A passenger’s gun went off Sunday morning in the security line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, police say.
TSA officers found a loaded .22-caliber Magnum revolver in Richard Popkin’s carry-on bag during an X-ray scan, police said.
And while an Atlanta police officer responding to the scene tried to clear the five “snake” shot bullets – small game pellet ammunition – in the handgun, a shot went off, according to an Atlanta Police incident report obtained from Hartsfield officials. No one was injured.
Popkin, 43, is from Kathleen, south of Warner Robins, and was traveling to San Francisco. He told police he didn’t realize the pistol was in his messenger bag.
Popkin was arrested and charged with carrying a weapon in an unauthorized place and is being held at the Clayton County jail pending bond. MARCUS K. GARNER
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State health officials want to cancel plans to lower Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids reimbursements to doctors and other providers -- a decision prompted by worries that more doctors would flee the programs. Doctors who take Medicaid and PeachCare are already in short supply. The Department of Community Health board, which had planned a 0.5 percent rate cut, approved a plan this week to rescind the cut. It will take public comments on the plan this month before taking a final vote. Medicaid and PeachCare provide health care to roughly 1.7 million low-income Georgians. CARRIE TEEGARDIN
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About 2,225 students will graduate from the University of Georgia Dec. 16 during two ceremonies at Stegeman Coliseum.
Nearly 1,720 students will participate in the morning undergraduate ceremony. UGA alum James H. Shepherd Jr., chairman of Atlanta's Shepherd Center, will be the commencement speaker.
More than 500 students will receive graduate degrees during an afternoon ceremony. Sylvia McCoy Hutchinson, a UGA professor emerita of reading education, will be the speaker.
Both ceremonies will be streamed live at: http://uga.edu. LAURA DIAMOND
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