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.

Boston bombs said to be made from pressure cookers

BOSTON (AP) - The bombs that ripped through the crowd at the Boston Marathon, killing three people and wounding more than 170, were fashioned out of pressure cookers and packed with shards of metal, nails and ball bearings to inflict maximum carnage, a person briefed on the investigation said Tuesday. The details on the apparently crude but deadly explosives emerged as investigators appealed to the public for amateur video and photos that might ...

State prison guards accused of attacking inmates

ATLANTA (AP) - A deputy warden and seven members of a specially trained team of guards at a state prison have been indicted on charges of repeatedly attacking inmates.

Firefighters describe ordeal as hostages

ATLANTA (AP) - A group of Georgia firefighters say they joked with a gunman in an attempt to lighten the mood during an hours-long hostage ordeal earlier this month.

Georgia trucker charged with Conn. rape

STRATFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut police say they arrested a truck driver from Georgia after DNA tests linked him to a 2011 rape in Stratford.

Both sides hunt support in background check fight

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican opposition is growing to a bipartisan Senate plan for expanding background checks for firearms buyers, enough to put the proposal's fate in jeopardy. But the measure may change as both sides compete for support in one of the pivotal fights in the battle over curbing guns. The Senate was continuing debate Tuesday on a wide-ranging gun control bill, with the focus on a background check compromise struck last week between ...

Neighbors recall Boston marathon bombing victim, 8

BOSTON (AP) - A young victim of the Boston Marathon bombings is being remembered as a vivacious boy who loved to run and climb. Congressman Stephen Lynch, a friend of the family, says 8-year-old Martin Richard was among the three people killed in the explosions Monday. The boy's mother and sister were badly injured. Lynch says the family had gone to get some ice cream and then to the finish line to watch some ...

Plea in crash that killed wife of Braves trainer

ATLANTA (AP) - A former state trooper accused in a crash that killed the wife of an Atlanta Braves trainer has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and reckless driving.

Stock market takes biggest drop this year

NEW YORK (AP) - The stock market posted its biggest drop of the year on Monday. A steep fall in commodity prices led to a widespread sell-off in the stock market, as worries about the global economy resurfaced. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 265 points, its worst day this year. The first trigger came from China. News that the world's second-largest economy slowed unexpectedly pummeled oil, copper and other commodities. In the ...

Lawyer: Assaulted teen had drawings, name on body

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - An attorney for the parents of a girl who was sexually assaulted and later hanged herself said Monday the teen awoke from the attack with drawings and the name of one suspect scrawled on intimate parts of her body. Attorney Robert Allard made the disclosure at an emotional news conference where he and the family of 15-year-old Audrie Pott announced their plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit ...

FAA orders no-fly zone over Boston explosion site

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration is warning pilots that it has created a no-fly zone over the site of two explosions at the annual Boston marathon.

2 killed as 2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon

UPDATE: BOSTON (AP) - Two bombs exploded near the finish of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing two people, injuring 22 others and sending authorities rushing to aid wounded spectators, race organizers and police said.

Police point to suicide in Atlanta airport death

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta police say a man who was found unresponsive at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this weekend jumped to his death.

GA minister, Jody Hice, announces bid for Congress

ATLANTA (AP) - Jody Hice, a conservative talk radio host and minister who made headlines when he fought the ACLU over displays of the Ten Commandments in courthouses, says he'll be running for Congress in the 10th District.

Pa. woman cited for calling 911 seeking divorce

GIRARD, Pa. (AP) - Police have cited a 42-year-old Pennsylvania woman for disorderly conduct after she called 911 requesting a divorce and police assistance to make her husband leave.

Tax deadline not much of a deadline for most

WASHINGTON (AP) - Here's a little secret for all you procrastinators on Tax Day: The Internal Revenue Service doesn't like to talk about it, but as long as you don't owe any additional taxes, there is no penalty for filing a few days late.