Q: What has happened to Mimi Alford, the mistress of JFK? She seems to have dropped out of sight and I have seen nothing about her book.
—Martha Hunt, Hoschton
A: Alford's book, "Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath," was released earlier this year. She claims to have had an 18-month affair with Kennedy while she was a White House intern in 1962. Alford, who was 19 and named Mimi Beardsley at the time, writes about how she lost her virginity to Kennedy in his wife Jackie Kennedy's bedroom and other sexual escapades. She is now a retired church administrator living in New York City. Alford was interviewed on "Today" on Feb. 9, saying, "I hate to admit today that I didn't feel guilty. But I was 19 years old and I was very young. And I was being included in something so glamorous and special, that I didn't feel guilty. And today, I regret that."
Q: The famous painting “The Scream” sold for $120 million at auction. Did the state of New York and New York City collect sales tax on that transaction?
—Donald M. Pattillo, Marietta
A: The buyer would only have to pay city and state taxes to New York and New York City if the painting ends up in New York, the New York Post reported last week. New York would stand to earn $10.65 million in taxes, according to the article, but the tax would not apply if Edvard Munch's "The Scream" remains outside the state. It sold for a record $119.9 million at a Sotheby's auction last week.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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