The U.S. Department of Justice is challenging an Alabama law making it a felony for doctors to treat transgender people under age 19 with puberty blockers and hormones to affirm their gender identity.

The Justice Department on Friday filed a motion seeking to intervene in an ongoing lawsuit challenging the law and seeking to block it from taking effect on May 8. The Justice Department said the law discriminates against minors by denying them access to medically necessary care.

Alabama Republicans who support the law say it's needed to protect children. A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said her office is prepared to defend the legislation.

“The law discriminates against transgender minors by unjustifiably denying them access to certain forms of medically necessary care,” the complaint states. “As a result of S.B. 184, medical professionals, parents, and minors old enough to make their own medical decisions are forced to choose between forgoing medically necessary procedures and treatments or facing criminal prosecution."

Lawyers representing families of victims and survivors of the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, last June have told a judge that they've reached a nearly $1 billion tentative settlement.

Harley S. Tropin is a lawyer representing the plaintiffs. He announced the settlement during a hearing on Wednesday before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman. Still pending final approval, the settlement involves insurance companies, developers of an adjacent building and other defendants.

“I’m shocked by this result — I think it’s fantastic,” Hanzman said. “This is a recovery that is far in excess of what I had anticipated.”

Earlier this year, Hanzman had approved an $83 million settlement to compensate people who suffered economic losses such as condominium units and personal property, the Associated Press reported.

The 12-story building called the Champlain Towers South condominium collapsed suddenly in the early-morning hours on June 24 and almost instantly destroyed dozens of individual condo units, burying victims under tons of rubble. Rescuers worked for weeks digging through mountains of concrete to find survivors, then later to recover the remains of those who died. A total of 98 people were killed.

The lawyer for a Georgia man scheduled to be executed next week says her client has significant cognitive impairments that likely contributed to his crimes and has suffered horrific abuse in prison.

She argues that means his life should be spared. Virgil Delano Presnell Jr. was convicted of killing an 8-year-old girl and raping her 10-year-old friend after abducting them as they walked home from school in Cobb County, just outside Atlanta, on May 4, 1976. He is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.

The five-member parole board, which is the only authority in Georgia that can commute a death sentence, has scheduled a closed-door clemency hearing Monday to consider his case.

“Before society makes a man pay the ultimate price for a crime, it must determine if his culpability justifies the cost. In Virgil’s case, it simply does not. Virgil Presnell is profoundly disabled,” his attorney Monet Brewerton-Palmer wrote in a clemency application released on Friday by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.

The application acknowledges the seriousness of what Presnell Jr. did and says he's “deeply and profoundly sorry” to the families of the two girls. The application asks the parole board to delay his execution by 90 days so the board can review his application, then it asks the board to commute his sentence to life without the possibility of parole.

OCILLA, Ga. — A jury has found a man accused of killing a popular high school teacher in 2005 not guilty of murder.

Tara Grinstead vanished from rural Irwin County, Georgia. She was last seen leaving a cookout.

Ryan Duke had told investigators in 2017 he killed Grinstead and helped Bo Dukes burn her body.

Duke went as far as telling Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents details that had not been made public.

But when he took the witness stand during his trial, he insisted he was innocent and that it was his friend who had killed her.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the jury acquitted Duke of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary but found him guilty of concealing a death.

Grinstead’s body has never been found. However, her DNA was found in bone fragments located in the area that Duke said she was burned.

Duke will be sentenced Monday.

Voters in a trio of Southern states will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the midterm primary elections.

Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia take their turn this week selecting their candidates for November’s general election. Plus, Texas and Minnesota host a handful of runoff elections.

While the Democrats will appear on the ballot in all of the states, it's the GOP that will headline the night, featuring a number of races that will certainly shine a light on the future of the party.

A former White House press secretary, a football legend and a few hard-pressed incumbents take center stage Tuesday night.

Here's what to watch for:

Huckabee Sanders poised for Arkansas governorship?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary for former President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019, is the runaway favorite to become the next governor of Arkansas.

Sanders, whose father, Mike Huckabee, served as governor for 10 years, is facing one long-shot challenger in Francis "Doc" Washburn, a fiery radio personality and podcaster from Little Rock.

The 39-year-old Sanders boasts endorsements from Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tom Cotton, a long list of state officials and musician Kid Rock. The latest polling shows her up nearly 60 points on Washburn.

Chris Jones, a nuclear physicist and ordained minister, is the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination.

The other notable race in Arkansas is the GOP primary for U.S. Senate. Sen. John Boozman, who has held the seat since 2011, is seeking reelection.

Also riding a Trump endorsement, Boozman is facing an aggressive challenge from his right by former NFL player Jake Bequette, however, polling shows the incumbent safely in the lead. Jan Morgan, who’s been endorsed by former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, conservative political consultant Roger Stone and musician Ted Nugent, is also vying for the nomination.

Jack Foster, Natalie James and Dan Whitfield will duke it out for the Democratic nomination.

Heisman Trophy winner leads pack, sitting governor under attack

Sen. Raphael Warnock has only been in the U.S. Senate for just over a year, defeating former Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election in January 2021.

He will be back on the ballot in 2022, though he's basically running unopposed in the primary. Tamara Johnson-Shealey is the only challenger.

It's the GOP primary that will attract the most eyes. Six Republicans are contending for the Republican nod, including top candidates Herschel Walker, a former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star, and Gary Black, the current Georgia agriculture commissioner.

Walker, who has endorsements from Trump, former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, currently holds a sizable lead over Black in polling — 55% according to the latest aggregation.

The GOP race for governor will also garner some attention, as Gov. Brian Kemp tries to fend off former Sen. David Perdue.

Kemp, who has served as governor since 2019, boasts endorsements from Pence, former President George W. Bush and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Meanwhile, Trump is in Perdue's corner, as well as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The latest aggregation of polling shows Kemp in the lead by roughly 23 points. But a late surge by Perdue could make Tuesday night interesting.

What will be less interesting is the Democratic primary, which features one candidate — Stacey Abrams.

Abrams is expected to give whoever is the GOP's nominee a run for their money come November, testing whether Georgia will remain a blue state after flipping in the 2020 presidential election.

Alabama may be headed for multiple runoffs

The biggest draw Tuesday night in Alabama is the three-person race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

Katie Britt, a lawyer and former chief of staff for Sen. Richard Shelby, who is vacating the seat, has emerged as the leader of the pack.

Britt, who is attempting to become Alabama's first female senator, overtook Rep. Mo Brooks in polling earlier this year.

It's been a fall from grace for Brooks, who, on top of losing his lead in polling, also lost his endorsement from Trump in March after Brooks started falling behind. Trump has slammed Brooks for not being strong enough in backing the unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.

Additionally, Brooks had endorsements rescinded by former Senior Advisor Stephen Miller and Michael Flynn.

Meanwhile, Britt enjoys a deep bench of endorsements from state officials as well as Sens. Joni Ernst and Lindsey Graham.

Rounding out the three-person race is U.S. Army pilot and businessman Mike Durant, who remains within earshot with endorsements from Flynn, Ted Nugent and former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Important to remember is that Alabama is a runoff state for its primary elections, so if no candidate reaches the 50% threshold, the top two will face off again on June 21.

Will Boyd, Brandaun Dean and Lanny Jackson will battle for the Democratic nomination.

Also on the ballot Tuesday is the governor's race. Gov. Kay Ivey holds a steady lead in polling, but she will face a challenge reaching that 50% threshold with two strong candidates nipping at her heels — former Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard and businessman Tim James, who is the son of former Gov. Fob James.

Activist and educator Yolanda Flowers is the presumed front runner for the Democratic nod.

Reproductive rights on the ballot in conesequential Texas runoff

Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar is being pushed to the brink of being unseated by progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.

This is the second cycle in a row Cisneros has run against Cuellar, falling 51.8% to 48.2% in 2020.

Reproductive rights has become a top issue in this race as Cuellar has come under fire for his anti-abortion stance — which is especially poignant now with Roe v. Wade's future uncertain.

Moderates and the Democratic establishment have stood by Cuellar, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.

On the other side, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Katie Porter and numerous labor unions are backing Cisneros.

During the first round of voting on March 3, Cuellar edged out Cisneros 48.7% to 46.6%. But things are quite different this time around. First, it's head-to-head, so there won't be a third candidate to dilute the vote count. And second, this election is taking place after the Supreme Court draft opinion leaked indicating Roe v. Wade may be overturned.

The outcome of this race could signal a changing of the guard within the Democratic Party, or it could be a doubling-down on the same old. Either way, every Democrat in Congress will be watching.

, Ga. —

Authorities in Georgia hunted Saturday for a man who remained at large hours after he was suspected of gunning down three men and a woman in a suburban neighborhood south of Atlanta.

Andre Longmore, 40, is believed to be armed and dangerous, Hampton Police Chief James Turner said during a news conference. The shootings happened late Saturday morning in a subdivision in Hampton, a city of roughly 8,500 people.

Video above: Sheriff says all hands on deck in the search for the alleged shooter

Officials released few details about the killings. Turner said detectives were investigating at least four crime scenes near one another in the same neighborhood. He said Longmore is a Hampton resident, but declined to discuss a possible motive.

The suspect remained at large more than five hours after the killings, and authorities vowed to keep searching until he was in custody.

“We’ve done an exhaustive search in the general area and we’re now widening that a little bit,” Turner told reporters.

Investigators were also on the lookout for a Black GMC Acadia SUV that they believe Longmore might be driving.

Longmore doesn’t appear to have a listed phone number and The Associated Press could not immediately find a family member or attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Authorities didn't release the victims' names, saying they were working to notify their families.

Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett said his office is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Longmore's arrest and prosecution.

He also addressed Longmore directly, saying: “Wherever you are, we will hunt you down in whatever hole you may be residing in and bring you into custody. Period.”

Located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Atlanta, Hampton is home to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Georgia's racetrack for NASCAR events.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the Atlanta area and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation are assisting in the manhunt and investigation.

The shootings marked the 31st mass killing of 2023, taking the lives of at least 153 people this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in a partnership with Northeastern University.

ATLANTA —

Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker acknowledged on Wednesday that he has a son whom he has not previously mentioned publicly, a disclosure that draws renewed attention to his previous outspoken calls for Black men to play an active role in the lives of their children.

Walker's campaign confirmed the existence of his 10-year-old son after The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that the boy's mother had taken Walker to court in 2014 to establish paternity and to get child support payments.

"Herschel had a child years ago when he wasn't married. He's supported the child and continues to do so," Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise said in a statement Wednesday. "He's proud of his children. To suggest that Herschel is 'hiding' the child because he hasn't used him in his political campaign is offensive and absurd."

Walker sends Christmas and birthday presents to the boy but has not played an active role in raising him, the Daily Beast reported, citing an unnamed person close to the son's family with direct knowledge of the events.

The Walker campaign did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press about his involvement in the boy's life.

Walker has repeatedly criticized absentee fathers over the years, holding up his relationship with his older son, Christian Walker, whose mother is Walker's former wife, Cindy Grossman. Walker has said he worked with his ex-wife and current wife to raise Christian.

"I want all African Americans to know, even though you may leave the mom, don't leave the child," Walker told WABE-TV's "Love and Respect with Killer Mike" on May 27. "Continue to be a dad, continue to be a strong figure in that child's life, because that happens, that happens. I said, 'I'm going to continue to raise him, and be right there with him.'"

Walker faces Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in November in a critical battleground state that could be key to determining party control of the chamber. Warnock helped flip the Senate to Democrats after he and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won a pair of runoff elections in early 2021.

Walker, who has been endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, has faced criticism throughout the campaign about whether he's been truthful about his past.

Walker drew attention for his past mental health struggles, as well as allegations that he threatened his ex-wife's life. He's dramatically inflated his record as a businessman and overstated his role in a for-profit program that is alleged to have preyed on veterans while defrauding the government. And his claim that he graduated at the top of his class from the University of Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs to a 1980 championship, was also untrue. He didn't graduate, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported.

In the statement that acknowledged paternity, Walker's campaign accused Warnock of engaging in "both a nasty mudslinging campaign and a nasty custody dispute with his ex-wife."

"This is a complete double standard," Paradise said.

Warnock's ex-wife, whom he divorced in 2020, said in court filings in February that Warnock wasn't upholding his end of the shared custody agreement of their two children and asked the court to order Warnock to pay more in child support, arguing that his income had risen.

Warnock's campaign said the senator is a "devoted father."

"Rev. Warnock is a devoted father who is proud to continue to co-parent his two children as he works for the people of Georgia," said campaign spokesperson Meredith Brasher.

Surveillance footage released by the Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta shows a recent failed robbery attempt at a nail salon. Watch the video above to see the failed robbery attempt.The video shows the man entering the salon, demanding money and acting as though he had a gun under his bag. But then, no one complied and he eventually walked back outside. Atlanta police are still looking for the suspect, who did allegedly take someone's cell phone during the incident, but otherwise walked away empty-handed. No one was injured in the incident and police have since recovered the stolen phone.

The Georgia prosecutor investigating the conduct of former President Donald Trump and his allies after the 2020 election is trying to compel U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to testify before a special grand jury.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Tuesday filed petitions with the judge overseeing the special grand jury. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney signed a “certificate of material witness” for Graham, Giuliani and others saying that they have been deemed necessary to the investigation. Representatives for Giuliani and Graham did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump was the first Republican since 1992 to lose the state in a presidential election. Following his election loss, a tape surfaced of Trump's conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to “find” enough votes for him to flip the election.

Raffensperger refused despite an aggressive pressure campaign.

Trump alleged election fraud in court, but his legal challenges failed to gain traction.

SPARTA, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it's investigating the death of a woman who was in custody but somehow fell out of a patrol car while she was being taken to the office of law enforcement.

According to the bureau, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a residence in Sparta on July 15.

At the residence, deputies arrested 28-year-old Brianna Marie Grier, the bureau said in a news release.

"While deputies were taking Grier to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Grier fell out of a patrol car and sustained significant injuries," the agency said.

According to the agency, Grier was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital on Thursday at around 1 p.m., saying she "died because of those injuries."

The bureau said the sheriff's department asked them to investigate the in-custody incident.

The investigation is ongoing.

A 47-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in Georgia.

Police said Richard Sigman got into an argument with a man at a restaurant. The man reportedly claimed Sigman threatened to shoot him. Police said a security officer confronted Sigman and told him to leave.

The Carrollton Police Department says an investigation indicates Sigman walked into a parking deck and began shooting into a parked vehicle, striking
the victim who died after being taken to a hospital.

She has been identified as Anna Jones, a recent graduate of Mount Zion High School. She reportedly planned to attend the University of West Georgia, where Sigman was a professor.

"UWG has terminated the employment of Richard Sigman and continues to work with the city of Carrollton Police Department, which leads this ongoing investigation," university president Dr. Brendan Kelly said in a statement obtained by CBS News. "On behalf of the university, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to Anna's family and many friends."

If you're pregnant in Georgia, you can now list your unborn child as a dependent on tax returns.

On Monday, the Georgia Department of Revenue released new guidance related to its Living Infants and Fairness Equality (LIFE) Act, which prevents doctors from performing abortions beyond six weeks, with some exceptions.

"In light of the June 24, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the July 20, 2022, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Sistersong v. Kemp, the Department will recognize any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat... as eligible for the Georgia individual income tax dependent exemption," the agency said in a press release.

According to the department, a Georgian taxpayer at least six weeks pregnant on or after July 20 through Dec. 31, 2022 can list the embryo as a dependent on next year's taxes.

Those who claim an exemption will receive $3,000 for "each unborn child," the agency said.

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia elderly woman who went missing for four days is back home with her family, all thanks to a toddler.

The Coweta County Sheriff's Office issued a missing person's report on Wednesday for 82-year-old Nina Lipscomb, who went missing on Aug. 9. According to the report, deputies searched the area Lipscomb, who has Alzheimer's, was last seen, but she wasn't located.

That's where a toddler named Ethan comes in.

On Friday, the almost 2-year-old was outside with his mom, Brittany Moore, chasing bubbles around. When his mom noticed that something in the nearby woods was catching his attention when he ran towards their fence, CBS affiliate WGCL-TV reported.

At first, she couldn't see what Ethan was looking at, who had pointed to and said, "feet," Moore told the news outlet. But when she crouched down, she noticed a pair of feet.

Moore called for help, and when first responders arrived, they realized the person Ethan had found was Lipscomb, the news outlet reported.

On Aug. 12, the sheriff's office announced that Lipscomb had been found alive. The authorities said she was "conscious and alert" and was transported to a hospital for evaluation.

The family of a Georgia mother is blaming a severe allergic reaction to fire ant bites for her recent death. On Saturday, Cathy Weed's family told WSB-TV that she stepped on an ant pile at her home in Lawrenceville shortly before her death. According to Weed's family, she had a severe allergy to fire ants and they believe the reaction was so strong that she died before she could get her medicine. An official cause of death is pending investigation by the medical examiner's office. Weed's community instantly gathered together to support her son, a 15-year-old sophomore on his high school baseball team. Many players on the team said Weed was a mother figure for them."The first inclination was, what can we do to help? They've done so much for other people, they've treated other people the right way, always, you know, what can we do to help them and to take care of them," Jason Johnson, Weed's son's baseball coach, told WSB-TV. "His mom was everything to him. And he was 100%, even more so to her."The community has already raised more than $9,000 for Weed's family through an online fundraiser.

Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker are trying to get out the vote ahead of Tuesday's runoff election.

More than 1.8 million people voted early, according to the Georgia secretary of state.

Females account for 56% of the vote. The Black vote stands at 31% while the White vote is at 55%.

Warnock believes he has the momentum going into Tuesday.

"We are on the verge of victory, but I don’t want us to do the victory dance before we get into the end zone," the Democratic senator told supporters.

Republicans tend to have the advantage on Election Day. Walker encouraged his supporters this weekend to get others to vote.

"If you don’t have a friend, go make a friend and get them out to vote," he said.

The runoff election was triggered after no candidate received at least 50% of the vote in November as required by state law.

Warnock earned 49% of the vote while Walker received 48%.

A win for Warnock would give Democrats a 51-49 advantage in the Senate. Democrats would still control a 50-50 Senate if Walker wins. However, they would need Vice President Kamala Harris to break any tie.

ATLANTA —

Polls began to close Tuesday night in the country's final Senate contest, as Georgia voters await a winner in the runoff election between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican football legend Herschel Walker.

The contest will determine whether Democrats gain an outright 51-49 Senate majority or retain their bare control of a 50-50 chamber based on Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. Last year, runoff victories by Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff gave the party that razor-thin edge.

Click here to see election results from sister station WJCL.

In the November election, Warnock led Walker by about 37,000 votes out of almost 4 million but fell shy of a majority, triggering the second round of voting. About 1.9 million runoff votes already had been cast by mail and during early voting, an advantage for Democrats whose voters more commonly cast ballots this way. Republicans typically fare better on Election Day itself.

The extended campaign became a bitter fight between two Black men in a major Southern state: Warnock, the state’s first Black senator and the senior minister of the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached, and Walker, a former University of Georgia football star and political novice backed by former President Donald Trump.

A Warnock victory would solidify Georgia’s status as a battleground heading into the 2024 presidential election. A win for Walker, however, could be an indication of Democratic weakness, especially given that Georgia Republicans swept every other statewide contest last month.

Walker awaited results Tuesday night at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta, while Warnock was at a hotel less than a mile away.

Video above: What to watch in Tuesday's Georgia Senate runoff

Last month, Walker, 60, ran more than 200,000 votes behind Republican Gov. Brian Kemp after a campaign dogged by his meandering campaign speeches and by damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for two former girlfriends’ abortions — accusations that he denied.

Voting went smoothly Tuesday, despite some cold, rainy conditions in some parts early in the day. Stephanie Jackson Ali, policy director for the progressive New Georgia Project Action Fund, said the group had seen few issues around the state, with lines advancing and equipment issues being addressed promptly.

Voting Tuesday in Atlanta, Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party's strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn't think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”

“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.

Warnock, whose 2021 victory was in a special election to serve out the remainder of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson's term, said he believed he had convinced enough voters, including independents and moderate Republicans, that he deserved a full term.

“They know this race is about competence and character,” Warnock said. Walker, too, predicted victory and likened the contest to his leading Georgia to the 1980 national championship: “I love winning championships.”

Video above: Raphael Warnock prepares for Georgia Senate runoff watch party

Total spending on the seat this cycle approached $400 million by Tuesday, a staggering figure even for such a populous state with an expensive major media market like Atlanta.

For months, the senator focused on his work in the Senate and his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. However, beginning with the closing stretch before the Nov. 8 general election, he added withering takedowns of Walker, using the football star’s rocky past to argue that the political newcomer was “not fit” for high office.

Walker countered by seeking to portray Warnock as too beholden to President Joe Biden. He even accused Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House, a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.

Video above: Herschel Walker prepares for Georgia Senate runoff watch party

A multimillionaire businessman, Walker has inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.

Walker was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had fathered three children out of wedlock whom he had never before spoken about publicly — in conflict with his yearslong criticism of absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.

His ex-wife said Walker once held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.

Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.

After the general election, Biden, who has struggled with low approval ratings, promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia. Warnock campaigned instead with former President Barack Obama.

Wary of possible backlash, Walker avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.

Walker’s candidacy was the GOP’s last chance to flip a Senate seat this year. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire, all Trump loyalists, lost competitive Senate races that Republicans considered part of their path to a majority.

Walker separated himself from Trump in one notable way. Trump has spent two years falsely claiming that his loss in Georgia and nationally was fraudulent, despite being rebuked by numerous federal and local officials and a long list of courts.

At his lone debate against Warnock in October, Walker was asked whether he’d accept the results even if he lost. He replied with one word: “Yes.”

___

Associated Press Writer Ron Harris contributed to this report.

SAVANNAH, Ga. —

Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat as North Korean troops closed in around them. A wounded, 18-year-old Army Pfc. Luther Herschel Story feared his injuries would slow down his company, so he stayed behind to cover their withdrawal.

Video above: A brief history of Memorial Day

Story's actions in the Korean War on Sept. 1, 1950, would ensure he was remembered. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor, which is now displayed alongside his portrait at the National Infantry Museum, an hour's drive from his hometown of Americus, Georgia.

But Story was never seen alive again, and his resting place long remained a mystery.

"In my family, we always believed that he would never be found," said Judy Wade, Story's niece and closest surviving relative.

That changed in April when the U.S. military revealed lab tests had matched DNA from Wade and her late mother to bones of an unidentified American soldier recovered from Korea in October 1950. The remains belonged to Story, a case agent told Wade over the phone. After nearly 73 years, he was coming home.

A Memorial Day burial with military honors was scheduled for Monday at the Andersonville National Cemetery. A police escort with flashing lights escorted Story's casket through the streets of nearby Americus on Wednesday after it arrived in Georgia.

"I don't have to worry about him anymore," said Wade, who was born four years after her uncle went missing overseas. "I'm just glad he's home."

Among those celebrating Story's return was former President Jimmy Carter. When Story was a young boy, according to Wade, his family lived and worked in Plains on land owned by Carter's father, James Earl Carter Sr.

Jimmy Carter, 98, has been under hospice care at his home in Plains since February. Jill Stuckey, superintendent of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, said she shared the news about Story with Carter as soon as she heard it.

"Oh, there was a big smile on his face," Stuckey said. "He was very excited to know that a hero was coming home."

Story grew up about 150 miles (241 kilometers) south of Atlanta in Sumter County, where his father was a sharecropper. As a young boy, Story, who had a keen sense of humor and liked baseball, joined his parents and older siblings in the fields to help harvest cotton. The work was hard, and it didn't pay much.

"Momma talked about eating sweet potatoes three times a day," said Wade, whose mother, Gwendolyn Story Chambliss, was Luther Story's older sister. "She used to talk about how at night her fingers would be bleeding from picking cotton out of the bolls. Everybody in the family had to do it for them to exist."

The family eventually moved to Americus, the county's largest city, where Story's parents found better work. He enrolled in high school, but soon set his sights on joining the military in the years following World War II.

In 1948, his mother agreed to sign papers allowing Story to enlist in the Army. She listed his birthdate as July 20, 1931. But Wade said she later obtained a copy of her uncle's birth certificate that showed he was born in 1932 — which would have made him just 16 when he joined.

Story left school during his sophomore year. In the summer of 1950, he deployed with Company A of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment to Korea around the time the war began.

On Sept. 1, 1950, near the village of Agok on the Naktong River, Story's unit came under attack by three divisions of North Korean troops that moved to surround the Americans and cut off their escape.

Story seized a machine gun and fired on enemy soldiers crossing the river, killing or wounding about 100, according to his Medal of Honor citation. As his company commander ordered a retreat, Story rushed into a road and threw grenades into an approaching truck carrying North Korean troops and ammunition. Despite being wounded, he continued fighting.

"Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades, he refused to retire to the next position but remained to cover the company's withdrawal," Story's award citation said. "When last seen he was firing every weapon available and fighting off another hostile assault."

Story was presumed dead. He would have been 18 years old, according to the birth certificate Wade obtained.

In 1951, his father received Story's Medal of Honor at a Pentagon ceremony. Story was also posthumously promoted to corporal.

About a month after Story went missing in Korea, the U.S. military recovered a body in the area where he was last seen fighting. The unidentified remains were buried with other unknown service members at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 7,500 Americans who served in the Korean War remain missing or their remains have not been identified. That's roughly 20% of the nearly 37,000 U.S. service members who died in the war.

Remains of the unknown soldier recovered near Agok were disinterred in 2021 as part of a broader military effort to determine the identities of several hundred Americans who died in the war. Eventually, scientists compared DNA from the bones with samples submitted by Wade and her mother before she died in 2017. They made a successful match.

President Joe Biden announced the breakthrough on April 26 in Washington, joined by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"Today, we can return him to his family," Biden said of Story, "and to his rest."

MOULTRIE, Ga. —

At least four people have been killed in a small town in south Georgia, including at a fast food restaurant, according to Georgia officials.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jamy Steinberg said that there is more than one crime scene, including one at a McDonald's restaurant, in the town of Moultrie. A coroner confirmed at least four have died.

Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson told The Moultrie Observer there is no immediate threat to the public.

It's unclear how the deaths are connected. Police swarmed the restaurant on Thursday morning, shutting down traffic on one the main streets in the south Georgia town of 15,000.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the Moultrie Police Department department requested its assistance.

"We are working to learn more information and track down some additional witnesses," Steinberg said.

Moultrie is about 60 miles northeast of Tallahassee, Florida.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

ATLANTA, Ga. — A working furnace has been much appreciated this holiday season in many parts of the country, especially with record-breaking temperatures.

A working heating and cooling system is probably not something you think of until you need it.

However, new tax credits are making some of the most energy-efficient systems more affordable in the new year, creating an option to save your family money.

WHAT'S A HEAT PUMP?

Heat pumps have been around since the 1940s, but for many Americans, they are still a bit of a mystery.

That's why we reached out to Tim Uzar, the founder of Ecomech Geothermal Heating and Air.

"This is a geothermal heat pump," Uzar said.

While that sounds like a mouthful, because of new government tax breaks, homeowners may want to pay attention. A heat pump, generally, cools your home when it's hot outside and warms your home when it's cold.

In the summer, it works by taking hot air out of your house and replacing it with cool air.

In the winter, it pumps in the air that has been warmed from the outside. Heat pumps can be air-sourced or ground-sourced. Geothermal heat pumps are ground-sourced — storing and moving heat from deep underground.

"That's all we do is move heat from one space to another," Uzar says.

Heat pumps are in the news because the new tax credit taking effect on Jan. 1 makes installing heat pumps and other energy-efficient upgrades to your home more affordable. Some incentives are already in effect.

That matters because heat pumps are often more expensive than traditional heating and air systems.

"It's about two and a half to three times more expensive," Uzar says.

Once they are in, though, utility bills can go down.

When asked much a heat pump saves a homeowner, Uzar said, "Generally, 40-70%."

"You got to break an egg to make an omelet," Uzar added.

Still, the installation sticker shock has prevented many homeowners from making the switch. Depending on the size and model, heat pumps range from $4,000 to $40,000.

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT

That is why you want to read up on the Inflation Reduction Act. For instance, low-income households can cover 100% of specific heat pumps.

Moderate-income households can get 50% of the costs paid.

That's potentially an $8,000 savings.

If you are a higher-earning family, starting Jan. 1, a tax credit of up to $2,000 a year is available if you make any energy-efficient upgrade to your home.

Uzar showed us a geothermal heat pump — the most expensive and energy-efficient model. A new 30% tax credit for this is in effect.

"That brings it down to a more swallowable number," Uzar said.

If you are wondering why Washington and other governments worldwide are so interested in heat pumps, the answer is climate change.

In one neighborhood south of Atlanta, heat pumps are the only type of heating and cooling allowed because they don't emit as much carbon dioxide. They also don't require an ugly box on the side of your house, like a traditional air conditioner.

In Washington State, a new state law says all homes and apartments built after July must have them.

Uzar's advice to homeowners? Do some research.

"I do expect there to be more interest," Uzar says, referring to the tax changes.

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge on Friday said Sen. Lindsey Graham's appearance before a special grand jury investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia should not be delayed to allow him to continue to challenge it in court.

Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May ordered Graham to honor his subpoena for the special grand jury. Graham's attorneys appealed that order to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and asked May to stay her ruling and prohibit the special grand jury from questioning him while that appeal plays out. May declined that request in her order on Friday.

"Under the circumstances, further delay of Senator Graham's testimony would greatly compound the overall delay in carrying out the grand jury's investigation," May wrote. "Further delay thus poses a significant risk of overall hindrance to the grand jury's investigation, and the Court therefore finds that granting a stay would almost certainly result in material injury to the grand jury and its investigation."

Graham is currently scheduled to testify on Tuesday. But he still has another motion to stay May's ruling pending before the 11th Circuit.

Representatives for Graham did not immediately respond to messages on Friday seeking comment.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened the investigation early last year and in July filed petitions seeking to compel testimony from seven Trump advisers and associates, including Graham.

Former New York mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who's been told he's a target of the investigation, testified before the special grand jury for nearly six hours on Wednesday. Two other lawyers who advised Trump, John Eastman and Jenna Ellis, were ordered this week to appear before the panel later this month. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp filed a motion Wednesday seeking to quash a subpoena for his testimony.

The investigation, originally prompted by a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, is one of several pending legal threats Trump faces. Willis has said she's considering seeking to compel the former president himself to testify before the special grand jury.

Attorneys for Graham, a South Carolina Republican, have argued that a provision of the U.S. Constitution provides absolute protection against a senator being questioned about legislative acts. But the judge found there are "considerable areas of potential grand jury inquiry" that fall outside that provision's scope. The judge also rejected Graham's argument that the principle of "sovereign immunity" protects a U.S. senator from being summoned by a state prosecutor.

Graham also argued that Willis, a Democrat, had not demonstrated extraordinary circumstances necessary to compel testimony from a high-ranking official. But the judge disagreed, finding that Willis had shown "extraordinary circumstances and a special need" for Graham's testimony on issues related to an alleged attempt to influence or disrupt the election in Georgia.

Willis and her team have said they want to ask Graham about two phone calls they say he made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff shortly after the 2020 general election. During those calls, Graham asked about "reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump," Willis wrote in a petition.

Graham also "made reference to allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November 2020 election in Georgia, consistent with public statements made by known affiliates of the Trump Campaign," she wrote.

Republican and Democratic state election officials across the country, courts and even Trump's attorney general found there was no evidence of voter fraud sufficient to affect the outcome of the election.

In asking May to stay her decision, Graham's lawyers argued that his rights to immunity would be violated the moment he was questioned.

Willis' team responded that delaying Graham's testimony would harms the investigation. In addition to facts he knows, he's also expected to shed light on other sources of information that the special grand jury may want to pursue, they wrote. So waiting to talk to him "could ultimately delay" the entire investigation.

In the separate motion for a stay filed with the 11th Circuit, Graham's attorneys argue that on Wednesday Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney Donald Wakeford agreed to postpone the scheduled testimony pending the outcome of the appeal. They included a voicemail Wakeford left for Graham attorney Brian Lea.

Lea says in a declaration filed with the motion that later that same afternoon Wakeford confirmed Graham's grand jury appearance wouldn't move forward until the appeal was resolved. But then Wakeford sent an email 20 minutes later "stating that he did not 'want to characterize the contents of our response before it is written,'" Lea wrote.

Lea said he reached out to Wakeford several more times by phone and email but got no response until Wakeford sent an email at 4:40 a.m. Friday saying the district attorney's office intended to oppose the stay and would argue that Graham should appear before the special grand jury as planned.

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Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed reporting.

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Follow AP's coverage of the Trump investigations at: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A jury in Georgia has adjourned without a verdict in the federal hate crimes trial over the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

A U.S. District Court judge dismissed the jury Monday evening after about three hours of deliberations that followed closing arguments in the case.

The jury will reconvene Tuesday morning at the courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia.

The jury is deliberating federal hate crime charges against Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Brown.

Federal prosecutors claim Arbery was killed because of his race.

However, attorneys for the defendants said race was not a factor in pursuing Arbery, who was seen running in their neighborhood and looking at a home that was under construction.

The McMichaels and Brown have already been found guilty of state murder charges.

They are serving life sentences.

A woman posted a heartwarming video to TikTok after she says she rescued a very sweet dog after it was in danger of being hit by a car in Atlanta, Georgia.

A TikTok user named "Tiffany" recorded the video after saving the dog she called "Deedee." She said that the dog was in traffic and in danger "in the middle of the street," as ViralHog reported.
The dog began to appear to become emotional and so the woman recorded it and said she "wanted to share her online in hopes that her owners would see her.

The dog was not microchipped she said.

@143tiffany Have you ever seen a dog cry real tears? she misses somebody! #lostdog #pitbullrescue #bullyrescue #lostdogatl #founddog #CloseYourRings #fyp ♬ original sound - Tiffany

User "@143Tiffany" posted a pinned comment under TikTok post writing, "DD has officially been reunited with her family because of this video!!!"

As ViralHog reported, the dog was said to be physically alright when she was rescued, but clearly emotionally worried after the ordeal.

The video gained over 986,000 likes on TikTok and generated over 8,576 comments with people worried for "Deedee" and her safety. After ViralHog posted the video to YouTube it gained at least 209,334 views there which all helped to reunite the sweet dog with her owner.

INDIANAPOLIS —

The Latest on the College Football Playoff championship game (all times local):

11:57 p.m.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes to lead Georgia to a 33-18 win over Alabama on Monday night for its first national championship in 41 years.

Bennett, a former walk-on, threw scoring passes of 40 yards to Adonai Mitchell and 15 yards to Brock Bowers.

Georgia again leaned on its defense. The clinching touchdown came on cornerback Kelee Ringo’s 79-yard interception return of Bryce Young's pass with less than a minute remaining.

Georgia won its first national title since 1980. Vince Dooley, the 89-year-old coach of that team, attended the game.

The Bulldogs lost to Alabama 41-24 in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 4.

Bennett’s lost fumble set up an Alabama touchdown for an 18-13 lead with about 10 minutes remaining. Georgia dominated the remainder of the game.

It was the first win for Georgia coach Kirby Smart, the former Alabama defensive coordinator, in five meetings with Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban.

11:28 p.m.

Stetson Bennett’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell has given Georgia a 19-18 lead over Alabama in the national championship game.

Bennett lost a fumble on Georgia's previous drive, leading to an Alabama touchdown.

The Bulldogs responded with their most pass-happy drive of the game. Jermaine Burton had a 10-yard catch to open the drive before drawing a pass-interference penalty.

Bennett was sacked but answered quickly with the scoring pass to Mitchell, a freshman.

Georgia’s James Cook was stopped on the 2-point run.

11:15 p.m.

Alabama regained the lead in the national championship game with its first touchdown, thanks to a nonchalant-looking fumble recovery and Bryce Young’s short touchdown pass to Cameron Latu.

Young’s 3-yard scoring pass gave the Crimson Tide an 18-13 lead with 10:14 left against Georgia. Young was tackled behind the line on a 2-point attempt.

The score was set up when Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett lost the ball while Christian Harris was dragging him to the turf. Bennett was trying to throw the ball, but it appeared to come out before his arm moved forward and it was ruled a fumble on the field. Replay upheld the call.

Alabama safety Brian Branch almost casually collected the ball as he was headed out of bounds, getting one foot in bounds.

10:50 p.m.

Georgia took its first lead of the national championship game with the first touchdown by either team.

A 67-year-old run by James Cook set up Zamir White's 1-yard score that put the Bulldogs ahead of Alabama 13-9 with 1:20 left in the third quarter.

Before White found the end zone, the Southeastern Conference rivals had combined for five field goals.

10:35 p.m.

Alabama receiver Jameson Williams’ national championship game ended early, but his team still led 9-6.

The All-American, a transfer from Ohio State, returned to the sideline in street clothes midway through the third quarter. Williams appeared to hurt his left knee in the first half at the end of a 40-yard catch. It was a non-contact injury. He had four catches for 65 yards.

Alabama spread the ball around without Williams, with eight different players catching passes. The Tide also used running back Brian Robinson Jr. more after Williams was hurt.

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9:50 p.m.

No. 1 Alabama leads No. 3 Georgia 9-6 at halftime of the CFP championship game, a contest that has turned into a defensive struggle.

The two teams combined for five field goals and and have just 31 yards rushing.

Paul Sancya / AP Photo

The Crimson Tide lost top receiver Jameson Williams with what appeared to be an injured left knee early in the second quarter. He has not returned.

Coach Nick Saban told ESPN at halftime that young receivers would have to step up.

"They've got talent. So they've got to play with competitive character and have a chance to make some plays. They’re capable," Saban said. "They don’t have the experience, but they're going to get it tonight."

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says his team needs to avoid mistakes on offense.

"We've got to settle down," he said. "We haven’t had probably one drive where we didn’t have negative yards starting where we had to back up."

Georgia will receive the second-half kickoff.

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9:18 p.m.

Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams went down with an apparent left knee injury.

The Crimson Tide All-American clutched his left knee lying on the ground after a 40-yard catch in the second quarter against Georgia. Williams was helped off the field, putting minimal weight on his left leg. He walked toward the locker room minutes later.

Alabama scored on the drive to take a 6-3 lead.

Alabama was already without 1,000-yard receiver John Metchie III, lost to a knee injury in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Freshman Agiye Hall was pressed into action.

Williams is one of the nation’s top deep threats, with four touchdown catches of 70-plus yards to lead the nation. He had four catches for 65 yards at the time of the injury.

Williams had seven catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the SEC title game against the Bulldogs.

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8:10 p.m.

A sellout crowd, clad largely in red, filled Lucas Oil Stadium arrived early for the national championship game between SEC rivals No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia.

Paul Sancya / AP Photo

Organizers were following the county health department's guidelines — strongly encouraging masks be worn but not requiring it. Unlike last year's title game in Miami, fans were not socially distanced.

Capacity of the stadium is about 70,000.

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7:30 p.m.

New College Football Hall of Fame inductee Andrew Luck returned to Lucas Oil Stadium for what is believed to be his first appearance at the Indianapolis Colts home field since he retired unexpectedly in August 2019.

Luck was one of 21 former players or coaches named as part of this year's Hall of Fame class earlier in the day.

The two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up looked much thinner than he did when playing for the Colts from 2012-18. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2012 and replaced Peyton Manning as the Colts starter.

When word leaked of Luck's retirement near the end of a preseason game, Indy fans began booing. After the game, Luck made his official retirement announcement — a little sooner than he had planned.

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3 p.m.

Indianapolis' city streets were bustling Monday afternoon, almost five hours before No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia played for college football's national championship.

The blue Colts attire that local fans usually wear was replaced with red hats, shirts, jackets and jerseys of the two Southeastern Conference teams, playing for a title in the Midwest.

Fans waited in long lines inside and outside restaurants despite temperatures hovering in the mid-20s, while others flocked to Monument Circle for afternoon concerts with Breland and Sam Hunt underneath the sun-drenched skies.

Alabama beat Georgia five weeks ago in the SEC title game, but the Bulldogs are a slight favorite. This is the first rematch for the championship in the playoff era.

The game kicks off at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8 p.m.