Ex-children's hospital worker accused of abuse

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - A former employee of Children's Hospital of Georgia is accused of sexual battery involving patients at the Augusta facility.

Obama health law anniversary finds two Americas

Survey: Low-wage workers missing out on training

WASHINGTON (AP) - As they struggle to get ahead, many low-wage workers are not taking advantage of job training or educational programs that could help them make the leap to better-paying jobs. They are often skeptical about whether such programs are even worth the trouble, a new survey shows.

Universe ages 80M years; Big Bang gets clearer

Ga. jobless rate hits lowest level since early '09

ATLANTA (AP) - State labor officials say Georgia's unemployment rate has dropped 8.6 percent, its lowest level in the past four years.

Judge strikes down section of GA immigration law

ATLANTA (AP) - A federal judge has permanently struck down a section of Georgia's 2011 law targeting illegal immigration that makes it illegal for someone to knowingly harbor or transport an illegal immigrant.

Chairman: Ga. Senate will back $100 lobbying cap

Wal-Mart expands test of mobile checkout program

Senate set to approve huge 2013 spending bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate moved toward a vote Wednesday on a huge, bipartisan spending bill aimed at keeping the government running through September and ruling out the chance of a shutdown later this month.

House OKs lower alcohol limits for boat operators

ATLANTA (AP) - Reacting to high-profile deaths on Lake Lanier, the Georgia House of Representatives has approved a proposal to lower the allowable blood-alcohol limits for hunters and anyone driving a water vessel in the state.

Pa. school asks students to cut back on body spray

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania high school wants its students to cut back on the body spray.

US stocks rise ahead of Federal Reserve meeting

U.S. stocks rose strongly Wednesday ahead of a decision by the Federal Reserve about whether to push ahead with aggressive measures to boost the economy.

Ga. House drops guns in bars, churches

ATLANTA (AP) - Guns would not be allowed by default in bars and churches, though they could be carried on college campuses under a bill backed by House lawmakers.

Commander: Contingency plans under way for Syria

Defiant teen gets life sentences in Ohio shooting

Subway 'crisis': Is footlong sub really 11 inches?

NEW YORK (AP) - What's in an inch? Apparently, enough missing meat, cheese and tomatoes to cause an uproar.

Sniping, then singing as 'American Idol' return

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Fox network is putting a brave face on the shrinking appeal of "American Idol."

Winning numbers drawn in 'Fantasy 5' game

ATLANTA (AP) - The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Georgia Lottery's "Fantasy 5" game were:

Ga. man restores MLK Bible for Obama inauguration

ACWORTH, Ga. (AP) - A suburban Atlanta man has restored a Bible that belonged to Martin Luther King Jr. so that it can be used in President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Police chief told to remove coyotes from island

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - The city council of a Georgia island town has instructed to the police chief to remove coyotes which began to appear on the island last year.

Parts of Southeast digging out from snow

ATLANTA (AP) - Parts of the Southeast were digging out Friday from a winter storm that dumped snow around the region and played a role in at least one death.

'Dear Abby' advice columnist dies at age 94

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Pauline Friedman Phillips, who as Dear Abby dispensed snappy, sometimes saucy advice on love, marriage and meddling mothers-in-law to millions of newspaper readers around the world and opened the way for the likes of Dr. Ruth, Dr. Phil and Oprah, has died. She was 94.

Biden: Nation needs to respond to gun violence

WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Joe Biden said the nation could not wait any longer to respond to gun violence, telling mayors on Thursday that the White House would "take this fight to the halls of Congress."

Accumulating snow starts to fall across Southeast

ATLANTA (AP) - A winter storm that dumped 4 inches of snow in parts of Mississippi was hitting Alabama on Thursday afternoon, with the system expected to spread across northern Georgia and into the Washington, D.C., area, according to the National Weather Service.

NFL Playoffs Capsule: 49ers at Falcons

SAN FRANCISCO (12-4-1) at ATLANTA (14-3)

Sheriffs, state lawmakers push back on gun control

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - From Oregon to Mississippi, President Barack Obama's proposed ban on new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines struck a nerve among rural lawmen and lawmakers, many of whom vowed to ignore any restrictions - and even try to stop federal officials from enforcing gun policy in their jurisdictions.

Ga. Gov. Deal delivers State-of-the-State speech

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal has outlined a 2013 legislative agenda focusing on public safety, education, health care and economic development.

Obama's gun measures face a tough road in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's sweeping gun-control package faces an uncertain future on Capitol Hill, where majority House Republicans are rejecting his proposals while the president's allies in the Democratic-controlled Senate are stopping well short of pledging immediate action.

Stocks rise after better housing, jobless reports

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks advanced, pushing the Standard and Poor's 500 to another five-year high, after strong reports on housing starts and unemployment claims made investors more optimistic about the U.S. economy.

Sniping, then singing as 'American Idol' returns

OS ANGELES (AP) - There was no hair-pulling between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj on the season debut of "American Idol," although some viewers may have been reduced to it.