Q&A on the News

Q: While driving on I-16, I was passed by two huge vehicles with letters on the back that read: “State Trooper Caisson Unit.” Any info?

DEWEY MOODY, GRAYSON

A: The vehicles were likely members of the North Carolina Troopers Association’s (NCTA) Caisson Unit, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s public information office. The unit, which serves North Carolina and its bordering states, provides horse-drawn carriages for officers killed in the line of duty.

Caissons — the name for the wagons themselves — have been used to transport deceased military personnel since the Civil War. The NCTA’s unit has been in operation since 2007, according to its website.

Georgia does not have a caisson unit. The NCTA has led caisson services for seven fallen officers in Georgia since August 2010, according to the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association’s website.

Q: My wife and I enjoy walking in Fulton County parks near our home. The plastic bottle receptacles have recently been removed from Newtown Park in Johns Creek. Do you know why?

JOHN TITUS, PEACHTREE CORNERS

A: The Johns Creek Recreation and Parks Department is replacing old recycling containers at Newtown Park, a city spokesperson told Q&A on the News in an email. Some of the oldest ones have been removed, but other recycling containers remain in the park.

Q&A on the News runs Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Fast Copy News Service wrote this column; Dillon Thompson 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).