Q: Was Omar Ismael (who died at the Habitat for Humanity construction site) from the Atlanta area, did he have family here, and has any fund been set up to help with expenses his family incurred? Wha

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Q: Was Omar Ismael (who died at the Habitat for Humanity construction site) from the Atlanta area, did he have family here, and has any fund been set up to help with expenses his family incurred? What is the status of the investigation? — Marian Lee, Senoia

A: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing its investigation and has up to six months to complete it. Ismael was from Cuba, said Bryan Stansell, president of Fulton Plumbing, Ismael’s employer. He lived in Atlanta and had a girlfriend, he said. Ismael’s mom lives in Cuba and his father lives in the United States, although Stansell did not know where. He was not aware of any fund set up for expenses.

Q: What is the annual cost of publishing and distributing the Decatur Focus? Is the contract for its publication and distribution competitively bid?

— Gary Willis, Decatur

A: The Decatur Focus, the city’s official newsletter, is published 10 times a year and mailed to about 10,000 people – households, and business and professional license-holders in the city and Decatur Business Association members. The cost is about $80,000 ($50,000 for printing, $12,000 for graphics and $18,000 for postage). Advertising revenue brings in $45,000, and the Decatur Business Association contributes $10,000, meaning it costs the city $25,000, said Linda Harris, assistant director of community and economic development. The city routinely revisits the cost of producing and distributing the publication through a bid process typically every few years, she said.

Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).