Q: Will the new $35 special annual fee for my Wildlife tag (with the image of the bald eagle) go to the state treasury or to the agency the tag represents?
— Mary P. Apps, Roswell
A: Of the $35, the sponsoring organization – the Nongame Conservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division – receives $10. The funds are used for conservation, education and recreation projects and to purchase and preserve habitat, according to its website. The state treasury receives $25, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division website. The fee distribution breakdown is provided for each special tag at motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/platesamples.aspx.
Q: In the AJC in the fall, the forecast indicated a warmer-than-normal winter expected because it’s a raminea year. Given the recent weather patterns, has that prediction been modified?
— Lisa New, Atlanta
A: It's not a "raminea" year, it's a "La Nina" year – cooler than normal water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, WSB Radio meteorologist Kirk Mellish told Q&A on the News. In a "typical" La Nina winter, much of the Southeast U.S. will average above normal in temperatures and below normal in precipitation, he wrote in an e-mail. This does not mean every day or every week of winter will be above normal, but the average of the three winter months will be. "That forecast was updated early in February when it was clear that the northern hemisphere was experiencing historic unprecedented weather never seen before in history with this type of La Nina."
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).
About the Author
