Q&A on the News

Q: Which Samoa are Chester Brown's parents from? If they are from American Samoa, they are U.S. nationals (not citizens) and free to enter the U.S.

—William Wilkerson, Marietta

A: Chester Brown’s parents are from Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa), which is an independent country. Brown is a high school football player from Hinesville who committed to play at the University of Georgia, but was denied admission due to a Georgia Board of Regents policy regulating the admission of undocumented students and illegal immigrants. His parents entered the U.S. in the 1990s and lived in Long Beach, Calif., before moving to Georgia. The 6-foot-5, 340-pound lineman, who played at Bradwell Institute, signed with the University of Central Florida.

Q: There was a program on PBS called “Wild Australasia.” I cannot find it on my map. Can you find it?

—Richard Duren, Riverdale

A: Australasia is a word used to describe the region including Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and adjacent islands. “Wild Australasia” is the name of a nature series produced over three years by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that explores Australia, its closest islands and the surrounding bodies of water. Its “film crews explored every corner of the region to photograph the most impressive wildlife spectacles, strangest animals and most beautiful scenery, including many surprises rarely filmed,” according to www.abc.net.au. There are six episodes in the series.