Q: A young lady was found dead on a sofa in Valdosta, and police were considering homicide, but I never heard more about it. What happened with that case? —Joyce O'Brien, Marietta
A: The Valdosta Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Valdosta State University Police Department are working the case but have no updates, Valdosta Police Department Commander Brian Childress told Q&A on the News in an email. He wrote that they are still waiting for the medical examiner's report on the death of Valdosta State freshman Jasmine Benjamin, who was found unresponsive on a couch in a study room in her dorm on Nov. 18. Benjamin, who graduated from Central Gwinnett High School, would have turned 18 on Dec. 1.
Q: Several weeks ago, the Congressional Research Service issued a report that was requested by the Senate Republicans concerning the impact on the economy from reducing the high income tax rates. The Republicans did not like the conclusion of the report and sent it back to the research group. Was the report or its conclusions ever released? — Perry Penton, Smyrna
A: The Congressional Research Service report, titled "Taxes and the Economy: An Economic Analysis of the Top Tax Rates since 1945," by Thomas L. Hungerford, was released by the Democratic Policy & Communications Center on Nov. 1. It can be read here: www.dpcc.senate.gov/files/documents/CRSTaxesandtheEconomy%20Top%20Rates.pdf. It originally was released in September but was taken out of circulation, according to published reports. The New York Times describes the CRS as "a nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress." The Library of Congress' website (www.loc.gov) says the CRS "works exclusively for the U.S. Congress."
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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