WASHINGTON - After one spectacular failure, the $700 billion financial industry bailout found a second life Wednesday, winning lopsided passage in the Senate and gaining ground in the House, where Republican opposition softened. Senators loaded the economic rescue bill with tax breaks and other sweeteners before passing it by a wide margin, 74-25, a month before the presidential and congressional elections.

In 14 seconds you may be able read to the end of the fourth paragraph of this story. Seconds will be important to the students at Cater Elementary, who are preparing this week for the Temple ISD Speed Stacking Tournament, scheduled to take place Saturday at Kennedy-Powell Elementary School.

BELTON - Death row inmate Richard Tabler wants to end the appeals process and be executed as soon as possible. Tabler was back in a Bell County courtroom Tuesday attempting to suspend the appeals process, 17 months after a conviction here on two counts of capital murder.

BELTON - A tax ratification election called by the Belton school district will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Harris Community Center, 401 N. Alexander St. At stake is a maintenance and operations tax rate of $1.17 - a 13-cent increase from the previous rate of $1.04.

ROCKDALE - A new power plant may help Milam County taxing units avoid major changes in funding caused by the shutdown of Alcoa´s smelter in Rockdale, officials said. Alcoa´s aluminum smelter shutdown is expected to reduce the taxable value of its Rockdale Operations by 85 percent, the Milam County Appraisal District reported Wednesday. But with added revenue from Luminant´s Sandow Steam Electric Station Unit 5 to be completed next summer, Milam County and the Rockdale school district may escape a major loss of dollars on their respective 2009 tax rolls.

It´s important to think ahead and have a plan, but sometimes it´s more crucial to simply react to a given situation and let instinct take over. Such was the case at approximately 10 p.m. last Friday, when Temple senior receiver Tevin Reese found himself rolling on the artificial grass of A&M Consolidated´s Tigerland Stadium.

BELTON - Kevin Thornton describes himself as a tall, goofy kid who just likes to play sports. A center fielder and standout hitter for the Belton baseball team, he grew up playing football as a quarterback and wide receiver and got varsity time at both positions as a sophomore last year.

CHICAGO - Manny Ramirez and Joe Torre brought their winning postseason ways to the Los Angeles Dodgers - and Wrigley Field. James Loney hit a go-ahead grand slam off a wild Ryan Dempster and Ramirez and Russell Martin homered as the new-look Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 in their National League Division Series opener Wednesday night.

PHILADELPHIA - Cole Hamels was so dominant the Milwaukee Brewers were glad to see Brad Lidge come in. The switch to their perfect closer nearly cost the Philadelphia Phillies. Behind their top two arms, the Phils grabbed their first postseason win in 15 years - barely.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Fresh legs and arms on one side, experience and momentum on the other. The Tampa Bay Rays rested while the Chicago White Sox worked overtime to secure a playoff berth. No one can be sure what that will mean when their American League Division Series begins today at Tropicana Field.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - No matter how much the Los Angeles Angels dominate Boston in the regular season, the Red Sox roll in October. Jason Bay hit a go-ahead, two-run home run off John Lackey in the sixth inning, and the defending World Series champions beat the Angels 4-1 on Wednesday night in the opener of their American League Division Series.