CAMERON - A lightning bolt from a severe thunderstorm killed one man and injured his friend shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday while they were fishing from the bank of a small pond on the Lehnert Farm on Harvard Street in south Cameron. Ronald Jake Ingram, 23, of Cameron, an employee of Alcoa Inc. in Rockdale, was killed during a severe storm that swept over the Cameron area about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday with cloud-to-ground lightning and flash floods.

The Temple Coalition for the Fine Arts hosted a school board candidate forum Tuesday night and the candidates fielded questions posed by the capacity crowd on hot topics in the district. On the ballot for District 1 are Dow Fogleman, Garry Smith and incumbent Virginia Suarez. In District 7, Bill Gorden, Mary Klentzman, A´Lisa Ozment and Elwyn Johnston are running for an unexpired one-year term. Unchallenged District 6 representative David Pennington was also on hand to answer questions. The election is May 12.

In 20 years Ruth Freeman would like to see her east-side neighborhood get back to the way it was when she was a child. “What I would like to see is development of retail businesses I had when I was a kid, like cleaners, a grocery store, a tailor and a cab service,” she said during the second of four Temple City Council district meetings addressing the city´s efforts to update its master plan. Tuesday´s meeting was held in East Temple at Wilson Park Recreation Center.

ROCKDALE - A controversial property tax levied by the Rockdale Hospital District since 2000 will be phased out in the 2007 tax year when hospital district directors set the tax rate at “zero” cents per $100 valuation. Dr. John M. Weed III, board chairman, said directors in a regular meeting Monday “voted for the time being to reduce the property tax to zero,” although formal action on setting a tax rate of nothing will be taken at a future meeting. At one point, the tax rate was set at 48 cents per $100 valuation, which drew outcry from hospital district residents. In recent years, as the hospital´s financial condition improved, directors have lowered the rate.

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M scientists showed off to state and federal officials Tuesday a genetically engineered crop of sorghum they believe will be a more efficient and economical option to corn in drier parts of the country as the nation pushes for alternative energy sources. Sorghum, which as a plant resembles stalks of corn, is a centuries-old grain common around the world but used more in the United States as a livestock feed. At Texas A&M, researchers have been working over the past several years to extend its growing season, allowing it to double its height to more than 10 to 15 feet, thicken its stalk and be even more drought tolerant.

AUSTIN - More small businesses would be exempt from the state´s new business tax under legislation tentatively adopted Tuesday in the Texas House. Lawmakers are having to revisit last year´s business tax overhaul to fix multiple errors and potential loopholes. The Legislature adopted the tax bill last spring during a special session to revamp the state´s method of paying for public schools.

BELTON - They can´t drive, but they sure can hit. They can flash the leather but can´t cast a ballot.

DALLAS - Don´t count out the Dallas Mavericks just yet, no matter how tempting they´re making it. After letting a 21-point lead turn into a nine-point deficit in the closing minutes, Dirk Nowitzki came alive with consecutive 3-pointers to start a game-ending 15-0 run that carried the Mavericks past the Golden State Warriors 118-112 Tuesday night.

ARLINGTON - Phil Hughes was working on a no-hitter in the seventh inning of his second major league start when a hamstring injury cost him a chance to make history. The Yankees´ prized prospect is expected to miss four to six weeks, a sour end to an otherwise encouraging night for the last-place club. New York responded to criticism from owner George Steinbrenner in a big way Tuesday with a 10-1 rout of the Texas Rangers.

HOUSTON - Bronson Arroyo got his first win of the season and Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the struggling Houston Astros 11-2 on Tuesday night. It was the Reds´ largest winning margin and Houston´s ninth loss in the last 10 games.