ATLANTA -- State officials have re-opened the pool for $10 million in low interest student loans. 

Lawmakers had set aside $20 million to help families after an overhaul of the lottery-funded HOPE scholarship took effect this summer.

Only about 5,200 students applied for the loans during the initial application period, which ended in July.

The Georgia Student Finance Authority has now re-opened the application process for the remaining $10 million in available loans.

Students have until Oct. 31 to apply for the Student Access Loan Program. 

For applications and details, visit GAcollege411's website.

ATLANTA -- Turns out the budget for education expenses was richer than reality.

The Governor's Office says lottery revenues continue to fall short of expected revenue despite that fact that ticket sales are up in the first quarter of this year.

"We budgeted more revenue than we are now expecting to receive," said Governor Nathan Deal's spokesman, Brian Robinson. "We budgeted $903 million in the fiscal year 2012 budget. Fiscal year 2011 lottery deposits to education were $846 million."

11Alive started digging into lottery revenue because of cuts to the Pre-K program. $54 million was cut to make up for falling lottery tickets sales in fiscal year 2011, which ended in June. That caused an exodus of experienced educators from the program.

So how did we get here?

Things started going in the wrong direction in the fiscal year of 2011: Total revenue: $3,597,222,000, down $48,175,000 from the year before, or 1 percent.

DECATUR, Ga. -- John Shelton has been appointed president and CEO of DeKalb Medical.

Shelton, the former COO, left DeKalb Medical last winter to accept a position at Mobile Infirmary, Alabama's largest not-for-profit hospital.

He was instrumental in DeKalb Medical's revitalization during the past several years, including the opening of DeKalb Medical at Hillandale and the addition of a patient tower for maternity and surgical services at the North Dectaur Road campus.

Shelton replaces Eric Norwood, who resigned as CEO in September.

DeKalb Medical includes three hospitals -- North Decatur, Downtown Decatur and Hillandale -- in addition to the DeKalb Medical Physicians Group.