Q: There was a recent story about a 3-year-old girl confined to a wheelchair who became frightened at a TSA checkpoint. She and her mother got through the checkpoint, but did a TSA staffer confiscate the little girl’s stuffed toy and refuse to return it?
—Marion G. Webb, Austell
A: TSA agents at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport initially didn't return the stuffed animal, which had been screened, to a 3-year-old who has spina bifida and is confined to a wheelchair. Video taken later showed the girl with her stuffed animal. Annie Schulte, the mother of the girl, began video recording the Feb. 8 incident after a TSA agent said they needed to screen Lucy and her wheelchair. The agent initially told her it was illegal to record the patdown, according to The Associated Press. Agents eventually decided against a patdown and the TSA apologized for the incident.
Q: When a Pope is elected, does he pick his new name, or is it given by the electors?
—Jeff Jones, Cartersville
A: When a pope is elected, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals asks him to choose a papal name. The new pope says what name he'll take, and the oldest cardinal announces the new pope from Saint Peter's Basilica, according to CNN.com. Joseph Ratzinger, who stepped down at the end of February, chose Benedict XVI when he was elected in 2005. John (23 times), Benedict (16) and Gregory (16) have been the most popular names for popes.
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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