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PERMIT NO. 30 JULIAN, CA
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ESTABLISHED
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Serving the Backcountry Communities of Julian, Cuyamaca, Santa Ysabel, Shelter Valley, Mt. Laguna, Ranchita, Canebreak, Sunshine Summit, Warner Springs and Wynola.
Julian News
PO Box 639 Julian, CA 92036 Change Service requested
DATED MATERIAL
The Newspaper of Record.
For the Community, by the Community. www.JulianNews.com Montezuma Valley Store / RE Office Lost To Fire - Saturday Night
1985
Wednesday
April 21, 2021
Julian, CA.
Volume 36 — Issue 38 ISSN 1937-8416
Experts Share Advice On Confusing Tax Situations Created By Pandemic
Learn how stimulus payments and unemployment may impact your tax refund (Family Features) In 2020, Americans experienced firsts across virtually every aspect of life. Now, with an extended tax deadline of May 17 approaching, the implications for such an unusual year have some people wondering how all those changes might affect their tax refund. From job loss to new tax breaks for unemployment benefits, plus three economic stimulus payments, many Americans will see an impact to their tax refund. According to a survey by H&R Block, most tax filers have more questions about taxes than they did last year. The No. 1 concern on most taxpayers' minds is how stimulus checks will impact their refunds (52%), followed by questions related to unemployment. If you haven't filed your taxes yet, you can find answers to some of this year's most pressing tax questions with help from the experts at H&R Block.
Back Country Covid-19 Vaccines Delivered
(as of April 17)
Julian 92036 - 1199 Ranchita 92066 - 99 Santa Ysabel 92070 - 402 Warner Springs 92086 - 313
Stimulus Payments
Positive Tests
as of April 17*
(weeks new positives) Julian = 109 (+0) ** Ramona = 2,493 (+24) ** Mt. Laguna = 2 Ranchita = 13 (+0) ** Warner Springs = 57 (+1)** Santa Ysabel = 63 (+0)** Borrego Springs = 133 (+9) ** Descanso = 78 (+1) ** Alpine = 1,106 (+7) ** Poway = 2,377 (+35) Lakeside = 1664 (+18) ** Total Confirmed cases in Unincorporated San Diego County = 38,595 a total rise of 416. If you believe you have symptoms please get tested. Most testing locations do not require an appointment. To find information on a testing location near you or call 2-11 (toll free) or on the web 211sandiego.org.
State Statistics Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today California has 3,616,779 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed. • There were 2,667 newly recorded confirmed cases Saturday. • The 7-day positivity rate is 1.5%. • There have been 57,733,460 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 252,334 during the prior 24-hour reporting period. • There have been 59,768 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. • As of April 18, providers have reported administering a total of 25,533,215 vaccine doses statewide. The CDC reports that 31,625,990 doses have been delivered to entities within the state. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed. For more vaccination data, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard. • Vaccine Eligibility Update As of April 15, individuals aged 16+ are eligible to make an appointment to be vaccinated. To sign up for a notification when you’re eligible for a vaccine, please visit myturn. ca.gov. For more information on the vaccine effort, visit Vaccinate All 58. Blueprint Summary (as of April 13) 0 counties in the Purple (widespread) Tier 22 counties in the Red (substantial) Tier 33 counties in Orange (moderate) Tier 3 counties in Yellow (minimal) Tier Statewide
“We are saddened to announce our store burned down early this morning. Nobody was hurt, for that we are grateful. We will be closed until further notice. Thank you all for your support. Take care.” The fire also destroyed the Real Estate Office As of Sunday afternoon no cause had been announced. photo by Kristi Sisson CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire responded at 1:45 this morning to a reported commercial structure fire at the Montezuma Valley Store. Upon firefighter arrival, the store was fully involved and the fire was spreading to the nearby real estate building. Firefighters worked to contain the fire and protect other surrounding exposures. Crews were able to save documents from the real estate office and packages stored nearby for Pacific Crest Trail travelers. Individuals sleeping in nearby structures were able to return once firefighters had knock-down on the fire. No injuries; fire still under investigation.
Julian Union High’s Spirit Week Homecoming As many of us know Covid-19 has changed many things for us and it goes without saying that it’s changed many things for high school students. When we picture Homecoming Week in Julian we think of a grand football game and a parade down main street and all around spirit. When ASB was coming together to plan a Homecoming Week for the students we wished to give them at least a chunk of that school spirit. Which is what we believe we have done when planning this Homecoming Spirit Week. Our highschoolers decided on the theme of ‘sports’ for this spirit week. Seniors chose football, Juniors chose baseball, Sophomores chose basketball, and Freshman chose soccer. They will have dress up days throughout the whole week, Monday will be pajama day, Tuesday will be Tourist Tuesday, Wednesday will be Western Wednesday, Thursday will be TV Thursday, and the students will dress up as their allotted sports on Friday where we will have our outside and covid safe crowning of our Homecoming King and Queen. The students also got together and voted for their homecoming court. Freshman Prince and Princess is Mac Moretti and Riley Stirling Baucom, Sophomore Prince and Princess is Ben and Nevaeh, Junior Prince and Princess is Alyssa Arias and Charlie Taylor, and finally, Senior Homecoming court is Dakotah Audibert and Elizabeth Denny, Alan Avila and Molly Dickinson, Alex Gonzalez and Maria Hatch, Zen Hill and Britney Vargas. Although this Homecoming week might look different to many of us, we are still planning on that school spirit being there and giving our high school students events to look forward to. Throughout the lunch games, competitiveness throughout the week, homecoming court, and dress up days, ASB is really looking forward to this spirit week for the students.
The first thing to know about the 2020 stimulus payments is they are not taxable income, so you don't need to report them as income on your tax return. However, some life changes could mean even more money for you through the Recovery Rebate Credit. If you added a child to your family in 2020 or you're filing taxes for the first time on your own, not as a dependent, you may be eligible for an additional stimulus payment when you file your return. There's also good news if your stimulus payments were too high because your income increased, or your kids turned 17 in 2020. You do not have to repay any overpayments and your refund won't be reduced. For the third stimulus payment, there are two ways you could receive additional stimulus money. Depending on when or if your 2020 tax return was processed, your third stimulus payment might not have reflected a new child or significantly lower income from 2019 to 2020. This could be fixed through a "plus up" payment later this year or on your 2021 return. For the "plus up" payment, the IRS will redetermine your eligibility for an additional payment after you file your 2020 tax return. If you are due more, you'll receive another payment from the IRS for the difference. When you file taxes next year, you could receive an additional payment on your tax return with the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit if in 2021 you have a child, your income drops significantly or you file for the first time.
Unemployment Income
The American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress in March gave tax breaks to the record number of people who received unemployment income in 2020. You can exclude up to $10,200 of unemployment benefits as income if your household income is less than $150,000. If you already filed your 2020 taxes and your return included unemployment income, there is no need to file an amended return in most cases. In May, the IRS will begin calculating and issuing refunds for overpayments. However, because everyone's situation will be unique, this benefit may make some people eligible for additional credits or deductions, including the Earned Income Credit. Working with a tax professional to evaluate if you have become newly eligible for a credit or to understand if your state tax return(s) will be impacted will help you know what actions you may need to take to ensure the best tax outcome.
Newly Self-Employed
Many Americans got creative to overcome uncertainty in 2020 and generate more income. You may not realize it, but if you earned money through gig work last year, like driving for a ride-sharing app, you're likely self-employed. It might surprise you to learn that unlike a paycheck from an employer, no taxes are withheld from income received from gig work. That means federal income taxes and self-employment taxes are due on your self-employment income and you are responsible for paying estimated payments or face penalties. Working with an H&R Block tax pro can help you understand your situation, explain the outcomes and help plan for the year ahead.
Getting Help
With so many changes in the past year and many people experiencing firsts like unemployment or gig work, it is important to understand your situation and file an accurate tax return. Getting help is easy with H&R Block, whether you prefer filing on your own or working with a tax pro - virtually, online or in-person. If you're used to meeting your tax professional in person but want to stay socially distant, there are digital tools available. You can drop off documents at a local office or send scans or photos of essential documents, and when forms are finished, you can review and approve them online. You can also use the myBlock app to get updates on your tax return, to connect with a tax pro year-round, explore mobile banking and plan for next year. Visit hrblock.com for more help navigating this tax season.
Get Answers to Your Tax Questions
Andrew East, a former professional long snapper in the National Football League, and now entrepreneur, husband and father, has partnered with H&R Block to help answer questions tax filers may have this tax season. "Making sure people have access to financial information and being able to help bridge the gap between what they don't know and need to know is so important to me," East said. "Filing taxes can create a lot of confusion and uncertainty for many, especially during a year when so many people's lifestyles have changed. H&R Block can help reduce this uncertainty and build confidence by helping filers through digital experiences blended with human expertise and care." For answers to more tax filing questions, visit hrblock.com. DEHSILBATSE
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*** The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward. — John Maynard Keynes *** SRAEY
Earth Day is Celebrated This Week.
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We encourage you to go out and do something wonderful for the planet.