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After shooting, South vows to stick together

Heather Darenberg reports that when Chris Merritt thinks of Friday nights in Snellville, South Gwinnett football comes to mind. “It’s family and friends night,” she said, “and that’s the way we want to keep it. ... We want South Gwinnett to be a community school. It is a community school, and we want everyone to feel welcome.” Merritt, her husband and a handful of other volunteers joined together Friday night to serve as a team of ambassadors for the school.

Grant money goes toward training Bibb teachers to bolster school performance

Julie Hubbard reports that teachers from four Bibb County high schools that are receiving millions in school improvement grants were putting the money to use Friday. The teachers, who came from Southwest, Northeast and Rutland high schools and Hutchings Career Center, were getting trained to teach Advanced Placement courses, as well as other techniques to increase student rigor.

More Augusta-area women purchasing firearms

Bianca Cain reports that gun sales have been on the rise in Augusta, particularly to women. In addition to numerous break-ins and home invasions, there have been 22 homicides in Augusta this year -- 14 since June. That's likely prompting the run on guns, say some.

Coast Guard, Navy to hold exercise off Cumberland Island

Teresa Stepzinski reports that gunfire will erupt Wednesday in Cumberland Sound, but it will be only a drill. The U.S. Coast Guard and Navy will conduct a joint exercise from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday in the sound to test the Coast Guard's ability to deter, detect and disrupt attacks targeting a Navy ship under escort.

Bluegrass music brings friends, family together in Armuchee

Ellison Langford reports that her mama’s banjo case served as a teething toy and a cradle during her parents’ bluegrass jam sessions. Her inherited love and devotion to bluegrass has kept Kricket Langley hosting the Armuchee Bluegrass Festival for the past 38 years. Thursday night started the festival with a cookout and night of camper-side picking.

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Grant allows organizations to team up, educate first-time parents

Carolyn Crist reports that three community organizations are joining forces to help newborns in Hall County thanks to a $274,000 grant from the Governor's Office for Children and Families. "The idea is to stop child abuse and neglect at the time they enter the universe," said Phillippa Lewis Moss, director of the Gainesville-Hall County Community Service Center. "When doctors are catching the babies, we're catching them right with them."

UWG Forms RISE Program to Aid Small Businesses

The University of West Georgia, along with the Carroll County Economic Development Foundation and the UWG Small Business Development Center, is creating the Resource for Innovation, Small business and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Program. The RISE program will create an online “incubator village” to assist entrepreneurs in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard and Polk counties.

Political Insider: Are the fortunes of Democrats Roy Barnes and Ken Hodges tied together?

The Political Insider, Jim Galloway, writes that reports that there are no signs of tension between Roy Barnes and Carol Porter, the nominee for lieutenant governor – whose husband DuBose was trounced by Barnes. But in terms of tactics, message and geography, Barnes’ fortunes in November may be tied more closely to Ken Hodges, the Democratic nominee for attorney general.

Wrong kind of tailgating?

The editorial board writes, It was recently ranked the nation's No. 1 party school. It might also have made the list of the most trashed campuses after football games, if there were such a list. Something had to be done. And they're doing something. But are they overdoing it? The University of Georgia is trying not to be a party-pooper, says President Michael Adams, but strict new North Campus tailgating rules for the season starting today should help clean up the grounds.

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Georgia's DNA database cracks 2,000th case

Rhonda Cook reports that the crime wasn’t very spectacular, but it was remarkable: the 2,000th crime the state’s DNA database solved. The suspect is more of a nuisance than a hardened criminal. “His name is synonymous with trouble,” Capt. Chris Tatum of the Waycross Police Department said. “He is being sought.” Though the crime -- robbery -- does not qualify as one of the most egregious, the criminal has the distinction of being No. 2,000. “As the size of the DNA database increases, we expect and hope that this trend will continue,” said Vernon Keenan, director of the GBI.

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Study: Atlanta drivers among country's least safe

Christian Boone reports that fair warning to Atlantans who haven't been involved a car wreck for eight years: You're due. Atlanta placed 146th in a study commissioned by Allstate Insurance ranking America's safest driving cities. According to the report, the average driver in Atlanta will experience an auto collision every 8.2 years.

Don’t drink and drive; buckle up for holiday

Pete Skiba reports that state and local officials don’t want Georgia to contribute to the National Crash Clock during the Labor Day weekend. “We are concerned that the National Crash Clock will be running overtime this Labor Day holiday travel period,” said Director Bob Dallas of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The crash clock registers traffic fatalities at an average rate of every 14 minutes in the country, Dallas said.

Police take to roads, waterways for holiday weekend safety

Arek Sarkissian II reports that law enforcement agencies from Georgia and South Carolina don't want drivers to be fooled. Just because about 130 officers, deputies and troopers from agencies as far away as Dublin and Hampton County, S.C., blocked U.S. 17 at the foot of the Talmadge Bridge on Thursday night doesn't mean it was all for show. "They're going to be out here tonight, and there will be a presence shown throughout the holiday weekend," said Spencer Moore, deputy director of the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety, said from the gathering, which was the 19th annual Hands Across the Border checkpoint thrown by his agency.

Big crowds, great weather expected for weekend events

Mike Morris reports, Big crowds are coming to Atlanta this holiday weekend, and so is hint of fall weather. Several major events are expected to bring as many as 300,000 people into Atlanta through Monday, and Atlanta police and MARTA officials say they are ready to handle the big crowds.

Adams praises joint MCG venture

Jason Wermers reports that the medical campus that recently opened in Athens should be mutually beneficial for Athens and Augusta, according to University of Georgia President Michael Adams. The new venture, Adams said, truly is a partnership between UGA and Medical College of Georgia, which is expanding its offerings in Augusta even while adding the satellite campus in Athens. "Nobody's going to take over MCG," Adams told the Augusta Chronicle's editorial board Thursday morning. "I think, frankly, we helped (Augusta) get the dental school."

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Marine from Griffin killed in Afghanistan

Mike Morris reports that a Marine from Griffin was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense has announced. Lance Cpl. Christopher B. Rodgers, 20, died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Georgia State wins first-ever game

Ken Sugiura reports, they came. They saw. And, to borrow from their new fight song, the Georgia State Panthers gave them hell. Just 118 years after Georgia and Georgia Tech hit the gridiron, Georgia State joined the game Thursday night at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers swept aside an overmatched team from Shorter and took their inaugural game by a 41-7 score. Gov. Sonny Perdue, former Mayor Andrew Young, Sen. Johnny Isakson and a host of other dignitaries filled the Dome along with throngs of football-starved GSU students and alumni.

Panthers roar in debut game

David Ching reports, for the two and a half years since Georgia State announced it would field a football team, the Panthers' rallying cry has been that they're "still undefeated." One game into their football history, they can still make the same claim. Bill Curry's Panthers slammed Shorter 41-7 Thursday night, drawing 30,237 fans to witness their historic debut at the Georgia Dome.

Gainesville man given prestigious Boy Scout award

Michelle Boaen Jameson reports that a school bus full of children sat in a snowdrift, unable to move. As the snow piled up and nervous children panicked, a lone student took charge by rigging the telegraph wires to signal for help, a skill he learned as a Boy Scout. That's the story in the book Larry Harper read as a young boy that changed his life. From that day onward, Harper knew he wanted to be one of the heroic, quick-thinking few of the Boy Scouts of America.

AAA offers tips for Labor Day travelers

Carole Hawkins reports that AAA expects Labor Day travel in Georgia to increase 7.1 percent this year, even though gas prices are 7 cents higher nationally. Gasoline in Georgia is expected to cost between $2.55 and $2.65 for regular unleaded. Lynda Hines, branch manager of AAA of Augusta said Atlanta has been the most booked destination for travelers from the Augusta area. "A lot of people are planning short visits with family or friends, either a day trip or overnight," she said. "But, the Atlanta Aquarium is having a special, so we are seeing a lot of people go there, or to Atlanta's World of Coke attraction."