The Temple City Council is set to make decisions on a proposed south Temple subdivision and a new cable franchise at its 5 p.m. meeting today in the Municipal Building.The plat for the Bentwood subdivision, located west of 31st Street and south of Slough Drive, was first presented to the council on Oct. 19.City Manager Mark Watson said the city staff has recommended denying the plat because it does not conform to the current subdivision ordinance."The staff is recommending denial based on policy, not because we're anti-development," Watson said. "We think it goes contrary to the ordinances. Of course, the council can overturn that."The plat would require an exception for perimeter street improvement costs because it does not allow for a collector street

WASHINGTON (AP)

Temple police arrested a Temple woman for assaulting an officer who had been dispatched to her residence in the 500 block of South 17th Street because of improper use of 911.Tamika Mechelle Grier, 28, was arraigned Thursday by Justice of the Peace of G.W. Ivey of Temple on a charge of assault of a peace officer.Ivey set bond at $25,000.The police officer was sent to Ms. Grier's about 4 p.m. Monday to issue a citation for misuse of the 911 emergency number because the woman had used the number earlier in the day for calls of a non-emergency nature, said department spokeswoman Jill Pickett.Ms. Pickett said Ms. Grier had been told the calls had to stop.After the officer had explained to Ms. Grier the purpose of his visit, he was in the process of leaving when a woman hit him in the head with a telephone, said Ms. Pickett.The officer, whose name was not available, was not injured, she added. by Nicole Edwards

Focusing on Florida less than a week before Election Day, Al Gore urged senior citizens Wednesday to "save Social Security" by electing him president. He drew fire from a Republican general who said "we're in a war right now" to convince voters that George W. Bush will protect and improve the retirement program. The presidential candidates were campaigning in one another's political backyards

A group of teachers in the Temple school district are pupils again and are pioneer trainees in a special program.With the help of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, the Temple school district is making plans to begin a Literacy Collaborative program to help monitor primary students' progress in reading and comprehension and their integration.The Literacy Collaborative is a research-based initiative that trains teachers to become literacy coordinators within their schools to assess and help students in learning the processes of learning to read."Reading is not a linear process. It is a skill that builds upon itself year after year," said Anne Brown, project coordinator.The three teachers and schools involved in the initial year of training for Literacy Collaborative school coordinators are Debra Moore of Kennedy-Powell Elementary School, Barbra Fellows of Meridith-Dunbar and Connie Sisneros of Hector P. Garcia elementary schools.Ms. Brown said the program will target kindergarten, first- and second-grade students with a complimentary focus on third- through fifth-graders to help them in the changing learning processes students need in learning to read and write.According to Robin Davis, district director of language arts, social studies and foreign language, the three elementary school teachers involved in the program were chosen to go through the program after a very selective process."I'm excited to be a part of this," said Debra Moore of Kennedy-Powell. "This will help us to help teachers reach students on all levels."These three pioneers train four days per month in an "intensive" program to bring back skills to help teachers within the district to helps its students. by Nicole Edwards

COPPERAS COVE

It was fast-paced and well-played at times and very sloppy at others, but it was traditional Temple College men's basketball from start to finish.Using their high-pressure defense and superb depth to wear down Navarro Junior College, the Leopards pulled away for a 105-88 victory over the Bulldogs in the teams' season opener at TC Gym.Brandon Washington scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half, Belton High graduate Ryan Lorenz scored 14 of his 16 in the second, and Damon Bailey

After a problematic start to her tenure, Kim Sebek has the Temple College women's basketball program right on schedule.When Sebek was hired to coach the Lady Leopards in 1998, she didn't have much time to recruit players or implement her plans. The result was a 5-24 record in the 1998-99 season.Sebek had more time to prepare before her second season at TC, and it showed. Dealing with injuries from the beginning, the Lady Leopards shook off an 0-5 start and got hot late in the season to finish fourth in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and qualify for the NJCAA Region V Tournament.TC lost its first-round game in Lubbock, but simply getting there gave Sebek and the Lady Leopards confidence

Matt Williams, a senior forward on the Temple basketball team, will sign a national letter of intent next Thursday, Nov. 9, to play for Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.Williams, a second-team all-state selection last season, confirmed his decision Wednesday. He averaged 24 points and 13 rebounds a game in leading the Wildcats to a 26-9 record and the District 8-5A tri-championship.Williams will commit to Colorado State, an NCAA Division I program in the Mountain West Conference, on the second day of the early signing period set by the Collegiate Commissioners Association. The period runs from Wednesday, Nov. 8 through Wednesday, Nov. 15. by Tom Day

BRENHAM

As area volleyball squads move into the second round of the playoffs, some will face their first opponent after having first-round byes, while others are already playoff-tested, with victories in the bi-district round.For the Academy Lady Bumblebees, they didn't get much of a rest after defeating Florence in three games in the bi-district round Monday.Coach Linda Barganier's squad, which placed second in District 17-2A, will be on the road again today to battle District 20-2A champion Sommerville at 7:30 p.m. at Cameron in Class 2A Region III area-round action. The teams did not meet in the regular season. by Robert Hollier