ATLANTA
Council urges talks with Braves
The Atlanta City Council is urging the mayor to conduct more negotiations with the Atlanta Braves in an 11th-hour bid to keep the team in the city.
The council on Monday voted 11-2 to approve a resolution urging Mayor Kasim Reed to resume negotiations with the Braves on its lease at Turner Field. WSB-TV reports the resolution is not binding, but Councilman Michael Julian Bond says it sends a message that the city doesn't want to lose the Braves.
The team last week surprised fans by announcing that it would move to a new stadium being planned at a suburban site in Cobb County. The deal calls for the Braves to fund 55 percent of the project's cost, with public funds being used to cover the remaining 45 percent.
Staffers leave Gingrey team
Four top staffers have left Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey's campaign for Georgia's open U.S. Senate seat.
Political consultant Chip Lake said Tuesday that he and three others made the decision after coming to a "crossroads in the campaign." Lake says he has nothing but respect for Gingrey and that differences of opinion led to the decision.
Lake says the others who left are campaign manager John Porter, political director David Allen and adviser Justin Tomczak.
In a statement, Gingrey says he's grateful for the team's work on his campaign and "energized by the support and encouragement I continue to receive."
Also running in the Republican primary are Reps. Jack Kingston of Savannah and Paul Broun of Athens, former Secretary of State Karen Handel and former Dollar General CEO David Perdue.
COLUMBIA, Tenn.
Bandit puzzles staff at library
Officials at a Middle Tennessee library are on the lookout for a serial book bandit.
Maury County Library Assistant Director Adam Southern told The Daily Herald in Columbia that he thought the first stolen book earlier this month was a random act -- until another one disappeared and then a third. In all three cases the book jacket was left behind, but the book itself was nowhere to be found.
Library employees say they've had people check out books and not return them before, but this is the first time they've had a thief with a signature style.
Southern says he's puzzled over the motivation because it's easy to get a library card and check out the books for free.