Republican Liberty Caucus

Lack of funds for death-penalty defense cited in bid for dismissal

A lawyer conceded Tuesday he was asking the Georgia Supreme Court for drastic remedies in the Gwinnett County death-penalty case against Khanh Dinh Phan.

Protesters to state Legislature: No new taxes

More than 100 tax protesters showed up at the state Capitol on Tuesday. The noon rally was a counterpoint to a health professionals rally Monday in support of a higher cigarette tax.

Bill would weaken land line phone customers rights

Georgia land-line phone customers would have no recourse against phone company abuse under a bill now just one vote away from passage at the state Legislature.

Lottery grows as recent winners celebrate

The jackpots in two big Georgia Lottery games are growing. The prize for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is at an estimated $12 million, lottery officials said.

Georgia endured its 6th-coldest February

You probably don’t need any scientific data to tell you it was cold in February. But here it is anyhow.

UGA researcher, family killed in horrific crash in Israel

In the year-plus she spent in Athens, UGA researcher Efrat Gamliel-Atinsky showed a knack for bringing people together.

Roethlisberger investigation continues; QB’s lawyers don’t expect sexual assault charges

Milledgeville police say they expect to interview Ben Roethlisberger within the next “two to three days” regarding a sexual assault allegation, though the quarterback’s attorney doesn’t expect any charges will be filed.

Georgia could restrict sex offenders from Facebook

Georgia sex offenders could soon be removed from popular online social networking sites. State Rep.

Gun goes off in Middle Ga. classroom

Police in Dublin say a 15-year-old is charged with having a firearm on campus after a handgun he was carrying discharged in a classroom and a bullet fragment struck another student.

Missing Georgia teen found dead in forest

Authorities say the body of a 15-year-old McIntosh County boy was found in a rugged state wildlife management area after a 12-hour search.

Synthetic marijuana could be outlawed under bill

Legislation is being introduced in the Georgia House that would outlaw the sale and possession of K2 synthetic marijuana, a new substance being sold in some of the state’s smoke shops.

Opponents of cigarette tax to rally

Opponents of a possible tax hike on cigarettes will rally on the steps of the Georgia Capitol. The gathering Tuesday is sponsored by Altria, the owner Philip Morris - the nation’s largest tobacco company.

State revenue still spirals downward

Tax and fee collections are down for the 15th consecutive month.

Ex-DeKalb jailer pleads guilty to sneaking in contraband

A former DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty Monday to smuggling marijuana and other contraband into the county jail.

Forest Service officer, mistaken for coyote, shot and killed

A U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer was shot and killed in middle Georgia by a hunter who apparently mistook the ranger for a coyote.

Students walk to DC, demand immigration reform

Four undocumented students are walking 1,500 miles — from Miami to Washington, D.C. — to promote in-state tuition at public colleges for illegals. They paused for a rally in Atlanta.

Police say ex-boyfriend killed Newton County woman

A man wanted for the overnight shooting death of his ex-girlfriend inside a Newton County convenience store shot and wounded himself during a four-hour standoff  with a sheriff’s SWAT team, authorities said.

‘Paupers’ passings don’t go unremarked

Wind-whipped snow dots Palmetto’s Lakeside Memorial Gardens as a white hearse approaches in the distance.

Georgia to launch anti-meth campaign

The Georgia Meth Project plans to launch a statewide prevention campaign. Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker and U.S.

Georgia lawmakers get back to business

They say it was not a “break,” but the two-week stretch that state lawmakers took to work on the budget has come to an end and the General Assembly is now in session - again.

Local lot owners call for pay-by-phone parking

No more fumbling for quarters or racing back to the car to plug in spare change. That’s the appeal - or at least the sales pitch - of a new service enabling drivers to feed parking meters with a phone call.

Kasim Reed’s campaign donations have a price

On New Year’s Eve, Mayor-elect Kasim Reed could celebrate knowing his campaign fund, even after spending 
$2.5 million to win the job, had a six-figure bank balance.

Girl who helped bring down sex traffickers: Hiding just makes things harder

You may or may not remember the girl we called Anna. When she shared her story with us five years ago, she was 18 and known more or less for having helped prosecutors in 2001 break one of Atlanta’s most notorious child prostitution rings.

Austell officer may have died of natural causes

Foul play is not suspected in the death of an Austell police officer whose body was found Saturday.

Schools fear budget crash

Dozens of school systems find themselves in previously unthinkable straits after several years of steep state budget cuts and a drop in local property tax revenue caused by the recession.