Q: Do you have an update on Bernie Tiede, who was recently released from prison?
—Suzanne Sports, Peachtree City
A: Tiede, who served 17 years of a life sentence after confessing to the murder of 81-year-old Marjorie Nugent, moved in with movie director Richard Linklater after his release in May. Tiede has been living in Linklater's garage apartment in Austin, Texas, and rides a bike to his job as a paralegal.
Linklater directed the 2011 movie called “Bernie” that starred Jack Black and was based on Tiede. Linklater told the New York Post last month that he picked Tiede up from prison and that “he started work the next week.” “(Tiede) says, ‘It’s a miracle,’ but I was like, ‘Yeah, but life wasn’t always the best to you,’ ” Linklater told the paper. “There’s so many people in our world behind bars who, given a bit of attention, and legal support, they would have much different results not just guilt or innocence, but sentencing.”
Q: Do you know why the road melted in Yellowstone National Park?
—B.J. Brewster, Lithonia
A: Heat from an underground volcano combined with summer temperatures to melt the asphalt on Yellowstone's Firehole Lake Drive, forcing the closure of the 3.3-mile-long road last month. The road turns off Grand Loop Road and leads to Firehole Lake, Great Fountain Geyser and White Dome Geyser.
“It basically turned the asphalt into soup,” park spokesman Dan Hottle told USA Today. “It turned the gravel road into oatmeal.” Road damage from the volcano or seismic events is common in Yellowstone, he said.
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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