Gov. candidate profile John Oxendine

ATLANTA - Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine has the credentials to be one of Georgia's most influential Republican insiders.

Gov. candidate profile DuBose Porter

MACON - Dublin naive DuBose Porter is running his gubernatorial campaign in the same way he ran as the underdog candidate for the state House of Representatives in 1982: at the grass roots level.

Gov. candidate profile David Poythress

MACON - At a meet-and-greet in Warner Robins, Democrats and Republicans mix and mingle.

Gov. candidate profile Otis Putnam

SAVANNAH - Otis Putnam says he's a descendant of Israel Putnam, a Revolutionary War hero for whom Putnam County in north Georgia is named.

Gov. candidate profile Ray McBerry

If Georgia were in the Confederate States of America, Ray McBerry might be the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for governor.

Lottery profits up; ticket sales down

ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Lottery posted a 12th consecutive year of profit growth last year, despite a slight decrease in ticket sales, game officials announced Wednesday. The lottery rang up more than $3.6 billion in ticket sales for the fiscal year that ended June 30, down about $17 million from the previous year. But the games also brought in $883.8 million in profits, up from $872 million in 2009.

Passport fees increased

Passport fees increased

Fees for U.S Passport Books and U.S Passport Cards increased Tuesday. The increase will be an additional $35 for adults (age 16 & over) and an additional $20 for minors (under age 16) for passport books. Passport cards will be increasing an additional $10 for adults and an additonal $5 for minors.

Plan to detail area important resources

The Coastal Regional Commission is requesting nominations of cultural, historic and natural resources for inclusion in the Regionally Important Resources Plan for the Region. The nomination form is attached.

BP hopes newest cap will choke off oil

NEW ORLEANS - In a potentially pivotal moment in the Gulf crisis, BP planned to begin closing valves Tuesday in a slow and methodical process that could finally choke off the geyser of crude at the bottom of the sea after three gloomy months and up to 180 million gallons spilled.

Ammonia leaks from rail car in Waycross

WAYCROSS - CSX Transportation says a loose valve allowed anhydrous ammonia to escape and form a vapor cloud above a tank car parked at the company's rail yard in Waycross.

Hunter freed after conviction tossed

ATLANTA - A hunter convicted of murder for fatally shooting his brother has been released from a Georgia prison.

Former owners want Harris Neck back

Sixty-eight years after the federal government took their land through eminent domain, members of the Harris Neck Land Trust Organization are hopeful the latest developments will bring them closer to reclaiming their plots.

Hit-and-run driver hits toddler in Hinesville

A toddler struck by a vehicle Sunday in Hinesville is in serious condition in a Savannah hospital.

Crackdown on texting to begin in August

Georgia State Patrol troopers will wait until Aug. 1 to crack down on texting drivers as they focus their efforts on educating the public and determining how to enforce the new ban that started Thursday.

State further restricts groundwater pumping

Effective immediately, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division will prohibit new groundwater withdrawals in the Coastal Georgia counties of Chatham, Bryan, Liberty and the portion of Effingham County south of Highway 119.

Stewart employees preparing for July furloughs

A May 14 Department of Defense news release announced Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's directive that furloughs will begin for DoD civilians after July 8. Fort Stewart Public Affairs Officer Kevin Larson confirmed that civilian personnel managers at Stewart are preparing for the furloughs but noted that details had to be worked out locally.

Pentagon steps closer to civilian furloughs

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2013 - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced today that he has signed a memorandum directing defense managers to prepare to furlough most Defense Department civilian employees for up to 11 days between July 8 and the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

Jesup man wins $100K in lottery

Leland Smith, a 79-year-old great-grandfather from Jesup, recently won a $100,000 playing the Monopoly Millionaire instant game.

AASU officially announce Liberty campus plan

Armstrong Atlantic State University on Wednesday announced a major initiative for the Armstrong-Liberty Center. In partnership with the city of Hinesville, the university will build an expanded, new facility in downtown Hinesville to accommodate more students, programs, classroom and laboratory space.

Coastal hazards to top discussion

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography scientist Clark Alexander will present a program on threats to the Georgia Coast in an "Evening @ Skidaway" reception and lecture Tuesday, May 21, on the campus of Skidaway Institute, 10 Ocean Science Circle in Savannah.

Carter sets sights for DC; Watson looks to Ga. Senate

State Sen. Earl "Buddy" Carter announced Monday his intention to run for U.S. Congress in Georgia's 1st District. The announcement was made throughout the day during stops in Savannah, Hinesville and Brunswick.