Unusually massive line of storms aim at Midwest

Girl, 16, dies while 'car surfing' on vehicle hood

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say a Dawson County teenager has been killed while riding on the hood of a moving vehicle in a stunt known as "car surfing."

Hands-free texting still distracting for drivers

WASHINGTON (AP) - Using voice commands to send text messages and emails from behind the wheel, which is marketed as a safer alternative for drivers, actually is more distracting and dangerous than simply talking on a cellphone, a new AAA study found.

Southern Baptists re-elect first black president

HOUSTON (AP) - The Southern Baptist Convention has re-elected its first black president, the Rev. Fred Luter Jr.

Death of south Ga. sheriff ruled accidental

COLQUITT, Ga. (AP) - State investigators have ruled the death of a south Georgia sheriff who was found in a pond behind his house was accidental.

Deal: Georgia needs to examine forfeiture laws

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal says Georgia needs to examine changes to the state's civil forfeiture laws and called for more financial transparency.

Petition drive begins over funding of Ga. stadium

ATLANTA (AP) - A watchdog group says it's officially launched a petition drive to place a measure before Atlanta voters calling for the end of public financing for a new Falcons stadium.

Ga. pastor: Banned scouts welcome at her church

Threat prompts evacuations at 5 sites near Capitol

ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say five state buildings near the Georgia Capitol were evacuated after a bomb threat.

US stocks follow global markets lower

Monument to Michelle Obama ancestor toppled in Ga.

REX, Ga. (AP) - Police in Georgia are investigating after a monument dedicated to one of first lady Michelle Obama's relatives was knocked over in suburban Atlanta.

Possible explosion causes power outage at airport

ATLANTA (AP) - Firefighters have been called to Atlanta's airport after reports of an apparent explosion at a maintenance shed.

Ga Perimeter student sues Board of Regents for budget docs

ATLANTA (AP) - A former student journalist at Georgia Perimeter College has filed a lawsuit against the university system's Board of Regents for failing to produce documents under the state's open records law.

Man mauled by 3 pit bulls during run, hospitalized

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Police say an Athens man is recovering from an estimated 20 bites after being attacked by three pit bulls.

Senate set to pass half-trillion dollar farm bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is poised to pass a five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm bill Monday that would expand government subsidies for crop insurance, rice and peanuts while making small cuts in the food stamp program.

Chairman: Ga. Senate will back $100 lobbying cap

ATLANTA (AP) - The Senate will propose a $100 cap on lobbyist expenditures, not an outright ban, creating a conflict with House lawmakers in the waning days of the General Assembly's annual session, a leading Senate Republican said Wednesday. The Senate Rules Committee will meet Thursday to put forward its version of lobbying restrictions originally written by House Speaker David Ralston, said Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, the committee chairman. Mullis said he hopes the ...

Wal-Mart expands test of mobile checkout program

NEW YORK (AP) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding a test of a new checkout program that allows shoppers to scan items with their smartphones and then pay at self-checkout terminals. The world's largest retailer launched what it calls its "Scan & Go" program late last year in about 70 stores in the Bentonville, Ark., area, where the retailer is based, as well as Atlanta. It is now testing the program in more ...

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

WASHINGTON (AP) - The top U.S. military commander in Europe said Tuesday that several NATO countries are working on contingency plans for possible military action to end the two-year civil war in Syria as President Bashar Assad's regime accused U.S.-backed Syrian rebels of using chemical weapons. The Obama administration rejected the Assad claim as a sign of desperation by a besieged government intent on drawing attention from its war atrocities - some 70,000 dead, ...

Defiant teen gets life sentences in Ohio shooting

CHARDON, Ohio (AP) - Wearing a T-shirt with "killer" scrawled across it, a teenager cursed and gestured obscenely as he was given three life sentences Tuesday for shooting to death three students in an Ohio high school cafeteria. T.J. Lane, 18, had pleaded guilty last month to shooting at students in February 2012 at Chardon High School, east of Cleveland. Investigators have said he admitted to the shooting but said he didn't know why ...

Assault weapons ban won't be in Dems' gun bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The sponsor of a proposed assault weapons ban says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has told her that the ban will not be part of the initial gun control measure the Senate will debate next month.

Study: Therapy as good as surgery for knee repair

You might not want to rush into knee surgery. Physical therapy can be just as good for a common injury and at far less cost and risk, the most rigorous study to compare these treatments concludes. Therapy didn't always help and some people wound up having surgery for the problem, called a torn meniscus. But those who stuck with therapy had improved as much six months and one year later as those who were ...

Thousands of Georgians without power after storms

ATLANTA (AP) - Thousands of Georgians were without power Tuesday morning after rain, hail and heavy winds buffeted parts of Georgia.

Jekyll Island inn to become Holiday Inn Resort

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - Another major hotel chain could add its name to Jekyll Island's oceanfront.

Ga. man sentenced in fatal drunken driving crash

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. (AP) - A 22-year-old west Georgia man has been sentenced in a DUI crash that killed two people in Douglas County.

Wildfire burns outside Great Smoky Mountains

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (AP) - A wildfire burning in a resort area outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee has damaged or destroyed nearly 60 large rental cabins and is threatening additional homes.