<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">You had an article in the paper the other day about the Red Cross CEO’s salary. I was wanting to know what percentage of the money donated to the Red Cross goes actually to people that need help?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Both Charity Watch and Charity Navigator — along with the American Red Cross itself — say the group spends 90 percent of its money on programs and services.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Red Cross total spending in FY15 was $2,896.8M. Of that, Red Cross spent $302.9M on fundraising and management and general,” reads the Red Cross site.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“When you compare the two figures, you see that fundraising and management and general were about 10% of our total spending, which means about 90% was invested in our humanitarian services and programs.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The Red Cross offers the following breakdown of its expenditures:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$1.87 billion to “collect, test,</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">manufacture, and distribute 7 million units of blood products.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$356.5 million on disaster response.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$48.7 million to “provide more than 352,000 emergency services” to service members and military families.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$146.6 million to “deliver preparedness, health and safety courses like First Aid and CPR.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$129.8 million on international relief programs.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">$43.1 million to fund community service programs.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.charitywatch.org; www.charitynavigator.org; www.redcross.org.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">State offers renewal of license by mail</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Can a person in Louisiana get his driver’s license renewed by mail?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Upon receipt of the renewal notice, an individual has the option of renewing a CLASS ‘E’ or CLASS ‘D’ driver’s license by mail or internet,” reads the state Office of Motor Vehicles policy and procedures website.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“The applicant always has the option of visiting a local Office of Motor Vehicles or certain public tag agents to renew his license. A driver’s license renewed by mail or</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">internet is issued for six years and expires on the applicant’s birth date.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Some exceptions to the renew-by-mail provision, according to the site:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The applicant is seventy years or older prior to 100 days of the date of expiration of the driver’s license.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The license was renewed by mail on the occasion of the previous renewal.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The license is expired 12 months or more, is cancelled for any reason, or has been lost by the applicant.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The license indicates a suspension, pending suspension, pick-up flag, has an ‘NI’ (no</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">insurance) flag, or a ‘PET’ (petition) flag.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The applicant indicates on the mail-in renewal application any changes or additions since last renewal including any change in physical condition.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The application is not properly signed.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The applicant is a nonresident alien.”</span>

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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.expresslane.org.</span>

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<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>