“The Local Skinny!” March 3; Local Home and Garden Show

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Each Wednesday “The Local Skinny!” is the Home and Garden Show, which features co-hosts Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie of the Vance County Cooperative Extension service.

Vance County COOP agents and staff can be reached throughout the week locally at 438-8188.

As you will hear in today’s podcast below, listener calls at 492-5594 with questions or comments pertaining to your home and garden are more than welcome.

Listen each Wednesday throughout the year at 11:30 a.m.

 

TownTalk 03-03-21; Tax Time and More

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For today’s TownTalk Audio Click Play.

WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.

(IRS Press Release mentioned at the end of TownTalk)

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service reminds first-time filers and those who usually don’t have a federal filing requirement to consider filing a 2020 tax return. They may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, a new refundable credit, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the COVID-related Tax Relief Act.

Most individuals eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit have already received the full amount in two rounds of payments, known as Economic Impact Payments. All legally permitted first and second Economic Impact Payments have been issued.

Individuals who were eligible but did not receive the first or second Economic Impact Payment or received less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 federal tax return, even if they do not usually file a tax return. The IRS offers free options to prepare and file a return.

Taxpayers who received the full amounts of both Economic Impact Payments won’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit or include any information about the payments on their 2020 tax return because the IRS already issued their Recovery Rebate Credit in advance as Economic Impact Payments.

Didn’t get an Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount?

People who didn’t get an Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return, even if they don’t usually file.

The first Economic Impact Payment was based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information or 2018 if the 2019 tax return information was not available. The second Economic Impact Payment was based on an individual’s 2019 tax year information. The Recovery Rebate Credit is similar except that the eligibility and the amount are based on 2020 information on the tax return. The Recovery Rebate Credit is reduced by any Economic Impact Payments issued.

People who were not eligible for either or both of the Economic Impact Payments may still be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit since it’s based on their 2020 tax return information. Those with lower income in 2020 or who were claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return in 2018 or 2019, but who cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return in 2020, may now be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit.

People eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit based on their 2020 tax information must file a 2020 federal tax return. For more information about the Recovery Rebate Credit, see Frequently Asked Questions at IRS.gov.

Filing a 2020 tax return

To avoid refund delays, file a complete and accurate tax return. The best way to file a complete and accurate 2020 tax return is to file electronically. The tax software will ask questions about income, credits and deductions and help taxpayers figure their Recovery Rebate Credit. The Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR instructions includes a worksheet that can also help.

Individuals will need to know the amount of their Economic Impact Payments to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Those who don’t have their Economic Impact Payment notices can view the amounts of their first and second Economic Impact Payments through their individual online account. For married filing joint individuals, each spouse will need to log into his or her own account.

The Recovery Rebate Credit will be included in any tax refund. It will not be issued separately. For those due a refund (which would include the Recovery Rebate Credit), combining electronic filing with direct deposit is the safest and fastest way to get their refund.

IRS Free File

Taxpayers with incomes of $72,000 or less, an use brand-name software to prepare and file their federal tax returns electronically for free with IRS Free File. IRS Free File is a great option for people who are only filing a tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Free File Fillable Forms is the only IRS Free File option available for most taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is greater than $72,000.

Taxpayers who have no taxable income but are filing a return to receive the Recovery Rebate Credit should look for several of the Free File products that have no minimum income for eligibility. Simply go to IRS.gov/Free File, select “Choose an IRS Free File Offer” and then select “Browse All Offers” to find a Free File product with no minimum income as part of its offer.

Free online tax help for military service members, families and some veterans

MilTax, Military OneSource’s tax service, provides online software for eligible individuals to electronically file a federal return and up to three state returns for free.

Free tax preparation in local communities

First-time filers and those who usually don’t have a filing requirement may also qualify for free assistance from IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs in their community. These programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.

The VITA program has operated for over 50 years, offering free tax help to:

  • People who generally make $57,000 or less
  • Persons with disabilities; and
  • Limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their tax return.

In addition to VITA, the TCE program offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors.

This year, some VITA/TCE sites are not operating at full capacity and others are not opening. Check the VITA/TCE locator tool to search for nearby available sites.

Help at IRS.gov

IRS.gov has online resources to answer tax questions immediately. The Interactive Tax Assistant is a tool that provides answers to several tax-law questions specific to a taxpayer’s individual circumstances.

Visit IRS.gov/filing for details about IRS Free File, Free File Fillable Forms, free VITA or TCE tax preparation sites in the local community or finding a trusted tax professional.

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News Audio 03-03-21 Noon

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WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

Click Play for today’s Local News Audio.

PRESENTED IN PART BY OUR SPONSOR DRAKE DENTISTRY

Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.

“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

 

NCDHHS

NC to Receive Authorized Johnson & Johnson’s One-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine Wednesday

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— NCDHHS Press Release — 

North Carolina has another tested, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to protect against virus-related hospitalization and death. The federal government authorized the distribution of Johnson & Johnson’s (Janssen) one-shot vaccine and more than 80,000 doses are expected to arrive in the state this week, beginning on Wednesday.

“A third COVID-19 vaccine means North Carolina can get more people vaccinated sooner, which will save lives and slow the spread,” said North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.

Like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines currently in use, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine protects against virus-related hospitalization and death. There are possible temporary reactions, such as a sore arm, fever, headache or feeling tired and achy for a day or two. All of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized were built upon decades of previous work on similar vaccines.

This increased supply will help to ensure the equitable distribution and access to COVID-19 vaccines in every community in the state. The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a single-dose shot and does not require extreme cold storage. As a result, it can be more easily shipped, stored and administered, factors that will help to increase the number of vaccination sites and make them more accessible.

“COVID-19 vaccines and the continued use of the 3 Ws are the most effective ways to help North Carolina stop the spread of COVID-19, get us back in control of our lives and back to the people and places we love,” said Secretary Cohen.

Visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov for accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccines. To slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, continue to practice the 3 Ws – wear a mask, wait six feet apart and wash your hands.

Summer Completion for Vance County’s EJMS Project

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Construction projects often face challenges to completion, and chief among those challenges are weather and money. The site of the former Eaton Johnson Middle School has experienced both lately, but County Manager Jordan McMillen said Tuesday he anticipates that by early summer, the renovations to convert the former school should be complete.

The county commissioners approved a change order that adds almost $38,000 to the construction project to transform the Eaton Johnson campus to the new home for the Department of Social Services and the Senior Center, McMillen said in a written statement to WIZS.

Commissioners approved the addition of $37,019.39 to the project cost, he said, to cover costs to make sure the building and ceiling are supported properly to meet building code. These items were discovered during the demolition phase of the project, he added.

The prolonged wet weather and winter ice storms have slowed the project by three or four weeks, but McMillen said work should be able to get back on track for a June or July move-in date for the two agencies.

“This schedule will be refined as we work through the final stages of construction and as we work to move approximately 110 DSS employees, phone equipment, storage cabinets and other items to the new facility,” McMillen said.

The project will bring the Department of Social Services offices under one roof, he added. “Our $4.5 million investment in this facility not only puts a vacant school into reuse, but allows us to look towards the future,” McMillen said. The new senior center more than doubles the current square footage, – from 9,000 to 21,000 square feet –  and “will lend itself to serving more seniors in the future and will address concerns we have heard in the past with limited parking downtown for the seniors,” he added.

 

American Flag

“The Local Skinny!” Mar 2; Optimist Club Flag Project Supports Community

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The Henderson Optimist Club invites area businesses to fly an American flag to help fund club projects as they display their patriotism in the community.

Thurman Murphy was on “The Local Skinny!” Tuesday and told John C. Rose that the flag project is one of the ways the club funds its various community projects. New subscribers pay an initial fee of $60, with a $30 annual renewal fee.

“We keep the flags and put them out ourselves,” Murphy said. About 35 businesses, most of them in the downtown area, currently participate. This project has been in existence since the late 1960’s, he said, the brainchild of founding club member Ed White. The club replaces the flag or the pole when the need arises, he said.

Club members put up the flag eight times a year – Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day, Murphy said, adding that they sometimes get requests from the Chamber of Commerce or other business associations for the flags to be posted at other special occasions.

The mission of the Henderson Optimist Club is to help the youth in the community, and the club does this through various projects and contests, Murphy noted.

The projects help fund two scholarships awarded to two Vance County students each year. The $1,000 scholarships are renewable for four years. Although the student doesn’t have to attend a school in Vance County, the student must be a resident of Vance County, he explained.

“The Local Skinny!” March 2 Podcast with Thurman Murphy

Other annual contests for high school students are the oratorical contest and the essay contest. Local winners advance to the zone level, and from there, district and then national levels, he said. Winners at the district and national levels are awarded scholarship prizes as well.

Murphy said the “Attend and Win,” contest at the eight county elementary schools gives a pizza party to the classroom at each school with the highest quarterly attendance. That contest has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he said the project will pick back up as soon as it’s safe to be back in the school buildings.

The local Optimist Club also:

  • sponsors two baseball leagues at the YMCA and the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department;
  • hosts a Christmas party with gifts each year for children at the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford;
  • financially supports the Optimist Cottage at the Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw;
  • hosts the “Respect For Law” project each year and names an officer of the year from the Henderson police department, Vance County sheriff’s office, NC Highway Patrol, Henderson and Vance County fire departments and Kerr Lake park rangers.

To sign up your business to display the American flag, please call Thurman Murphy at 252.432.6847 or email thurmanmurphy@nc.rr.com.

Optimist Club members Dean Thornton and Tommy Farmer also serve on the Optimist Flag Committee.

Local News Audio

WIZS Local News 03-2-21 Noon

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WIZS Your Community Voice — 100.1 FM / 1450 AM

Click Play for today’s Local News Audio.

PRESENTED IN PART BY OUR SPONSOR DRAKE DENTISTRY

Local News Airs on WIZS M-F at 8 a.m., 12 Noon and 5 p.m.

“TownTalk” Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

“The Local Skinny!” Airs on WIZS Mon-Thurs at 11:30 a.m.

Town Talk Logo

TownTalk 03-2-21 Marijuana Legalization

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Host John C. Rose and Co-host Bill Harris discuss recent marijuana legalization bills that have been passed in New Jersey and Virginia and how it may impact drug laws in North Carolina.

For complete details and full audio click play.

 

West End Baptist

West End Baptist Church Fish Fry Fundraiser for Local Ministries March 15 at 220

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The Baptist Men of West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive in Henderson will be sponsoring a Fish Fry Fundraiser to support Local Ministries.

The fish fry will take place at 220 Seafood Restaurant in Henderson on Monday, March 15th.  It will start at 4 p.m. and end at 7 p.m.

Cost is $8.00 per plate, and that includes a trout dinner with slaw, French fries and hushpuppies. Take out only.

All proceeds will be used to support local ministries including ACTS, Lifeline Ministries, Rebuilding Hope, GRACE Ministries
and others.

For tickets in advance, call Jerry Parrish at 492-6353.  Tickets will be available at the restaurant as well on March 15 during the fish fry.

(This information is posted as a public service, and it was submitted to WIZS by Jerry Parrish.  If your church or civic group would like an announcement on the air and online, please visit www.wizs.com/psas and fill out the simple form or email johncharles@wizs.com.)

NC DOT

More Than 1 Million Pounds of Roadside Litter Collected This Year

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— press release courtesy of NCDOT

RALEIGH – As part of its litter removal efforts, N.C. Department of Transportation crews, contractors and volunteers have now collected more than 1 million pounds of litter from roadsides statewide this year.

“We are only just beginning this year’s efforts to clean up and prevent litter on our roadsides,” said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “But we need everyone’s help. We all are responsible for keeping North Carolina clean and beautiful.”

NCDOT reports that the agency and its partners have removed 1.18 million pounds of litter since Jan. 1.

NCDOT’s litter management programs are multifaceted. The department makes use of both state-owned forces and contract services statewide. NCDOT’s Sponsor-A-Highway Program allows businesses, organizations and individuals to sponsor litter removal along roadsides. NCDOT is also proud to partner with the more than 120,000 participants in the Adopt-A-Highway Program, where volunteers pledge to clean a section of our highways at least four times a year.

North Carolinians looking to help keep the state’s roadways clean can volunteer for the upcoming Spring Litter Sweep, which will run from April 10-24.

Litter is unsightly, costs millions of dollars to clean up and can hurt tourism, the environment and the state’s quality of life. The most effective way to aid litter removal efforts is to stop it at its source.

Everyone should do their part by:

  • Securing their loads before driving. Unsecured trash can fly from a vehicle and end up as roadside litter.
  • Trash should be held onto until it can be disposed of properly. Keep a litter bag in your vehicle so you can properly dispose of trash later.
  • Recycle whenever possible. Recycling protects our environment, saves landfill space and keeps the community clean.

***NCDOT***