<new at 11... The city of Eatonton welcomed home their Olympic gold medalist Vincent Hancock...
And President Barack Obama responds to a new report from the white house.. On education job cuts.
The braves took game one in walk-off fashion... But came up short in game two. Highlights from Braves and Dodgers in Sports.
The radar shows some storms moving in from Alabama, we'll see how our chances look tonight
Plus... The T-SPLOST may have failed in July... But some road and rail projects around Atlanta... May get done.... after all.>
<this is Eyewitness News at 11>
Good evening and thanks for joining us... I'm Jennifer Moulliet
A person is dead in Macon tonight... After being shot.
Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones said the shooting happened at 4882 Fulton Mill Road... he's calling it... A homicide.
No more information was available.... We'll have more information as the story develops.
Putnam County officially named today... Vincent Hancock Day... Eatonton's Olympian traveled through his hometown for celebration after celebration.
Katelyn Heck spent the day with the gold medalist throughout all of the homecoming festivities.
Vincent Hancock started the day with a bang <NATS> giving folks a shooting demonstration and sharing helpful tips for aspiring shooters.
To some folks in Eatonton... Hancock is more than just an Olympian... He's an inspiration.
<it makes me want to go to the olympics because he was so successful>
<he's been an ambassador for the United States, this area, shooting sports>
From skeet discs sailing... To a sign's unveiling...
Putnam County wanted everyone traveling through to know about their two-time gold medalist... And hometown hero.
Hancock made a short pit stop at his parent's home to spend time with his wife, children, and family.
<they've given me the life that I know and they've helped mold me into the person that I've always wanted to become>
And to top off the day... A motorcade ending... With a warm welcoming from fans... and friends.
They all came out to celebrate Hancock... The gold medalist...
<that is just enormous and Georgia is just so proud, Governor Deal, and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle are both just so appreciative of Vincent's work and his dedication to training and representing Georgia so well>
But some also know him as Sergeant Hancock... the soldier.
<just one of those soldiers that, even though he has never deployed, if I were to deploy with him, I would want him as my battle buddy, not just because he can shoot well, but because he looks out for others in just an exceptional way >
Hancock will retire from the Army by the end of the year... But his service to his country won't end... He plans to help teach the future generation of American skeet shooters... at the range at his parent's house... The same place where his Olympic journey began.
Katelyn Heck 13WMAZ Eyewitness News.
Hancock says he doesn't plan to stop at two gold medals... He told folks he's already aiming for a spot in the 2016 games in Rio.
People from all over middle georgia came out to pay tribute to a former city official who left an impact on this community and a legacy for his family and friends.
More than 100 people came out to Mikado Baptist Church on Houston Road to honor the life of Larry Gene Justice.
The former Bibb Commission Chairman touched the lives of many in this community through his public service.
Family and friends of the Maconite celebrated his life and remembered the impact he had on his family and the community.
<he was a great politician, a great maconite who did a great many things for this community.>
<He had a great impact on his family. They all loved him and adored him and he was just a great person>
<he was just a life long public servant and he will be missed in this community>
<he was just an exemplary man, no doubt about it. He was everything a man would want to be.>
Justice died at the age of 74 due to a lengthy illness.
He is survived by his wife Shirley Justice, his four children and his eight grandchildren.
The Food and Drug Administration says two deaths and multiple cases of illness across 20 states... Including Georgia... have been linked to cantaloupes contaminated with salmonella.
The outbreak began in July... And originated in southwestern indiana.
It has been linked to two deaths and sickened at least 50 people in Kentucky.... affecting a total of 141 people nationwide
Health officials warn against trying to wash the harmful bacteria off the cantaloupe... or cut through the outer surface... The say contamination may be both on the inside and outside of the fruit.
The Indiana farm has agreed to stop distributing cantaloupes for the rest of the growing season.
We now know the name of an Atlanta man .... Who was hit and killed by a MARTA train overnight at the civic center station downtown..
Bert Langley was hit around 1 a-m ...Just as service on that route was about to end.
The trains there were shut down until early this morning... But everything is up and running this evening.
The medical examiner is investigating.
With the failing of the T-SPLOST vote in the majority of the state... It seemed most new transportation projects died with it.
But.... the U.S. Department of Transportation says Georgia has 11 million dollars in federal funding... to spend on road and rail projects. They only catch is the money must be used by the end of the year.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the money announced Friday is part of 473 million dollars nationwide... freed up by President Barack Obama.
The Georgia money comes from unspent earmark funds.
Georgia DOT Commissioner Keith Golden says the state will review transportation projects assigned by Congress from 2003 to 2006 to see what can be completed by Dec. 31.
The biggest project is $2.97 million for rail facilities near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
More than 300-thousand education jobs have been cut since 2009... according to a new report released by the White House.
Since the end of 2009... budget cuts have forced districts to scale back on teachers and staff, resulting in larger class sizes and fewer school days.
The report highlights the potential consequences of such cuts... Citing lower graduation rates and overall achievement levels.
The White House report also stressed the need to invest in education and praised President Obama's plan to provide 25-billion-dollars to prevent layoffs and strengthen public education.
The Commander-in-Chief spoke about the cuts today... In his weekly web address.
<states should be making education a priority in their budgets even in tough fiscal times and congress should be willing to help out, because this affects all of us. That's why part of the jobs bill I sent to congress last september included support for states to prevent further layoffs and to rehire teachers who had lost their jobs. But here we are one year later with tens of thousands more educators laid off... And congress still hasn't done anything about it.>
The report also slammed House Republicans for passing a budget that would cut non-defense discretionary spending by almost 20-percent.
Both presidential camps brought the hot-button Medicare debate to two battleground states.
President Obama was in New Hampshire, while Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan spoke to crowds in Florida. And he brought a special guest with him.
Drew Levinson reports from New York.
(--NATS CHEERING)
((NARR-1)) (--LOCATOR: THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA--)
PAUL RYAN WENT TO A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN FLORIDA - AND GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS 78 YEAR OLD MOTHER.
((nat sot)) Rep. Paul Ryan
I want to introduce you to my mom
((NARR-2))
THE REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PROMISED SENIORS THEY WOULDN'T LOSE THEIR MEDICARE UNDER A MITT ROMNEY ADMINISTRATION. RYAN ACCUSED THE PRESIDENT OF CUTTING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM MEDICARE TO PAY FOR HIS HEALTHCARE REFORM.
((SOT)) Rep. Paul Ryan
"We will restore the promise of this program, and we will make sure that this board of bureaucrats will not mess with my mom's healthcare or your mom's healthcare."
((NARR-3))
RYAN CAME UP WITH THE GOP BUDGET PLAN THAT WOULD SHIFT MEDICARE TO A VOUCHER-LIKE SYSTEM. DEMOCRATS CLAIM THAT WOULD BANKRUPT THE PROGRAM. BUT HIS WORDS RESONATED WITH MANY SENIOR VOTERS.
(SOT DAVID MILLS, FLA VOTER)
"We got to do something to change. Otherwise it's going bankrupt. There's no way we can keep it as it is now."
((NARR-4)) (airplane banner flyover of "Paul Ryan Keep Your Hands Off Our Medicare.")
OTHERS IN FLORIDA DISAGREE.
///WIND BLUR///
(nat sot) "i'm gettin' all fired up."
((NARR-5)) (--LOCATOR: WINDHAM, NH--)
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, PRESIDENT OBAMA DEFENDED HIS PLAN.
((SOT)) President Obama
"My plan saves money on medicare by cracking down on fraud, and waste, and insurance company subsidies///Their plan makes seniors pay more so they can give another tax cut to millionaires and billionaires."
((NARR-6))
THE PRESIDENT TOLD VOTERS ELECTION DAY IS ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE COUNTRY'S FUTURE, AND HE SAID THE CHOICE IS CLEAR.
Congressman Ryan held a fundraiser in the Tampa area tonight.
Mitt Romney is appearing at a series of fundraisers this weekend in Massachusetts - with some donors paying as much as 75-thousand dollars to attend.
Hunting fans from all over the state dropped by the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry to join in the fun at...Buckarama.
From hunting techniques to a live snake exhibit...there's a little something for everyone at Buckarama.
This is the 22nd year the city of Perry hosted this event.
Jessica Anderson cheered on her nephew...Phillip...at the archery section. For the Andersons...attending Buckarama is a family affair that dates back 6 years.
<It is his frist time here. We're tryign to get him into hungting so. He likes it so far. He likes the camo stuff, he likes the idea of hunting. It's kind of fun. We're getting him into the family tradition. >
Buckarama is a 3 day event That ends tomorrow.
Gates are open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m
Volunteers armed with trash pickers and garbage bags cleaned up parts of Warner Robins.
The Georgia Initiative for Community Housing committee teamed up with Keep Warner Robins Beautiful and New Hope International Church to sweep the streets clean.
Volunteers picked up debris around Sewell Circle and Camellia Circle for about three hours.
<We've canvassed the neighborhood, asked the families what they need, how we can help them. And they've expressed, well I need this cleaned up in my yard. We have volunteers out there who will be picking up trash and debris>
<We want to show our community that we love them and that is showing them little acts of kindness like cleaning up their yards and going door to door knocking and asking if they need prayer >
About 40 volunteers showed up to scour the neighborhood clean.
One of the men who flew the Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima stopped by a store in Warner Robins for a book signing.
Theodore Van Kirk navigated the plane over Japan in 1945...the day that marked the end of World War 2.
Majestic Frames...a store that specializes in framing military and aviation art..hosted the event.
Van Kirk signed his book...My True Course...for a gathering of about 20 people.
We have an update to the shooting we told you about earlier.
Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones says the man who was shot and killed earlier today was 59 year old Walter Henly.
Jones says his kids found him on the back porch of 4882 Fulton Mill Road...
The coroner is calling it a homicide.... We'll update this story as more information becomes available.
Eyewitness News Continues after the break
When it comes to best-selling books, having a bow and arrow may be more effective than having a wand.
Amazon dot come announced Friday the Hunger Games trilogy... Surpassed the Harry Potter books... As the most popular series...
Now the most interesting part of the surge of Katniss and the Hunger Games is that the series only consists of three books.
The Harry Potter series is seven.
<ad lib about books>
That is the show for tonight... We'll see you back here at 5 for Eyewitness News Mornin
But the news is always on at 13wmaz dot com....
Law call is next... We'll see you tomorrow