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Click Here 57 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 11, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend January 23, 2004 Hunter schooled in air security By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune A mental lapse at an Arizona airport will cost a Medford man $150 — but at least he got to keep his favorite hunting knife. Ron Graham carried his Gerber knife in his backpack for a week while he was deer hunting in the Southwest. He brought the same pack with him as his carry-on bag when he went through security at the Tucson airport — and forgot the knife was still inside. Baggage checkers saw the knife’s telltale shape on their X-ray machines and asked Graham to step out of line while they searched his pack. "I had no idea what they were looking for," said Graham, who teaches math at Ashland High School. "I thought I’d checked my pack for anything that might get screened out." Advertisement Graham told the security guards that he had been hunting and forgot to remove the knife. "It wasn’t a bad experience," he said. "All the security guards understood that I was coming back from hunting. "They definitely did not treat me like a terrorist," said Graham. "I didn’t fit any profile of a terrorist." Graham’s checked baggage hadn’t been loaded on the plane, so the airport security people allowed him to put the knife with his other gear. He thought that was the end of the whole affair until a certified letter arrived this week from the Transportation Safety Administration. The envelope included a five-page description of the regulations he had violated by carrying a knife with a blade longer than 3 inches, and a 28-page description of his legal rights. The letter also advised that his transgression was punishable with a fine of $300, but explained that he could cut the fine in half by paying within 30 days. "I wasn’t expecting the $300 fine at all," Graham said. He said he’ll choose to think of the episode "like a speeding ticket," write a letter explaining what went wrong "and ask them to pity this poor math teacher." "Hopefully they’ll knock that $150 down a little bit," he said. A week earlier, on his way to Arizona, Graham had to surrender a smaller pocket knife and surgical scissors in the same pack when he forgot to remove them prior to the carry-on baggage check at the Medford airport. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times