Some hospitals charge vastly more for same care

Suspect in Ohio helped neighbors look for missing

CLEVELAND (AP) - In the years after his friend's daughter vanished while walking home from school, Ariel Castro handed out fliers with the 14-year-old's photo and performed music at a fundraiser held in her honor.

Deal signs $37.1B budget; touts spending restraint

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal signed a $37.1 billion total budget for fiscal year 2014 on Tuesday, saying the plan balances the budget without raising taxes and reduces government spending.

Georgia Gov. Deal signs teacher evaluations bill

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal has signed a bill to standardize annual evaluations for Georgia teachers and principals based, in part, on student performance.

Dow Jones industrial average back above 15,000

NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow Jones industrial average was headed for its first close above 15,000 Tuesday as Wall Street followed world markets higher.

Ga. to release new grades for public schools

Rain boosts bacteria levels in Chattahoochee River

ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say recent rains have sent bacteria levels soaring in the Chattahoochee River.

Girl wounded by knife in Savannah middle school

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say a girl was taken to a hospital after an attack involving a knife inside a Savannah middle school.

Limo driver, survivor views differ on fatal fire

Transcript of long-missing woman's 911 call

Former MLB outfielder Otis Nixon arrested

CANTON, Ga. (AP) - Former Major League outfielder Otis Nixon has been arrested on drug charges following a weekend traffic stop in suburban Atlanta.

East about to be overrun by billions of cicadas

Deal signs law limiting Ga. lobbyist spending

Stocks are little changed after record week

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock indexes were little changed in early Monday trading, following a record-setting week for the market.

Report looks at numbers of child deaths in Georgia

MACON, Ga. (AP) - A state agency has issued its first-ever yearly report on deaths of children involved in the child protection system. It found unusually high numbers of deaths in some parts of Georgia.

Juvenile justice overhaul moving at Ga. capitol

ATLANTA (AP) - An overhaul of Georgia's juvenile justice system has cleared its first legislative hurdle.

Ga. execution going forward

ATLANTA (AP) - In a split decision, the Supreme Court of Georgia has denied a stay of execution for a Georgia death row inmate.

CDC app lets you solve disease outbreaks at home

ATLANTA (AP) - You may not be a disease detective, but now you can play one at home. The nation's public health agency has released a free app for the iPad called "Solve the Outbreak." It allows users to run through fictional outbreaks and make decisions: Do you quarantine the village? Talk to people who are sick? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the app was designed in-house and wouldn't give an estimate ...

Pistorius' girlfriend cremated in private ceremony

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Reeva Steenkamp's coffin was draped in a white cloth and carried by six pallbearers at a private funeral Tuesday, just a few hours before Oscar Pistorius said in a court affidavit that he mistakenly killed his girlfriend by shooting her through a bathroom door. Reeva's uncle, Mike Steenkamp, broke down in tears after the cremation ceremony under gray skies in the family's hometown of Port Elizabeth on South Africa's southern coast, ...

Braves to retire No. 10 in honor of Chipper Jones

ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Braves will retire Chipper Jones' number and induct him into the team's hall of fame on June 28.

Court says police don't have to prove dog training

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court says police don't have to extensively document a drug-sniffing dog's reliability in the field to uphold its work in court.

Talk of more corporate deals sends stocks higher

NEW YORK (AP) - Talk of more mergers and acquisitions is sending stock prices higher in early trading, setting the market up to continue a seven-week rally.

US security firm alleges massive Chinese hacking

BEIJING (AP) - Cyberattacks that stole massive amounts of information from military contractors, energy companies and other key industries in the U.S. and elsewhere have been traced to the doorstep of a Chinese military unit, a U.S. security firm alleged Tuesday.

Knocking on heavens door

ATLANTA (AP) - A Georgia death row inmate's execution is set to go forth unless he gets last-minute relief from a court or the state pardons board.

New vehicle tax laws could mean long lines

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia county officials say motorists can expect longer lines and higher fees at county tag offices across the state as new laws vehicle tax laws take effect.

Obama wants even more taxes

WASHINGTON (AP) - Facing yet another fiscal deadline, President Barack Obama is urging congressional Republicans to accept more tax revenue in order to avert looming, across-the-board budget cuts due to take effect in less than two weeks.

First lady quips that midlife crisis led to bangs

PALM CITY, Fla. (AP) - Michelle Obama jokingly says a mid-life crisis is what inspired her new haircut with bangs.

Round-the-world UK cyclists killed in Thailand

LONDON (AP) - A British couple's round-the-world cycling odyssey ended in tragedy when both of them were killed in a road accident in Thailand.

Warm winter temps confuse reptiles in coastal Ga.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - Warm winter weather may mean more days at the beach for residents and tourists, but it is causing some confusion for reptiles and amphibians in the Golden Isles.

How many votes is a photo op with the pope worth?

ROME (AP) - How much weight does an endorsement from a lame-duck pope carry in the upcoming election?