Voter identification cards still not ready

ATLANTA - Georgia's July 18 primary elections are less than a month away and still the state's voter ID cards haven't been issued.

The state Board of Elections is expected to approve final rules today governing the state's new photo voter IDs. The rules must still be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, but state Elections Board Chairman Tex McIver said that will be little more than a formality and could come as soon as this afternoon. The Justice Department has already approved the state's voter ID law.

Mr. McIver said that barring intervention by the courts, officials could probably begin issuing the voter ID cards by the end of the month.

Only voters without a driver's license, passport or other valid government-issued photo ID will need the new cards.

Emory officials back new off-campus hubs

DECATUR - Emory University officials are supporting a new plan that envisions up to five retail and housing districts within a mile of campus, connected to the rest of school by free shuttle buses.

The school has long been limited from expanding its off-campus offerings by geography. It's surrounded by affluent neighborhoods and a densely packed office and research district that includes the headquarters for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So Emory officials have decided on a plan that calls for smaller mixed-use centers scattered throughout the area, some of which could be built on property owned by the school.

It's part of Emory's $3 billion push to become one of the nation's elite institutions, a plan that involves building a new Emory Hospital and academic quadrangle.

New Jersey woman, child killed in wreck

BRUNSWICK - A New Jersey woman and her child died Saturday when the driver of their truck fell asleep while traveling on Interstate 95 in Glynn County.

The two were in a pickup being driven by Robert Reinhardt Jr., 36, of Runnemede, N.J.

He told law enforcement officials he was driving on I-95 about 5:45 a.m. and the next thing he knew, he "woke up in the woods."

The victims, also from Runnemede, were Melissa Pierce, 27, and her daughter, Monica Pierce, 8.

Welding students fix atomic bomb casing

WARNER ROBINS - Welding instructor Mike McMahan dropped a bombshell on his students last April.

For the next year, he told them, they would spend countless hours repairing the damaged shell of a Mark 6 atomic bomb.

Since then, the Middle Georgia Technical College students have logged roughly 750 hours to iron out dents on its nose cone, tail fins and metallic casing of the massive bomb.

The bomb's casing, which was donated to the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force base, was likely damaged when it was dropped from a forklift and needed intensive repairs before it could be displayed, Mr. McMahan said.