WSB News

Cobb Cop Hurt in Crash With Alleged DUI Driver

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:16:19 -0500

(WSB Radio) A Cobb County police officer was injured after an alleged drunk driver crashed into his police cruiser, a police spokesman said.

Sgt. Dana Pierce with the Cobb County Police department told WSB Radio, the officer was working a part-time job helping construction crews close lanes on I-575 southbound to do work on the Bells Ferry road bridge. The officer's cruiser was in the right lane with it's lights flashing when he was hit from behind by a man driving 65-miles-an-hour in a Ford F-150.

"The actual police car itself is totaled," Sgt. Pierce said. "The back seat was actually pushed up toward the back of the front seat, so it literally took out the entire back seat."

Sgt. Pierce said the officer had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was unconscious. Both vehicles were totaled. An off-duty Cobb County police officer witnessed the crash and was able to help both victims.

They were transported to Kennestone Hospital. The police officer has head injuries , but is expected to survive.

The truck driver was in "very critical condition " with head injuries, according to Sgt. Pierce. He is facing several charges, including a charge of failing to move over.

Daughter, Mom Stabbed by Ex-Boyfriend

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:38:40 -0500

(WSB Radio) A man stabbed his ex-girlfriend multiple times and her daughter once following a break-up, a Clayton County police spokesman said.

Clayton County Police Officer Kevin Hughes told WSB Radio's Jennifer Griffies the stabbing happened early Friday night at an apartment on Arrowhead Drive near Jonesboro. The mother was taken to Atlanta Medical Center and was listed in serious condition. The daughter was stabbed in the leg. Her injuries are not as serious, Officer Hughes said.

Police said they do know the suspect's name, but are not releasing it or his description.

"You got to be careful who you pick up as a boyfriend and bring into your house around the kids," witness Sabrina Nesbitt told WSB-TV. "You never know when they are going to flip out and try to hurt your or your kids. This is a product of one of those situations."

It is not known if the suspect lived with the victims.

Decision Day for Health Care in House

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:20:30 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama is traveling to Capitol Hill on Saturday to try to close the sale on his signature health care overhaul, facing a make-or-break vote in the House certain to be seen as a test of his presidency.

Obama scheduled a late-morning visit with House Democrats convening a rare Saturday session on legislation to remake the U.S. health care system, extending coverage to tens of millions now uninsured and banning insurance company practices such as denial of coverage based on pre-existing medical problems.

Late Friday, House Democrats cleared an abortion-related impasse blocking a vote and officials expressed optimism they had finally lined up the support needed to pass Obama's signature issue.

Under the arrangement, Democratic Reps. Bart Stupak of Michigan, Brad Ellsworth of Indiana and other abortion opponents were promised an opportunity to insert tougher restrictions into the legislation during debate on the House floor.

The leadership's hope is that no matter how that vote turns out, Democrats on both sides of the abortion divide will then unite to give the health care bill a majority over unanimous Republican opposition.

``We wish to maintain current law, which says no public funding for abortion,'' Stupak said. ``We are not writing a new federal abortion policy.''

Ellsworth added, ``From day one, my goal has been to ensure federal tax dollars are not used to pay for abortions and to provide Americans with pro-life options on the exchange. And I am proud to be part of an effort to help make this goal a reality.''

With Democrats' command of the necessary votes looking tenuous in the final hours, Obama threw the weight of his administration behind the effort to round up support. He and top administration officials worked the phones to pressure wavering lawmakers.

Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., said he heard Friday from Obama, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Their message: ``This is a historic moment. You don't want to end up with nothing,'' said Altmire, who remained undecided.

Democratic leaders hoped to hold the vote Saturday evening, but Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said it could slip.

Democrats hold 258 seats in the House and can afford 40 defections and still wind up with 218, a majority if all lawmakers vote. But all 177 Republicans were expected to vote ``no,'' and Democratic leaders faced a series of complications trying to seal the needed votes for their complex and controversial legislation that would affect one-sixth of the economy and touch the lives of countless Americans.

The final hurdle was a controversy over federal funding for abortion, which simmered into Friday night with tensions running high as Democratic leaders shuttled between meetings of anti-abortion and abortion rights lawmakers.

Federal law currently prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest of situations in which the life of the mother is in danger. That left unresolved whether individuals would be permitted to use their own funds to buy insurance coverage for the procedure in the federally backed insurance exchange envisioned under the legislation.

Democrats have little room for error, with the prospect of the 2010 midterms looming large and a some of their own moderates already declaring their opposition.

The 10-year, $1.2 trillion House bill would create a new federally supervised insurance marketplace where the uninsured could purchase coverage.

Consumers would have the option of picking a government-run plan, the most hotly contested item in the legislation.

Associated Press writers David Espo and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Fort Hood, Community Mourn Shooting Victims

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:15:04 -0500

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) A chaplain exhorted hundreds of mourners gathered at a candlelight vigil to not give up hope as Fort Hood and its surrounding community looked to each other for comfort after an Army psychiatrist allegedly went on a deadly shooting spree at the military base.

A grief counseling center was set up Friday at the Killeen Community Center to help residents struggling to make sense of one of the worst mass shootings ever on a base in the United States. At least 13 people died and more than two dozen were wounded in the attack a day earlier.

The alleged gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was wounded and taken into custody after a gunfire exchange with two civilian police officers. At least 13 people died and more than two dozen were wounded.

Like other military installations nationwide, the bonds between Fort Hood and the town at its doorstep are tight. Town merchants depend on the soldiers who shop at their stores and eat at their restaurants. Locals show their appreciation and support for the troops, hoisting giant yellow ribbons and raising money for charities benefiting Fort Hood soldiers stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

``Most of our clientele are soldiers, so this affects everyone in the community,'' said James Carpenter, 34, a tattoo artist at Zombie Ink and a former soldier who had been stationed at Fort Hood before he left the Army in 2003. ``Everyone is asking why and saying, `I can't believe he did that.'''

Witnesses said Hasan stood on a desk and began firing after walking into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, where troops who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening. Those who weren't hit by direct fire were struck by rounds ricocheting off the desks and tile floor.

Officials say the gunman was stopped after two civilian police officers arrived on the scene and began a firefight with Hasan, who was hit four times including at least once in the torso.

Most of the shooting survivors remained hospitalized, many in intensive care. Hasan was transferred Friday to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, about 150 miles southwest of Fort Hood. Army officials late Friday gave no indication of his condition except to say he was ``not able to converse.''

Some who knew Hasan said he may have been struggling with a pending deployment to Afghanistan and faced pressure in his work with distressed soldiers, although authorities still did not have a motive.

Fort Hood spokesman Col. John Rossi said that the assailant fired more than 100 rounds and that his weapons were not military arms, but ``privately owned weapons ... purchased locally.''

Shock over the shootings persisted into Friday night, when hundreds attended a candlelight vigil in the first formal community gathering since the killings. Earlier in the day, a moment of silence was held at U.S. military installations as a show of respect for the victims, and 13 flag-draped coffins departed from Fort Hood for Dover Air Force Base and the military's mortuary based in Delaware.

At the vigil, husbands wrapped their arms around their wives, babies cried and old men in wheelchairs bowed their heads during the service at a post stadium.

The Army's chief chaplain, Douglas Carver, offered prayers and encouragement to those in attendance.

``Remember to keep breathing. ... Keep going,'' Carver told the crowd of several hundred, many dressed in fatigues and black berets.

The crowd sang ``God Bless America'' and ``Amazing Grace'' in the bleachers under the stadium lights. After about 20 minutes, the stadium went dark, the only light from camera flashes and surrounding buildings in the distance as candles were passed around the bleachers.

It was a tough night for Maj. Dan Walker, 34, who returned from Kuwait in June, his third deployment overseas.

``I've been to a lot of these in my career,'' Walker said as he walked through the dark parking lot after the service. ``They definitely don't get any easier, and this one is probably one of the toughest ones just because it came so close to home.

``When you go to war, you expect it and understand it,'' he added. ``But this is different. When you come home, you try to relax and live as normal a life as possible. You don't expect this.''

Among the victims were Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago, who was pregnant and preparing to return home. Family members said Velez had recently returned from deployment in Iraq and had sought a lifelong career in the Army.

Pfc. Michael Pearson, 21, of the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Ill., quit what he figured was a dead-end furniture company job to join the military about a year ago. Pearson's mother, Sheryll Pearson, said he joined the military because he was eager to serve his country and broaden his horizons.

Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis., joined the Army after the 2001 terrorist attacks and had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden, her mother, Jeri Krueger said. Amy Krueger arrived at Fort Hood on Tuesday and was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan in December, her mother told the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc.

Michael Grant Cahill, a 62-year-old physician assistant, suffered a heart attack two weeks ago and returned to work at the base as a civilian employee after taking just one week off for recovery, said his daughter Keely Vanacker.

Cahill, of Cameron, Texas, helped treat soldiers returning from tours of duty or preparing for deployment. Often, Vanacker said, Cahill would walk young soldiers where they needed to go, just to make sure they got the right treatment.

``He loved his patients, and his patients loved him,'' said Vanacker, 33, the oldest of Cahill's three adult children. ``He just felt his job was important.''

Associated Press writers Caryn Rousseau in Bolingbrook, Ill., Robert Imrie in Wausau, Wis., Monica Rohr in Houston and Sophia Tareen, Michael Tarm and Amy Shafer in Chicago contributed to this report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

UGA Looking to Solve Turnover Problems

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:56:42 -0500

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Mark Richt says the ball simply has not bounced Georgia's way this season.

Georgia ranks 119th of 120 FBS teams in turnover margin. Through eight games, the Bulldogs have recovered only one of their opponents' 10 fumbles. They've lost eight of their 14 fumbles.

Georgia (4-4) will try to solve its turnover problem as it plays FCS opponent Tennessee Tech (5-3) on Saturday.

Richt said his players are trying to recover the fumbles. He said game film proves the balls usually fall closer to opposing players.

It's enough to drive a coach crazy and knock a team out of Southeastern Conference contention. Last week's 41-17 loss to Florida left Georgia 3-3 in the SEC.

``Why is the ball bouncing that way? I don't know,'' Richt said. ``... I've studied that film, and for whatever reason, when the ball is on the ground it ends up closer to one of their guys than our guys. Why's that happening? I don't know. It's just happening, but that's football.

``But I do think that if we did a better job in that area who knows what the record would be today, so that's definitely a big issue.''

Even Miami of Ohio, the only team to rank below Georgia's minus-15 turnover margin, has recovered three fumbles two more than Georgia.

Opponents have scored 88 points off Georgia's 21 turnovers. The Bulldogs have scored only 21 points after forcing six turnovers.

Defensive tackle Kade Weston said he hopes the bad bounces will even out in the team's final four regular-season games.

``Hopefully it will but it's not a round ball so there's no telling where the ball is going to bounce when it comes out,'' Weston said. ``When you look at it you say 'Why couldn't the ball bounce this way?' There's not too much you can do about it.''

The turnover deficit grew last week when quarterbacks Joe Cox and Logan Gray combined to throw four interceptions, leaving the Bulldogs with a minus-four turnover margin in the lopsided loss to the Gators. Neither team lost a fumble.

Cox has 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. Richt considered benching the senior early this week before announcing the coaching staff's unanimous decision to stick with Cox.

Even so, Richt said he plans to play Gray for at least one series against the Golden Eagles of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Richt hasn't given in to calls from some fans to turn the offense over to freshman quarterback Aaron Murray and begin playing for 2010.

``I can't do that,'' Richt said. ``I can't do that to our seniors. We tell our guys to finish the drill. We tell our guys to never quit. If we made that move with a young guy, I'd have the confidence that I could say in all honesty that he gives us the best chance to win right now. Because we couldn't come to that conclusion, we went with the guy that gives us the best chance to win right now.

``If we made a move and say we are playing for next year, in my mind, we've given up on the season, we've quit. We don't quit at Georgia, and we don't teach our guys to quit.''

Richt announced one significant lineup change. Caleb King will start at tailback ahead of Washaun Ealey, who led Georgia with 70 yards rushing against Florida. Richt said Ealey struggled in pass-blocking against the Gators.

Watson Brown's Tennessee Tech team is 4-2 in the OVC, including wins over in-state rivals Tennessee State, Tennessee-Martin and Austin Peay.

Brown has previous experience at Sanford Stadium as the coach at Vanderbilt and Alabama-Birmingham. He acknowledges the challenge is greater with his Tennessee Tech team, which already has a 49-7 loss at Kansas State this season.

``Anytime you play these games ... you want to see your team play good and make these top Division I teams beat you,'' Brown said. ``That's what we hope we can do. They are very talented and they're better than us. For us to have to have any chance to play with them we'll have to play really, really well.''

Watson said his players won't mind being big underdogs.

``Our coaches may not look as forward to it as the kids do,'' Brown said. ``The kids love these things.

``I don't think I'll have any problem getting them to play hard or be excited about going to Athens. It's a thrill for the kids to be able to do this. If you get out of these games without injuries, I think you do get a lot out of it. For our kids this will be something they never forget.''

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Poll: One-Third Able to Get Swine Flu Vaccine

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:55:19 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) Only about a third of adults who have tried to get a swine flu vaccine have been able to get it, according to a new national poll released Friday.

That's true even for people who are at extra risk for severe complications and should be at the front of the line. The numbers are about the same for parents who tried to get the vaccine for their children, the Harvard School of Public Health poll found.

Swine flu vaccine has been available in the United States for about a month, but supplies have been limited because of manufacturing delays. However, availability is picking up, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 38 million doses of swine flu are currently available, a one-week increase of about 11 million doses. Another 8 million doses are expected next week, she added.

Overall, the poll found about 80 percent of the adults in priority groups said they haven't tried to get it yet and 60 percent of parents haven't sought it out for their kids.

The Harvard telephone poll surveyed about 1,000 adults last weekend. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Many of the poll's findings seemed consistent with what the government has been hearing and seeing, said CDC officials. Nearly a third of Americans who tried and failed to get vaccine said they were very frustrated, the poll found, and that frustration has been evident at long lines at vaccination clinics.

But it was encouraging to see that nine in 10 people who couldn't get vaccine will try again, said Schuchat, who heads the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The poll also found:

About 5 percent of those surveyed said they'd been vaccinated.

About 60 percent said there were swine flu vaccine shortages in their community.

About half who tried couldn't find information about where to get the vaccine.

Because of limited supplies, there have been situations in which vaccine went to doctor's offices or clinics intended for children or other priority groups and it wasn't publicized, Schuchat said.

``When you have limited supply, advertising is difficult. You don't want to frustrate the demand,'' Schuchat said at a Friday press conference in Atlanta.

Swine flu is currently widespread in 48 states; Hawaii and Mississippi are the exceptions. Mississippi dropped off the list this week, reflecting that flu activity seems to be waning in some parts of the Southeast.

CDC officials said 129 children have died from swine flu complications since the virus was first identified in April. About two-thirds of them had other health conditions, like asthma or neurological problems like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. The government does not keep a close count of all swine flu deaths, but estimates the number is above 1,000. Many millions of Americans have been infected with the virus, though most suffered only mild illness, health officials say.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

East Point Store Robbed of $1M in Jewelry

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:52:36 -0500

EAST POINT, Ga. (AP) East Point police are looking for whomever who broke into a Kay Jewelers store and made off with at $1 million worth of jewelry.

East Point Police spokesman Cliff Chandler said investigators had few details Friday afternoon.

Police said someone forcibly entered the jewelry store after it was closed. Officials are unsure if there were more than one suspects.

An undetermined amount of jewelry was stolen, but Chandler said it was at least $1 million.

Chandler said this is the first such break-in East Point police have handled recently, but other law enforcement agencies will be contacted to see if similar break-ins have happened nearby.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Two Is The Magic Number For Tech and Wake

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:49:53 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) Two is a crucial number for both Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

The No. 10 Yellow Jackets are chasing the higher prize, needing two wins to clinch a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. But two victories also would be meaningful for Wake Forest, which is trying to become eligible for its fourth straight bowl trip.

With larger goals looming over their seasons, both teams are trying to keep the focus on Saturday's game.

``We don't want to get caught up in that stuff,'' Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan said. ``It could be gone in the blink of an eye.''

The Yellow Jackets (8-1, 5-1 ACC) would lock up a spot in the ACC championship game by beating the Demon Deacons (4-5, 2-3) and winning again at Duke next weekend. Georgia Tech hasn't won an outright conference title since 1990, also the season they finished No. 1 in the coaches' poll.

``That was a long time ago. I was a 1-year-old,'' Morgan said with a chuckle. ``That is on everybody's mind. We're just trying to take Georgia Tech to the next level. We've done a good job so far, but we've got to keep pushing.''

And keep running like they have. The Yellow Jackets rank second nationally with an average of 304 yards per game on the ground, and the spread option has really kicked it into high gear the last five weeks. During that span, the team is averaging 42 points and 483 yards per game.

Coach Paul Johnson has certainly defied the skeptics who said a triple-option, run-oriented offense would never work in a big-time conference.

``He's wearing people out with that offense,'' Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. ``It's a unique thing that nobody else does. When you're the only show in town, that makes it really hard on people to get ready for it.''

The quarterback is the one who makes the spread option go, and Josh Nesbitt shouldered more of the running load for Georgia Tech early on when defenses focused on stopping 2008 ACC player of the year Jonathan Dwyer.

But Dwyer has come on strong in recent weeks, including an 186-yard performance against Vanderbilt last Saturday, and he's now leading the team with 904 yards, averaging 6.2 yards every time he touches the ball. Nesbitt has 763 yards rushing and leads Georgia Tech with 13 touchdowns, while A-back Anthony Allen also ranks among the ACC's leading rushers with 470 yards on a mere 44 carries.

Defenses have to focus on stopping the run, which usually leaves 6-foot-3, 229-pound receiver Demaryius Thomas in single coverage. The Yellow Jackets have gone to him enough that he leads the ACC in receiving yards per game (91.4) and made the list of semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top pass-catcher.

Johnson clearly relishes the success of his offense, even though he's still driven by those who didn't think it would work against top-level competition and maybe still don't, all evidence to the contrary.

``I could go out tomorrow and put in the same offense that everybody else runs,'' Johnson said. ``I think I'm smart enough to do that. But I don't choose to. I choose to do what I think gives us the best chance to win.''

Wake Forest has a better chance to win now that fifth-year senior Riley Skinner has been cleared to start at quarterback after sustaining a concussion last week in the closing minutes of yet another gut-wrenching loss, 28-27 to Miami.

Skinner did not practice Monday and got only minimal time the following day, but he was able to return to a regular routine by the end of the week after showing no lingering symptoms from the head blow. He'll make his 33rd consecutive start against the Yellow Jackets, who had been expecting all along to face the No. 1 quarterback.

Not that it mattered much in their preparations. ``You get ready for Wake Forest,'' Johnson said. ``You don't get ready for certain people.''

And you don't let your mind wander to what might lie ahead.

``We've got to be ready for Wake Forest,'' Johnson said. ``It's a one-game schedule right now and all we're doing is getting ready for them. You can't worry about somebody down the road. If you do, you'll trip up. You better take care of what's at hand.''

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Gwinnett Man Accused in '76 Mo. Murder in Court

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:47:35 -0500

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) A 65-year-old Georgia man accused of killing a former University of Missouri student more than 30 years ago is a devoted father who ``absolutely'' didn't commit the crime, his attorney said.

Johnny Wright appeared in court Friday for the first time since his arrest in late September after walking into the Lawrenceville police department in suburban Atlanta. Wright was seeking a criminal background check to apply for a job as a driver.

He was arrested more than two decades after Boone County prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old waitress Rebecca Doisy. The woman disappeared in August 1976, and her body has never been found.

``He had nothing to do with Ms. Doisy's disappearance,'' said defense attorney Cleveland Tyson Jr. ``The only thing my client has been doing for the past 30 years is working and raising a family.''

Tyson said Wright has two adult children and is also a grandfather. Wright moved away from Columbia in the late 1970s and was not aware of the outstanding warrant, his lawyer said. Wright relocated ``because of the scrutiny'' of being a suspect, not to avoid arrest, according to Tyson.

``He felt it was best to relocate and get a fresh start,'' Tyson said in an interview after the brief court hearing. ``He wasn't trying to escape prosecution.''

Wright's case was delayed until Dec. 11 to allow prosecutors to continue collecting evidence and attempt to find possible witnesses. He remains at the Boone County Jail after Associate Circuit Judge Christine Carpenter denied Tyson's request to lower a $100,000 bond.

Wright, who wore glasses, handcuffs and a gray goatee, did not speak at his court appearance. A woman identified by Tyson as a family member from Atlanta attended the hearing but declined to comment.

Assistant prosecutor Richard Hicks did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the hearing.

Wright's arrest stunned Doisy's family members, who said they were told by police a decade ago that he had possibly fled the country or died. The detective who worked the initial case and the prosecutor who issued the warrant are long retired.

Doisy's co-workers at Ernie's Steak House had said that Wright a former convict from St. Louis who had been arrested a dozen times and spent time in prison for burglary badgered her for a date but was rebuffed.

A resident of Doisy's apartment complex reported seeing her leave with Wright the day she went missing.

And Wright's former roommate, Harry Moore, told Columbia police he had seen Doisy's body in Wright's car. Prosecutors initially charged Moore with murder before he implicated Wright.

``He fabricated (information) in order to curry favor with the authorities,'' Tyson said, referring to Moore.

Doisy was the granddaughter of Edward A. Doisy, who shared the 1943 Nobel Prize in medicine with another researcher for their discovery of vitamin K. A research building at St. Louis University, where he taught, is named after the scientist.

She completed three years at Missouri's education school but dropped out to avoid relocating from Columbia for a student teaching job.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Braves Sign RHP Proctor to Minor League Deal

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:44:40 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) Right-handed pitcher Scott Proctor has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves after missing all of last season recovering from elbow surgery.

The 32-year-old Proctor has pitched five years in the majors with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. He began experiencing elbow pain in 2008, causing him to miss 63 games, and underwent Tommy John ligament replacement surgery this past May 12.

Proctor's best season was 2006, when he led the American League with 83 appearances and big league relievers with 102 1-3 innings. He went 6-4 with one save and a 3.52 ERA for the Yankees that year.

Proctor will attend the Braves' spring camp as a non-roster invitee.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Tired Hawks Lose to Bobcats 103-83

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:42:12 -0500

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) For a night, the roles were reversed. The low-scoring Bobcats were suddenly efficient on offense, while the high-scoring Hawks turned in a stinker that led star Joe Johnson to question his teammates.

Raja Bell shook off his painful left wrist to score 24 points, Ronald ``Flip'' Murray pestered his former team with 15 points in his Charlotte debut, and Gerald Wallace grabbed 18 rebounds in the Bobcats' 103-83 victory over road-weary Atlanta on Friday night.

While the Hawks were completing a trip that took them to Los Angeles, Sacramento and Portland this week, the Bobcats were holding three productive practices and getting healthy.

Bell, in his second game after deciding to put off surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist, hit 9 of 12 shots, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Murray's return from a left shin injury allowed the Bobcats to move to 3-0 at home for the first time in franchise history.

``We had so many guys contribute tonight,'' Charlotte coach Larry Brown said.

It had all the makings of a trap game for the Hawks, and they played the part. Johnson, Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford each scored 13 points, but they combined to shoot 15 for 39 from the field.

The Hawks (4-2) fell behind by 21 in the third quarter and scored only 14 in the fourth.

``I don't know when we all of a sudden just really became a selfish team,'' Johnson said. ``Now everybody wants to go one-on-one. It's me, me, me. It's crazy, man.''

Coach Mike Woodson called the performance ``unacceptable'' and was unwilling to blame it on the travel. Johnson added he's been seeing signs of trouble despite recent victories.

``Everybody who touches it wants to score,'' Johnson said. ``I really think guys on this team don't know their roles, so it's killing us. And it's going to continue to kill us.''

It was a much more joyous scene down the hallway in the Charlotte locker room. The Bobcats, who came in averaging an NBA-low 79.8 points, had reached 80 only once in their first four games a double-overtime contest. But this game was marked by crisp ball movement, heady passing and strong drives to the hoop.

Bell hit his first five shots, including two 3-pointers. He stayed hot in the second quarter, hitting a 3 to put Charlotte ahead 59-44.

``It was one of those nights where Raja was like, 'No way. The hell with it. I'll worry about the pain after,''' Wallace said. ``He did a great job today.''

Charlotte built a 77-56 lead on Bell's 3-pointer midway through the third quarter.

``Right now it aches a little bit, but when you get a good adrenaline flow going it really only hurts when it's a situational thing,'' Bell said.

Murray seemed to have an extra incentive against the Hawks. He scored seven points in the final 90 seconds of the third quarter and gave Charlotte an outside scoring threat it was desperately missing.

Before the game, Woodson said he would have liked to re-sign Murray, who averaged 12.2 points last season, even after acquiring Crawford.

``He said he wanted me to come there but management never said it. Management never reached out to me during the summer,'' Murray said. ``I had fun there for the year I was there. It was unfortunate that today's game was against them when I came back.''

He helped jump-start the offense, which also got improved play from Tyson Chandler. He had 10 points and 10 rebounds, including a thunderous alley-oop dunk on a feed from D.J. Augustin to open the fourth quarter and the Hawks never recovered.

Wallace had 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, but had another big game on the glass four nights after grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds. Charlotte held a 55-35 rebounding edge.

``I can't make a shot so I might as well rebound,'' Wallace said.

Bobcats coach Larry Brown called the Hawks ``probably the most athletic team in the league'' before the game, but there were slow chasing the ball and Charlotte hit 11 of 18 3-pointers.

Atlanta was 2 of 16 from 3-point range.

``Ain't no way this team is 20-some points better than us,'' Johnson said. ``It can't continue to go like this.''

NOTES: Referee Michael Smith hit Woodson with a technical foul in the third quarter. ... Hawks trainer Wally Blase, who tracks fouls, alertly hustled to the scoring table in the second quarter when they incorrectly had four fouls on the Bobcats, not five. It put Josh Smith to the line. ... Brown praised Woodson's job in turning around a team that won 13 games in his first season. ``They gave their coach a chance to grow with those kids,'' Brown said.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Georgia High School Football Scores

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:39:22 -0500

Friday's Scores
By The Associated Press
PREP FOOTBALL

Callaway 55, Pike County 10

Tattnall Square 41, John Milledge 14

Alpharetta 35, Campbell 15

Americus Sumter 40, Harris County 28

Apalachee 37, Salem 14

Appling County 23, Benedictine Military 9

Aquinas 28, Washington-Wilkes 12

Athens Academy 41, Social Circle 14

Athens Christian 33, Lakeview Academy 14

Atkinson County 44, Terrell County 6

Baldwin 34, Thomson 19

Berrien 48, Mitchell County 12

Bethesda Day 40, John Hancock 15

Bowdon 30, Bremen 10

Brentwood 16, Tiftarea 6

Brooks County 56, Albany 31

Brookstone 39, Schley County 8

Brookwood 28, Parkview 14

Bulloch 42, Heritage School (Newnan) 12

Burke County 42, West Laurens 35

Cairo 17, Westover 7

Calhoun 49, Armuchee 10

Camden County 56, Bradwell Institute 9

Carroll Mount Zion 24, Gordon Lee 13

Cass 25, Osborne 21

Centennial 35, Wheeler 6

Chamblee 16, Miller Grove 8

Charlton County 42, McIntosh County Academy 22

Chattahoochee 28, Duluth 13

Chattooga 25, Rockmart 13

Clarke Central 31, Madison County 13

Clinch County 25, Miller County 20

Columbia 16, Riverwood 6

Columbus 21, Eagle's Landing 20

Commerce 33, Prince Avenue Christian 7

Conyers Heritage 31, Cedar Shoals 15

Cook 27, Early County 14

Creekside 33, Riverdale 7

Creekview 42, Chestatee 20

Dacula 34, Meadow Creek 8

Dade County 47, Coosa 6

Dodge County 35, East Laurens 32

Dougherty 34, Perry 9

Douglas County 13, McIntosh 7

Dutchtown 15, North Clayton 14

Eagle's Landing Christian 39, Whitefield Academy 7

Eastside 22, Franklin County 20

Effingham County 7, Ware County 6

Emanuel County Institute 28, Calvary Day 7

Etowah 34, Harrison 3

Fannin County 17, North Oconee 7

Fellowship Christian School 33, Southwest Atlanta Christian 14

Fitzgerald 49, Thomasville 14

Gainesville 49, Flowery Branch 17

Glascock County 37, Towns County 0

Glenn Hills 48, Butler 20

Gordon Central 51, Temple 0

Grayson 42, Central Gwinnett 3

Greater Atlanta Christian 45, Buford 14

Greenville 27, Marion County 0

Griffin 36, Alcovy 3

Grovetown 34, Mount Paran Christian 33

Harlem 27, Westside-Augusta 13

Hart County 35, Elbert County 0

Hawkinsville 28, Turner County 20

Heard County 21, Crawford County 6

Hephzibah 38, Cross Creek 0

Hillgrove 35, Woodland Cartersville 21

Hiram 17, Dalton 14

Jackson 35, Spalding 16

Jackson County 26, Stephens County 23

Jefferson 35, East Jackson 21

Jefferson County 17, Dublin 10

Jenkins 54, Groves 20

Johnson-Savannah 12, Savannah 0

Kell 45, Milton 21

LaFayette 42, Haralson County 26

LaGrange 42, Troup County 0

Lakeside-Evans 43, Josey 0

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 14, Cartersville 13

Lamar County 28, Manchester 27

Laney 35, Southeast Bulloch 0

Lanier County 20, Calhoun County 14

Lassiter 42, Roswell 25

Lincoln County 19, Warren County 18

Lithia Springs 28, Catoosa Heritage 14

Lithonia 43, North Springs 14

Loganville 57, Winder-Barrow 18

Lovett 46, Decatur 0

Lowndes 31, Warner Robins 17

Marietta 35, Kennesaw Mountain 20

Marist 41, Lakeside-DeKalb 13

Mary Persons 37, Jackson-Atlanta 0

McEachern 48, Cherokee 13

Metter 33, Portal 32

Mill Creek 24, South Forsyth 21

Montgomery County 13, Bryan County 6

Monticello 35, Henry County 21

Murray County 35, Allatoona 14

Newnan 43, East Coweta 26

Newton 25, Luella 7

Norcross 25, Collins Hill 21

North Cobb 18, South Cobb 15

North Forsyth 50, Northview 7

North Gwinnett 21, Peachtree Ridge 7

North Hall 40, Lumpkin County 13

North Paulding 42, Georgia Military School 0

Northeast-Macon 29, Greene County 20

Northside-Warner Robins 20, Colquitt County 17

Northwest Whitfield 43, Paulding County 33

Oconee County 33, Morgan County 13

Oglethorpe County 42, Rabun County 14

Ola 41, Forest Park 20

Pace Academy 35, Our Lady of Mercy 17

Pacelli Catholic 28, Talbotton Central 19

Peach County 35, Crisp County 7

Pebblebrook 21, Mundy's Mill 7

Pelham 14, Randolph-Clay 13

Pepperell 29, Adairsville 26

Pickens 10, East Hall 7

Piedmont 42, Valwood 6

Pierce County 38, Long County 6

Pope 24, Walton 16

Richmond Academy 21, Evans 15

Ridgeland 27, Carrollton 25

Ringgold 14, Central-Carrollton 7

Riverdside Military Academy 27, Dawson County 0

Robert Toombs 37, Griffin Christian 7

Rockdale County 18, Monroe Area 15

Rome 35, South Paulding 14

Rutland 40, South Atlanta 6

Sandy Creek 21, Banneker 9

Savannah Country Day 29, Johnson County 26

Seminole County 56, Bacon County 19

Shaw 26, Kendrick 7

Sonoraville 30, Model 10

South Gwinnett 41, Berkmar 0

Southeast Whitfield 27, Cedartown 14

Southwest DeKalb 27, Stone Mountain 14

Southwest Georgia Academy 40, Strong Rock Christian 10

Southwest Macon 20, Howard 14

Sprayberry 29, Sequoyah 7

St. Pius X 10, Dunwoody 7

Starr's Mill 41, Villa Rica 6

Stephenson 44, Douglass 6

Swainsboro 21, Toombs County 0

Tatnall County 26, Brantley County 21

Taylor County 38, Stewart-Quitman 14

Telfair County 35, Wheeler County 27

Therrell 39, Clarkston 0

Thomas County Central 13, Bainbridge 3

Thomas Jefferson 54, Covenant 24

Tift County 35, Coffee County 10

Treutlen 28, Claxton 0

Tri-Cities 41, Fayette County 27

Trion 21, Darlington 14

Tucker 41, Forsyth Central 0

Twiggs County 42, Dooly County 22

Upson-Lee 28, Jones County 14

Vidalia 28, Bleckley County 7

Washington County 55, Richmond Hill 13

Wayne County 24, South Effingham 0

West Forsyth 42, West Hall 14

Westlake 21, Chapel Hill 14, OT

Westminster 35, Blessed Trinity 7

White County 35, Gilmer 0

Whitewater 41, Alexander 9

Wilcox County 33, Irwin County 12

Wilkinson County 42, Hancock Central 0

Windsor Forest 24, Beach 6

Woodstock 34, East Paulding 13

Woodward Academy 28, Woodland Stockbridge 7

Worth County 23, Monroe 14

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Orlando Gunman Caught

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:10:59 -0500

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A gunman opened fire Friday in the offices of an engineering firm where he was let go more than two years ago, killing one person and injuring five others.

Jason Rodriguez, 40, surrendered to police about three hours later, after officers saw him through the window of his mother's home and asked him to come outside, Orlando Police Chief Val Demings said.

She said investigators did not know why Rodriguez targeted the engineering firm where he once worked.

``This is a tragedy no doubt about it, especially on the heels of the tragedy in Fort Hood that is on our minds,'' she said. ``I'm just glad we don't have any more fatalities or any more injuries than we currently have.''

People streamed out of the 16-story Legion Place office building around lunchtime and some told local television stations they had barricaded themselves inside their offices while the gunman was on the loose.

Mike Bernof, a spokesman for Reynolds Smith Hill, the transportation engineering consulting firm where Rodriguez was an engineer, told CNN Rodriguez was released in June 2007 for performance issues. He could not say what those issues were. The firm performs transportation engineering work for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Gerry Gilgo, who works on the floor where the shooting occurred, told The Associated Press she was meeting a co-worker at the elevators for lunch.

``She yelled, 'There are gunshots! There are gunshots! Get back in your office,''' Gilgo said.

Will Halpern, an attorney on the building's 17th floor, was among the last group to be evacuated. He said the lobby was filled with about 20 officers in SWAT gear, carrying assault weapons, ready to search.

Interstate 4 was closed in both directions through downtown and nearby schools were locked down until the gunman was caught.

Rows of ambulances lined up outside the building as police snipers took up positions around the building and officers on foot and horseback searched the area.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Cops: Kidnap Report is Bogus

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:47:53 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) Police say a woman who had been sought as a possible kidnap victim has been located in the Riverdale area and arrested.

Fulton County police spokesman Sgt. Scott McBride says a search was begun for 24-year-old Deniecia E. Lester after her husband reported she had text-messaged him that she had been kidnapped.

McBride says a team of two Fulton police and six U.S. marshals searched for her on Thursday in the Clayton County area.

He says she was located unharmed last night.

Police say Lester was arrested on a charge of a false report of a crime.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

USA Jobless Tops 10%

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:45:17 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) The unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 and is likely to go higher.

Nearly 16 million people can't find jobs even though the worst recession since the Great Depression has apparently ended. The Labor Department said Friday that the economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October, less than the downwardly revised 219,000 lost in September. August job losses were also revised lower, to 154,000 from 201,000.

But the loss of jobs last month exceeded economists' estimates. It's the 22nd straight month the U.S. economy has shed jobs, the longest on records dating back 70 years.

Counting those who have settled for part-time jobs or stopped looking for work, the unemployment rate would be 17.5 percent, the highest on records dating from 1994.

The jobless rate rose from 9.8 percent in September.

Friday's report is the first since the government said last week that the economy grew at a 3.5 percent annual rate in the July-September quarter, the strongest signal yet that the economy is rebounding. But that isn't fast enough to spur rapid hiring, raising the specter of a jobless recovery.

In addition, many economists worry that persistently high unemployment could undermine the recovery by restraining consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the economy.

One sign of how hard it still is to find a job: the number of Americans who have been out of work for six months or longer rose to 5.6 million, a record. They comprise 35.6 percent of the unemployed population, matching a record set last month.

Congress sought to address the impact of long-term unemployment this week by approving legislation extending jobless benefits for the fourth time since the recession began. The bill would add 14 to 20 extra weeks of aid and is intended to prevent almost 2 million recipients from running out of unemployment insurance during the upcoming holiday season. President Barack Obama is expected to quickly sign the legislation.

The employment report showed that job losses remain widespread across many industries. Manufacturers eliminated a net total of 61,000 jobs, the most in four months. Construction shed 62,000 jobs, down slightly from the previous month.

Retailers, the financial sector and leisure and hospitality companies all continued to reduce payrolls.

But temporary employment grew by 33,700 jobs, after losing positions for months. That's a positive sign because employers are likely to add temporary workers before hiring permanent ones.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Lots of Stolen Luggage

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:53:15 -0500

PHOENIX (AP) Locked safes, medical equipment and clothing piled from floor to ceiling were among the hoards of personal belongings sorted by police on Thursday after a couple was arrested on charges they stole luggage from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Clothing from nearly 1,000 stolen bags took up entire rooms at the couple's home in Waddell, where police served a search warrant Tuesday. Police also uncovered about 25 guns at the residence, although it was unclear if the weapons were stolen from the luggage, said Sgt. Giogi Chiampo.

Keith King, 61, remained held Thursday in a Maricopa County jail on a $25,000 bond. His wife, Stacy Lynne Legg-King, 38, posted bond and was released from jail, according to police.

The couple was arrested Monday at their home about 20 miles northwest of Phoenix and were booked on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property. The arrests were part of an ongoing airport burglary operation.

Police said surveillance video showed Keith King parking in an airport garage and walking to the baggage-claim area to steal luggage. They said the two had been taking luggage from the airport over a period of a year or more.

Neighbors also reported seeing a trailer full of material arriving to the home in the middle of the night, which they described as suspicious. One told detectives that the couple frequently held garage sales to sell a variety of merchandise, including luggage.

Detectives are trying to track missing items, which include electronics like laptops, video games and cameras. Other items recovered at the Kings' home included GPS devices.

Chiampo said detectives were in touch with some victims of the Sky Harbor heists, but that returning stolen items to victims would be difficult because the bags had been stripped of identifying information.

``A lot of the baggage is very similar in nature,'' she said. ``The likelihood of matching everything we have is at this point slim. Most of what we have is empty luggage.''

Airport officials said they will discuss security measures, such as reinstituting routine baggage-claim checks to ensure bags are picked up by the correct passengers. Checks were eliminated several years ago to cut costs.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Charter Bus Owner Charged

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:51:17 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) The owner of the charter bus that crashed carrying Morehouse College band members has been charged with writing bad checks.

Fulton County officials say 38-year-old Steven McClardy was arrested Thursday on a warrant for two counts of felony deposit account fraud.

McClardy is the owner of a bus carrying 42 students that overturned on Interstate 75 on Saturday en route to a football game in Albany.

Fulton County court officials said that in addition to other pending arrest warrants for undisclosed charges, McClardy is wanted by Gwinnett County authorities.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Dawgs: Cox 'Reality Check'

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:58:17 -0500

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Joe Cox has only four games left to help Georgia salvage its season.

For one scary day this week, the quarterback feared he'd lost that chance.

After taking one day earlier this week to consider benching Cox, coach Mark Richt is sticking with the starter for Saturday's game against Tennessee Tech.

Cox threw three interceptions in Georgia's 41-17 loss to top-ranked Florida last Saturday. Quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo told Cox on Sunday the coaches were considering a change. Richt met with Cox on Monday and said the decision to stick with Cox was unanimous among the coaches.

The coaches' vote was a confidence boost for Cox, but it didn't totally erase the day he spent fearing he'd lost the starting job.

``It meant a lot, but at the same time I still had in the back of my mind that they were still considering making a change,'' Cox said. ``That's a reality check.''

The wait for a verdict from Richt and Bobo took only one day, but it was a difficult day for Cox, who was Matthew Stafford's backup the last three years.

``I didn't feel very good,'' Cox said. ``I felt like I really let something slip away that I had really been working hard for. But at the end of the day it's a bottom-line business and if they felt a change would have helped, that's not my call. I knew it was out of my hands and I just had to hope for the best.''

Cox knows he's not the only reason Georgia won't win the SEC or play in a major bowl this season. Georgia (4-4 overall, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) has problems at more than one position.

The quarterback can't be blamed for Georgia giving up more points or rushing for fewer yards per game than any team in the SEC.

Cox says it made sense for the coach to consider a switch.

``That's just part of football,'' he said. ``If things aren't going well, sometimes you have to make changes to do something that can cause a spark.''

Cox has completed 131 of 229 passes for 1,746 yards with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He ranks third in the conference with his 218.2 yards passing per game but has thrown at least one interception in every game.

``You've got to really look at yourself and how you're performing and see what you can do to make it better the last four weeks of the season,'' he said. ``I was glad (Richt) told me what he told me and now it's just a matter of working hard and just finishing up these last four weeks strong.''

Cox's teammates were aware of the talk of a possible change at quarterback. The deliberation by Richt and his staff was accompanied by public speculation.

``It's something that I'm sure hurt Joe a little bit hearing somebody say he shouldn't be the starter, but Joe is a tremendous worker,'' said tight end Aron White. ``We know that the people that matter are out there on the practice field and we're not going to let outside opinions affect the way we practice or the way we prepare.''

Linebacker Rennie Curran said the decision to stick with Cox was ``huge.''

``This season has really tested our character, and it's great to know that you have coaches that believe in you even if you make mistakes,'' Curran said.

Richt plans to play sophomore Logan Gray behind Cox this week. There is no plan to play freshman Aaron Murray, who is headed for a redshirt year. Murray is listed ahead of another freshman, Zach Mettenberger.

``My feeling is this: If you're going to put a freshman in there, you start him and you start him the rest of the way,'' Richt said. ``But did anybody really earn that? They didn't. Do you think that one day they will be great players? I think yes.

``I think both those guys have got tremendous potential. We've got extremely high hopes for their careers, but to say one guy earned it over another, that didn't happen.''

Gray was 0-for-3 passing against Florida and had an interception returned by Brandon Spikes for a touchdown.

Richt said he plans to play Gray ``at least a series.''

``You hate to promise any more than that because sometimes things will make you decide not to do that,'' Richt said. ``We did want him to know that we do want him to play, that he will play, so prepare your mind and body for that.''

Richt is changing starters at tailback. Sophomore Caleb King will make his first start, replacing freshman Washaun Ealey, who has started the last two games. Richard Samuel, the team's leader with 375 yards rushing, has six starts.

Ealey led Georgia with 17 carries for 70 yards against Florida but struggled in pass protection.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Atl. Runoff: Endorsement Hunt

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:54:37 -0500

(WSB Radio) -- Third place finisher in the Atlanta mayor's race, Lisa Borders, says she's not yet ready to offer an endorsement for either candidate in the runoff.

She met with Kasim Reed Thursday and later held a photo opportunity with reporters.

"This is not an endorsement, this is an opportunity for us to have conversation about how the city moves forward," says Borders.

She says she'll do the same later today with Mary Norwood before endorsing either one.

"I want to make sure our public policy ideas meet and that we can, in fact, agree on the things that we think are important to the citizens of Atlanta," says Borders.

Both Borders and Reed say they've gotten past the bitterness as former opponents in the race. Reed says, if elected, he'll look to Borders for advice and counsel.

"It's really about her experience, that's what I'm focused on. That's why I came over here to visit today," says Reed.

When asked if he made any promises to Borders for her endorsement, he replied he did a lot of asking and will let her explain what she said "yes" to at the appropriate time.

Borders garnered 15 percent of the vote in Tuesday's election compared to Norwood's 47 percent and Reed's 37 percent. Both are hoping to gain the votes of Borders supporters.

Pilots Appeal License Revocation

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:35:29 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) The Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles are appealing their license revocations with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The appeals were filed late Wednesday, said board spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz. He said that appeals typically are heard by an administrative law judge with the board within 120 days.

The Federal Aviation Administration revoked the licenses of Capt. Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Wash., and First Officer Richard Cole of Salem, Ore., last week. The agency said the pilots put the 144 passengers of Northwest Flight 188 in serious danger on Oct. 21 when they failed to communicate with anyone on the ground for 91 minutes despite repeated attempts by air traffic controllers and their own airline to reach them.

There is a discrepancy between FAA and NTSB over exactly how long the flight was out of radio contact. FAA said 91 minutes in letters sent to the pilots six days after the incident. NTSB officials told reporters Thursday it was actually 77 minutes. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown would not confirm either figure, saying the agency is working on a timeline of the event and will know more next week.

Cheney and Cole told investigators they lost track of time and place while working on crew scheduling on their laptops. They said they didn't realize their situation until a flight attendant contacted them on the intercom to ask when the plane would be landing. By then, the Airbus A320 was over Wisconsin at 37,000 feet. The pilots turned the plane around and landed safely in Minneapolis.

Attorneys for the pilots declined to comment.

The incident raised national security concerns. Senior White House officials were notified by the White House situation room during the incident. Fighter jets in two locations were moments away from taking off to track down the errant airliner when contact was re-established.

FAA and NTSB investigators were in Colorado Wednesday, where they interviewed controllers at FAA's radar center in Longmont. FAA investigators also spoke with military officials at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, Brown said.

Investigators plan to interview controllers in Minneapolis on Friday, NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said.

The U.S. military would have launched fighters if it had been notified sooner. Gen. Gene Renuart, who heads U.S. Northern Command, has said he learned of the incident just four or five minutes before the FAA regained contact with the pilots. The delay has raised questions about whether controllers complied with procedures put in place after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Two bills were introduced in the Senate Thursday to ban nonessential electronics, including personal laptops, from the cockpit.

``We simply want to ensure that, with all of the electronic distractions available these days, flying the plane remains the one and only focus,'' Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the author of one of the bills, said in a statement.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said Wednesday that the Northwest incident is the result of an erosion of professionalism among commercial airline pilots.

``I think that this is a sign of a much bigger problem,'' Babbitt said in a speech to an aviation club. ``I can't regulate professionalism. With everything we know about human factors, there are still those who just ignore the commonsense rules of safety.''

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Campaign Fallout: Dems Worried

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:33:07 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) Southern Democrats who watched the trouncing of their party's gubernatorial nominee in Virginia this week are starting to worry that a rising anti-Democratic tide in the South may reverse their hard-fought gains from the last two national elections.

``They say people won't walk a mile to vote for you but they'll walk 100 miles to vote against you,'' said Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat who won his Alabama seat with just 52 percent of the vote last year. ``Well, people walked 100 miles Tuesday.''

If the Virginia race signals a growing movement against the party's agenda, Democrats know it will be particularly fierce below the Mason-Dixon line next year. Even the perception of such a trend is enough to seriously damage the party's ability to recruit top candidates in the region. On Capitol Hill, it could convince moderates to distance themselves from the party on key votes, such as health care.

``Obviously you pay attention to it, you'd be a fool not to,'' said Rep. Bob Etheridge, a North Carolina Democrat who said he will make a long-awaited decision by this weekend on whether to challenge Republican Sen. Richard Burr.

Democrats made significant inroads in 2006 and 2008, winning House seats even in states like Mississippi and Alabama that had long been in Republican hands. President Barack Obama was the first Democrat to win Virginia since 1964, and he also won North Carolina, where Democrats picked up Senate seats that could prove pivotal to their agenda.

But on Tuesday in Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell won by 18 percentage points, three times Obama's margin of a year ago, and three freshman Democrats saw their districts vote overwhelmingly for the GOP candidate. Those numbers caught the attention of Democrats in Deep Southern states that didn't support Obama.

Democrats are particularly vulnerable in the South, where Republicans still dominate politically despite the recent Democratic gains. Nearly half of the 20 Democratic seats Republicans think they can win in 2010 are in the South, and a number of veteran House Democrats not on the GOP target list could quickly become vulnerable in a conservative wave.

The favorable climate of 2006 and 2008 also emboldened many promising Democrats to enter Senate and gubernatorial races next year, and those candidates now are worried they may be facing a different electoral mood.

Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, a rising Democratic star in Washington, is giving up his House seat in a bid to become his state's first black governor. Democrats talked Rep. Charlie Melancon into trying to unseat Republican Sen. David Vitter in Louisiana, and Georgia Democrats convinced former Gov. Roy Barnes to take another shot at the office, giving them a proven commodity in a heavily conservative state.

South Carolina Democrats are hopeful they can take advantage of Gov. Mark Sanford's out-of-state extramarital affair to win the governor's mansion, and in Florida, for the first time since the late 1800s, every statewide position on the ballot is an open seat, including Senate and gubernatorial races.

Not all Southern Democrats are worried by the Virginia results.

Some insisted the race was decided on state issues and had nothing to do with what's happening in Washington, while several said it suggested Democrats should act more boldly.

``I saw a depressed Democratic base ... What that told me was that Democrats have to deliver for their base,'' said Rep. Gerry Connolly, one of four Virginia Democrats targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee. ``What I conclude from last night is that we gotta pass health care.''

Others said it was a clear signal that Democrats should scale back and slow down.

``I think it's a warning,'' said Griffith. ``I think we need to listen.''

There's near unanimous agreement that the economy is paramount, and that if Democrats don't do more to convince voters that they're working to create jobs, the Virginia outcome could be replicated widely in 2010.

``It's obvious that the voters are frustrated, and most of the time the frustration is taken out on the party in power,'' said Steve Raby, a Democratic political consultant in Alabama who has conducted extensive polling there recently. ``I don't believe the frustration is specifically targeted at Democrats. I think it's just targeted at incumbents.''

Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Fla., contributed to this report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Monster Pot Bust

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:30:57 -0500

MONROE, Ga. (AP) A Walton County sheriff's deputy has stumbled upon a sophisticated, multimillion-dollar drug operation in a Monroe home.

Officials tell WSB-TV in a Thursday story that the deputy went to see why the front door of the house was wide open and suspected it was a possible burglary.

He called for backup after noticing an overwhelming smell of marijuana when he went to the door. Deputies said they found about 800 marijuana plants worth $7.4 million growing in the basement.

The house was being rented by 28-year-old Quang Hung Le. He was arrested and remains in Walton County jail.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ponzi Scamster Sentenced

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:28:30 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) A former attorney has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for a real estate investment fraud scheme that took in a dozen victims in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.

The federal sentence was handed to 53-year-old Steven Ballard of McDonough on Thursday. He must serve five years, three months in prison and three years probation.

He was also ordered to pay approximately $1.13 million in restitution to the fraud victims.

Prosecutors say the ponzi scheme took in more than $2 million over three and a half years using bogus warranty deeds, sales contracts or other documents to reflect nonexistent property purchases.

Ballard was a real estate and business law attorney and was disbarred in 2006. He faced up to 20 years in prison.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Murder-Suicide Near UGA

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:26:48 -0500

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Athens-Clarke police are investigating a murder-suicide that started with a woman's body found in a parked car about a mile from the University of Georgia campus.

The shooting Thursday afternoon prompted an alert at the campus telling students and staff to avoid the university's golf course, where the shooter, 25-year-old Michael Wise, had been spotted. The woman was identified as 20-year-old Kendra Borders.

Police spokesman Capt. Clarence Holeman said the man was found dead about 10 miles from campus in neighboring Oglethorpe County from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say Wise killed himself as police pulled his car over about 3:30 p.m.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Child Hit by Train

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:24:42 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) Police say a 4-year-old boy who was hit by a train in northwest Atlanta has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.

Atlanta Police Officer James Polite said Elijah Anderson ran out of his yard while chasing after his dog Thursday evening and was struck.

The CSX train engineer saw the boy and tried to stop, but was unable to in time. The locomotive was traveling about 30 mph when the crash occurred around 5 p.m.

Polite said the boy was thrown away from the tracks by the impact. He was taken to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Fort Hood Rampage

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:09:40 -0500

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) Soldiers who witnessed the shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead reported that the gunman shouted ``Allahu Akbar!'' before opening fire, the base commander said Friday.

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone said officials had not yet confirmed that the suspected shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, made the comment, which is Arabic for ``God is great!'' before the rampage Thursday, which left 30 people wounded, including the gunman.

An imam from a mosque Hasan regularly attended said Hasan, a lifelong Muslim, was a committed soldier, gave no sign of extremist beliefs and regularly wore his uniform at prayers.

Cone said Hasan was hospitalized in stable condition and that investigators hope to interrogate him as soon as possible. In the early chaos after the shootings, authorities believed they had killed him, only to discover later that he had survived.

Cone said Hasan was not known to be a threat or risk. He acknowledged that it was ``counterintuitive'' that a single shooter could kill and injure so many people. But he said the massacre occurred in ``close quarters.''

``With ricochet fire, he was able to injure that number of people,'' Cone said. Authorities are investigating whether Hasan's weapons were properly registered with the military.

The motive for the shooting wasn't clear, but Hasan was apparently set to deploy soon and had expressed some anger about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said generals at Fort Hood told her that Hasan was about to deploy overseas.

Lee said Hasan had hoped Obama would pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq and got into frequent arguments with others in the military who supported the wars.

Officials are not ruling out the possibility that some of the casualties may have been victims of ``friendly fire,'' that in the mayhem and confusion at the shooting scene some of the responding military officials may have shot some of the victims.

The gunfire broke out around 1:30 p.m. at the Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening. Nearby, some soldiers were readying to head into a graduation ceremony for troops and families who had recently earned degrees.

Pastor Greg Schannep had just parked his car along the side of the theater and was about to head into the ceremony when a man in uniform approached him.

``Sir, they are opening fire over there!'' the man told him. At first, he thought it was a training exercise then heard three volleys and saw people running. As the man who warned him about the shots ran away, he could see the man's back was bloodied from a wound.

Schannep said police and medical and other emergency personnel were on the scene in an instant, telling people to get inside the theater. The post went into lockdown while a search began for a suspect and emergency workers began trying to treat the wounded. Some soldiers rushed to treat their injured colleagues by ripping their uniforms into makeshift bandages to treat their wounds.

Video from the scene showed police patrolling the area with handguns and rifles, ducking behind buildings for cover. Sirens could be heard wailing while a woman's voice on a public-address system urged people to take cover. Schools on the base went into lockdown, and family members trying to find out what was happening inside found cell phone lines jammed or busy.

``I was confused and just shocked,'' said Spc. Jerry Richard, 27, who works at the center but was not on duty during the shooting. ``Overseas you are ready for it. But here you can't even defend yourself.''

The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said. Their identities and the identities of the dead were not immediately released.

The bodies of the victims would be taken to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for autopsies and forensic tests, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that were under investigation.

There also will be a ceremony at the air base to honor the dead.

Jamie and Scotty Casteel stood outside the emergency room at the hospital in Temple waiting for news of their son-in-law Matthew Cooke, who was among the injured.

``He's been shot in the abdomen and that's all we know,'' Jamie Casteel told The Associated Press. She said Cooke, from New York state, had been home from Iraq for about a year.

Amber Bahr, 19, was shot in the stomach but was in stable condition, said her mother, Lisa Pfund of Random Lake, Wis.

``We know nothing, just that she was shot in the belly,'' Pfund said. She couldn't provide more details and only spoke with emergency personnel.

Nathan A. Hewitt, 26, of Lafayette, Ind., was shot in the hip and calf, his uncles Elmo Robledo and Rex Deaton told the Journal Courier.

Ashley Saucedo told WOOD-TV in Michigan that her husband was shot in the arm, but she couldn't discuss specifics. Saucedo said she and the couple's two children weren't permitted to leave their home at Fort Hood during the shootings.

For six years before reporting for duty at Fort Hood in July, Hasan worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center pursuing a career in psychiatry, as an intern, a resident and, last year, a fellow in disaster and preventive psychiatry. The 39-year-old Army major received his medical degree from the military's Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in 2001.

But his record wasn't sterling. At Walter Reed, he received a poor performance evaluation, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. And while he was an intern, Hasan had some ``difficulties'' that required counseling and extra supervision, said Dr. Thomas Grieger, who was the training director at the time.

Faizul Khan, a former imam at a mosque Hasan attended in Silver Spring, Md., said ``I got the impression that he was a committed soldier.'' He said Hasan attended prayers regularly at the mosque in Silver Spring, Md., and was a lifelong Muslim. He spoke often with Hasan about Hasan's desire for a wife.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Hasan's aunt, Noel Hasan of Falls Church, Va., said he had been harassed about being a Muslim in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and he wanted out of the Army.

``Some people can take it and some people cannot,'' she said. ``He had listened to all of that and he wanted out of the military.''

At least six months ago, Hasan came to the attention of law enforcement officials because of Internet postings about suicide bombings and other threats, including posts that equated suicide bombers to soldiers who throw themselves on a grenade to save the lives of their comrades.

Investigators had not determined for certain whether Hasan was the author of the posting, and a formal investigation had not been opened before the shooting, said law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.

The FBI, local police and other agencies searched Hasan's apartment Thursday night after evacuating the complex in Killeen, said city spokeswoman Hilary Shine. She referred questions about what was found to the FBI. The FBI in Dallas referred questions to a spokesman who was not immediately available early Friday morning.

Associated Press Writers Lara Jakes and Devlin Barrett in Washington, April Castro in Fort Hood and Matt Curry in Dallas contributed to this report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Fort Hood Mass Shooting

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:13:21 -0500

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in what appears to be the worst mass shooting at a U.S. military base.

The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said at a news conference. He said all the casualties took place at the base's Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.

``It's a terrible tragedy. It's stunning,'' Cone said.

A law enforcement official identified the shooting suspect as Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. The official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The official says investigators are trying to determine if Hasan was his birth name, or if he changed his name and converted to Islam at some point in his life.

Cone said the soldier used two handguns in the attack. It was not clear if the gunman had stopped to reload.

A graduation ceremony for soldiers who finished college courses while deployed was going on in an auditorium at the Readiness Center at the time of the shooting, said Sgt. Rebekah Lampam, a Fort Hood spokeswoman.

Greg Schanepp, U.S. Rep. John Carter's regional director in Texas, was representing Carter at the graduation, said John Stone, a spokesman for Carter, whose district includes the Army post.

Schanepp was at the ceremony when a soldier who had been shot in the back came running toward him and alerted him of the shooting, Stone said. The soldier told Schanepp not to go in the direction of the shooter, he said. Stone said he believes Schanepp was in the theater.

The base was locked down after the shootings. The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said.

The shootings on the Texas military base stirred memories of other recent mass shootings in the United States, including 13 dead at a New York immigrant center in March, 10 killed during a gunman's rampage across Alabama in March and 32 killed in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history at Virginia Tech in 2007.

Around the country, some bases stepped up security precautions, but no others were locked down.

``The bottom line for us is that we are increasing security at our gates because the threat hasn't yet been defined, and we're reminding our Marines to be vigilant in their areas of responsibility,'' said Capt. Rob Dolan, public affairs officer for the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz.

In Washington, President Barack Obama called the shooting ``a horrific outburst of violence.'' He said it's a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.

``We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident,'' the commander in chief said. ``We are going to stay on this.''

Covering 339 square miles, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States. Home to about 52,000 troops as of earlier this year, the sprawling base is located halfway between Austin and Waco.

About a mile from Fort Hood's east gate, Cynthia Thomas, director of Under the Hood Cafe, a local coffee shop and nonprofit military support center, has been calling soldiers and friends on the post to make sure they're OK.

``It's chaotic,'' Thomas said, as a SWAT team just drove by. ``They're just saying that they're under attack they don't know what's going on. ... The phones are jammed. Everybody is calling family members and friends. Soldiers are running around with M-16s.''

Fort Hood officially opened on Sept. 18, 1942, and was named in honor of Gen. John Bell Hood. It has been continuously used for armored training and is charged with maintaining readiness for combat missions.

UGA Manhunt Ends in Murder-Suicide

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:10:55 -0500

(AP/WSB Radio) Athens-Clarke police are investigating a murder-suicide that started with a woman's body found in a parked car about a mile from the University of Georgia campus.

The shooting Thursday afternoon prompted an alert at the campus telling students and staff to avoid the university's golf course, where the shooter had been spotted.

Police spokesman Capt. Clarence Holeman tells WSB 25-year-old Michael Wise lived in the area. He was pulled over in Oglethorpe County, about ten miles away.

"He was stopped by one of their deputies. He was in the presence of another person that was driving the car. The suspect was actually a passenger. When they got stopped, that's when he took his life in front of deputies," said Holeman.

Holeman says they were called about 2 o'clock this afternoon about the first shooting. Wise apparently called his brother and told them he had just shot and killed someone.

"We had to scour some parking lots. We finally found the victim in her vehicle. She had been shot twice," said Holeman.

The victim has been identified as 20-year-old Kendra Borders. She and Michael Wise have three children together. The two were not married.

The case has been ruled a murder-suicide.

Athens-Clarke County Police are questioning the driver in Wise's car.

11/5/09

Fort Hood Mass Shooting

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:58:04 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) The Army says seven people were killed and 20 wounded in a pair of shootings at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas.

An Army spokesman at the Pentagon says the shootings began about 1:30 p.m. Thursday at a personnel and medical processing center at Fort Hood.

The spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Banks, says two shooters were apparently involved. There is no word yet on who they were, nor on identities of the dead.

Banks says the second incident took place at a theater on the sprawling base.

He says it is too soon to tell whether there is any link to battle stress or repeated deployments. The Army is suffering a record high suicide rate and other signs of stress from fighting two wars.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Spelman Parents Sue School

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:30:32 -0500

(WSB Radio) -- The parents of a Spelman College student killed by a stray bullet as she walked on the Clark Atlanta University campus are suing the university for their daughter's death.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Fulton County State Court, Constance Franklin and Clint Lynn of Kansas City, Mo., say Clark Atlanta did not take ``necessary actions to properly secure its campus.'' The lawsuit claims that lack of security directly led to the Sept. 3 shooting death of 19-year-old Jasmine Lynn.

The lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money.

Franklin said her daughter was so proud of getting into Spelman that she gave her acceptance letter to her mother as a Christmas gift in 2008. Lynn had a 3.8 GPA and was studying to be a clinical psychologist, according to the suit.

``No amount of money could heal my pain,'' Franklin said during a news conference in downtown Atlanta after the lawsuit was filed. ``I don't want another parent to have to stand here in my shoes. We have to save our babies.''

Clark Atlanta spokesman Larry Calhoun declined comment. He said the university had not yet received the lawsuit.

Lynn was killed outside a Clark Atlanta dorm when a fight broke out nearby and shots were fired. One person has been charged in the shooting.

The campus is part of the Atlanta University Center along with Spelman and Morehouse College, which are situated in one of Atlanta's tougher neighborhoods. Students commonly cross between schools to visit each other and can take courses on each other's campuses.

The Clark Atlanta campus is more open than Spelman or Morehouse, which are gated.