S&P 500 closes at a record high, beating '07 mark

Scooter ads face scrutiny from gov't., doctors

WASHINGTON (AP) - TV ads show smiling seniors enjoying an "active" lifestyle on a motorized scooter, taking in the sights at the Grand Canyon, fishing on a pier and high-fiving their grandchildren at a baseball game.

HIV test urged for 7,000 Oklahoma dental patients

Negotiations continuing on Ga. gun bill

ATLANTA (AP) - Lawmakers are negotiating over whether Georgia students should be allowed to carry guns on college campuses.

Lawmakers agree on $41 billion spending plan

ATLANTA (AP) - House and Senate leaders have settled on a roughly $41 billion state operating budget comprised of state and federal money for the next fiscal year.

US launches new batch of graphic anti-smoking ads

Mother, son die in house fire in northwest Georgia

RINGGOLD, Ga. (AP) - State fire officials say a mother and her young son were both killed when an early morning fire swept through their home in the northwest Georgia town of Ringgold.

Sheriff identifies toddler killed in dog attack

PEMBROKE, Ga. (AP) - Authorities in coastal Georgia identified the toddler who was mauled to death by a pack of dogs as Monica Renee Laminack, who would have turned 2 years old in June.

Stocks struggle for direction in early trading

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks darted between small gains and losses in early trading Thursday as investors considered mixed signals from the U.S. economy and Europe.

Arsenal of weapons found in Newtown gunman's home

Absences pile up at Ga. school as sickness spreads

CARROLLTON, Ga. (AP) - Administrators at a west Georgia elementary school are hoping the upcoming spring break will interrupt a cycle of sickness that led to more than 150 absences.

GOP moves to catch up with Democrats on technology

Ga. woman's camera washes ashore in Taiwan

NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia woman has been reunited with her camera and photos after the camera she lost during a 2007 trip to Hawaii washed ashore in Taiwan.

Wine fight over vintage fakes airs out in NY court

NEW YORK (AP) - The market where vintage wines are traded like treasured works of art has gotten a taste test in a New York court where a billionaire is accusing a wealthy California wine merchant of cheating him.

Senators tour border, say immigration bill near

Harvick wins 1st duel for 2nd victory at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Perfect so far at Speedweeks, Kevin Harvick has positioned himself as the favorite to win the Daytona 500.

Flu shot did poor job against worst bug in seniors

ATLANTA (AP) - This year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting senior citizens from the harshest strain this season, proving only 9 percent effective, the government said Thursday.

Ga. high court dismisses request to stay execution

ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Supreme Court has dismissed a request for a stay by a Georgia death row inmate whose execution is set for Thursday.

NTSB: Plane aborted landing, hit utility pole

THOMSON, Ga. (AP) - A small plane aborted its landing at a Georgia airport before it hit a 60-foot utility pole and crashed, killing five people onboard and leaving two hurt, federal authorities said Thursday. National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that the plane burst into flames after crashing. One of the plane's wings was cut off when it hit the pole, causing the plane to ...

US stocks keep sliding on weak data, Fed qualms

U.S. stocks continued a two-day slide Thursday on weak economic data and concern about the Federal Reserve's resolve to keep juicing the market. European stocks were sharply lower a day after U.S. stocks sustained some of their steepest declines this year. A monthly survey of European executives showed that business activity in the European Union slowed in February, a strong signal that a downturn that began last year will continue into 2013. France's CAC ...

US Supreme Court denies stay for Ga. inmate Cook

ATLANTA (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by Georgia death row inmate Andrew Cook to delay his execution.

Stocks slip following homebuilding slowdown

NEW YORK (AP) - Caterpillar helped drag the stock market lower Wednesday after the industrial giant reported weaker worldwide sales. A mixed report on housing also weighed on the market. News that Apple's major supplier, Foxconn, stopped hiring at its largest plant in China helped push down Apple's stock. Foxconn reportedly said the hiring freeze was not caused by slumping orders for iPhones. Apple fell $7.29 to $452.70. Trading turned choppy after the ...

Ga. House approves regulations for pain clinics

ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia House of Representatives has approved a proposal that calls for the state to license and regulate businesses that call themselves pain management clinics.

More scare tactics from Obama administration

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Congress on Wednesday that if automatic government spending cuts kick in on March 1 he may have to shorten the workweek for the "vast majority" of the Defense Department's 800,000 civilian workers. They would lose one day of work per week, or 20 percent of their pay, for up to 22 weeks. Panetta also said the across-the-board spending reductions would "put us on a path toward ...

It's Congress fault

WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State John Kerry says the greatest challenge to U.S. foreign policy is not emerging China or Middle East instability. It's Congress.

State asks U.S. Court to halt execution

ATLANTA (AP) - The state of Georgia is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate a federal appeals court order temporarily halting the execution of a death row inmate.

Greek yogurt popular with adults, will kids bite?

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) - Greek yogurt is taking over the dairy aisle, but will kids bite?

Administration developing penalties for cybertheft

WASHINGTON (AP) - Evidence of an unrelenting campaign of cyberstealing linked to the Chinese government is prompting the Obama administration to develop more aggressive responses to the theft of U.S. government data and corporate trade secrets. The Obama administration is expected to announce new measures Wednesday, including possible fines and other trade actions against China or any other country guilty of cyber-espionage. Officials familiar with the administration's plans spoke on condition of anonymity because ...

Delta jet slides off runway at Savannah airport

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Delta Air Lines apologized to passengers arriving in Savannah after a jet veered off a runway and ended up in a grassy area.

Gingrich: GOP failing to grasp new demographics

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says President Barack Obama and Democrats are "eight to 10 years ahead" of the Republican Party in understanding the rapidly changing face of the American electorate.