SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. -Georgia wildlife officials are encouraging deer hunters to fill out an online application that will allow them to participate in this season's deer quota hunt.

Officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division officials say the deadline to submit an application for deer quota hunting is Sept. 1.

Game management chief John Bowers says the state has seen a 25 to 30 percent increase in the number of deer quota hunt applications over the past few years and more young people are getting involved in hunting.

Trust donates land on river

WEST POINT, Ga. - More public land is being added along the Chattahoochee River in west Georgia, with the aim of providing more access to the waterway that forms the Georgia-Alabama border.

The nonprofit Trust for Public Land on Tuesday announced the donation of 124 acres in the West Point area.

The organization, which works to protect public land across the country, said in a statement the land being protected along the Chattahoochee is part of larger plans to create "greenway" areas along the river.

The trust said West Point envisions a public greenway on either side of the Chattahoochee from the city to the West Point Dam Recreation Area. The group said the land donation also supports a goal of creating the Chattahoochee River Blueway, a paddling route from West Point Lake to Columbus.

Gas truck crashes, overturns in yard

PHENIX CITY, Ala. - Crews have been cleaning up an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 gallons of gasoline after a semitrailer overturned in the front yard of a home in eastern Alabama.

Authorities say the tractor-trailer crashed and overturned outside a home on Summerville Road in Phenix City shortly after 4:30 p.m. CDT Monday.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports that a hole the size of a garden hose was discovered spilling gasoline into the yard. Two smaller 4,500-gallon gasoline trucks were used to empty out the contents of the larger truck's tank.

Authorities say the driver of the semi was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. No one else was injured in the crash.

Tobacco banned in city parks

KENNESAW, Ga. - A city northwest of Atlanta is banning all tobacco products from its city parks.

The Kennesaw City Council on Monday night approved the ban on tobacco, which also covers e-cigarettes.

City officials say the ordinance is designed to protect children in the parks.

WAGA-TV reports that Kennesaw has had designated smoking areas in its parks for the past decade, but the new law will eliminate those areas and make entire parks no-smoking zones.

Marietta passed a smoking ban in city parks in 2005.

Sandy Springs passed a similar law earlier this year.

In Kennesaw, authorities said first-time offenders will get a warning, but repeat offenders could face a large fine and up to a year in jail.