Several boisterous parents voiced their displeasure Tuesday night with the Temple Independent School District´s Board of Trustees´ decision to maintain a policy of not allowing students to participate in commencement activities if they have not passed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Because of the decision, which was made during a special board meeting, 53 Temple High School seniors will not be allowed to participate in Saturday´s commencement ceremony.

KILLEEN - A large grassfire that scorched 200 acres in southeastern Killeen also claimed a Killeen Fire Department vehicle and led to the evacuation of 100 homes and an elementary school Tuesday afternoon. Killeen firefighters and emergency crews were called to a largely undeveloped area near the intersection of Stagecoach Road and Rein Drive shortly before 1:30 p.m. for the grassfire.

With gasoline prices inching toward $4 a gallon in Temple, the news that General Motors will be closing four truck and SUV plants from Canada to Mexico was no surprise to one local GM dealer. Jim Tranum has been selling GM vehicles from his Temple dealership for 18 years. He said he has already implemented a shift toward automobiles that get high gas mileage.

WASHINGTON - A Veterans Affairs psychologist denies that she was trying to save money when she suggested that counselors make fewer diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder in injured soldiers. Norma Perez, who helps coordinate a post-traumatic stress disorder clinical team in Central Texas, indicated she might have been out of line to cite growing disability claims in her March 20 e-mail titled “Suggestion.” She said her intent was simply to remind staffers that stress symptoms could also be adjustment disorder. The less severe diagnosis could save the VA millions of dollars in disability payouts.

ROUND ROCK - It´s back to the state semifinals again for Matt Fritsch, Seth Collins and eight other Salado Eagles. Almost six months ago, 13-0 Salado lost 41-31 in the Class 2A Division I semifinals to Tatum, ending the Eagles´ bid for their first state football championship.

SALADO - Cliff Coleman said he remembers the game like it happened yesterday. Coleman was a junior catcher on Salado´s 1986 squad guided by first-year coach Melvin Bates when the Eagles played Archer City at Austin´s Burger Field in a University Interscholastic League Class A state semifinal baseball game.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Katie Burkhart thought about giving up on her dream, stopping her chase for the glory of the national championship. Oh, what she would have missed if she´d let herself quit.

Jerry West has had a front-row seat to watch the evolution of Kobe Bryant: precocious teenager, three-time NBA champion, angry superstar and beloved MVP. One of the game´s all-time greats himself, West can relate to some of what Bryant has experienced. And the man known as Mr. Clutch understands what separates Bryant from the rest.