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Storm knocks out power to thousands

A lightning strike in Smyrna darkened most of the Cobb County city for about an hour during the severe thunderstorm that rumbled through metro Atlanta. Power outages also were reported east and north of Atlanta, a Georgia Power official said. Atlanta Fire-Rescue reported a steeple at The Perfect Church, 670 McDaniel St. S.W., was destroyed after it caught fire at about 3:50 p.m. The fire spread to the roof, which retained some damage. As commuters prepare to head home, more rain is one the way.

Report: Georgians pay highest percentage of income tax in region

Georgians continue to pay a higher percentage of their income in state and local taxes than any other state in the Southeast, according to a report released Thursday. The Tax Foundation, a Washington-based fiscal watchdog group, reported that Georgia ranked 16th in the country in terms of how much state and local taxes its residents pay. Other Southeast states’ rankings indicated lower tax burdens: South Carolina ranked 37th, Alabama 38th, Louisiana 42nd, Tennessee 44th and Florida 47th in terms of taxes as a percentage of the per capita income.

Expert in biofuels joins UGA forestry school

Georgia’s growing biotechnology industry has made another stride, recruiting forestry scientist Chung-Jui Tsai, an expert in biofuels, for a post at the University of Georgia, the Georgia Research Alliance announced Thursday. She’s the 60th Eminent Scholar induced to come to the state, said Kath Robichaud of the GRA. Twenty have been involved in the formation of biotech companies. Tsai’s research will “emphasize creating high-energy yielding trees for use in biofuel,” she said, “hopefully, leading the industry toward using trees as a power source instead of ethanol from food crops.”

In China, Perdue looks to deepen global ties

JINAN, China ndash; The world may be focused on the Beijing Olympics, but Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue spent Thursday talking about trade, healthcare and sustainable development in this eastern Chinese city. The Governor wrapped up a three-day visit to the capital of China’s Shandong province to participate in an organization of state leaders from 7 nations on 6 continents. For Georgia, the decision to join the Regional Leaders Conference dovetails with an ongoing state effort to build foreign trade links. The combined economies of the 7 regions in the 6-year-old association ndash; including China’s Shandong province, the German state of Bavaria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Quebec, Canada ndash; have a combined annual gross domestic product of about $2 trillion.

Senate candidates fire first salvos

Georgia’s two major U.S. Senate candidates wasted little time Wednesday preparing the battlefield for their four-month duel that ends with the November general election. Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, 64, painted former state lawmaker Jim Martin as a liberal Democrat backed by back-room liberals in Washington. “He’s a [U.S. Sen.] Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.] hand-picked guy,” Chambliss told reporters at a morning press conference, just hours after voters picked Martin over DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones as the Democratic Party nominee. “And there’s no more liberal member of the U.S. Senate than Chuck Schumer.”

High gas prices spur rally for alternative fuels

High gas prices are killing Georgia’s shrimping industry, making farmers more reluctant to use their tractors and, if unchecked, will lead to higher property taxes. So Georgia must become a leader in alternative fuels, state officials said at a Capitol “Rally for Energy Independence” Wednesday. “We are committed to working in concert with the federal government to put Georgia on the map as a state leading the way in providing our citizens alternative fuel sources and lower energy costs,” said Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.

Heat rises, air quality hits code orange

Here’s your weather report for Wednesday afternoon and evening: A strong chance of “Way too hot” with a possibility of “Stay inside.” The National Weather Service is calling for an afternoon high near 95 and heat index values as high as 99. The service also forecasts scattered thunderstorms and isolated severe storms in parts of north Georgia, prompting a Hazardous Weather Outlook for north and central Georgia.

Chambliss: Ready for Martin ‘onslaught’

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss wasted no time taking aim at his just-named Democratic opponent on Wednesday, painting former state lawmaker Jim Martin as a liberal backed by liberals in Washington. In a press conference just hours after Martin trounced DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones to become the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, Chambliss said he expects the “full force” of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee “blasting us.” “We’re prepared for the onslaught that will come from the Democrats,” said the 64-year-old first-term senator from Moultrie.

Capitol to see shake-up with some lawmakers

Two state senators were ousted in Tuesday’s runoffs. Two-term state Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville) who had trouble deciding whether to seek another term this year, was beaten by Habersham County Commission Chairman Jim Butterworth in a North Georgia Republican runoff. Schaefer initially announced plans to run for Congress, but changed her mind and later signed up for re-election. By then she was in a three-person race. Butterworth led the July primary and routed Schaefer in the runoff. No Democrat signed up for race.

House leaders vow to save homeowners’ relief grant program

House Republican leaders promised Tuesday to find a way to save the $428 million homeowners’ relief grant program. Gov. Sonny Perdue froze the grants in response to the state’s fiscal crisis. But House leaders want to avoid eliminating them because they say that would lead to property tax increases for homeowners. “House Republicans are committed to lowering taxes, not raising taxes,” said House Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Johns Creek). “Eliminating the homeowner relief grant is analogous to a tax increase, and we’re not going to do that.”

Think your SUV is costly? How about school buses

Just in time for the start of classes: Record rising fuel costs are eating up school budgets at a greater pace than ever. Georgia school systems expect to shell out about 60 percent more per gallon than this time last year for school buses that use diesel mdash; 98 percent of the fleet. The state’s answer? A shrug. bull; See how much it costs

Woman given 3 years in prison for beating girl

A west Georgia woman who whipped her mother’s adopted 4-year-old daughter with a telephone cord has been sentenced to three years in prison for cruelty to children. Muscogee County Senior Judge Bill Smith also sentenced 25-year-old Latwyla M. Harris to seven years’ probation for the March 2007 incident. Police say Harris dropped the child off at the home of her sister, who called police when she noticed the marks on the girl’s body. The child underwent medical care for serious injuries after the beating.

As state cuts back, schools and counties scramble

One way or the other, homeowners may wind up paying higher property taxes because of the state’s fiscal crisis. Gov. Sonny Perdue late last week placed a hold on the $428 million homeowners tax relief grant program and cut spending for schools and other programs. The two moves were part of the plan Perdue and legislative leaders developed to deal with possible $1.6 billion shortfall brought on by the slow economy.

Douglas man charged in DUI-fueled wreck, 2 killed

A Douglas County man was placed in jail for DUI, vehicular homicide and other charges after authorities said he caused a one-vehicle crash that killed his sister and another women. According to the Georgia State Patrol, the victims had been out celebrating their graduation from the University of West Georgia. According to troopers, the wreck occurred early Sunday in Douglas County. Investigators alleged the driver, 23-year-old Otuwa Otuwa of Douglasville, was speeding when his vehicle left a roadway, flipped and hit two trees.

Academic coach program under investigation

The state Attorney General’s Office is investigating the alleged mismanagement of a statewide teaching program, spokesman Russ Willard said Monday. The probe follows a state audit, which found that some of the $1.2 million set aside to pay Georgia teachers bonuses for mentoring other teachers went to friends and family members of the people in charge of the program. Vickey Lindsey, who oversaw the academic coach program for Georgia Department of Education, was fired about a year ago following an internal review. Around the same time, the state education department ended its contract with Oconee Regional Educational Service Agency, the vendor hired to run the program.