Q: At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, I use the cellphone lot to pick up arriving passengers. Why are there several handicap spots when no one walks to the cellphone lot and no one in that lot will walk to the passenger terminal?
—Ed Woods, Canton
A: All lots at Hartsfield-Jackson have accessible parking for those with disabilities and the appropriate permit, Steve Mayers, the airport's director of customer experience and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, told Q&A on the News via email.
The ADA has rules for the number of accessible spots to regular spots, despite the intent of the lot, Mayers wrote. He added that the cellphone lot is intended as a place to wait for a passenger pickup call only and is not conducive to foot traffic from the arrival terminal.
Q: What is the total amount of money the American Red Cross collected during the hurricanes? Where has that money has been spent?
—Jerry Skidmore, Atlanta
A: The American Red Cross has raised $350 million in funds for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, the organization said in an Oct. 4 statement. From that, the Red Cross had authorized $150 million in direct payments to more than 380,000 households affected by the Texas storm.
The Red Cross said donations also fund $108.5 million for long-term recovery, $42.3 million for food, shelter and relief items, and $2.5 million for health and mental health services for Harvey victims.
With donations still coming, USA Today reported this month that Red Cross relief donations for Hurricane Irma, which hit two weeks after Harvey, have reached $45 million. For late September’s Hurricane Maria, donations have reached $9 million.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Maggie Scruggs contributed. Do you have a question? 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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