Friday, March 20th

The Georgia Bulldog basketball team tips off play in the NCAA basketball tournament today, taking on the Michigan State Spartans in a game set for noon in Charlotte. The Bulldogs are 10 seed; the Spartans are a 7. The Bulldogs are not the only team from Georgia in the tournament: the Georgia State Panthers pulled a shocking upset Thursday, knocking off their third-seeded Baylor Bears in a game played in Jacksonville.

Athens-Clarke County Coroner Sonny Wilson says an autopsy is pending, but he says there are no signs of foul play in the death of a University of Georgia student whose body was found in her dorm room at Russell Hall. Mikal Girmazghi was 21 years old.

An Athens woman tells Athens-Clarke County Police she interrupted a burglary at her home on Highland Park Drive, coming home to find a man trying to steal a TV. She was unable to provide a description of the suspect. A police investigation is ongoing.

A meeting of the curriculum committee of the University of Georgia’s University Council is on tap for today: it’s a 3 o’clock session at New College.

The Elbert County man who heads the National PTA says the organization is endorsing the controversial Common Core Standards. National PTA President Otha Thornton says much of the debate over Common Core has been mischaracterized by critics for partisan purposes.

A McDonough man is convicted on a murder charge in a courtroom in Carnesville: 23 year-old Thanquarias Calhoun gets life in prison after a two-day trial in Franklin County Superior Court. Calhoun was driving the car in which 19 year-old Marion Shore, also of McDonough, was a passenger. He crashed that car in May of 2013 while trying to elude pursuing Banks County Sheriff’s deputies and Georgia State Troopers.

There is now a fifth suspect arrested and in the Hall County jail, charged in connection with the murder of a Gainesville taxi driver: Ignacio Mondragon will, like the other four, face a felony murder charge. Hall County Sheriff's Office investigators say it looks like victim Isaias Tovar-Murrillo was killed during a robbery.

Two young boys—both 13 years old—are arrested in Gainesville: they’re facing vandalism charges, accused of using BB guns to shoot at and shoot out windows on cars and businesses in downtown Gainesville. A report from the Gainesville Police Department estimates the damage at more than $5,000. Police say the teenagers will face charges of criminal damage to property.

The University of North Georgia says it is expanding its nursing program to include classes at the UNG campus in Gainesville.

The City Council in Flowery Branch signs off on plans for a traffic circle: the roundabout will go in at what is now an intersection at Light Ferry Road and Mitchell Street in Flowery Branch. The Council also sets a June 16 special election date, looking to replace two Council members. Damon Gibbs and Tara Richardson are both leaving Flowery Branch. Candidate qualifying for the special election to fill their seats begins on April 27.

Sentencing today for former DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer, who used DeKalb County government credit cards to make personal purchases, doing so to the tune of more than $90,000.

The jury deliberations that began Thursday will resume Monday morning in Atlanta: a Fulton County Superior Court jury is considering the cases of a dozen defendants in the Atlanta Public School System cheating trial.

A Macon firefighter who was badly injured in the house fire that killed one of his colleagues has been released from the burn unit of a hospital in Augusta.

Four former guards at the Macon State Prison are heading to prison for beating inmates and then covering it up. Their sentences range from six to 12 months. This was part of a larger case involving four other guards at the lockup in middle Georgia. Three were given between five and seven years and the fourth has yet to be sentenced.

OSHA will investigate a workplace fatality in Thomas County: a man was killed in an accident at an Amerigas facility in Thomasville. He was loading propane tanks onto a truck when one slipped off and crushed him.

An interesting Thursday at the Georgia capitol: lawmakers heard from likely Republican presidential candidate and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and they paid tribute to Atlanta rapper Ludacris, honoring him for his work with his charitable foundation.

The Georgia Senate votes on its version of a state budget today: it's a $21.8 billion state government spending plan.

State Climatologist Bill Murphey says Georgia’s spring—which begins today—should be wetter than normal in most parts of the state.