With no burn ban in place for the Fourth of July holiday there may be an added incentive for area residents to purchase and light off their own fireworks, which has some area officials concerned about firework safety. Dr. Dorian Drigalla, a Scott and White Memorial Hospital emergency physician, said a significant increase of patients in the emergency room is seen on the Fourth of July each year because of fireworks, car wrecks and water–related accidents.

BELTON - The call cracked over the patrol car scanner at 3:36 a.m. “Shots fired.” And again with urgency. “A lot of shots fired.” No more needed to be said. With that, two Belton police officers exchanged worried glances, jumped into their vehicles and raced to the scene. It was one more heart–

BELTON - A smile spread across 90–year–old Clara Collins face as she thought about moving out of her home of 20 years. “I´m so happy and proud they´re going to build me a house,” she said. “I´m scared in this one with one side on the ground.”

BELTON LAKE - Okla-homa humorist Will Rogers once said about Texas, “If you don´t like the weather just wait 15 minutes.” The cycles may be longer than 15 minutes, but the extremes between drought and flash floods in Central Texas have Bell County residents weary.

The Fourth of July is fast approaching and there are enough area events to whip anyone into a patriotic fervor. Just remember to drive safely, drink responsibly and pass the potato salad. Fireworks displays

BELTON - Some children dream of being football, basketball or baseball players, but Charlie Throckmorton´s childhood fantasy was to be a rodeo cowboy. There was only one problem.

Troy pitcher Michelle Ege had a memorable senior season capped with another accomplishment Sunday, when she was named the Class 2A Player of the Year on the Texas Sports Writers Association All-State Softball Team. Ege, a McLennan Community College signee who helped lead the Trojanettes (35-3) to their second 2A state championship, was one of eight area players voted to the TSWA team.

BOSTON - Josh Beckett didn´t make a very good case to be the American League´s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. Beckett coughed up a four-run lead, allowing Sammy Sosa´s 602nd career home run to break a fifth-inning tie as the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Saturday night.

HOUSTON - The Colorado Rockies snapped their longest losing streak of the season by beating their former ace pitcher and finally finishing a game the right way. Jeff Francis pitched seven innings of three-hit ball as the Rockies beat Jason Jennings and the Houston Astros 5-0 Saturday night to snap an eight-game skid.

NEW YORK - Scott Boras loves the World Series so much that he wants to make it best-of-nine - and open with two games at a neutral site. Arguing that the shift would create a marketing bonanza that would rival the Super Bowl, Boras outlined his ideas in a two-page letter he sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig on April 15.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - First came two blasts of the horn, the end of a 12½-hour day at Pine Needles. Then came a crack of thunder as skies darkened. Lorena Ochoa´s work was done Saturday in the U.S. Women´s Open, and she had reason to be satisfied. Ochoa played the final 22 holes of her 29-hole marathon in 7 under par, leaving her one shot behind Ji-Yai Shin in the middle of the third round, another great chance to validate her status as the No. 1-ranked player in women´s golf.