Q&A ON THE NEWS

Q: How many pardons did President Bush issue in his last month in office?

PHIL REED, Cumming

A: George W. Bush pardoned 32 people during the 19 1/2 days of fiscal year 2009 in which he served.

During his eight-year presidency, Bush issued far fewer pardons and prison commutations than many other recent presidents. He received applications for 2,498 pardons and 8,573 commutations; and granted 189 pardons and 11 commutations, mostly to obscure federal offenders and not to high-profile, politically connected applicants.

For example, Bush didn’t pardon I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Dick Cheney’s one-time chief of staff, despite intense lobbying from Cheney. Bush had already commuted Libby’s 30-month sentence for obstruction, perjury and lying to investigators.

Q: How did Buckhead get its name when there was already a town of Buckhead in Morgan County?

GENIE MASSINGALE, Decatur

A: The town of Buckhead near Oconee National Forest and Lake Oconee is a little older. It started up in 1805. Buckhead in Fulton County was settled around 1838. Though the two Buckheads are only about 70 modern road miles apart, that was a great distance back then.

According to Kenneth Krakow’s “Georgia Place-Names,” they were both named the same way: A large buck’s head nailed or hung on a tree eventually gave both places their names.

Sharon Gaus and Richard Hallman wrote this column.

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