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Q: I am a very senior citizen now living in a retirement home with no automobile or means of travel. My present driver’s license will expire shortly, and as I have moved, the address on the license is no longer valid. How can I obtain a new I.D. card? —Alex Lindsay, Atlanta A: Georgia driver's license holders can request a Georgia identification card at www.

Q: A drama recently played out where a Coast Guard icebreaker cut a path in Bering Sea ice shelf for a Russian fuel tanker to deliver fuel to Nome, Alaska. Why weren't the people of Nome stocked up with fuel before this became an emergency? Also, why was a Russian fuel tanker taking fuel to Nome instead of an American fuel tanker? —William McKee Jr.

Q: A Varsity drive-in restaurant recently opened in Dawsonville. Are there any plans to open more Varsity restaurants in Georgia? Also, is the Varsity in Dawsonville meeting sales expectations? -- William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch A: The Varsity won a bid for one of the coveted restaurant spots at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and will open at that location “before summer,” George Fejokwu, a shift manager at the Varsity on North Avenue in downtown Atlanta, told Q&A on the News.

Q: I have not read anywhere about the possibility of building a refinery nearer to the source of the oil in Canada, rather than constructing a pipeline to Texas. During the hurricane aftermath on the Gulf Coast, there was a cry that we needed our refineries in more areas than just the Gulf so that production won't be shut down.

Q: Representatives of the state Transportation Department came to a church in our neighborhood last summer, made a presentation and showed the plans for building the flyover from Ga. 400 southbound to I-85 northbound. They took written questions, and each of us who submitted them received a written reply.

Q: In the article about the personal checks written by President Abraham Lincoln and others found in a Huntington Bank vault in Columbus, Ohio: Who did these belong to, and what will happen to them? -- Martha Hunt, Hoschton A: The check collection had belonged to a president of Union Commerce Bank, which was acquired by Huntington Bank.

Q: Are the Do Not Call lists still in place? We signed up for the Georgia list, and then the federal list, upon their inception. For several years, we got very few telemarketing calls, but they now seem to be a daily occurrence. Is there a penalty in place, or do these companies know they will not be penalized? -- Nancy Berlo, Alpharetta A: The Do Not Call laws are in place, a spokesman for Georgia’s Public Service Commission told Q&A on the News in an email, and they are enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Q: How are military pilots chosen to do flyovers at NASCAR races? Also, who decides what type of jets will be flown in the flyovers? —William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch A: Once an event is determined eligible for a flyover, it is up to the event sponsor to contact U.

Q: When a doctor fills a prescription for pills, they give you 30 when there’s 31 days in most months. February has 28 days, which gives you two extra pills, but you still come up short. Why don’t they fill it for 31 days? —Judy Brooks, Mableton A: It’s so commonplace for doctors to write prescriptions for 30 days that pharmaceutical companies are packaging pills that way, Matthew Perri, a professor of clinical administrative pharmacy at the University of Georgia, told Q&A on the News.

Q: Here's what I want to know about the successful bidders for concessions at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport: What percentage of the successful bidders already have stores at the airport; and how many of the successful bidders have no experience running airport stores anywhere? —Margaret Thomson, Marietta A: Thirty-six percent of the winners already have food and beverage stores at the airport, spokesman John Kennedy told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: A few months ago a relative in another state passed away. Since I am the executor, I forwarded the mail to my address. This was OK because the forwarding process ends after a short time. The problem I am having is the U.S. Postal Service put the relative’s name with my address.

Q: After the redistricting maps were finalized last year by the state Legislature, both Gov. Nathan Deal and other leaders stated they would revisit these maps in the 2012 legislative session. The intent was to address issues that had been raised, including the "breaking up" of Hall County.

Q: My mailman sometimes leaves packages at my house. They also have a UPS sticker on them. What’s the deal on having a UPS sticker on a package that the Postal Service delivers? -- Jim Turner, Rutledge A: The U.S. Postal Service is the only company that delivers to every address, six days a week, so it uses its network to provide “last mile” delivery to residences and businesses for many private delivery companies, including UPS, a USPS spokesman told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Can you tell me the reason our government used to build such a large embassy in Iraq? Richard Morris, Newnan A: The U.S. State Department spokesman defended the size of the U.S. embassy in Iraq by telling msnbc.com that the U.S. is making “a fairly sizable commitment to Iraq … for several years.

Q: I’ve heard Georgia is a big producer of something called the three P’s. What are the three P’s and what is Georgia’s connection with them? A: Georgia is nuts over pecans and peanuts and loves its peaches. The state is one of the nation’s top producers of those three crops, which are vital to Georgia from both an agricultural and economic standpoint.

Q: Can you provide the disposition of the $77 million lottery prize sold in West Georgia but not claimed? It seems like that could be dispersed to Hope scholarship winners and offset cuts made earlier this year. —Tom Hartzell, Alpharetta A: Powerball jackpot prizes are funded proportionately by all 44 Powerball jurisdictions, based on each jurisdiction’s sales for the particular drawing, Georgia Lottery Corp.

Q: In the commercial for the Citi ThankYou Premier Card, there’s a young lady standing on top of a rock formation she had just climbed. Was that computer generated or did she really climb there? Where is it? Martha Hunt, Hoschton A: The commercial was shot using professional climbers at a popular climbing spot called Fisher Towers, about 20 miles northeast of Moab, Utah, Emily Collins, the director of public affairs for Citi Cards, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Did Helen always have an Alpine look? When did that start? A: Nein. Helen didn’t always look like it was torn from the pages of a Bavarian travel guide. It was little more than a half-deserted town filled with concrete buildings about 45 years ago.

Q: With the recent passing of Steve Jobs, I am interested to learn if there is a motion picture in the works. Can you provide any information? Scott MacLean, Forest Park A: Sony has acquired the rights to Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography of the Apple co-founder — called “Steve Jobs” — the Los Angeles Times reported in October, and several media outlets, including the Times and Entertainment Weekly, have reported that Aaron Sorkin is interested in writing the script for a potential movie.

Q: What are the Iowa caucuses, and why are they so important during the election? -- Jeff Jones, Cartersville A: The Iowa caucuses have been the first event in the nominating process for president since the Democratic Party moved its caucus from the spring to January in 1972.

Q: Is it true that the remaining family members of Adolf Hitler live on Long Island? -- Jeff Bashuk, Decatur A: Four great-nephews of Adolf Hitler were born and raised on Long Island, and three of them continue to live there under a different last name.

Q: What is the status of DragonCon founder Ed Kramer? Is he detained in Connecticut or has he been extradited to Georgia? Steve Williams, Atlanta A: Kramer is being held at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield, Conn., a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Correction told Q&A on the News.

Q: Why does the White House incur such a large expense to have its Christmas tree shipped from far away when it could be purchased from local states at far less expense? —Martin Vaeth Sr., Loganville A: The White House Christmas tree, which is displayed in the Blue Room, is donated by the family and farm that grew it, and has been every year since 1966, Rick Dungey, the public relations manager of the National Christmas Tree Association, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: A recent AJC article mentioned that Georgia's growth engines in the past were housing and in-migration of workers and retirees. What, besides the moderate weather, are the incentives that bring retirees to this state? —Joann Awada, Atlanta A: There are many reasons why Georgia attracts retirees, including reasonable land costs, low cost of living and year-round access to recreation and outdoor activities, such as golf, Alison Tyrer, director of communications for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: I read a story about the monster black holes. Where do the planets, stars, and even the light that goes into a black hole, go? —Greg Lawrence, Marietta A: Any material that falls into a black hole passes from the exterior of the hole to the interior, Ted Bunn, an associate professor of physics at the University of Richmond, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: The USO volunteers greeting the returning/departing U.S. troops were once allowed to accept donations to fund the services provided at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. This was stopped and the airport authority deferred all questions to Mayor Kasim Reed's office.

Q: Is Nancy Grace still married? She mentions her children at least once during her evening show, but never her husband. -- Jan Gunnin, Fayetteville A: Grace, host of her own HLN show, is married to Atlantan David Linch, the founder and managing director of Linch Capital, a “boutique investment bank” in Buckhead.

Q: While I was listening to NPR, mention was made of presidential signing statements. From Reagan to Obama, how many signing statements have presidents issued while signing bills into law? -- Bruce Burnaman, Woodstock A: Presidents attach signing statements, which are written comments, to bills passed by Congress when they want to either comment on them or challenge, and possibly reject, something specific in them.

Q: A couple of weeks back there was a story about a college in one of the Dakotas giving up its "Fighting Sioux" mascot under pressure from NCAA. I know Stanford changed to Cardinal from Indians. What's the situation with the Florida State Seminoles? -- Robert Jones, Atlanta A: The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma agreed in 2005 to support Florida State University’s use of its Seminoles nickname and mascot, a decision that has been supported by the NCAA.

Q: I have missed seeing Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld on “Sunday Housecall” on Fox News. Has he retired? -- Shirley Broyles, Atlanta A: Rosenfeld has retired from TV, David Clark, the executive producer of weekend news and programming at Fox News, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: How many presidential appointments are on hold by the Senate? How many are by Georgia senators? -- Fred Smith, Tucker A: Holds are often held in secret by Senate leadership, so that number is not currently available, said John Isaacson, who owns and runs presidential-appointments.

Q: Why are the new tamper-resistant prescription forms that are now required for controlled substances not available to doctors until Jan. 1? My mail-order pharmacist says that effective Oct. 1, it can no longer fill any prescription for class 2 controlled substances such as oxycontin or methadone because of a new mandate from the Georgia Pharmaceutical Board that the prescription(s) have to be written on a new state-issued, tamper-proof form.

Q: Who is the individual singing “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” on the Nissan television commercials? He really is good, and sounds like Andy Williams, who made the song famous. --  Jim Miskimen, Atlanta A: Dante Marchi’s voice has been heard on many TV and radio commercials, including ones for Nissan, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Intel and McDonald’s, Steve Parrett, a Nissan spokesman, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Reading about the wrong-way crash on I-20 that killed a police officer brought back another wreck and death caused by a wrong-way driver on I-20. In that one, a drunk driver driving on I-20 killed a young soldier who had returned from the Iraq war.

Q: Why did Newt Gingrich resign from Congress? —Natalie Hull, Covington A: Gingrich was a member of Congress from 1979-99 and the Speaker of the House from 1995-99. He resigned after a string of incidents. He was blamed by some for partial governmental shutdowns in 1995 that were a result of his refusal to compromise with President Bill Clinton on budget cuts, according to biography.

Q: What’s the story behind the town of Bethlehem, and do they still put special Christmas postmarks on letters mailed from there? A: You don’t need a bright star to find Bethlehem. Just follow the line of folks who drive to the small Barrow County town every December to give their Christmas cards a special seasonal postmark.

Q: A recent Actual Factual Georgia talked about how the Buckhead area of Atlanta got its name. Isn't a community in Morgan County also named Buckhead? How did it get its name? —Lance DeLoach, Thomaston A: It shouldn’t be a surprise that much like its city cousin in Atlanta, Morgan County’s Buckhead was named for … a buck’s head.

Q: What criteria were used by the government in 1933 to determine whether an individual was allowed to keep their gold? Who determined which coins were gold coins having recognized special value to collectors of rare and unusual coins? -- Larry Whitman, Hinesville A: In order to stop what was called the hoarding of gold by individuals, President Franklin D.

Q: As a follow-up to my question about the NBA players not drawing a salary while on lockout, what was the average weekly/monthly salary an NBA player lost and what was the revenue loss to the owners and the NBA? -- Michael B. Martin, Marietta A: NBA players receive 24 paychecks a year, and the average NBA player missed out on $220,000, when the first regular-season checks would have been issued to the players on Nov.

Q: What happened to Randy and Spiff on the morning true oldies station 106.7 in Atlanta? -- Rick Brewer, Smyrna A: Randy Cook and Spiff Carner, known as Randy & Spiff, were the morning hosts on Atlanta’s Greatest Hits 106.7 (WYAY-FM) before they were fired on Oct.

Q: Why are the temperatures in the surrounding cities always lower than they are in the city of Atlanta? -- Jim Rust, Atlanta A: The urban heat island effect often makes Atlanta have a warmer low temperature in the morning than the surrounding areas. This is caused by urban areas with an abundance of buildings, concrete and asphalt, which absorb and retain more heat than less developed areas, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Who will replace Regis Philbin on “Live With Regis and Kelly”? -- Rick Brewer, Smyrna A: No one has been announced as the successor to Regis Philbin, who retired this month after 28 years on the show. It is currently called “LIVE! With Kelly.” Several people have been mentioned as replacements, including these 10 men named by ew.

Q: Now that Penn State’s Board of Trustees has fired football coach Joe Paterno and university president Graham Spanier, will these men get golden parachutes or any retirement benefits? — Michelle Hutchinson, Marietta A: Paterno, who had been Penn State’s football coach since 1966 and had worked at the school since 1950, is “theoretically” in line for a pension of more than $500,000 a year, according to The Associated Press.

Q: It was reported that DeKalb County was among those participating in last Tuesday's referendum on allowing Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages. However, when I went to my polling place in the Briarcliff and Clairmont roads area, it was not on my voting screen.

Q: What was the total dollar amount raised by this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon in September? How does that amount compare to past years? Why will Jerry Lewis no longer be the spokesman for MDA? -- Martin Nash, Conyers A: The 2011 Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon raised more than $61.

Q: We often hear that Atlanta has the highest elevation of any major city east of the Mississippi River and the rain that falls on the west side of Peachtree Ridge flows to the Gulf, and the rain on the east side goes to the Atlantic. Is that true? And, what is the highest point in the city? —Robert H.

Q: Why weren't Sunday alcohol sales on our ballot in Fulton County’s Mountain Park? We had the education SPLOST on the ballot, but not Sunday sales. — Patricia Evans, Mountain Park A: Even though Mountain Park is a city, it is a residential community that doesn’t have retail sales or commercial zoning in the city limits, Mayor Jim Still told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Regarding the tolls on I-85, three people in a car is a toll-free car. How is this verified for billing purposes? I’ve also seen drivers entering the lanes illegally, crossing the solid lines. How does the monitoring equipment detect that, and are they ticketed? — Dan Siegel, Dacula A: The Georgia Department of Public Safety monitors the lanes for occupancy enforcement by receiving daily downloads from the State Road and Tollway Authority back office, SRTA spokeswoman Malika Reed Wilkins told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Does anyone oversee the Army Corps of Engineers? They seem to have a lot of power over Lake Lanier. The lake looks bad, and they still plan to release more water? Why? -- Christine Peters, Gainesville A: Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. (Bo) Temple is the acting chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.

Q: In The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Weather section is a bar chart labeled “Today’s UV forecast.” In the summer, readings were 11, labeled high, and (last) week’s readings were 3, labeled moderate. Does this mean the sun's energy available for solar heating in the fall is 30 percent of the summer? -- James Rust, Atlanta A: Yes, it does, Glenn Burns, chief meteorologist for Channel 2 Action News, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: I have a Georgia driver's license with an expiration date of five years. A local law enforcement friend has one with multiple years on his license, and several friends who are teachers have license expirations at 10 years. Did Georgia change the number of years between renewals? If so, when? —Connie Peebles Propes, Gainesville A: Georgia has changed the number of years for driver’s license renewals twice in the past five years.

Q: A reader couldn’t believe I didn’t mention the legendary “Gnat Line” in a recent Actual Factual Georgia that explored the boundary between North and South Georgia. So, let me take a swat at the answer. A: Imaginary or not, the Gnat Line is considered to be a fluctuating border between North and South Georgia, basically a 38th Parallel for those insects.

Q: Several years ago the University of Georgia was given a federal grant to study the disappearance of the honey bees. What was the result of that study? — Steven Cherning, Decatur A: UGA has been focused on narrowing and better understanding the causes of bee decline, Keith S.

Q: Have the Henry County police made any progress in the case of the man who stole a woman's purse from the daycare parking lot and posted a picture of himself on her Facebook page? —Lori Tate, McDonough A: It is still an open case, Major Jason Bolton of the Henry County Police Department told Q&A on the News.

Q: Decatur First Bank was closed on Oct. 21 by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. website identifies Decatur First as a "failed bank.” What exactly caused it to fail? —Shelton Jones, Decatur A: Bad real estate loans in Morgan and Greene counties caused Decatur First Bank to fail, Fidelity Bank Chairman James B.

Q: Herman Cain’s net worth has been reported from $2.8 million to $18 million. What is his net worth? — Don White, Atlanta A: Herman Cain is worth between $2.9 million and $6.6 million, according to the disclosure forms that are required of all presidential candidates, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Q: The AJC recently reported that the Cobb County school board had hired Debra Wilson from retirement to be the principal of Shallowford Falls Elementary and hired Jim Snell from retirement to be the principal of Griffin Middle School. Will these individuals continue to receive their retirement pay while they are serving as principals? —Michelle Hutchinson, Marietta A: Debra Wilson and Jim Snell will receive the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) of Georgia pay they have earned, said Jay Dillon, the director of communications for the Cobb County School District.

Q: In the Oct. 20 AJC article, “Woman charged in hot grease death returns to Texas,” it says the woman was charged with “murder by omission.” What is that? -- Bob Sullivan, Canton A: “Murder by omission” is the crime Mary Ann Rivera was originally charged with in 1970, when she allegedly killed her husband, Cruz Rivera, by throwing hot grease on him.

Q: I don't understand how the level of Lake Lanier is managed. The lake level drops even when there is rainfall in the previous 24 hours. It sometimes drops less when there is no rainfall than when there is some. As of Oct. 20, the lake was more than 10 feet below summer level.

Q: The AJC's listing of T-SPLOST projects listed two projects for Cobb County's McCollum Airport: a new air traffic control tower ($2.5 million) and runway approach lighting ($690,000). Since airport improvements are normally funded by the FAA, why are these on the T-SPLOST list? — Peter H.

Q: Are Georgia Lottery winners required to have their names publicized? If someone absolutely wanted to remain anonymous, do they have that option? -- Ken Celmer, Alpharetta A: The names of lottery winners must be revealed to the public because the Georgia Lottery Corp.

Q: When the new Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal opens at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta next year, will passengers still have to go through security in order to leave the airport, as is the case with the present terminal? Why are passengers required to claim their baggage and put their belongings on another baggage belt in order to claim their bags again in the main terminal? -- Richard Harris, Monroe A: No.

Q: If I remember correctly, when MARTA was first proposed, there was a stub line shown on the planning maps, sort of beginning to follow I-75 to the northwest toward Cobb County. Although this line was never implemented, was the stub tunnel excavated and was any switch installed and track laid? -- Jim Farley, Smyrna A: The original MARTA planning map showed a proposed rail line traveling northwest from the Arts Center station to Cobb County, MARTA officials told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: Why has the price of eggs increased dramatically? Why is the price of peanut butter going up? Is there a shortage of peanuts, or what's the problem? --Rick Brewer, Smyrna A: Egg prices increased 4.9 percent in August because of the higher cost of corn and other grains used in animal feed, USA Today reported.

Q: It was reported that King Abdullah overturned a sentence where a Saudi woman was to receive 10 lashes for driving a car. Are lashes administered in a closed prison environment or in some type of open courtyard where the public can view? -- William McKee Jr.

Q: What was the outcome of the case where the two guys were required to give up their seats to women at a bar in Phipps Plaza? --Morris Wyatt, Atlanta A: A federal jury decided in September that former NBA player Joe Barry Carroll and Atlanta attorney Joseph Shaw did not have their civil rights violated by the Tavern at Phipps five years ago, the AJC reported.

Q: A lot has been said about Amanda Knox's liberation. I haven't seen anything written about her boyfriend. —John Wimberly, Dahlonega A: Raffaele Sollecito, now Knox’s ex-boyfriend, also was cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher after spending four years in prison.

Q: What are the generally accepted lines dividing North Georgia from Middle Georgia and Middle Georgia from South Georgia? --Sarah Cooper, Gainesville A: That probably depends on who you ask, because defining Georgia isn’t that simple. When folks talk about North Georgia, they’re often referring to the mountainous areas north of Atlanta.

Q: Were Verizon employees returning to work included in the number of jobs created in the U.S. Department of Labor’s September report? —Bob Routier, Johns Creek A: Employers added 103,000 jobs in September, but 45,000 of them were filled by Verizon workers who were rehired after going on strike.

Q: Can you tell us Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s net worth, how he made his fortune, how much federal taxes he paid in 2010, and if he served in the Vietnam conflict? -- Don G. White, Atlanta A: Perry, a Republican presidential candidate, made much of his money from buying and selling land in Texas, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Q: A recent AJC article reported that former Kennesaw State University student Jessica Colotl will have her false swearing charge dismissed if she successfully completes a pretrial diversion program, but what is the status of her deportation case? —Michelle Hutchinson, Marietta A: Colotl is in the U.

Q: Before the recent execution of Troy Davis, the state Board of Pardons and Paroles denied mercy to Davis, even though it was within its power to do so. Who and what is the state Board of Pardons and Paroles? How many people are on the board, how do they become part of the board and how long do they serve on the board? —Renee Vanderboom, Norcross A: The five members of the state Board of Pardons and Paroles are appointed by the governor.

Q: What happened to Stacey Elgin on Fox 5? —Jerome Bernhardt, Marietta A: Elgin, who was the Fox 5 Road Warrior on “Good Day Atlanta,” left the station on Sept. 8 because her contract was not renewed. Elgin, who is expecting twin boys in January, told Q&A on the News that she is taking the time to work on their nursery and prepare for their birth.

Q: Is it true that Georgia has a law on the books mandating restaurants serve sweet tea made with sugar? --Karen Walsh, Lawrenceville A:There’s no way to sugarcoat this: There is no law that says Georgia restaurants must serve sweet tea, which surely disappoints a lot of folks, including John Noel.

Q: With the explosion inside a French nuclear facility being in the news, how do the French secure and dispose of their nuclear waste? —David Matheny, Rome A: The French manage their waste like the U.S., Germany and other countries with a nuclear industry, Andrew Sherry, a professor and director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester in England, told Q&A on the News in an e-mail.

Q: Will washing the cantaloupe get rid of the Listeria virus? I assume it is on the outside of the cantaloupe and the inside becomes contaminated by cutting into it. -- Martha Hunt, Hoschton A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says scrubbing firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush can help prevent Listeria and other diseases, but it is recommending that consumers not eat Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupe from Colorado-based Jensen Farms as the best way to avoid the current Listeria outbreak.

Q: Regarding the story on Sept. 22, “Treasury to sell SunTrust warrants,” thus completing the bank’s payback of federal bailout money, I recall a good many banks repaid their stimulus money in the first year. How much of the $700 billion bailout has been repaid, including banks, GM, Chrysler, et al? -- Dan Hollums, Sandy Springs A: The Associated Press has reported that $315 billion has been repaid to the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Q: In the recent contest for the new Georgia license plate, I noticed that the winning design displayed eight letters and numbers, ABC12345. Was the entrant using her artistic “license,” or does this mean we will be going to an eight-character tag versus the current seven characters? If so, will eight characters also be allowed in new prestige tags? —Hayden Branch, Roswell A: The eight characters that appeared on the license plates were simply for design purposes only, as a placeholder for the letters and numbers on a license plate, officials with the Georgia Department of Revenue told Q&A on the News.

Q: Last year, it was in the news that there were some people who owed thousands of dollars in Ga. 400 tolls. Was the money ever collected? -- Beverly Kashdan, Sandy Springs A: State Road and Tollway Authority officials told Q&A on the News that there were hundreds of violators since 2007 and it would take weeks or months to calculate what has been paid by individual violators and to determine a total amount.

Q: What person or group of people makes the decision on when to reverse the landing and takeoff direction at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta? What parameters must be in place? Is there a time when the takeoff/landing direction on the two north runways is opposite that on the three south runways? Once the decision to reverse direction is made, how long does the process usually take? -- Paul E.

Q: What is the status of Cobb Energy? Is it still the parent of Cobb EMC? —Keith Law, Braselton A: Cobb Energy still exists as a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobb EMC. It has no standing board of directors. Q: Is it legal to remove political signs from city/county property that supporters have posted? —Michael B.

Q: Which states do not allow the death penalty? —Margaret Curtis, Vinings A: Sixteen states and the District of Columbia don’t have the death penalty. They are: Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Q: The recent storms were not even over yet some news showed homes with big blue tarps over their roof. Who supplies them and where do they get them? —Lynn Hammond, Canton A: The tarps are sold at building and home improvement stores, county and emergency management officials tell Q&A on the News.

Q: Has the government stopped producing the presidential dollar coins? —Anne Scott, Fayetteville A: The U.S. continues to issue $1 coins featuring the images of presidents, in the order they served in office. The U.S. Mint issues four of these coins a year, and this year, Presidents Johnson, Grant, Hayes and Garfield are being honored.

Q: What has happened to Happy Feet, the emperor penguin? —Tanya Kent, Suwanee A: As of Sept. 15, scientists had not regained contact with Happy Feet, the emperor penguin that had been found starving on a New Zealand beach in June. Veterinarians nursed Happy Feet – named for the 2006 movie about penguins – back to health and returned him into the ocean on Sept.

Q: Who paid the ransoms for the three hikers held by the Iranians? — Margaret Thomson, Marietta A: The government of Oman, a U.S. ally in the Gulf, paid the $1 million bail ($500,000 each) for American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who were released Wednesday from an Iranian prison.

Q: What happened to the criminal investigation of Peanut Corp. of America and the civil cases? —Rick Parker, Atlanta A: Peanut Corp. of America, which was the subject of a deadly peanut recall in 2008-09, was found responsible in a civil lawsuit and ordered to pay $12 million to about 120 victims last September.

Q: In reading all of the coverage of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I wondered, were any tourists and children killed when the towers fell. It was such a popular tourist attraction, it is hard to believe none were present. —Anne Hooks, Newnan A: According to published lists, there were three children – ages 2, 3 and 4 – on United Flight 175, which hit the South Tower.

Q: With the news about newspaper reporters hacking phones in England, how are cellphones hacked? -- H. Kuehn, Jonesboro A: The News of the World reporters who hacked the cellphone of Milly Dowler, a British girl who disappeared in 2002, did so by targeting her voice mail, so they could monitor her in box.

Q: What are the sources of the Scriptures quoted by President Barack Obama during his remarks at the World Trade Center commemorative ceremony? -- Patricia M. Morris, Decatur A: Psalm 46 was the Bible passage that the president read from during Sunday’s ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Q: Whatever happened to Paul Ossmann, the 11 Alive weatherman? -- Edward Coll, Flowery Branch A: Ossmann, who was let go from 11 Alive (WXIA-TV) on July 22, recently passed his real estate license exam and is now selling homes. Ossmann said he was informed during a station job evaluation last December that research indicated his popularity had slipped.

Q: How many people have drowned in Lake Lanier? How did the piranhas get into Lake Lanier, and how long have they been there? -- David Moulder, Cumming A: There have been 69 drowning deaths -- including eight this year (through Aug. 15) -- at Lake Lanier since 1999, according to numbers from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Q: A recent article on the UGA athletic department’s new nutrition program states that the NCAA places limits on training tables, allowing only one enhanced meal a day. What does the NCAA consider an enhanced meal, and what other limits does it impose on meals for athletes? — Lane Tharp, Atlanta A: An enhanced meal is any meal served from the training table, meaning institutions are limited to providing one meal a day to its athletes, University of Georgia Eric Baumgartner, UGA’s associate athletic director for compliance, told Q&A on the News in an email.

Q: After recently reading several books on the Battle of Atlanta, I’m curious about a town south of Atlanta but north of Jonesboro called Rough and Ready. I assume it must be near the Atlanta airport. Where was this town? --Bob McLellan, Lawrenceville A: As Scarlett could tell you, Rough and Ready was on the way to Tara, and Rhett was headed in that direction when the bickering couple fled burning Atlanta in “Gone With the Wind.

Q: At what point in a presidential campaign does a candidate receive Secret Service protection? —Clay Hudson, Newnan A: Candidates, according to law, must be identified as “major presidential and vice presidential candidates” by the “Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the other members of the committee,” according to secretservice.

Q: Has the Georgia coast ever had a direct hit from a hurricane? —Donna Matthews, Duluth A: The last hurricane to make landfall on the Georgia coast was Hurricane David, a Category 1 storm that made landfall south of Savannah in 1979, meteorologist Kirk Mellish of AM 750 and 95.

Q: A recent article stated that thousands of Verizon workers on strike has inflated the national unemployment figures. However, according to the Department of Labor’s website, these people would be in an industrial dispute and would be considered employed.

Q: How did the ponies on the Outer Banks fare during Hurricane Irene? -- Mike Smith, Marietta A: They made it through Hurricane Irene just fine, an employee with Wild Horse Adventure Tours in Corolla, N.C., told WRAL-TV in Raleigh. Jennifer Old told the station that the wild ponies are “very resilient” and know “the right places to hide.

Q. When did Supplemental Security Income payments under Social Security become available, and under which president did they start? — Ernie Carlson, Covington A. Supplemental Security Income, a program that provides stipends to low-income people who are either 65 or older, blind or disabled, began under President Richard Nixon, according to socialsecurity.

Q: Did Pixar Animation Studios pay the U.S. Postal Service to make stamps with its movie characters, and if so, how much? —Lorraine Battles, Atlanta A: No, Pixar did not contribute to the cost of the stamps, Postal Service spokesman Roy Betts told Q&A on the News in an e-mail.