Never mind the Olympics, the Scott and White Texas Senior Games are here.It may not have the exotic wildlife of Australia, but Temple can still claim 1,691 athletes hoping to advance to the national competition in Baton Rouge, La., in July 2001.Registration for the events began Monday and the athletics kick off today with events including golf, table tennis, billiards and swimming.A free ice cream social with choral and country music will serve as the opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. today at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center.The contests close Sunday, Oct. 8.The competitive events include archery, badminton, three-on-three basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, racquetball, walking, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and triathlon.The recreational events that do not require qualification for those living outside the 50-mile radius include around-the-world and free-throw basketball, billiards, checkers, dancing, dominoes, forty-two, washers, and the writing competition that includes short stories, essays, poetry, and songs.

Cotton growers in Central Texas will take part in the Boll Weevil Eradication Program in 2001 following an overwhelming vote in favor of joining the program by growers in February.Participation in the program is mandatory for any producer who plants cotton. The program costs $12 an acre for dry land cotton farms and $27 an acre for irrigated cotton. Nearly all Central Texas cotton is produced on dry land farms, according to the Texas Extension Service.The 63-county Southern Blacklands Zone is the largest of 13 designated zones in the state but the one with the least amount of cotton acreage.Williamson County, with about 30,000 acres of cotton, is the biggest producer in the area, according to Cliff Hoelscher, an entomologist with the Texas Extension Service.Milam County produces about 12,000 acres annually, Falls 8,000 acres and Bell 6,000."This is a big change for our growers," Hoelscher says. "Historically, farmers have managed their own pests. Now it becomes a communitywide effort."

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)

IRVING (AP)

After an impressive 4-0 start to the season, the Gatesville Hornets jumped from No. 10 to No. 6 in the Associated Press high school football poll Monday in Class 3A.The Hornets, a Division I state semifinalist last year, have dominated their opponents so far this season winning by a combined score of 149 to 15, including two shutouts.They started the season with a 35-2 win over the Cameron Yoemen and followed that with a 27-0 shutout of the Robinson Rockets, a Division II state semifinalist in 1999. In week three, Gatesville defeated Teague 34-13, and last Friday, clobbered District 17-3A foe Waco Connally, 53-0.While Gatesville head coach Kiff Hardin said it was nice to be recognized, he acknowledged that rankings have little to do with winning games."It's not relevant to the outcome of the game," Hardin said of his team's ranking. "Whether we're No. 1 or No. 100, we still have to play just as hard to win, but it's nice to get some respect."In Class 2A, the Rogers Eagles remained at the No. 7 spot after beating the Hutto Hippos, 10-7 last week on a last-minute field goal by freshman kicker Josh Pursche.Eagles' coach Lee Fedora said his team may have gotten a little big-headed about its recent success, but hoped last week's scare will serve as a wake-up call. Staff and Wire Reports

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)

SYDNEY, Australia (AP)

NEW YORK (AP)

NEW YORK (AP)