Across Georgia

Man is shot dead in gunfight with police

TUCKER - A police officer shot and killed one man and wounded another while responding to a disturbance, authorities said. The officer suffered a minor gunshot wound.

The shootout occurred at about 2:20 p.m. Monday at a home when a DeKalb County police officer responded to a 911 call, spokesman Jason Gagnon said.

Two men came out of the house and one of them shot the officer, Mr. Gagnon said. The officer returned fire, killing one of the men and wounding the other, he said. The officer suffered minor injuries, while the wounded man was in serious condition, Mr. Gagnon said.

Absentee ballots now available for primary

ATLANTA - Absentee ballots are available for the July 18 primary in county election offices, Secretary of State Cathy Cox announced Monday.

Ms. Cox, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, issued a statement reminding voters that there are new, looser rules that will permit more voters to cast ballots by mail.

Previously, Georgia voters had to provide a legally permissible reason to vote by absentee ballot. But under a new law, any voter who wants to can vote by mail. As a result, elections officials are expecting a surge in absentee ballots this year.

Applications for absentee ballots may be obtained on the Secretary of States Web site www.sos.state.ga.us or by contacting local county election offices.

Alzheimer's patient dies stuck in gate

MACON - A patient in an Alzheimer's care center apparently suffocated when he got his head stuck between the vertical bars of an iron fence, the coroner said.

William Petterson, 77, was discovered by a Beacon Pointe staff member shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, said Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones.

"He looked as though he was looking over the fence ... and just got his head caught in the fence," Mr. Jones said.

The fence on the grounds of the facility is about 5 or 6 feet tall and overlooks a parking lot, he said.

An autopsy was expected to be conducted Monday or today, he said.

Former mayor dies just after resigning

BOWMAN - After looking to the same leader for more than two decades, the small city again is looking for a new mayor - the fourth one in as many years.

After announcing late last month to the city council that he must retire for health reasons, Mayor Larry Dickerson died Sunday form cancer.

Sunday also marked Mr. Dickerson's 41st wedding anniversary with his wife, Letha.

Mr. Dickerson resigned May 22 and had been hospitalized since shortly after the announcement, according to city officials.

Since the announcement of Mr. Dickerson's resignation, the city of about 900 people northwest of Elberton has been preparing to choose a new mayor.

- Edited from wire reports