Q: It has been reported that the 14 Democratic senators in Wisconsin have been staying at an out-of-state hotel for the last three weeks. Are they paying for the room fees personally or is the state being charged for their rooms? Or is an organization picking up the tab?
Connie Corpening, Woodstock
A: The New York Times reported that leaders with the Democratic Party in Indiana volunteered to pay for legislators' hotel rooms. But some Wisconsin senators told the paper they were paying for the rooms themselves, using "discount travel Web sites in search of deals every time they moved to a new hideout," the paper reported.
Q: Is it true that mothballs are a deterrent to squirrels, rats and other rodents?
Charles Watson, Decatur
A: It may deter them, but it is hazardous and not recommended, Timothy Daly, agricultural and natural resources agent with the Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension, told Q&A on the News. There are two varieties of mothballs and both are considered irritants and are toxic if swallowed, particularly if they are the variety of mothballs containing the chemical naphthalene, Katherine Y. Gilmore with the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine told Q&A on the News. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Animal Poison Control Center has managed 113 cases of mothball poisoning in the past year, most of which occurred during spring and summer months.
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).
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