Many people are looking at the sky, hoping winter rains will move in and stay for several months. David Stooksbury, the State Climatologist and Professor of Engineering at the University of Georgia says the next three months will be critical when it comes to rainfall in the state. "Wintertime rainfall is necessary to recharge the soil moisture, stream flows, groundwater, and reservoirs across the entire state of Georgia. If we do not receive adequate rainfall during the next three months, conditions will be quite critical as we enter the heavy water use months of late spring and summer." David Stooksbury with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The State Climatologist goes on to say water restrictions that are still effective could become even more rigid this spring and summer, meaning Georgian's will have a harder time keeping their lawns watered and cars washed. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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The income tax season can be long and frustrating, as people add, subtract, then refigure how much the taxman will collect this year. Keith Kightlinger, an Agricultural Economist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says there will be a new tax bracket in 2002. "We're going to have a new 10 percent ordinary tax bracket. That will be for the first six thousand dollars of taxable income for single taxpayers and taxpayers who are using the married filing separate status, and twelve thousand dollars for taxpayers who are using the married filing joint status." Keith Kightlinger with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The university economist adds there will be changes in IRA's. The contribution and deduction limit will increase to three thousand dollars, and taxpayers fifty years of age and older will get an additional five hundred dollar catch up allowance in 2002. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Warm weather through most of December caused the sweet crop to grow too fast. When cold weather finally arrived late in the month, the sudden drop in temperatures well into the twenties caused damage in some fields. But Reid Torrance, a county extension agent in Tattnall County, Georgia says overall, the crop made it through into January in good shape. "Overall the crop is in good shape, we had some injury from frost, we had some injury from sleet, certain isolated fields were injured fairly significantly but, nothing really monumental at this point." Reid Torrance with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds most growers were glad to see the cold weather move in and slow down the rapid growth of the plants. Farmers also hope for a normal weather pattern the rest of the winter, and there won't be any late freezes in March or April. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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The study found that repeated sexual abuse causes physical changes in the blood flow and function of a certain region in the brain. This region of the brain has also been found to change in people addicted to drugs. Libby Jackson, a Project Coordinator with the University of Georgia Extension Service says victims often turn to drugs or alcohol to ease the pain and trauma of their past experience. "They probably first start using it to alleviate the pain of their experience, but their experience also creates in the brain more of a craving to use alcohol and drugs." Libby Jackson with the College of Family and Consume Sciences, who adds damage to this part of the brain may cause a person to become more irritable. This person may then seek external means, such as alcohol or drugs to ease this irritability. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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It's that time of the year, when people pledge to make healthier choices when eating, and lose some weight. But a Nutrition Specialist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says many people give up or get discouraged because they did not have a specific strategy for success. She adds setting goals helps people become more confident as they struggle to get rid of those pounds. "When we set goals, we become more motivated and confident in our ability to reach those goals." That was Kelly Cordray with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, who adds having knowledge about healthy eating or weight loss alone will not show results in most cases. Instead, we must know how to apply this knowledge to our daily routine to increase the chances of success. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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