Cagle Drops Bid to Become Governor

Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle has dropped out of the race for governor, a surprise move that immediately scrambled the crowded race to replace Sonny Perdue in 2010. At a news conference Wednesday, Cagle cited nerve damage to his neck and spinal cord that will require surgery. Surrounded by his wife and three sons, he choked up several times as he made the announcement. The 43-year-old from Gainesville was considered a strong contender to win the Republican nomination for governor next summer. Cagle's departure leaves three Republicans still in the race: Secretary of State Karen Handel, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine and state Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton. Cagle was elected lieutenant governor in 2006 after 12 years in the state Senate. He says he will run again for lieutenant governor.

(AP)

State High School Basketball Crowns Champs

Champions were crowned in Georgia high school basketball Friday and Saturday. GPB delivered television and webcast coverage of the semifinals and finals in the five classifications in boys and girls play.

The winners:
5A Boys: Wheeler--Fourth title for the school since 2000.
5A Girls: Redan--completes undefeated season, and first title for the DeKalb school.

4A Boys: Miller Grove--First state championship for the school in any sport.
4A Girls: Southwest DeKalb--Second straight championship for the DeKalb school.

3A Boys: South Atlanta--run to state title on strength of 29-3 record.
3A Girls: Carrollton--the first state basketball title for the school.

2A Boys: Dublin--Second title for the middle Georgia school in four years.
2A Girls: Buford--First basketball title at school, boys or girls...31-1 record.

1A Boys: Whitefield Academy--upset top-ranked Turner County to win title.
1A Girls: Wesleyan--Fifth championship in last six years for the Wolves.

Board of Education Cuts Meeting Time

Talk is no longer cheap- The state Board of Education is condensing its monthly meeting from two days to one day.

The 13 board members are paid a $105 per diem rate plus any hotel expenses. A Georgia Department of Education spokesman says the cut will save up to $2,500 a month.

The Department of Education is expected to lose millions in state funding this year. They are one of many state departments and agencies hurt by the $2.6 billion budget loss.

(AP)

Two Dead in Meth Lab Blast

Two women were killed over the weekend after a suspected methamphetamine lab exploded inside a Ray City home.State authorities are now helping in the investigation.

Officials say the blast occurred early Friday in the south Georgia city.

Lanier County identified the dead as 65-year-old Annie Ruth Power and 37-year-old Constance Bennett.

(AP)

GPB Ends Analog Television on Tuesday

The national transition from analog to digital television has been delayed from February 17th to June 12th. The FCC is allowing stations under certain circumstances to transition earlier.

Georgia Public Broadcasting's nine transmitters serving the State of Georgia, will end analog operations as originally scheduled on February 17th due to aging analog equipment and budget considerations. GPB's new digital transmitters will go on the air at higher power shortly after midnight on Wednesday, February 18th.

Pelham, WABW, in Southwest Georgia will be delayed in going to full digital power for six weeks due to re-channelization. GPB is making every effort to expedite this work and reduce the delay associated with this station.

Viewers of GPB who are not cable or satellite subscribers, who watch over the air, can receive us on a digital set or an older analog television with a digital to analog converter box.

The boxes are available at retail stores which carry electronic equipment. for more informaiton about receiving digital television service, go to GPB's website at www.gpb.org.

Runoff voting underway across state

Voting is underway across Georgia this morning in the runoff election. There is much national focus on how the U.S. Senate race will play-out, and whether Democrats might get a step closer to the magic mark of 60 seats. Also to be considered by voters at the polls today--runoff races for a seat on the Public Service Commission, and an opening on the Court of Appeals. There are also various county commission, school board and other local office races to be considered depending where you are in the state. State elections officials remind voters to bring a photo ID to the polls. Precincts will be open until 7 o’clock tonight.

We invite you to join us on GPB Radio tonight starting at 8pm--we’ll have updates at the top of the hours on Georgia’s runoff election with our reporters in the field at candidate headquarters. You can also get all the latest on Georgia election news anytime at our website blog page: gpb.org/election.

GPB station outages in Macon and Waycross

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) Radio and Television stations in Macon and Waycross will experience power outages in the next week as GPB installs new FM HD-Radio and DTV/HD antenna systems.

Beginning, Tuesday, February 5, tower crews will shut down WMUM TV Channel 29 and WMUM 89.7 FM as a safety precaution while new wiring is being installed.

Listeners and viewers of Waycross GPB Television station WXGA/Channel 8 and GPB Radio station WXVS 90.1 FM should also be aware of power outages that will occur while engineers complete tower and antenna work at this site in the next few days.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this causes our loyal listeners and viewers in Middle and South Georgia,” says GPB Executive Director Nancy Hall. “GPB is doing everything possible to minimize technical disruptions. GPB engineers and contractors are at the Macon and Waycross tower sites to perform significant upgrades that will help us better serve our audiences with enhanced technology and programming as we transition to digital broadcasting.”

For more information and construction updates, viewers and listeners can call GPB’s Member and Audience Services Department at 1.800.222.4788.

Georgia Public Broadcasting is Television, Radio and Education: your PBS station serving all of Georgia; your source for great music and NPR news; and Georgia's source for top-quality multimedia educational products and services

Super Tuesday voting underway in Georgia

The polls are open across Georgia, and will stay open until 7pm tonight. The Secretary of State's office says registered voter turnout for Georgia will likely exceed 30%. This is the fourth election to put the new photo voter ID requirement to use, but the first real statewide test of the law approved by a federal judge in September.

State election officials report advance voting was strong in the state last week. Over 203-thousand people cast ballots from January 28th through February 1st. Over 44-thousand residents cast absentee ballots.

Stay with GPB all day long, via your local radio station or right here by our website. On GPB-Radio, get the latest in Georgia's voting with news in All Things Considered beginning at 4pm, with Georgia Gazette at 6pm, and within NPR's special primary coverage at 8pm on GPB-Radio. GPB's reporters will be fanned-out across the state to give you the flavor as to how Georgians are voting.

GPB power outages Tuesday in Macon and Waycross

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) Radio and Television stations in Macon and Waycross will experience power outages in the next week as GPB installs new FM HD-Radio and DTV/HD antenna systems.

Beginning, Tuesday, February 5, tower crews will shut down WMUM TV Channel 29 and WMUM 89.7 FM as a safety precaution while new wiring is being installed.

Listeners and viewers of Waycross GPB Television station WXGA/Channel 8 and GPB Radio station WXVS 90.1 FM should also be aware of power outages that will occur while engineers complete tower and antenna work at this site in the next few days.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this causes our loyal listeners and viewers in Middle and South Georgia,” says GPB Executive Director Nancy Hall. “GPB is doing everything possible to minimize technical disruptions. GPB engineers and contractors are at the Macon and Waycross tower sites to perform significant upgrades that will help us better serve our audiences with enhanced technology and programming as we transition to digital broadcasting.”

For more information and construction updates, viewers and listeners can call GPB’s Member and Audience Services Department at 1.800.222.4788.

Georgia Public Broadcasting is Television, Radio and Education: your PBS station serving all of Georgia; your source for great music and NPR news; and Georgia's source for top-quality multimedia educational products and services.

GPB Radio/TV alert: Waycross station off-air upgrades

GPB Radio station WXVS FM 90.1 and WXGA TV 8 located on the GPB tall tower just west of Waycross, will be off the air for several days as GPB installs new FM HD-Radio and DTV/HD antenna systems.

GPB engineers have begun the digital upgrade work and are upgrading the tower, antennas and transmission lines.

"We apologize for the inconvenience this causes our loyal listeners and viewers in South Georgia," says GPB Executive Director Nancy Hall. "GPB is doing everything possible to minimize the down time. Tower engineers and contractors are on site performing a significant upgrade that will help us better serve our audiences with enhanced technology and programming."

For more information and construction updates, viewers and listeners can call GPB’s Member and Audience Services Department at 1.800.222.4788.

GPB Radio/TV alert: Waycross station off-air upgrades

GPB Radio station WXVS FM 90.1 and WXGA TV 8 located on the GPB tall tower just west of Waycross, will be off the air for several days as GPB installs new FM HD-Radio and DTV/HD antenna systems.

GPB engineers began the digital upgrade work Monday, December 31 and are upgrading the tower, antennas and transmission lines.

"We apologize for the inconvenience this causes our loyal listeners and viewers in South Georgia,” says GPB Executive Director Nancy Hall. “GPB is doing everything possible to minimize the down time. Tower engineers and contractors are on site performing a significant upgrade that will help us better serve our audiences with enhanced technology and programming."

For more information and construction updates, viewers and listeners can call GPB’s Member and Audience Services Department at 1-800-222-4788