia- A fox attacked a man outside an auto repair shop east of Atlanta, and it was caught on camera. Walter Wilson can be seen in the video kicking the fox away. "He just leaps, and it's amazing how they can leap, its like a cat," Wilson remembers. Wilson was bit in the arm, but the fox didn't stop trying to attack. The fox ran into the auto shop, then attacked a worker next door. A police officer on the scene shot the fox when it tried to charge him. See the action packed event at http://www.digtriad.com/news/thebuzz/story.aspx?storyid=142484&catid=259

LINCOLN, Nebraska- Lincoln police said two men they saw shooting weapons at squirrels told officers they were trying to get revenge on the rodents for damaging their vehicles. The men, ages 45 and 55, were cited for discharging weapons in the city. Witnesses said they saw the two shooting the squirrels Friday with a blow gun and a bow and arrow in a neighborhood with children outside playing. Police said the men admitted trying to get back at the squirrels for chewing through their vehicles' brake lines.

MENOMINEE, Wisconsin- Just as some Milwaukee Bucks fans, watching game seven of the NBA playoffs, were cheering "Fear the deer," two deer came crashing through the doors of the Stout Ale House and disrupted business at the popular sports bar. The Bucks and the deer both lost in their efforts to defeat, either, the Atlanta Hawks or the angry patrons who wrestled the deer into submission and shoved the four-legged bucks back out into the parking lot. Use URL below to see the action. http://www.pantagraph.com/news/weird-news/article_3f2a294c-56e9-11df-a765-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=video

WESTON, Wisconsin-One driver is lucky to be alive after a deer hits two cars and smashed through her windshield. Witnesses say a deer darted out in front of the first car and after hitting it got airborne and headed straight for the windshield of the second, traveling in the opposite direction. That driver managed to quickly duck as the doe went crashing through the driver's side windshield, landing in her backseat. Astoundingly, no major injuries were reported, except to the deer.