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ATLANTA - Hamilton Jordan, a political strategist from south Georgia who helped propel Jimmy Carter to the White House and served as his chief of staff, died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer.

Surf's up for Democrats this year.

But Georgia Democrats won't have as much fun as they might.

The reason: They don't have enough boards in the water, or - in more familiar terms - enough candidates on the ballot.

So said former Gov. Roy Barnes recently when asked how Georgia Democrats could cash in on what's apparently looming as a great year for his party.

Nationally, that is; since 2002, the Peach State has trended Republican. But there's talk that a presidential ticket headed by Barack Obama will begin to turn that around.

Initially, Barnes warmed to his topic, saying that "when you win in Mississippi, you can win anywhere."

He was referring to an unexpected Democratic victory there earlier this month in a special congressional election.

ATLANTA - Georgia Power customers can expect to see slightly higher bills beginning June 1.

The Public Service Commission on Tuesday voted, 3-2, to allow the power company to increase rates 2.8 percent to make up for past and future cost increases in fuel used to generate electricity.

A typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month will see an increase of $2.93, according to the commission's staff.

Georgia Power sought to recover $222 million in fuel costs for which it is not charging customers, but the commission's vote only allows the company to collect roughly $215 million.

Under state law, utilities can recoup fuel costs on a dollar-for-dollar basis, but they are not permitted to turn a profit on them.

Also on Tuesday, the commission put off a decision that would allow Georgia Power to seasonally adjust rates for fuel until a panel issues its recommendations to commissioners.

ATLANTA - Potentially dismal results on this year's round of state standardized tests have education officials scrambling to tamp down parental frustration and find out what happened.

According to a lengthy statement issued by State Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox on Monday, as few as 20 to 30 percent of students in sixth and seventh grades passed the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, or CRCT, in social studies.

Only about 60 percent of eighth-graders are likely to pass the math portion of the test, although state officials caution that those numbers are preliminary rough estimates.

The rare statement from Cox was prompted by a wave of questions from superintendents and parents as scores for districts and individual students began to trickle in. She said the state's movement toward a tougher curriculum, called the Georgia Performance Standards, could have caused some of the poor marks.

Isle of Hope Elementary School student Warren Williams likes to take pictures, but the 10-year-old boy doubted he'd ever be a professional until Tuesday.

A 24-year-old Savannah man was severely burned early Tuesday morning in an eastside Savannah robbery.

Savannah-Chatham police responded to reports of a man engulfed in flames running in the road at Hitch Drive and Perry Street about 1 a.m., according to a metro police report.

The victim told officers that three or four black males in a green minivan tried to rob him at gunpoint before splashing some kind of accelerant on him and lighting him on fire, said Sgt. Mike Wilson, metro police spokesman.

The victim initially identified himself as Norwood Robbins, but a records check indicated he was Michael Bernard Dixon, police reports stated.

Police searched the area, but they were unable to locate a crime scene or any suspects, Wilson said.

The victim was taken to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, where on Tuesday he was listed in critical but stable condition.

Everyone else might be waiting to see if Spencer Elementary School's state test scores finally pass muster, but students already are celebrating a turnaround.

"I study. I read. I make straight A's. I'm smart," said second-grader Ashanté Hamilton. "By the time I leave Spencer I think I'll be like 30,000 percent smart."

Just last year, district officials weren't convinced that Spencer was helping students reach their full academic potential. Superintendent Thomas Lockamy cleaned house and only allowed teachers in good standing to reapply.

The school, with a population 100 percent black and 93 percent poor, has long had the worst elementary school outcomes in the district. Just 54 percent of Spencer's students met or exceeded state academic standards. That was 4 percent less than in 2005-2006.

A duo of masked assailants - one with a handgun - burst into the Mulberry Inn at midnight Monday and robbed the opulent, downtown Savannah hotel of more than $500.

When the suspects - whose faces were obscured by multi-colored bandanas - fled the inn, they did so through the only doors not equipped with an alarm, according to a Savannah-Chatham police report.

The robbery, metro police statistics show, is the third crime in the past year to be reported at the Mulberry Inn - a haven for high-end political fundraisers. The other two, in June 2007, were larcenies.

On Monday, the suspects made it past security guards before encountering clerk Richard Tomaszewicz, who was behind the reservation counter in an office, according to a metro police report.

In the Savannah-Albany Healthy Challenge, Savannah won.

BOSTON - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor Tuesday in what could be the grim final chapter in a life marked by exhilarating triumph and shattering tragedy. Some experts gave the liberal lion less than a year to live.

Doctors discovered the tumor after the 76-year-old senator and sole surviving son of America's most storied political family suffered a seizure over the weekend. The diagnosis cast a pall over Capitol Hill, where the Massachusetts Democrat has served since 1962, and came as a shock to a family all too accustomed to sudden, calamitous news.

"Ted Kennedy and the Kennedy family have faced adversity more times in more instances with more courage and more determination and more grace than most families have to," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. "Every one of us knows what a big heart this fellow has. He's helped millions and millions of people - from the biggest of legislation on the floor to the most personal."

Savannah-Chatham police are hoping to reunite some rightful owners with thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise Thursday.

Stolen electronics, exercise machines and other big-ticket items were recovered during a recent joint undercover operation targeting drug sales and burglaries.

One man, Michael Stevens, whose age and address were unavailable Tuesday, went to jail.

The stolen goods have been collecting dust inside a property room, prompting Savannah-Chatham police to invite burglary victims to claim what's rightfully theirs Thursday evening.

The open house is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. at metro police headquarters on Habersham Street. People must present proof of ownership - such as incident reports and serial numbers - to collect items.

Stevens, arrested May 7, was charged with the sale of a controlled substance and multiple counts of theft by receiving stolen property, metro police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wilson said.

BRASELTON - A 7-year-old Braselton boy was killed Monday while riding an ATV on his family's property on a road near Braselton, according to reports from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Abusers sometimes drive by domestic-violence shelters, looking for their victims.

ATLANTA - Fines or sanctions stemming from alleged ethics violations by one current and one former member of the University System Board of Regents are expected to be made public Thursday.

There's something about the hot, sticky weather that's creeping up on us here in Savannah that makes me antsy for vacation.

Travelers are putting the brakes on heading out of town for Memorial Day weekend this year.

The number of Americans traveling during that time is expected to reach 37.8 million, down 0.9 percent from last year, according to AAA Auto Club South.

"I can't say we're surprised" by the decrease, said Gregg Laskoski, managing director of public relations.

"Gas prices are about 80 cents a gallon higher than last year," he said. "Consumers will be more mindful of the expense."

The high price of gas has encouraged Hinesville resident Gail Piggee to stay home this weekend.

Piggee said she spends $45 a week in gas commuting to her job downtown. She's planning a barbecue at her home instead of traveling.

"We would have went to Florida to visit family, but gas is just way too expensive."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded Georgia's seaports more than $5.9 million as part of its Infrastructure Protection Activities grant program.

Imperial partners with Houston rice company

ATLANTA - The Home Depot Inc. doesn't know if stimulus checks making their way to potential customers are enough to improve its fortunes this year, the company said Tuesday as it reported a 66 percent drop in first-quarter profit.

SAN FRANCISCO - Preparing for the eventual extinction of its DVD-by-mail rental service, Netflix Inc. on Tuesday introduced its first solution for subscribers who want entertainment delivered directly to their television sets with just a few clicks on a remote control.

WASHINGTON - Wholesale inflation slowed in April after a big jump in March, but the improvement is likely to be temporary as consumers are battered in coming months by price increases for gasoline, food and a host of other items.

NEW YORK - For U.S. retailers, the phrase "challenging environment" has become a shared refrain for one of the toughest quarters in decades. And merchants expect the climate to remain rough for the rest of the year as higher gas and food costs as well as slumping home prices weigh on shoppers.

CHICAGO - Passenger dissatisfaction with airlines' customer service has sunk to its lowest level in years at a time when carriers are charging more and more for tickets and services.

"The city of Savannah is best in these kinds of activities," said Mayor Otis Johnson in his apt opening remarks before the Savannah Shakespeare Festival on Saturday evening in Forsyth Park.

PASADENA, Calif. - The two men who run Berkshire Hathaway Inc. have an arrangement: Warren Buffett is the face of the company, and Charlie Munger stays mainly in the shadows.

NEW YORK- Gas prices are high, food's more expensive and the job market's cold, but the U.S. still may avoid a recession.

NEW YORK - Comcast Corp., which is under federal investigation for blocking some file-sharing traffic, is investing in a startup that delivers high-definition video using file-sharing techniques.

As the Savannah Sand Gnats continue to look up at the .500 mark this season, fans would be wise to remember a derivation of an old sports axiom attributed to Vince Lombardi.

Winning isn't everything, nor is it the only thing. In minor league baseball, winning is a by-product of developing good players. Catchy, huh?

"Sometimes it goes hand in hand," Sand Gnats manager Donovan Mitchell said before the season. "Good development and the guys really understanding how to play the game produces winning."

Player development, not the scoreline, is the bottom line. It's why certain players start or get more innings. It's why a left-handed batter might stay in to face a left-handed relief pitcher with the game on the line, for the experience on the smaller stage.

It's why the New York Mets affiliated with the Savannah franchise and stocked it with players and coaches in 2007 and this season, just as the Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and several other organizations have over the decades.

(Scroll down to see video of new SSU Athletic Director Bart Bellairs.)

Within seconds of being introduced as Savannah State University's athletic director, Bart Bellairs on Tuesday used words like "gold mine" and "sleeping giant" to describe Savannah's only NCAA Division I school.

He'll no doubt use those terms frequently in his quest to help SSU increase revenue, join a conference and achieve success, both athletically and academically.

Bellairs will begin at SSU on June 1.

Bellairs, 51, has spent the past three years as Virginia Military Institute's senior associate athletic director. He was instrumental in tripling revenue during his first two years at the Lexington, Va., school, which competes in the Big South Conference.

Bellairs is the first white AD at SSU, a historically black university that began playing sports in 1915. His hiring comes five months after SSU hired its first white football head coach, 39-year-old Robby Wells.

If trophy cases could talk, Katherine Dotson's would say, "I'm full."

ATLANTA - Tom Glavine overcame a shaky first inning. Jorge Campillo pushed aside all those bad memories from his first big league start.

Chris Shehan and his teammates have come up big for Georgia Southern's baseball team throughout the regular season.

WATKINSVILLE - A nine-run sixth inning secured a six-inning, 16-6, win for South Effingham (23-7) against Oconee County (25-5) Tuesday.

The game was the first of a best-of-three series in the Class AAA state playoffs. Severe storms caused the second game of the series to be postponed until 3 p.m. today.

The commanding win was just business for Mustang coach Tony Kirkland.

"It's just one game," Kirkland said. "We've got a best-out-of-three series to play."

Jesse Osborne earned the win for the Mustangs. He struck out five and walked four in four and 1/3 innings.

Colby May lead the Mustangs offense nailing two home runs, one a grand slam, despite a hamstring injury he suffered last week in the first game against Henry County.

"That was a heck of a night," Kirkland said. "That's an incredible thing to do for your team. He knew we needed him and not only did he play, he contributed."

ATLANTA - For the second time in eight years, the Atlanta Falcons opened the vault and dropped a ton of cash on a franchise quarterback.

Katina Ruest of the Savannah College of Art and Design is the first-round leader of the 2008 NAIA Women's Golf National Championships at Lake San Marcos (Calif.) Country Club.

The SCAD sophomore shot 1-over-par 73 for a one-shot lead over Rocky Mountain's Rachel Warren with three rounds to play.

The Bees are tied for ninth at 38-over 326. Tournament-host Cal State San Marcos shot an opening-round 311 to open a five-stroke lead.

SCAD's Julia Fountain is tied for 34th (81); Greta Sullivan and Hallie Cochran are tied for 71st (86); and Amelie Mogard is tied for 90th (89).

Savannah Heat wins 14U title

The Savannah Heat defeated the Effingham Raiders 4-3 in extra innings to win the 14U Savannah Sand Gnats Garden City Baseball Tournament.

AUGUSTA - By the time the Savannah Sand Gnats' offense got going, the game was about over as the rains came.

Looking at a potential three-game playoff series, some coaches might tweak their pitching rotation to avoid starting their ace against the opposition's top hurler.

Tony Kirkland is not one of those coaches.

The South Effingham skipper has every intention of starting the Mustangs' top arm in the first game of today's state Class AAA baseball quarterfinals at Oconee County.

"There are a lot of coaches who will change things when they get to the playoffs," Kirkland said. "They may feel like they don't match up with your No. 1 (pitcher), so they'll save their No. 1 for Game 2 and try to be able to get a split out of it and force you to a Game 3.

The Sand Gnats had the makings of a great homestand, but the Greenville Drive dashed those expectations over four long days and nights.

LOCAL

NEW ORLEANS - A title defense endures for the playoff-savvy San Antonio Spurs.

BOSTON - Jon Lester can now add pitching a no-hitter to his already amazing list of accomplishments.

ATLANTA - The NFL's labor situation could get more complicated this week.

One of the great compensations of spring and summer is the new crop of waxy, nutty-tasting red new potatoes.

There are literally hundreds of varieties, but we seldom see more than two general types in our markets. And those, unhappily, are almost never identified with more than "red potatoes" - or, at the most, "red creamers." One local supermarket even had three varieties jumbled together in the same bin.

The most common red potatoes have rough, dusty, deep burgundy skin and deep "eye" sockets. When new, this skin is thin, but it thickens and darkens as the potato matures. Correspondingly, its dense, creamy-white flesh is waxy and almost creamy when new, but becomes mealier and drier as it matures.

The other common variety in our markets is smooth, with shallow eyes and thin, luminously translucent pink-red skin that's often papery when new. These are mostly available only in spring and summer, when their flesh is milk white, dense, and waxy.

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While on the surface the idea of choosing wine glasses based on the type of wine being consumed may seem pretentious, there's method to the madness - and the pay-off could make your $9.99 Cabernet drink like a much more elegant wine.

Local hairdresser Jan Blakewood will tell you the old adage is true: It's all in who you know.

Last week, Blakewood scored free tickets and backstage passes to the performance and elimination "American Idol" shows simply because she's good friends with Dennis Stokely, Paula Abdul's hairdresser.

Twenty-five years ago, Blakewood worked with Stokely at a local bank.

"He went off to New York City to do modeling and acting; he had big dreams," Blakewood said. "But he's kept in touch all these years."

Now, he lives in Hollywood and is contracted to be "the only one" who touches Abdul's hair for the entire seventh season of "American Idol."

"Sometimes he gets pulled to do Ryan's hair or Simon's hair," Blakewood said. "But he is Paula's hairdresser."

Blakewood asked her friend Carl Pearl, a surgeon at Savannah Plastic Surgery, to experience Hollywood with her.

With boneless, skinless chicken breasts on hand, options are no problem. But they can make a weeknight cook hit the wall just the same: What can be done with them that's different?

TODAY

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On Thursday nights, a group of self-described "kids" gather at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum to play with their trains.

Some of the "kids,'' mind you, have silver in their hair and move these days with a slower step. Some are retired blue-collar workers; others are well-heeled professionals. The members of the Coastal Rail Buffs share an abiding love for model trains and, it seems, a fondness for needling each other.

"A typical meeting,'' said Dick Scott, "consists of one or two of us working and the rest supervising. We have a lot of supervisors."