The end of an era in Bell County politics came suddenly Thursday. Just a few months shy of 18 years as District 55 representative, Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple, resigned from the Texas House of Representatives.

The third try at the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test worked out for 5 percent, or about seven of the 140 eighth-graders, in the Temple Independent School District who retook the exam in early July, school officials said. TISD finished the school year with 584 total students in eighth grade, with about 24 percent (140) of the students taking the test for a third time.

BELTON - Two former political rivals faced off in small claims court Thursday and after four hours of testimony the case was dismissed with prejudice, which means nobody was awarded any money for damages. By default Luis Cortez, Bell County constable for Precinct 1, is the winner, which makes him 3-0 in political and judicial battles against Lloyd Charping, former Precinct 1 constable.

For the last 20 years Howard Kendall and his family have lived on 15th Street. Last Wednesday, just after 3 a.m., he and others in the normally quiet neighborhood were awakened by police because an alert neighbor heard a dog barking, looked outside and spotted someone going from car to car. “They took some coins and a portable radio that I use at baseball games,” Kendall said.

BOSTON - Scientists working to help astronauts regain balance after extended flights in zero gravity say they´ve found a way to use the research to help elderly people avoid catastrophic falls. An “iShoe” insole contains sensors that read how well a person is balancing. The point is to gather information for doctors and to get people to a specialist - before they fall.

Manny´s on the move. Junior, too. With more than 1,100 home runs between them, two of baseball´s greatest sluggers switched leagues just before the trade deadline Thursday to play prominent roles for playoff contenders.

OXNARD, Calif. - Adam “Pacman” Jones is already cradling five footballs in his arms when he moves into position to field another punt. Make it six. Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips watches Jones before a training camp practice, shaking his head in amazement when he turns to onlookers standing behind the end zone.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The agent for three-time NFL MVP Brett Favre says Favre understands he would walk into a media frenzy by showing up at Green Bay Packers training camp but that he´s willing to deal with that rather than have retirement forced on him. “He´s prepared to deal with it,” James “Bus” Cook said Thursday. “He´s ready to go back, but he can´t go back until the commissioner reinstates him.”

ARLINGTON - Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey limited his former team to two runs and six hits while pitching into the eighth inning and Adrian Beltre homered as the Seattle Mariners held on to beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Thursday night. Dickey (3-6) had lost his previous three decisions but was in control against a lineup that entered the game with a team batting average of .282, best in the major leagues. He struck out two batters and walked one in 7 2/3 innings.