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. He was later told his contract would not be renewed in June. Ossmann filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in February, and his $900,000 Alpharetta home was foreclosed on this summer. Ossmann joined the station in 1998.
Q: How many recommendations did the 9/11 Commission make, and which ones have not been implemented all these years later?
-- Russ Addington, Lawrenceville
A: The majority of the 9/11 Commission's 41 recommendations were implemented by executive order or became law. The Christian Science Monitor reported on the status of some of the failed reforms. One called on Congress to create a principal point of oversight for homeland security, and the paper said that 108 congressional committees now oversee homeland security, an increase from 88 when the commission made its recommendation. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters in August: "It's the one 9/11 commission recommendation there has been no action on." Draft bills in the House and Senate are focusing on President Barack Obama's $10.7 billion effort to deploy a national wireless broadband network that would address the commission's recommendation to assign radio spectrum set aside for emergency responders, the paper reported.
Lori Johnston wrote this column; staff writer Rodney Ho contributed. 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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