WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today suggested taxpayers 
who filed or are about to file their 2022 tax return use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to help update the amount of tax to have taken out of their 2023 pay.

The IRS says now is a good time to use this online tool. The Tax 
Withholding Estimator, also available in Spanish, can help people adjust
 how much is withheld and could put more cash in their pocket or help 
them avoid a tax bill for 2023.

The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, retirees and the 
self-employed a step-by-step guide to effectively tailor the amount of 
income tax they have withheld from wages, pension and other income. It's
 especially useful after a major life change such as marriage, divorce, 
home purchase, the birth or adoption of a child or a big change in 
income.

For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Workers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:

The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends taxpayers 
gather:

Income taxes must generally be paid as taxpayers earn or receive 
income throughout the year, through either withholding or estimated tax 
payments. If the amount of income tax withheld from one's salary or 
pension is not enough, or if they receive other types of income such as 
interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, 
prizes and awards, they may need to make estimated tax payments.

In 2023, taxpayers who receive more than $600 in income from 
third-party settlement organizations, including popular payment apps, 
may receive <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k">Form 1099-Ks</a>. Individual taxpayers can use the IRS online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> to see if they're required to pay estimated taxes. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records">Good recordkeeping is key</a>.

People with complex tax situations should instead use the instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="IRS&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>IRS&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today suggested taxpayers 
who filed or are about to file their 2022 tax return use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to help update the amount of tax to have taken out of their 2023 pay.The IRS says now is a good time to use this online tool. The Tax 
Withholding Estimator, also available in Spanish, can help people adjust
 how much is withheld and could put more cash in their pocket or help 
them avoid a tax bill for 2023.The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, retirees and the 
self-employed a step-by-step guide to effectively tailor the amount of 
income tax they have withheld from wages, pension and other income. It's
 especially useful after a major life change such as marriage, divorce, 
home purchase, the birth or adoption of a child or a big change in 
income.<h2>Benefits of using the Estimator</h2>For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Workers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:<ul>
 <li>Ensure the right amount of tax is withheld and prevent an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time.</li><li>Determine whether to have less tax withheld from each paycheck, boosting take-home pay and reducing refunds at tax time.</li>
 </ul><h2>What records are needed?</h2>The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends taxpayers 
gather:<ul>
 <li>Their most recent pay statements and, if married, statements for their spouse.</li><li>Information for other sources of income.</li><li>Their most recent income tax return.</li>
 </ul><h2>Withholding or estimated payments?</h2>Income taxes must generally be paid as taxpayers earn or receive 
income throughout the year, through either withholding or estimated tax 
payments. If the amount of income tax withheld from one's salary or 
pension is not enough, or if they receive other types of income such as 
interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, 
prizes and awards, they may need to make estimated tax payments.In 2023, taxpayers who receive more than $600 in income from 
third-party settlement organizations, including popular payment apps, 
may receive <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k">Form 1099-Ks</a>. Individual taxpayers can use the IRS online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> to see if they're required to pay estimated taxes. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records">Good recordkeeping is key</a>.People with complex tax situations should instead use the instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.<h2>More information</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator-faqs">Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/paycheck-checkup">Paycheck Checkup</a></li>
 </ul>

Owe on taxes this season? IRS tool will get you ready for 2024

If you're relying upon Facebook for your local news, you are missing out!

Click <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/188842?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Android device.

Click <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bookmark-favorite-webpages-iph42ab2f3a7/ios">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Apple device.

Or download our native app on Google Play or iTunes!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587155364471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you're relying upon Facebook for your local news, you are missing out!Click <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/188842?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Android device.Click <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bookmark-favorite-webpages-iph42ab2f3a7/ios">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Apple device.Or download our native app on Google Play or iTunes!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667836816364.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

How to bookmark a Post site on your mobile device

By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre will present Blues Traveler on April 25 and tickets are going fast.&nbsp;

Blues
 Traveler has released a total of&nbsp;14 studio albums, four of which have 
gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum- selling more than
 10 million&nbsp;combined units worldwide. &nbsp;

Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people. &nbsp;

"This
 will be their [Blues Traveler] first time performing at the Fox," Josh 
Davies, Fox Theatre Executive &amp; Technical Director, said. "It is 
incredibly exciting to have a band like Blues Traveler perform on our 
stage, especially since they’ve made it the first stop on their current 
tour."

1994’s “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single 
in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy for “Best Rock 
Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Their latest album Travelers Blues,
 by Round Hill Records, was released in 2021 and featured reimagined and
 recharged classics from the American blues songbook, as well as a few 
surprises. &nbsp;

The group’s first official blues album was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Traditional Blues Album” in 2022. &nbsp;

Their&nbsp;movie credits include “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Kingpin,” “Wildflowers,” and others.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A
 television favorite, they have been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” 
“Austin City Limits,” “VH1's Behind the Music”&nbsp;and they&nbsp;hold the record 
for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David 
Letterman." 

Tickets range from $58 to $78 and can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchinsonfox.com/" target="_blank">hutchinsonfox.com</a>, by phone at 877-FOX-SHOW, or in-person at the Fox Theatre box office.

The Fox Theatre is located at 18 E. 1st Ave., open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671835265952.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson's Historic Fox Theatre will be Blues Traveler's first stop in their current tour. [Photo: Judd Weil] " />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson's Historic Fox Theatre will be Blues Traveler's first stop in their current tour. [Photo: Judd Weil] </figcaption>
 </figure>By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre will present Blues Traveler on April 25 and tickets are going fast.&nbsp;Blues
 Traveler has released a total of&nbsp;14 studio albums, four of which have 
gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum- selling more than
 10 million&nbsp;combined units worldwide. &nbsp;Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people. &nbsp;"This
 will be their [Blues Traveler] first time performing at the Fox," Josh 
Davies, Fox Theatre Executive &amp; Technical Director, said. "It is 
incredibly exciting to have a band like Blues Traveler perform on our 
stage, especially since they’ve made it the first stop on their current 
tour."1994’s “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single 
in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy for “Best Rock 
Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Their latest album Travelers Blues,
 by Round Hill Records, was released in 2021 and featured reimagined and
 recharged classics from the American blues songbook, as well as a few 
surprises. &nbsp;The group’s first official blues album was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Traditional Blues Album” in 2022. &nbsp;Their&nbsp;movie credits include “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Kingpin,” “Wildflowers,” and others.&nbsp;&nbsp;A
 television favorite, they have been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” 
“Austin City Limits,” “VH1's Behind the Music”&nbsp;and they&nbsp;hold the record 
for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David 
Letterman." Tickets range from $58 to $78 and can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchinsonfox.com/" target="_blank">hutchinsonfox.com</a>, by phone at 877-FOX-SHOW, or in-person at the Fox Theatre box office. The Fox Theatre is located at 18 E. 1st Ave., open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..&nbsp;&nbsp;The show will start at 8 p.m. &nbsp;

Blues Traveler playing Hutch's Fox Theatre for first time

NEW YORK — Expecting a tax refund? It could be smaller than last year. And with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-recession-prices-d933973089cce63f07cceb6da1e5dbc9">inflation still high</a>, that money won't go as far as it did a year ago.

The
 more than 100 million taxpayers who have had their returns processed as
 of April 7 got refunds that were an average of 9.3% less than last 
year, in part due to pandemic relief programs expiring. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taxes-deadline-refund-irs-extension-penalties-563500015ec236b55a75798c3138ba60">The filing deadline</a> for most taxpayers is Tuesday, though <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">it has been extended</a>
 for parts of California, Alabama, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, 
Arkansas, Mississippi and Indiana that were hard hit by severe weather.

The average refund is $2,878, down from $3,175, a difference of nearly $300, according to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-april-7-2023">most recent IRS data</a> available.

For many households, especially working families, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">the tax refund</a> is the biggest one-time financial windfall of the year, said Kathy Pickering, chief tax officer of H&amp;R Block.

“We
 know that working families in general are the most cash-strapped," she 
said, adding that the expanded earned income tax and child tax credits <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-state-government-delaware-new-mexico-covid-743899ad1dcbeb5d88f37f98513035c5">during the COVID pandemic</a> provided a lot of benefits for families with children.

The
 child tax credit, for example, is reverting to $2,000 per child, while 
the pandemic credit was as high as $3,600 per child. The child and 
dependent care credit, a tax break available to parents and those who 
care for family members while they work, had been expanded to a maximum 
of $8,000 in 2021 and is now a maximum of $2,100.

“As those provisions expired, that's had a big impact,” Pickering said.

Rachel
 Zhou, 20, a college student in Boston whose father works in food 
delivery and whose stepmother is a social worker, said her family has 
used refunds in the past for things like home repairs that require big 
one-time payments. One rebate they received during the pandemic went 
toward fixing her house's heating, air, and ventilation system, she 
said.

Zhou has worked since she was a teenager, and has already <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-internal-revenue-service-business-49127af1315c6431199055b4e40e934c">filed her taxes</a> this year. Her refund? $1. Last year and the previous year she received “upwards of several hundred dollars,” she said.

“Overall
 it does make the situation a bit more tenuous," said Zhou. “It is nice 
to have (the refund) at the end of the year — tax season — for when 
there are gaps to be made up for in the budget.”

Zhou has worked 
as a receptionist, at a grill and an ice cream shop, and in other jobs. 
For her father, who has shifted more towards self employment in the past
 few years (receiving 1099 forms for DoorDash and other delivery work), 
she said taxes have also become “more of a hit and less of a refund.”

Pickering
 said that more Americans took on side hustles, gig and freelance work 
during and since the pandemic, and so they may be experiencing the 
self-employment tax and the consequences of a lack of withholding. A 
traditional employer who provides a W2 withholds taxes from each 
paycheck, meaning less of a potential shock at the end of the tax year.

Ted
 Rossman, an analyst with Bankrate.com, said those who receive refunds 
tend to use the money “very practically,” often to pay off debt and 
boost savings.

“What I do think is definitely significant is the 
fact that other costs have gone up,” Rossman said. “It’s bad enough that
 this is taking 10% off your tax refund, but on top of that, your 
groceries might be up, and rent, and gas prices. This is money that a 
lot of people really count on every year.”

“Even a difference of 
$300 on the tax refund, that does pale in comparison to the stimulus 
people received during the pandemic,” he said. "Psychologically, 
economically speaking, it probably feels like, ‘Just one more thing.’ So
 maybe it weighs on confidence more than actual spending.”

Alaina,
 32, a Florida-based fiber artist who asked to be identified by her 
first name to protect her privacy, said her refund will go toward house 
repairs and “clearing up debt.”

“I have a lot on credit cards and 
have had to borrow money from people that I need to pay back,” she said.
 “I wish it could go for fun stuff, but money is too tight.”

Alaina,
 who sells her work online, has been self-employed since she lost her 
job in the healthcare sector in 2021. She said she hasn't yet filed her 
taxes this year but that last year she and her husband, who is 
unemployed, received about $3,600 after filing jointly.

According 
to Bankrate's Rossman, there's a possibility that this year's lower tax 
refunds could weaken consumer spending and, as result, help slow 
inflation.

“It’s bad news for households because people want 
higher refunds, obviously, but I think perhaps quietly the Fed might 
cheer,” he said.

To combat inflation, the Fed has been raising 
interest rates to increase the cost of borrowing money, with the hope of
 slowing the economy.

Unfortunately, for those households that have spent through their savings, and who are now <a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-credit-card-debt-interest-rates-a2e1d35cb957153058d188652570c48e">relying on credit cards</a> to get by month to month, those <a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-credit-cards-a1a5c342b60b63f45d1a700798b70b3a">higher interest rates</a> have also led to average credit card interest rates of over 20%.

“That
 becomes a tough cycle to break,” Rossman said. “We are dealing with 
fairly blunt tools when you talk about raising interest rates and 
changing the price of money. High inflation left unchecked will be bad 
for everyone — but it will be worst for the lowest end of the income 
spectrum.”

Associated PressNEW YORK — Expecting a tax refund? It could be smaller than last year. And with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-recession-prices-d933973089cce63f07cceb6da1e5dbc9">inflation still high</a>, that money won't go as far as it did a year ago.The
 more than 100 million taxpayers who have had their returns processed as
 of April 7 got refunds that were an average of 9.3% less than last 
year, in part due to pandemic relief programs expiring. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/taxes-deadline-refund-irs-extension-penalties-563500015ec236b55a75798c3138ba60">The filing deadline</a> for most taxpayers is Tuesday, though <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">it has been extended</a>
 for parts of California, Alabama, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, 
Arkansas, Mississippi and Indiana that were hard hit by severe weather.The average refund is $2,878, down from $3,175, a difference of nearly $300, according to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-april-7-2023">most recent IRS data</a> available.For many households, especially working families, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">the tax refund</a> is the biggest one-time financial windfall of the year, said Kathy Pickering, chief tax officer of H&amp;R Block.“We
 know that working families in general are the most cash-strapped," she 
said, adding that the expanded earned income tax and child tax credits <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-california-state-government-delaware-new-mexico-covid-743899ad1dcbeb5d88f37f98513035c5">during the COVID pandemic</a> provided a lot of benefits for families with children.The
 child tax credit, for example, is reverting to $2,000 per child, while 
the pandemic credit was as high as $3,600 per child. The child and 
dependent care credit, a tax break available to parents and those who 
care for family members while they work, had been expanded to a maximum 
of $8,000 in 2021 and is now a maximum of $2,100.“As those provisions expired, that's had a big impact,” Pickering said.Rachel
 Zhou, 20, a college student in Boston whose father works in food 
delivery and whose stepmother is a social worker, said her family has 
used refunds in the past for things like home repairs that require big 
one-time payments. One rebate they received during the pandemic went 
toward fixing her house's heating, air, and ventilation system, she 
said.Zhou has worked since she was a teenager, and has already <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-internal-revenue-service-business-49127af1315c6431199055b4e40e934c">filed her taxes</a> this year. Her refund? $1. Last year and the previous year she received “upwards of several hundred dollars,” she said.“Overall
 it does make the situation a bit more tenuous," said Zhou. “It is nice 
to have (the refund) at the end of the year — tax season — for when 
there are gaps to be made up for in the budget.”Zhou has worked 
as a receptionist, at a grill and an ice cream shop, and in other jobs. 
For her father, who has shifted more towards self employment in the past
 few years (receiving 1099 forms for DoorDash and other delivery work), 
she said taxes have also become “more of a hit and less of a refund.”Pickering
 said that more Americans took on side hustles, gig and freelance work 
during and since the pandemic, and so they may be experiencing the 
self-employment tax and the consequences of a lack of withholding. A 
traditional employer who provides a W2 withholds taxes from each 
paycheck, meaning less of a potential shock at the end of the tax year.Ted
 Rossman, an analyst with Bankrate.com, said those who receive refunds 
tend to use the money “very practically,” often to pay off debt and 
boost savings.“What I do think is definitely significant is the 
fact that other costs have gone up,” Rossman said. “It’s bad enough that
 this is taking 10% off your tax refund, but on top of that, your 
groceries might be up, and rent, and gas prices. This is money that a 
lot of people really count on every year.”“Even a difference of 
$300 on the tax refund, that does pale in comparison to the stimulus 
people received during the pandemic,” he said. "Psychologically, 
economically speaking, it probably feels like, ‘Just one more thing.’ So
 maybe it weighs on confidence more than actual spending.”Alaina,
 32, a Florida-based fiber artist who asked to be identified by her 
first name to protect her privacy, said her refund will go toward house 
repairs and “clearing up debt.”“I have a lot on credit cards and 
have had to borrow money from people that I need to pay back,” she said.
 “I wish it could go for fun stuff, but money is too tight.”Alaina,
 who sells her work online, has been self-employed since she lost her 
job in the healthcare sector in 2021. She said she hasn't yet filed her 
taxes this year but that last year she and her husband, who is 
unemployed, received about $3,600 after filing jointly.According 
to Bankrate's Rossman, there's a possibility that this year's lower tax 
refunds could weaken consumer spending and, as result, help slow 
inflation.“It’s bad news for households because people want 
higher refunds, obviously, but I think perhaps quietly the Fed might 
cheer,” he said.To combat inflation, the Fed has been raising 
interest rates to increase the cost of borrowing money, with the hope of
 slowing the economy.Unfortunately, for those households that have spent through their savings, and who are now <a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-credit-card-debt-interest-rates-a2e1d35cb957153058d188652570c48e">relying on credit cards</a> to get by month to month, those <a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rates-credit-cards-a1a5c342b60b63f45d1a700798b70b3a">higher interest rates</a> have also led to average credit card interest rates of over 20%.“That
 becomes a tough cycle to break,” Rossman said. “We are dealing with 
fairly blunt tools when you talk about raising interest rates and 
changing the price of money. High inflation left unchecked will be bad 
for everyone — but it will be worst for the lowest end of the income 
spectrum.”

Your tax refund could be smaller than last year. Here's why

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ultimate rock and roll tribute band Hairball will 
perform at the Kansas State Fair, Thursday, Sept. 14. 2023.&nbsp;This is 
Hairball’s 23rd year of rocking hundreds of thousands of fans across the
 country.&nbsp;​

Hairball is known for their high-energy, electrifying 
performances that pay tribute to some of the greatest rock bands of all 
time,&nbsp;including&nbsp;Kiss, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Queen,&nbsp;Aerosmith&nbsp;and more.
 With their impressive array of costumes, stage props,&nbsp;and pyrotechnics,
 Hairball is sure to deliver an unforgettable show that will leave 
audiences wanting more.&nbsp;​​

It’s been said that “a band puts on a 
concert - Hairball puts on an event!” Vocalists Joe Dandy, Kris Vox, and
 Dave Moody lead&nbsp;the band through a 2+ hour mind-blowing, drop-dead 
accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world. 
The&nbsp;Hairball stage becomes an entirely new rock concert before your 
very&nbsp;eyes&nbsp;countless times throughout the night.&nbsp;​Tickets go on sale at 8
 a.m. Friday, April 21&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=2541fd3283&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com.</a> Anyone
 signed up for Kansas State Fair emails can get&nbsp;access to tickets with a
 presale code, starting 8 a.m. Thursday, April 20. Sign up for 
emails&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=caff27f52f&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.kansasstatefair.com/p/general-information1/email-updates</a>​​

The show will be Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;​

Reserved seating in the Grandstand is $30.&nbsp;

There are several options for an upgraded Grandstand experience:​ &nbsp;

Party
 alongside the 2023 Grandstand artists! The Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit
 gives concertgoers the opportunity to be on the floor,&nbsp;located right in
 front of the stage. Each ticket is $40.&nbsp;​ Metal &amp; Soul Patio​

Get
 all your friends close to the stage! Reserve a table on our Metal &amp;
 Soul Patio to enjoy the show from a private table that seats six. 
Each&nbsp;table is $350.​

Metal &amp; Soul Patio with VIP Experience​

Want
 the ultimate VIP treatment? In addition to a reserved table for six on 
the Metal &amp; Soul Patio, this package provides three beverage&nbsp;coupons
 per person, complimentary food within the VIP seating area prior to the
 show, 2 VIP parking passes, and early entrance to the&nbsp;Grandstand. Each 
table with VIP experience is $500.​

NOTE: Each grandstand ticket 
will also include a gate admission scan. Ticket will be valid on date of
 event only. Some&nbsp;exclusions apply. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=ab4a8d59c0&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more.​

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=d02caf6734&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/12251/kansas-state-fair</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;call&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=e759f727c7&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">(620) 669-3618.</a>&nbsp;​

2023 Kansas State Fair Nex-Tech Grandstand Acts (so far!):​

The Nex-Tech Grandstand is sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless and Nex-Tech.​

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681740379888.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ultimate rock and roll tribute band Hairball will 
perform at the Kansas State Fair, Thursday, Sept. 14. 2023.&nbsp;This is 
Hairball’s 23rd year of rocking hundreds of thousands of fans across the
 country.&nbsp;​Hairball is known for their high-energy, electrifying 
performances that pay tribute to some of the greatest rock bands of all 
time,&nbsp;including&nbsp;Kiss, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Queen,&nbsp;Aerosmith&nbsp;and more.
 With their impressive array of costumes, stage props,&nbsp;and pyrotechnics,
 Hairball is sure to deliver an unforgettable show that will leave 
audiences wanting more.&nbsp;​​It’s been said that “a band puts on a 
concert - Hairball puts on an event!” Vocalists Joe Dandy, Kris Vox, and
 Dave Moody lead&nbsp;the band through a 2+ hour mind-blowing, drop-dead 
accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world. 
The&nbsp;Hairball stage becomes an entirely new rock concert before your 
very&nbsp;eyes&nbsp;countless times throughout the night.&nbsp;​Tickets go on sale at 8
 a.m. Friday, April 21&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=2541fd3283&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com.</a> Anyone
 signed up for Kansas State Fair emails can get&nbsp;access to tickets with a
 presale code, starting 8 a.m. Thursday, April 20. Sign up for 
emails&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=caff27f52f&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.kansasstatefair.com/p/general-information1/email-updates</a>​​The show will be Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;​Ticket Options:​Reserved seating in the Grandstand is $30.&nbsp; There are several options for an upgraded Grandstand experience:​ &nbsp;Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit​Party
 alongside the 2023 Grandstand artists! The Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit
 gives concertgoers the opportunity to be on the floor,&nbsp;located right in
 front of the stage. Each ticket is $40.&nbsp;​ Metal &amp; Soul Patio​Get
 all your friends close to the stage! Reserve a table on our Metal &amp;
 Soul Patio to enjoy the show from a private table that seats six. 
Each&nbsp;table is $350.​Metal &amp; Soul Patio with VIP Experience​Want
 the ultimate VIP treatment? In addition to a reserved table for six on 
the Metal &amp; Soul Patio, this package provides three beverage&nbsp;coupons
 per person, complimentary food within the VIP seating area prior to the
 show, 2 VIP parking passes, and early entrance to the&nbsp;Grandstand. Each 
table with VIP experience is $500.​NOTE: Each grandstand ticket 
will also include a gate admission scan. Ticket will be valid on date of
 event only. Some&nbsp;exclusions apply. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=ab4a8d59c0&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more.​To purchase tickets or for more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=d02caf6734&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/12251/kansas-state-fair</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;call&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=e759f727c7&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">(620) 669-3618.</a>&nbsp;​2023 Kansas State Fair Nex-Tech Grandstand Acts (so far!):​<ol>
 <li>Friday, Sept. 8&nbsp;– NEEDTOBREATHE​</li><li>Saturday, Sept. 9&nbsp;– Carly Pearce with Megan Moroney​</li><li>Sunday, Sept. 10 – Rob Schneider with Byron Kennedy</li><li>Wednesday, Sept. 13 – Matthew West with Anne Wilson</li><li>Thursday, Sept. 14&nbsp;– Hairball&nbsp;</li>
 </ol>The Nex-Tech Grandstand is sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless and Nex-Tech.​

Hairball Will Rock the Kansas State Fair September 14 

WASHINGTON — As the tax deadline draws near, the Internal Revenue 
Service reminds taxpayers who need more time to file that getting an 
extension is quick and easy. An extension gives taxpayers an automatic 
six more months – until Oct. 16 this year – to file their tax return.

One of the easiest ways to get an extension is by using the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> program.

While an extension allows for extra time to gather, prepare and file 
paperwork, it's important to remember that an extension of time to file 
taxes is not an extension of time to pay.

Taxpayers who owe taxes should pay their entire obligation, or as 
much as they can, by the normal deadline to avoid penalties and 
interest. The deadline this year is April 18 because the regular date of
 April 15 falls on a weekend, followed by a holiday in the District of 
Columbia.

Use IRS Free File to get an extension online

A quick and easy way to get an extension is through IRS Free File on 
IRS.gov. All individual tax filers, regardless of income, can 
electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf">Form 4868</a>PDF by using the IRS Free File program partner <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free">software</a> on IRS.gov. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form and file it by April 18.

Other fast, free and easy ways to get an extension include using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a> or by paying with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">credit or debit card or digital wallet</a>.
 There's no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when 
making an electronic payment and indicating it's for an extension. The 
IRS will automatically count it as an extension.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that payments are still due by the original
 deadline even if they request an extension of time to file a tax 
return. Taxpayers should file even if they can't pay the full amount.

By filing either a return on time or requesting an extension by the 
April 18 filing deadline, they'll avoid the late-filing penalty, which 
can be 10 times as costly as the penalty for not paying.

Taxpayers who pay as much as they can by the due date, reduce the 
overall amount subject to penalty and interest charges. The interest 
rate for an individual's unpaid taxes is currently 7%, compounded daily.
 The late-filing penalty is generally 5% per month and the late-payment 
penalty is normally 0.5% per month, both of which max out at 25%.

The IRS will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of 
tax they owe. Other options to pay, such as getting a loan or paying by 
credit card, may help resolve a tax debt. Most people can set up a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">payment plan</a> on IRS.gov to pay off their balance over time.

Certain eligible taxpayers get more time to file without having to ask for extensions:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869881583.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — As the tax deadline draws near, the Internal Revenue 
Service reminds taxpayers who need more time to file that getting an 
extension is quick and easy. An extension gives taxpayers an automatic 
six more months – until Oct. 16 this year – to file their tax return.One of the easiest ways to get an extension is by using the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> program.While an extension allows for extra time to gather, prepare and file 
paperwork, it's important to remember that an extension of time to file 
taxes is not an extension of time to pay.Taxpayers who owe taxes should pay their entire obligation, or as 
much as they can, by the normal deadline to avoid penalties and 
interest. The deadline this year is April 18 because the regular date of
 April 15 falls on a weekend, followed by a holiday in the District of 
Columbia.<h2>Use IRS Free File to get an extension online</h2>A quick and easy way to get an extension is through IRS Free File on 
IRS.gov. All individual tax filers, regardless of income, can 
electronically request an extension on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf">Form 4868</a>PDF by using the IRS Free File program partner <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free">software</a> on IRS.gov. To get the extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on this form and file it by April 18.<h2>Get an extension when making a payment</h2>Other fast, free and easy ways to get an extension include using IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">Direct Pay</a>, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/eftps-the-electronic-federal-tax-payment-system">Electronic Federal Tax Payment System</a> or by paying with a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card">credit or debit card or digital wallet</a>.
 There's no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when 
making an electronic payment and indicating it's for an extension. The 
IRS will automatically count it as an extension.<h2>Important reminders</h2>The IRS reminds taxpayers that payments are still due by the original
 deadline even if they request an extension of time to file a tax 
return. Taxpayers should file even if they can't pay the full amount.By filing either a return on time or requesting an extension by the 
April 18 filing deadline, they'll avoid the late-filing penalty, which 
can be 10 times as costly as the penalty for not paying.Taxpayers who pay as much as they can by the due date, reduce the 
overall amount subject to penalty and interest charges. The interest 
rate for an individual's unpaid taxes is currently 7%, compounded daily.
 The late-filing penalty is generally 5% per month and the late-payment 
penalty is normally 0.5% per month, both of which max out at 25%.The IRS will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of 
tax they owe. Other options to pay, such as getting a loan or paying by 
credit card, may help resolve a tax debt. Most people can set up a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application">payment plan</a> on IRS.gov to pay off their balance over time.<h2>Some taxpayers get automatic extensions</h2>Certain eligible taxpayers get more time to file without having to ask for extensions:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad">U.S. citizens and resident aliens</a> who live and work outside of the United States and Puerto Rico get an <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad-automatic-2-month-extension-of-time-to-file">automatic two-month</a>
 extension to file their tax returns. They have until June 15 to file. 
However, tax payments are still due April 18 or interest will be 
charged.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Members of the military on duty outside the United States 
and Puerto Rico also receive an automatic two-month extension to file. 
Those serving in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/military/combat-zones">combat zones</a> have up to 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due. Details are available in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3.pdf">Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide</a>PDF.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>When the U.S. president makes a disaster area declaration, 
the IRS can postpone certain taxpayer deadlines for residents and 
businesses in the affected area. Taxpayers in certain disaster areas do 
not need to submit an extension electronically or on paper. People can 
find information on the most recent tax relief for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations">disaster situations</a> on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return">Extension of Time To File Your Tax Return</a> page.</li>
 </ul>

Need more time? Here's the easiest way to get a tax return extension

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer

DETROIT — Ten electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will be eligible for a 
$7,500 U.S. tax credit, while another seven could get $3,750 under new 
federal rules that go into effect on Tuesday.

But under the Treasury Department rules and other provisions of last year's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-climate-health-bill-9a7f349fa7b07387d20ad603f2ff4875">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, most of the more than 60 electric or plug-in hybrids on sale in the U.S. won't get any tax credits.

That could slow acceptance of electric vehicles and could <a href="https://apnews.com/article/electric-vehicles-tax-credit-7500-c562cb2d3509e93dc81d3b7d395725af">delay reaching President Joe Biden's ambitious goal</a> that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.

The
 new rules, which govern how much battery minerals and parts can come 
from countries that don't have free trade agreements with the U.S., 
bumped nine vehicles off the tax credit eligibility list that went into 
effect Jan. 1.

The 10 vehicles eligible for the full $7,500 credit
 are Tesla's Model 3 Performance model, the Tesla Model Y, Ford's F-150 
Lightning pickup, the Chrysler Pacifica and the Lincoln Aviator Grand 
Touring plug-in hybrids. Also, General Motors will have five models 
eligible this year including its top-selling Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt 
EUV, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq, the Chevrolet Silverado electric 
pickup and the upcoming Chevy Equinox small SUV.

The seven models 
that could get a $3,750 credit include the Jeep Wrangler and Grand 
Cherokee plug-ins, Ford's Mustang Mach-E SUV, Escape plug-in and 
E-Transit electric van, the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring plug-in and 
the standard range rear-wheel-drive version of Tesla's Model 3.

Consumers can check to see if the EV they're considering is eligible for a credit at <a href="https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax2023.shtml">www.fueleconomy.gov</a>.

To
 be eligible, electric vehicles or plug-ins have to be manufactured in 
North America. SUVs, vans and trucks can't have a sticker price greater 
than $80,000, while cars can't sticker for more than $55,000. There also
 are income limits for buyers.

The Treasury Department says the 
new list shows that families who want to buy an electric or plug-in 
vehicle “will continue to have a number of options to receive a full or 
partial tax credit in the near term" under rules designed to build 
electric vehicle production and a supply chain in the U.S.

The 
reduction in eligible EVs also could conflict with the administration's 
proposed strict new automobile pollution limits announced last week. The
 new standards would require up to two-thirds of new vehicles sold in 
the U.S. to be electric by 2032. That’s a nearly tenfold increase over 
current electric vehicle sales.

Many of the vehicles that aren't 
eligible for the credit are made outside of North America, but their 
manufacturers are building assembly and battery plants in the U.S., and 
more vehicles will become eligible.

Some auto industry analysts 
say that while $7,500 would be enough to entice people away from 
internal combustion vehicles, a $3,750 tax credit might not be enough to
 offset the average U.S. new EV price.

Kelley Blue Book says the 
average U.S. new EV costs about $58,600, nearly $10,000 more than the 
average new vehicle price. To be sure, average EV prices are falling as 
more people buy less-expensive models. The average EV price was $63,500 a
 year ago.

Jeff Schuster, executive vice president of LMC 
Automotive and Global Data, said half of the full tax credit isn’t 
enough. “You’re shrinking the market essentially by the vehicles not 
being affordable,” he said, adding that the average combustion engine 
vehicle isn’t affordable either.

The big issue in the rules that 
are effective Tuesday are limits on the percentage of battery parts and 
minerals that come from countries that don’t have free trade or mineral 
agreements with the United States.

This year, at least 40% of the 
value of battery minerals must be mined, processed or recycled in the 
U.S. or countries with which it has trade deals. That rises 10% every 
year until it hits 80% after 2026.

Also, at least 50% of the value
 of battery parts must be manufactured or assembled in North America 
this year. That requirement rises to 60% next year and in 2025 and jumps
 10% each year until it hits 100% after 2028.

In addition to the 
price limits, there also are income limits aimed to stop wealthier 
people from getting credits. Buyers cannot have an adjusted gross annual
 income above $150,000 if single, $300,000 if filing jointly and 
$225,000 if head of a household.

In addition, starting in 2025, 
battery minerals cannot come from a “foreign entity of concern,” mainly 
China and Russia. Battery parts cannot be sourced in those countries 
starting in 2024; minerals can’t come from those countries in 2025.

The Biden administration said rules governing that requirement are in the works.

Even
 though the rules are effective Tuesday, the Biden administration is 
taking public comments, and they can be modified later, including the 
addition of countries that negotiate trade agreements with the U.S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681753178354.jpg" alt="Ten electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will be eligible for a $7,500 U.S. tax credit, while another seven could get $3,750 under new federal rules that go into effect on Tuesday. Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Ten electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will be eligible for a $7,500 U.S. tax credit, while another seven could get $3,750 under new federal rules that go into effect on Tuesday. Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOM KRISHER AP Auto WriterDETROIT — Ten electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will be eligible for a 
$7,500 U.S. tax credit, while another seven could get $3,750 under new 
federal rules that go into effect on Tuesday.But under the Treasury Department rules and other provisions of last year's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-climate-health-bill-9a7f349fa7b07387d20ad603f2ff4875">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, most of the more than 60 electric or plug-in hybrids on sale in the U.S. won't get any tax credits.That could slow acceptance of electric vehicles and could <a href="https://apnews.com/article/electric-vehicles-tax-credit-7500-c562cb2d3509e93dc81d3b7d395725af">delay reaching President Joe Biden's ambitious goal</a> that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.The
 new rules, which govern how much battery minerals and parts can come 
from countries that don't have free trade agreements with the U.S., 
bumped nine vehicles off the tax credit eligibility list that went into 
effect Jan. 1.The 10 vehicles eligible for the full $7,500 credit
 are Tesla's Model 3 Performance model, the Tesla Model Y, Ford's F-150 
Lightning pickup, the Chrysler Pacifica and the Lincoln Aviator Grand 
Touring plug-in hybrids. Also, General Motors will have five models 
eligible this year including its top-selling Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt 
EUV, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq, the Chevrolet Silverado electric 
pickup and the upcoming Chevy Equinox small SUV.The seven models 
that could get a $3,750 credit include the Jeep Wrangler and Grand 
Cherokee plug-ins, Ford's Mustang Mach-E SUV, Escape plug-in and 
E-Transit electric van, the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring plug-in and 
the standard range rear-wheel-drive version of Tesla's Model 3.Consumers can check to see if the EV they're considering is eligible for a credit at <a href="https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax2023.shtml">www.fueleconomy.gov</a>.To
 be eligible, electric vehicles or plug-ins have to be manufactured in 
North America. SUVs, vans and trucks can't have a sticker price greater 
than $80,000, while cars can't sticker for more than $55,000. There also
 are income limits for buyers.The Treasury Department says the 
new list shows that families who want to buy an electric or plug-in 
vehicle “will continue to have a number of options to receive a full or 
partial tax credit in the near term" under rules designed to build 
electric vehicle production and a supply chain in the U.S.The 
reduction in eligible EVs also could conflict with the administration's 
proposed strict new automobile pollution limits announced last week. The
 new standards would require up to two-thirds of new vehicles sold in 
the U.S. to be electric by 2032. That’s a nearly tenfold increase over 
current electric vehicle sales.Many of the vehicles that aren't 
eligible for the credit are made outside of North America, but their 
manufacturers are building assembly and battery plants in the U.S., and 
more vehicles will become eligible.Some auto industry analysts 
say that while $7,500 would be enough to entice people away from 
internal combustion vehicles, a $3,750 tax credit might not be enough to
 offset the average U.S. new EV price.Kelley Blue Book says the 
average U.S. new EV costs about $58,600, nearly $10,000 more than the 
average new vehicle price. To be sure, average EV prices are falling as 
more people buy less-expensive models. The average EV price was $63,500 a
 year ago.Jeff Schuster, executive vice president of LMC 
Automotive and Global Data, said half of the full tax credit isn’t 
enough. “You’re shrinking the market essentially by the vehicles not 
being affordable,” he said, adding that the average combustion engine 
vehicle isn’t affordable either.The big issue in the rules that 
are effective Tuesday are limits on the percentage of battery parts and 
minerals that come from countries that don’t have free trade or mineral 
agreements with the United States.This year, at least 40% of the 
value of battery minerals must be mined, processed or recycled in the 
U.S. or countries with which it has trade deals. That rises 10% every 
year until it hits 80% after 2026.Also, at least 50% of the value
 of battery parts must be manufactured or assembled in North America 
this year. That requirement rises to 60% next year and in 2025 and jumps
 10% each year until it hits 100% after 2028.In addition to the 
price limits, there also are income limits aimed to stop wealthier 
people from getting credits. Buyers cannot have an adjusted gross annual
 income above $150,000 if single, $300,000 if filing jointly and 
$225,000 if head of a household.In addition, starting in 2025, 
battery minerals cannot come from a “foreign entity of concern,” mainly 
China and Russia. Battery parts cannot be sourced in those countries 
starting in 2024; minerals can’t come from those countries in 2025.The Biden administration said rules governing that requirement are in the works.Even
 though the rules are effective Tuesday, the Biden administration is 
taking public comments, and they can be modified later, including the 
addition of countries that negotiate trade agreements with the U.S.

Is your electric vehicle eligible for a tax credit?

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that 
IRS.gov provides last-minute tax return filers with the resources they 
need to get taxes done before the April 18 deadline.

IRS.gov remains a great resource to help people working on their taxes in the final days before the deadline. The website has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">numerous resources</a>
 ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking to tax law research 
and business topics. For answers to tax law questions, taxpayers will 
find tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> or they can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> tool to find answers to dozens of topics.

For last-minute filers, IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> allows those who made $73,000 or less in 2022 to prepare and e-file tax returns for free. Anyone can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free">IRS Free File to submit an extension</a> of time to file regardless of their income. But remember, an extension to file is not an extension to pay taxes.

IRS.gov is available at any time. It's easy to view, download or 
print tax products right away. Taxpayers will find filing information 
for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals">individuals</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses">businesses and self-employed</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits">charities and nonprofits</a>.

To see their federal tax information, taxpayers can use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>.
 They'll find information such as a payoff amount, the balance for each 
tax year owed, their payment history and key information from their 
current year tax return as originally filed. They can also get tax 
return transcripts.

Taxpayers can also use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript">Get Transcript</a>&nbsp;tool to view, print or download their tax transcripts after the IRS has processed the return.

Individuals can find the most up-to-date information about tax refunds using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov and on the official IRS mobile app,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/irs2goapp">IRS2Go</a>.
 Within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an e-filed 
return, taxpayers can start checking on the status of their refund.

Those who owe can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a>
 to pay taxes for the Form 1040 series, estimated taxes or other 
associated forms directly from a checking or savings account at no cost.
 For more payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.

The IRS encourages all taxpayers to file electronically and choose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>&nbsp;to avoid delays in receiving a refund. Filing on paper can significantly delay a refund.

In addition to e-filing, tax software helps individuals steer clear 
of mistakes by doing the math. It guides people through each section of 
their tax return using a question-and-answer format.

Taxpayers should be sure to have all their year-end income statements
 and other necessary paperwork before filing a return. This includes 
Forms W-2 from employers, Form 1099-G from state unemployment offices, 
Forms 1099 from banks and other payers, Form 1095-A from the Health 
Insurance Marketplace for those claiming the Premium Tax Credit and 
records of virtual currency transactions.

At the online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/information-about-the-alternative-media-center">Alternative Media Center</a>,
 taxpayers will find a variety of accessible products like screen 
reading software, refreshable Braille displays and screen magnifying 
software. These products include tax forms, instructions and 
publications. Many can be downloaded or viewed online as Section 508 
compliant PDF, HTML, eBraille, text and large print. Taxpayers should 
note, however, that every product is not available in all formats. For 
example, tax forms are not available as HTML documents.

Stop tax fraud with an Identity Protection PIN

An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number that prevents 
someone from filing a tax return using another taxpayer's Social 
Security number. The IP PIN is known only to the real taxpayer and the 
IRS. It helps the IRS verify the taxpayer's identity when the taxpayer 
files an electronic or paper tax return.

Anyone who can verify their identity can voluntarily opt into the IP PIN program. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">Get an IP PIN</a> for details and to access the online tool. There are options for those who cannot verify their identities online.

The IRS' <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a> program has operated for more than 50 years. It offers free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals, including:

The <a href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html">Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)</a> program also offers free tax help for taxpayers, particularly those age 60 and older.

The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Demand is high for this
 service, so taxpayers may experience longer wait times for 
appointments. Taxpayers can use the locator tool to find an available 
site near them. It's updated throughout the tax season, so individuals 
should check back or increase the distance from their location in their 
search if they don't see a nearby site listed.

<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services">MilTax</a>,
 Military OneSource's tax service, offers online software for eligible 
military members, veterans and their families to electronically file a 
federal return and up to three state returns for free.

Adjust withholding to prevent tax 'surprises'

Now is a perfect time for taxpayers to check their withholding and avoid a tax surprise next filing season. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/managing-your-taxes-after-a-life-event">Life events</a> like marriage, divorce, having a child or a change in income can all impact taxes.

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 on IRS.gov helps employees assess their income tax, credits, 
adjustments and deductions, and determine whether they need to change 
their withholding by submitting a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate</a>.

Taxpayers should remember that, if needed, they should submit their new W-4 to their employer, not the IRS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that 
IRS.gov provides last-minute tax return filers with the resources they 
need to get taxes done before the April 18 deadline.IRS.gov remains a great resource to help people working on their taxes in the final days before the deadline. The website has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance">numerous resources</a>
 ranging from tax preparation and refund tracking to tax law research 
and business topics. For answers to tax law questions, taxpayers will 
find tools like the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> or they can use the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</a> tool to find answers to dozens of topics.For last-minute filers, IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> allows those who made $73,000 or less in 2022 to prepare and e-file tax returns for free. Anyone can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-everyone-can-file-an-extension-for-free">IRS Free File to submit an extension</a> of time to file regardless of their income. But remember, an extension to file is not an extension to pay taxes.<h2>Get tax information, day or night</h2>IRS.gov is available at any time. It's easy to view, download or 
print tax products right away. Taxpayers will find filing information 
for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals">individuals</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses">businesses and self-employed</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits">charities and nonprofits</a>.To see their federal tax information, taxpayers can use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account">Online Account</a>.
 They'll find information such as a payoff amount, the balance for each 
tax year owed, their payment history and key information from their 
current year tax return as originally filed. They can also get tax 
return transcripts.Taxpayers can also use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript">Get Transcript</a>&nbsp;tool to view, print or download their tax transcripts after the IRS has processed the return.Individuals can find the most up-to-date information about tax refunds using the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds">Where's My Refund?</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov and on the official IRS mobile app,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/irs2goapp">IRS2Go</a>.
 Within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an e-filed 
return, taxpayers can start checking on the status of their refund.Those who owe can use <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay">IRS Direct Pay</a>
 to pay taxes for the Form 1040 series, estimated taxes or other 
associated forms directly from a checking or savings account at no cost.
 For more payment options, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments">IRS.gov/payments</a>.<h2>Prevent processing holdups</h2>The IRS encourages all taxpayers to file electronically and choose&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>&nbsp;to avoid delays in receiving a refund. Filing on paper can significantly delay a refund.In addition to e-filing, tax software helps individuals steer clear 
of mistakes by doing the math. It guides people through each section of 
their tax return using a question-and-answer format.Taxpayers should be sure to have all their year-end income statements
 and other necessary paperwork before filing a return. This includes 
Forms W-2 from employers, Form 1099-G from state unemployment offices, 
Forms 1099 from banks and other payers, Form 1095-A from the Health 
Insurance Marketplace for those claiming the Premium Tax Credit and 
records of virtual currency transactions.<h2>Include income from:</h2><ul>
 <li>Goods created and sold on online platforms.</li><li>Services provided through mobile apps.</li><li>Self-employment or other business activities.</li><li>Part-time or seasonal work.</li><li>Investment income.</li>
 </ul><h2>Assistive technology options</h2>At the online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/information-about-the-alternative-media-center">Alternative Media Center</a>,
 taxpayers will find a variety of accessible products like screen 
reading software, refreshable Braille displays and screen magnifying 
software. These products include tax forms, instructions and 
publications. Many can be downloaded or viewed online as Section 508 
compliant PDF, HTML, eBraille, text and large print. Taxpayers should 
note, however, that every product is not available in all formats. For 
example, tax forms are not available as HTML documents.<h2>Stop tax fraud with an Identity Protection PIN</h2>An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number that prevents 
someone from filing a tax return using another taxpayer's Social 
Security number. The IP PIN is known only to the real taxpayer and the 
IRS. It helps the IRS verify the taxpayer's identity when the taxpayer 
files an electronic or paper tax return.Anyone who can verify their identity can voluntarily opt into the IP PIN program. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">Get an IP PIN</a> for details and to access the online tool. There are options for those who cannot verify their identities online.<h2>Get free local tax prep</h2>The IRS' <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)</a> program has operated for more than 50 years. It offers free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals, including:<ul>
 <li>People who generally make $60,000 or less.</li><li>People with disabilities.</li><li>Limited English-speaking taxpayers.</li>
 </ul>The <a href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html">Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)</a> program also offers free tax help for taxpayers, particularly those age 60 and older.The <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/">VITA/TCE Site Locator</a>
 can help eligible taxpayers find the nearest community-based site 
staffed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers. Demand is high for this
 service, so taxpayers may experience longer wait times for 
appointments. Taxpayers can use the locator tool to find an available 
site near them. It's updated throughout the tax season, so individuals 
should check back or increase the distance from their location in their 
search if they don't see a nearby site listed.<a href="https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services">MilTax</a>,
 Military OneSource's tax service, offers online software for eligible 
military members, veterans and their families to electronically file a 
federal return and up to three state returns for free.<h2>Adjust withholding to prevent tax 'surprises'</h2>Now is a perfect time for taxpayers to check their withholding and avoid a tax surprise next filing season. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/managing-your-taxes-after-a-life-event">Life events</a> like marriage, divorce, having a child or a change in income can all impact taxes.The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a>
 on IRS.gov helps employees assess their income tax, credits, 
adjustments and deductions, and determine whether they need to change 
their withholding by submitting a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate</a>.Taxpayers should remember that, if needed, they should submit their new W-4 to their employer, not the IRS.

Tax filing deadline is here: Turn here for last-minute help

MINNEAPOLIS,
 Minn. — Minneapolis will allow broadcasts of the Muslim call to 
prayer at all hours, becoming the first major U.S. city to allow the 
announcement or “adhan” to be <a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-188130784496?utm_source=apnews&amp;utm_medium=relatedcontentmodule">heard over speakers</a> five times a day, year-round.

The
 Minneapolis City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to amend the 
city's noise ordinance, which had prevented dawn and late evening calls 
at certain times of the year due to noise restrictions, the <a href="https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-just-became-the-first-major-u-s-city-to-allow-all-muslim-prayer-calls/600266786/">Minneapolis Star Tribune</a> reported. The vote came during the Muslim <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ramadan-islam-holy-month-9f797d0a724c8c4dda00df3afbfd0454">holy month of Ramadan</a>.

“The
 Constitution doesn’t sleep at night,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive 
director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic 
Relations, after the vote. He said the action in Minneapolis shows the 
world that a “nation founded on freedom of religion makes good on its 
promise.”

Minneapolis has had a flourishing population of East African immigrants since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-religion-minneapolis-united-states-ded19bdda3065dea259a8c25842956d4">at least the 1990s</a>,
 and mosques now are common. Three of 13 members of the council identify
 as Muslim. The decision drew no organized community opposition. Mayor 
Jacob Frey is expected to sign the measure next week.

“Minneapolis
 has become a city for all religions,” said Imam Mohammed Dukuly of 
Masjid An-Nur mosque in Minneapolis, who was among several Muslim 
leaders who witnessed the vote.

Three years ago, city officials 
worked with the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque to allow the adhan to be broadcast 
outdoors five times daily during Ramadan. Prayers are said when light 
appears at dawn, at noon, at mid- to late afternoon, at sunset and when 
the night sky appears. In Minnesota, dawn arrives as early as before 
5:30 a.m. in summer, while sunset at the solstice happens after 9 p.m.

The city <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-religion-minneapolis-united-states-ded19bdda3065dea259a8c25842956d4">allowed year-round broadcasts last year</a>, but only between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. — typically excluding early morning prayer and sometimes night prayer.

At a recent public hearing, Christian and Jewish leaders expressed support for extending the hours for the adhan.

Council
 Member Lisa Goodman, who on Thursday was observing the final day of 
Passover, said the Jewish call to prayer — which is generally spoken 
rather than broadcast — doesn’t face legal restrictions. Observers said 
church bells regularly toll for Christians.

“It’s something I grew
 up with, but not my children,” council member Jamal Osman said, adding 
that hearing the call to prayer from local mosques brings him joy.

Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS,
 Minn. — Minneapolis will allow broadcasts of the Muslim call to 
prayer at all hours, becoming the first major U.S. city to allow the 
announcement or “adhan” to be <a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-188130784496?utm_source=apnews&amp;utm_medium=relatedcontentmodule">heard over speakers</a> five times a day, year-round.The
 Minneapolis City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to amend the 
city's noise ordinance, which had prevented dawn and late evening calls 
at certain times of the year due to noise restrictions, the <a href="https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-just-became-the-first-major-u-s-city-to-allow-all-muslim-prayer-calls/600266786/">Minneapolis Star Tribune</a> reported. The vote came during the Muslim <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ramadan-islam-holy-month-9f797d0a724c8c4dda00df3afbfd0454">holy month of Ramadan</a>.“The
 Constitution doesn’t sleep at night,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive 
director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic 
Relations, after the vote. He said the action in Minneapolis shows the 
world that a “nation founded on freedom of religion makes good on its 
promise.”Minneapolis has had a flourishing population of East African immigrants since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-religion-minneapolis-united-states-ded19bdda3065dea259a8c25842956d4">at least the 1990s</a>,
 and mosques now are common. Three of 13 members of the council identify
 as Muslim. The decision drew no organized community opposition. Mayor 
Jacob Frey is expected to sign the measure next week.“Minneapolis
 has become a city for all religions,” said Imam Mohammed Dukuly of 
Masjid An-Nur mosque in Minneapolis, who was among several Muslim 
leaders who witnessed the vote.Three years ago, city officials 
worked with the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque to allow the adhan to be broadcast 
outdoors five times daily during Ramadan. Prayers are said when light 
appears at dawn, at noon, at mid- to late afternoon, at sunset and when 
the night sky appears. In Minnesota, dawn arrives as early as before 
5:30 a.m. in summer, while sunset at the solstice happens after 9 p.m.The city <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-religion-minneapolis-united-states-ded19bdda3065dea259a8c25842956d4">allowed year-round broadcasts last year</a>, but only between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. — typically excluding early morning prayer and sometimes night prayer.At a recent public hearing, Christian and Jewish leaders expressed support for extending the hours for the adhan.Council
 Member Lisa Goodman, who on Thursday was observing the final day of 
Passover, said the Jewish call to prayer — which is generally spoken 
rather than broadcast — doesn’t face legal restrictions. Observers said 
church bells regularly toll for Christians.“It’s something I grew
 up with, but not my children,” council member Jamal Osman said, adding 
that hearing the call to prayer from local mosques brings him joy.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Minneapolis OKs dawn Muslim prayer call, 1st for big US city

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories 
and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were 
shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. 
Here are the facts:

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-FedNow-CBDC-223356937707">Federal Reserve’s payment service FedNow would not replace cash</a>

CLAIM: The Federal Reserve is launching a digital currency app, FedNow, that will eliminate physical cash.

THE
 FACTS: FedNow is a service that allows banks and credit unions to 
transfer funds more quickly. It’s not a form of currency, nor is it a 
move toward eliminating cash, the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20190805a.htm">stated</a>. FedNow has been <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20190805a.htm">in the works since 2019</a>
 and will launch in July 2023. In recent days, social media users have 
misrepresented the service, claiming it is a step toward “getting rid of
 physical money and having digital currency.” In response to the 
misinformation and confusion, the Federal Reserve <a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve/status/1644391858733187082">reiterated on Twitter</a>
 that FedNow is not a form of currency. Instead, it is a payments 
service that will be available to banks and credit unions, enabling them
 to speed up the processing of checks and electronic payments. This will
 mean people can access their paychecks and transfer money to other 
accounts instantly, any time of the day or week. Currently, these 
processes can take up to three days to clear and are often delayed on 
holidays and weekends. “FedNow has nothing to do with replacing cash. It
 is an upgrade to the decades old payment system,” said Aaron Klein, 
senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, in an 
email to the AP. Klein noted that if banks use the service, it will make
 payments faster, resulting in fewer overdraft fees, late fees and 
visits to check cashers. Many countries already have real-time payment 
systems similar to FedNow, including England. The U.S. already has a 
real time payment network, but it’s run by private banks. The Fed is 
separately researching the potential to issue a digital currency, 
commonly referred to as a “central bank digital currency,” or CBDC. Yet 
that research is in its early phases and there isn’t uniform support 
among Fed officials for issuing such a currency. A central bank digital 
currency would potentially allow Americans to make electronic 
transactions without relying on a third party, such as a bank. “The 
Federal Reserve has made no decision on issuing a central bank digital 
currency and would not do so without clear support from Congress and the
 executive branch, ideally in the form of a specific authorizing law,” 
the Federal Reserve’s website states. “A CBDC would not replace cash or 
other payment options.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-canada-bill-LGBTQ-777684926093">Posts distort proposed LGBTQ ‘safety zone’ bill in Canada</a>

CLAIM:
 A proposed bill in Canada would subject anyone who misgenders others or
 engages in anti-LGBTQ protests to prosecution and a $25,000 fine.

THE
 FACTS: The bill would not institute a blanket ban on misgendering and 
anti-LGBTQ protests. The legislation, introduced by members of the 
opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, would allow the
 province’s attorney general to temporarily prohibit people from 
engaging in acts of intimidation, such as threats or homophobic 
protests, within 100 meters (328 feet) of certain properties. Proponents
 say that the bill is intended to protect drag performers and LGBTQ 
communities from intimidation. Erroneous claims about the bill have 
spread widely across social media platforms. “New bill in Canada would 
prosecute anyone that misgendered, criticised or protested against 
Transgenderism,” one Twitter user wrote in a post shared more than 6,000
 times. “Anyone deemed ‘transphobic, homophobic or offensive’ would face
 prosecution and a $25,000 fine.” The legislation, which was introduced 
on April 4, would permit the Ontario attorney general to temporarily 
designate a property as a “ <a href="https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en/free-to-be-me/2slgbtqi-plus-glossary.html">2SLGBTQI+</a>
 community safety zone” and prohibit an “act of intimidation” — such as 
threats, transphobic or homophobic demonstrations, and distributing 
“hate propaganda” — within 100 meters of that property, according to the
 <a href="https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2023/2023-04/b094_e.pdf">bill text</a>.
 Violators could face a fine of up to $25,000. The New Democratic Party 
of Ontario, whose members sponsored the bill, said it is a response to a
 rise in hate crimes and intimidation of drag artists and the LGBTQ 
community. The online claims are “inaccurate and distorting,” Brenda 
Cossman, a law professor at the University of Toronto, wrote in an email
 to the AP, noting that the bill does not include a broad provision 
concerning misgendering, and the restrictions only apply to the 
designated zones. “The bill would not prosecute anyone deemed homophobic
 etc,” Cossman wrote. “It would only apply to individuals who seek to 
intimidate within the designated safety zones.” The New Democratic Party
 of Ontario said in a statement that some have “twisted the facts” about
 the legislation. “This legislation would not stop anyone from enjoying 
freedom of expression or assembly," the statement reads. To become law, 
the bill would still need to win a majority vote of the Assembly’s 
members, and The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario has a large 
majority in the provincial legislative body.

— Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-mrna-vaccine-livestock-mandate-covid-564035224253">No, farmers aren’t required to vaccinate livestock with mRNA vaccines</a>

CLAIM: Farmers and ranchers are required to inject livestock with mRNA vaccines.

THE
 FACTS: There is no mandate in the U.S. that livestock receive certain 
vaccines and there are no COVID-19 mRNA vaccines licensed for animals, 
as some online have suggested. Both <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/messenger-rna">messenger RNA</a>, or mRNA, and <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/RNA-Ribonucleic-Acid">RNA</a> are natural, essential components of all living cells. The COVID-19 vaccines from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/years-research-groundwork-covid-19-shots-f204192f07cfcc3503dc9c7687ae6269">Pfizer and Moderna</a>
 use mRNA to instruct cells to create a spike protein to fight the 
disease. Social media posts in recent days have falsely asserted that 
farmers are required to vaccinate livestock with such vaccines and 
baselessly suggested that unsuspecting humans will therefore consume the
 immunizations. “I just recently read that farmers and ranchers are 
being told that they must inject their livestock with the mRNA vaccine,”
 a man in an Instagram video claims. “What temperature do I need to cook
 my cow in order to get rid of the mRNA death jab vaccine thing?” 
Experts, industry groups and officials say there are no such 
requirements. “There is no requirement or mandate that producers 
vaccinate their livestock for any disease,” U.S. Department of 
Agriculture spokesperson Marissa Perry said in an email. “It is a 
personal and business decision left up to the producer and will remain 
that way.” Jason Menke, a National Pork Board spokesperson, said in a 
statement that the “decision to use vaccines and other medical 
treatments to protect animal health and well-being are made by the 
farmer under the direction of the herd veterinarian.” In terms of 
COVID-19 specifically, there are no licensed mRNA vaccines against that 
disease for animals, Perry said. Some animals, particularly those in 
zoos considered susceptible, have <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-united-states-environment-and-nature-17b927609ee4b5a7a16ddfb129840d50">received vaccines</a>
 against COVID-19. But those immunizations do not rely on mRNA 
technology, said Suresh Kuchipudi, a veterinary scientist and chair of 
emerging infectious diseases at Penn State University. Experts also say 
there are no animal vaccines currently licensed in the U.S. against any 
disease that use the same mRNA approach as humans’ COVID-19 vaccines, 
which entails delivering the mRNA by using a fatty coating called lipid 
nanoparticles — though some are being researched. There are some animal 
vaccines that use other RNA platforms. The pharmaceutical company Merck 
has for several years offered a <a href="https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/species/swine/sequivity">customizable vaccine</a>
 using what it calls “RNA particle technology”; the company creates 
vaccines against the flu and other viruses in pigs to protect a specific
 herd as needed. That approach predates the advent of the COVID-19 mRNA 
vaccines. The notion that mRNA vaccines would be transmissible through 
animal consumption — much less cause harm to the consumer — is not 
rooted in scientific evidence, experts told the AP. “The messenger RNA 
is extremely fragile,” Kuchipudi said, and is typically gone within days
 of receipt. “The chance of the mRNA being transferred, even 
hypothetically, is extremely unlikely.” Moreover, regulators licensing 
vaccines for food animals require something called a “withdrawal time,” 
said Alan Young, a professor of veterinary and biomedical science at 
South Dakota State University who also founded veterinary vaccine 
company Medgene. “Any licensed vaccine comes with a minimum time before 
you’re allowed to actually have that animal to enter the food chain." 
Menke, of the National Pork Board, added: “Vaccines are critical to 
preserving animal health and well-being, keeping the food supply safe, 
and protect U.S. livestock from emerging and foreign diseases."

— Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-video-bud-light-mexico-backlash-177684223512">Video of roller destroying beer cans unrelated to Bud Light backlash</a>

CLAIM:
 A video shows Bud Light drinkers using a “steamroller” to destroy beer 
cans in response to the brand partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, a 
transgender social media influencer.

THE FACTS: The video is from 
February 2023, prior to the controversy, and shows a road roller in 
Mexicali, Mexico, being used to destroy thousands of beer cases that had
 been confiscated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The municipality 
announced that the cases were destroyed due to health risks. But some 
online posts misrepresented the video as showing cans being destroyed in
 response to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-ap-check-656908474339">brand’s partnership with Mulvaney</a>,
 which has been met with transphobic commentary from conservative social
 media personalities. “Bud Light drinkers use steamroller to destroy 
beer in protest against partnership with trans influencer,” one blog 
featuring the video falsely stated. The false claim also circulated 
widely on TikTok and Reddit. The footage matches multiple similar <a href="https://twitter.com/ArmandoNieblas/status/1630669862183006208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1630669862183006208%7Ctwgr%5Ecefd0f22b16d9aee194439a51ea42b345a61f714%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3Dcfc0fb0733504c77aa4a6ac07caaffc7schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FArmandoNieblas%2Fstatus%2F1630669862183006208image%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Fi.embed.ly%2F1%2Fimage3Furl3Dhttps253A252F252Fabs.twimg.com252Ferrors252Flogo46x38.png26key3D8804248494c144f5b4765c41f66c6ed5">videos</a> that were posted on Feb. 28, 2023. That day, the Mexicali municipal <a href="https://twitter.com/GobiernoMxl/status/1630721652966457345">government’s Twitter account</a>
 posted photos of the same event, explaining that it showed the 
destruction of more than 85,000 beer containers that had been seized in 
2020 by the City Council of Mexicali. According to local reports, the 
cans were confiscated during the pandemic as people tried to bring cases
 of beer across the U.S.-Mexico border. In April 2020, the AP reported 
that Mexico had <a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-business-mexico-caribbean-pandemics-b267fed62a6b4a3540b7c68b4c7bf57a">ordered the closure</a>
 of most “non-essential” industries, which included the country’s major 
breweries. Norma Bustamante, municipal president of Mexicali, <a href="https://twitter.com/NormaMXL/status/1630366137644109827">tweeted on Feb. 27</a> that the authorization to destroy the cases of beer was approved “in order to avoid infections or other health risks.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1572956883313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressA roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories 
and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were 
shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. 
Here are the facts:___<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-FedNow-CBDC-223356937707">Federal Reserve’s payment service FedNow would not replace cash</a>CLAIM: The Federal Reserve is launching a digital currency app, FedNow, that will eliminate physical cash.THE
 FACTS: FedNow is a service that allows banks and credit unions to 
transfer funds more quickly. It’s not a form of currency, nor is it a 
move toward eliminating cash, the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20190805a.htm">stated</a>. FedNow has been <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20190805a.htm">in the works since 2019</a>
 and will launch in July 2023. In recent days, social media users have 
misrepresented the service, claiming it is a step toward “getting rid of
 physical money and having digital currency.” In response to the 
misinformation and confusion, the Federal Reserve <a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve/status/1644391858733187082">reiterated on Twitter</a>
 that FedNow is not a form of currency. Instead, it is a payments 
service that will be available to banks and credit unions, enabling them
 to speed up the processing of checks and electronic payments. This will
 mean people can access their paychecks and transfer money to other 
accounts instantly, any time of the day or week. Currently, these 
processes can take up to three days to clear and are often delayed on 
holidays and weekends. “FedNow has nothing to do with replacing cash. It
 is an upgrade to the decades old payment system,” said Aaron Klein, 
senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, in an 
email to the AP. Klein noted that if banks use the service, it will make
 payments faster, resulting in fewer overdraft fees, late fees and 
visits to check cashers. Many countries already have real-time payment 
systems similar to FedNow, including England. The U.S. already has a 
real time payment network, but it’s run by private banks. The Fed is 
separately researching the potential to issue a digital currency, 
commonly referred to as a “central bank digital currency,” or CBDC. Yet 
that research is in its early phases and there isn’t uniform support 
among Fed officials for issuing such a currency. A central bank digital 
currency would potentially allow Americans to make electronic 
transactions without relying on a third party, such as a bank. “The 
Federal Reserve has made no decision on issuing a central bank digital 
currency and would not do so without clear support from Congress and the
 executive branch, ideally in the form of a specific authorizing law,” 
the Federal Reserve’s website states. “A CBDC would not replace cash or 
other payment options.”__<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-canada-bill-LGBTQ-777684926093">Posts distort proposed LGBTQ ‘safety zone’ bill in Canada</a>CLAIM:
 A proposed bill in Canada would subject anyone who misgenders others or
 engages in anti-LGBTQ protests to prosecution and a $25,000 fine.THE
 FACTS: The bill would not institute a blanket ban on misgendering and 
anti-LGBTQ protests. The legislation, introduced by members of the 
opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, would allow the
 province’s attorney general to temporarily prohibit people from 
engaging in acts of intimidation, such as threats or homophobic 
protests, within 100 meters (328 feet) of certain properties. Proponents
 say that the bill is intended to protect drag performers and LGBTQ 
communities from intimidation. Erroneous claims about the bill have 
spread widely across social media platforms. “New bill in Canada would 
prosecute anyone that misgendered, criticised or protested against 
Transgenderism,” one Twitter user wrote in a post shared more than 6,000
 times. “Anyone deemed ‘transphobic, homophobic or offensive’ would face
 prosecution and a $25,000 fine.” The legislation, which was introduced 
on April 4, would permit the Ontario attorney general to temporarily 
designate a property as a “ <a href="https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en/free-to-be-me/2slgbtqi-plus-glossary.html">2SLGBTQI+</a>
 community safety zone” and prohibit an “act of intimidation” — such as 
threats, transphobic or homophobic demonstrations, and distributing 
“hate propaganda” — within 100 meters of that property, according to the
 <a href="https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2023/2023-04/b094_e.pdf">bill text</a>.
 Violators could face a fine of up to $25,000. The New Democratic Party 
of Ontario, whose members sponsored the bill, said it is a response to a
 rise in hate crimes and intimidation of drag artists and the LGBTQ 
community. The online claims are “inaccurate and distorting,” Brenda 
Cossman, a law professor at the University of Toronto, wrote in an email
 to the AP, noting that the bill does not include a broad provision 
concerning misgendering, and the restrictions only apply to the 
designated zones. “The bill would not prosecute anyone deemed homophobic
 etc,” Cossman wrote. “It would only apply to individuals who seek to 
intimidate within the designated safety zones.” The New Democratic Party
 of Ontario said in a statement that some have “twisted the facts” about
 the legislation. “This legislation would not stop anyone from enjoying 
freedom of expression or assembly," the statement reads. To become law, 
the bill would still need to win a majority vote of the Assembly’s 
members, and The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario has a large 
majority in the provincial legislative body.— Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.___<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-mrna-vaccine-livestock-mandate-covid-564035224253">No, farmers aren’t required to vaccinate livestock with mRNA vaccines</a>CLAIM: Farmers and ranchers are required to inject livestock with mRNA vaccines.THE
 FACTS: There is no mandate in the U.S. that livestock receive certain 
vaccines and there are no COVID-19 mRNA vaccines licensed for animals, 
as some online have suggested. Both <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/messenger-rna">messenger RNA</a>, or mRNA, and <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/RNA-Ribonucleic-Acid">RNA</a> are natural, essential components of all living cells. The COVID-19 vaccines from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/years-research-groundwork-covid-19-shots-f204192f07cfcc3503dc9c7687ae6269">Pfizer and Moderna</a>
 use mRNA to instruct cells to create a spike protein to fight the 
disease. Social media posts in recent days have falsely asserted that 
farmers are required to vaccinate livestock with such vaccines and 
baselessly suggested that unsuspecting humans will therefore consume the
 immunizations. “I just recently read that farmers and ranchers are 
being told that they must inject their livestock with the mRNA vaccine,”
 a man in an Instagram video claims. “What temperature do I need to cook
 my cow in order to get rid of the mRNA death jab vaccine thing?” 
Experts, industry groups and officials say there are no such 
requirements. “There is no requirement or mandate that producers 
vaccinate their livestock for any disease,” U.S. Department of 
Agriculture spokesperson Marissa Perry said in an email. “It is a 
personal and business decision left up to the producer and will remain 
that way.” Jason Menke, a National Pork Board spokesperson, said in a 
statement that the “decision to use vaccines and other medical 
treatments to protect animal health and well-being are made by the 
farmer under the direction of the herd veterinarian.” In terms of 
COVID-19 specifically, there are no licensed mRNA vaccines against that 
disease for animals, Perry said. Some animals, particularly those in 
zoos considered susceptible, have <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-united-states-environment-and-nature-17b927609ee4b5a7a16ddfb129840d50">received vaccines</a>
 against COVID-19. But those immunizations do not rely on mRNA 
technology, said Suresh Kuchipudi, a veterinary scientist and chair of 
emerging infectious diseases at Penn State University. Experts also say 
there are no animal vaccines currently licensed in the U.S. against any 
disease that use the same mRNA approach as humans’ COVID-19 vaccines, 
which entails delivering the mRNA by using a fatty coating called lipid 
nanoparticles — though some are being researched. There are some animal 
vaccines that use other RNA platforms. The pharmaceutical company Merck 
has for several years offered a <a href="https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/species/swine/sequivity">customizable vaccine</a>
 using what it calls “RNA particle technology”; the company creates 
vaccines against the flu and other viruses in pigs to protect a specific
 herd as needed. That approach predates the advent of the COVID-19 mRNA 
vaccines. The notion that mRNA vaccines would be transmissible through 
animal consumption — much less cause harm to the consumer — is not 
rooted in scientific evidence, experts told the AP. “The messenger RNA 
is extremely fragile,” Kuchipudi said, and is typically gone within days
 of receipt. “The chance of the mRNA being transferred, even 
hypothetically, is extremely unlikely.” Moreover, regulators licensing 
vaccines for food animals require something called a “withdrawal time,” 
said Alan Young, a professor of veterinary and biomedical science at 
South Dakota State University who also founded veterinary vaccine 
company Medgene. “Any licensed vaccine comes with a minimum time before 
you’re allowed to actually have that animal to enter the food chain." 
Menke, of the National Pork Board, added: “Vaccines are critical to 
preserving animal health and well-being, keeping the food supply safe, 
and protect U.S. livestock from emerging and foreign diseases."— Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.___<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-video-bud-light-mexico-backlash-177684223512">Video of roller destroying beer cans unrelated to Bud Light backlash</a>CLAIM:
 A video shows Bud Light drinkers using a “steamroller” to destroy beer 
cans in response to the brand partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, a 
transgender social media influencer.THE FACTS: The video is from 
February 2023, prior to the controversy, and shows a road roller in 
Mexicali, Mexico, being used to destroy thousands of beer cases that had
 been confiscated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The municipality 
announced that the cases were destroyed due to health risks. But some 
online posts misrepresented the video as showing cans being destroyed in
 response to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-ap-check-656908474339">brand’s partnership with Mulvaney</a>,
 which has been met with transphobic commentary from conservative social
 media personalities. “Bud Light drinkers use steamroller to destroy 
beer in protest against partnership with trans influencer,” one blog 
featuring the video falsely stated. The false claim also circulated 
widely on TikTok and Reddit. The footage matches multiple similar <a href="https://twitter.com/ArmandoNieblas/status/1630669862183006208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1630669862183006208%7Ctwgr%5Ecefd0f22b16d9aee194439a51ea42b345a61f714%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3Dcfc0fb0733504c77aa4a6ac07caaffc7schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FArmandoNieblas%2Fstatus%2F1630669862183006208image%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Fi.embed.ly%2F1%2Fimage3Furl3Dhttps253A252F252Fabs.twimg.com252Ferrors252Flogo46x38.png26key3D8804248494c144f5b4765c41f66c6ed5">videos</a> that were posted on Feb. 28, 2023. That day, the Mexicali municipal <a href="https://twitter.com/GobiernoMxl/status/1630721652966457345">government’s Twitter account</a>
 posted photos of the same event, explaining that it showed the 
destruction of more than 85,000 beer containers that had been seized in 
2020 by the City Council of Mexicali. According to local reports, the 
cans were confiscated during the pandemic as people tried to bring cases
 of beer across the U.S.-Mexico border. In April 2020, the AP reported 
that Mexico had <a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-america-business-mexico-caribbean-pandemics-b267fed62a6b4a3540b7c68b4c7bf57a">ordered the closure</a>
 of most “non-essential” industries, which included the country’s major 
breweries. Norma Bustamante, municipal president of Mexicali, <a href="https://twitter.com/NormaMXL/status/1630366137644109827">tweeted on Feb. 27</a> that the authorization to destroy the cases of beer was approved “in order to avoid infections or other health risks.”

NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🚨 I-80 is CLOSED for both directions of travel between mile marker 179 (North Platte) and mile marker 199 (Brady) due to a crash. Highwah 30 is the alternate route around the closed area. <a href="https://t.co/q8dYtbJe9X">pic.twitter.com/q8dYtbJe9X</a>&mdash; Nebraska State Patrol (@NEStatePatrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/NEStatePatrol/status/1646608744418103297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

Portion of I-80 closed at North Platte after accident

Warner
 Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely 
lure viewers, including a “Harry Potter” series and a “Game of Thrones” 
prequel for its <a href="https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-discovery-hbo-streaming-max-app-9a662dfab76d312bc2af4d9cb13b9b98">rebranded Max streaming service</a>.

Executives
 touted Max and made original Warner Bros. Discovery programming 
announcements on Wednesday during a presentation for journalists and 
investors. The $16-per-month service will be released May 23 in the U.S.
 and automatically replace the company’s existing HBO Max.

The 
“Harry Potter” series is described as a “faithful retelling” of the 
books about the boy wizard by J. K Rowling, featuring a new cast.

Each season is intended to focus on one of the seven books, though Max anticipates stretching the series to a decade-long run.

Max
 also announced it is has also ordered a “Game of Thrones” prequel 
called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” set in 
Westeros 100 years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones." It's based 
on fantasy novellas by George R. R. Martin, which follow the adventures 
of a knight named Ser Duncan the Tall (known as Dunk) and Aegon V 
Targaryen (called Egg). Martin will serve as an executive producer and 
writer on the series alongside Ira Parker.

“House of the Dragon” also a “Game of Thrones” prequel, has begun production on its second season for HBO.

Other
 announcements included a series based on the Penguin character in "The 
Batman", which is now in production with Colin Farrell resuming his role
 and another comedy set in the “Big Bang Theory” universe from Chuck 
Lorrie, both for Max.

Associated PressWarner
 Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely 
lure viewers, including a “Harry Potter” series and a “Game of Thrones” 
prequel for its <a href="https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-discovery-hbo-streaming-max-app-9a662dfab76d312bc2af4d9cb13b9b98">rebranded Max streaming service</a>.Executives
 touted Max and made original Warner Bros. Discovery programming 
announcements on Wednesday during a presentation for journalists and 
investors. The $16-per-month service will be released May 23 in the U.S.
 and automatically replace the company’s existing HBO Max.The 
“Harry Potter” series is described as a “faithful retelling” of the 
books about the boy wizard by J. K Rowling, featuring a new cast.Each season is intended to focus on one of the seven books, though Max anticipates stretching the series to a decade-long run.Max
 also announced it is has also ordered a “Game of Thrones” prequel 
called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” set in 
Westeros 100 years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones." It's based 
on fantasy novellas by George R. R. Martin, which follow the adventures 
of a knight named Ser Duncan the Tall (known as Dunk) and Aegon V 
Targaryen (called Egg). Martin will serve as an executive producer and 
writer on the series alongside Ira Parker.“House of the Dragon” also a “Game of Thrones” prequel, has begun production on its second season for HBO.Other
 announcements included a series based on the Penguin character in "The 
Batman", which is now in production with Colin Farrell resuming his role
 and another comedy set in the “Big Bang Theory” universe from Chuck 
Lorrie, both for Max.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

'Game of Thrones' prequel and 'Harry Potter' series are a go

SANTA
 MONICA, Calif. — This winter's been a hard one in Southern 
California. Highways flood and the rain keeps coming. Pedestrians pick 
their way across fallen cypress trees, around puddles on sidewalks roped
 off with caution tape. Between fire, flood, and drought, sometimes it 
feels like the end of the world.

But tonight, there’s a break. 
Just east of the Santa Monica boardwalk, a dozen or so longboarders 
cruise in loping patterns along the empty stretch of South Lot 4, a 
mostly empty parking area.

Hannah Dooling glides down the 
pavement, earbuds hidden by long brown hair tucked beneath a baseball 
cap. She steps off her longboard, flips it in a semi-circle in the air 
while taking a few running steps, and hops back on the board, landing 
with a resounding thud.

“That’s cool, right?” another woman asks.

It
 is, in fact, really cool. The trick is the half moon, named for the arc
 the board makes in the sky, and it’s one that Dooling, 30, has shown 
other women how to master. They include Yun Huang, a 33-year-old tech 
worker, and Jane Kang and Christie Goodman, both 29, who work as a nanny
 and real estate agent, respectively.

They’re all here in wide-leg
 pants and zero-drop sneakers for the longboard session, bundled against
 the wind in hoodies, puffer coats or trucker jackets.

They get 
together most Saturday and Sunday afternoons if the weather’s good, at 
meetups supported by Dancing Foundation, a non-profit started with a 
matching grant from Google by Achille Brighton, a 39-year-old software 
engineer.

Longboard dance is still in its infancy, but Brighton 
says it has already spread — here, in Paris, in Seoul — anywhere with 
public squares or wide, open sidewalks where people can watch.

“You
 don’t need skate parks. You just need roads," he says. "And because you
 do it in public, you’re out there, people see it. And they’re like, 
‘Oh, that’s kind of cool.’”

Originally designed for surfers 
entertaining themselves between sets, most longboards range from 3 to 4 
feet in length, about a foot longer than traditional skateboards. The 
longer decks can be cumbersome, but also graceful. They’re used for 
carving sidewalk turns and bombing hills, as well as longboard dancing, a
 skate/dance hybrid that fuses movement, music and danger.

“When 
you’re doing longboard dancing, you’re listening to music, typically, 
and you’re moving your body to the beat,” Brighton says. “There’s this 
effect where the rest of the world melts away. And I think that is like 
one of the things that gets you addicted.”

Dooling was an early 
adopter, learning how to skate in Seattle. If anyone wants to learn a 
trick, she can probably show them how. She works remotely for Amazon and
 moved to L.A. with her partner in 2021 during “peak COVID,” not knowing
 anyone. Skating was a way to find community.

Huang, a native of 
Melbourne, Australia, started skating during the pandemic. Some days, 
her board and her dog were the only things that would get her outdoors 
and moving.

“We were all kind of depressed from COVID," she says. 
"I tried meditation before. That didn’t work for me, but I felt like I 
could really be in the zone with this.”

At first, Huang just 
wanted to learn how to skate. Then she got sucked into “the longboard 
dancing hole of Instagram,” where a 30-second clip can be posted with 
music. That’s how Huang learned about Brighton and Longboard Dancing Los
 Angeles.

Says Dooling: “As a woman, skating can feel intimidating
 and not welcoming.” But during the pandemic, people were connecting 
through social media, finding their niche.

Longboard dance was 
featured in a commercial for Facebook Groups during the 2021 Tokyo 
Summer Olympics, showing skaters of different genders, races and 
nationalities finding each other online. You could watch reels and 
think, “I identify, or I see myself, or connect with the people that I’m
 seeing doing this,” Dooling says.

Goodman, flashing a “rock on” 
sign with her index and pinky finger, says, "I was like, Tony Hawk!” The
 women laugh, but Goodman is semi-serious. “Yeah! I was obsessed with 
him! And now I’m like, I can do some of those tricks!”

The four 
women jump in and out of conversation, their speech overlapping. Kang is
 the most reticent, a former dancer attracted to the sport’s grace. 
Dooling is unassuming yet self-assured, a quietly rebellious “solo 
sporter” who grew up snowboarding and practicing Tae Kwan Do. Huang, 
also a snowboarder, sports a sea-green manicure and dark hair balayaged 
into blonde.

Goodman is animated, her long red hair moving with her as she gesticulates.

“Don’t laugh at me, I’m fulfilling my 12-year-old dreams, OK?” she says.

Goodman first stepped on a skateboard in 2021. Now she’s sponsored, as is Huang.

Goodman
 does downhill, descending inclines at rapid speed. It’s dangerous; it’s
 exciting; “it brings up all the emotions,” she says.

The thing 
that ties together longboarding and longboard dancing is danger, 
Brighton says. You might miss a step; you might fall; you might get 
hurt, he says. “And that’s the exciting bit.”

Brighton has ADHD 
and falls on the autism spectrum, he says. Longboarding attracts a 
neurodiverse community, says Goodman, who also has ADHD. “It’s, like, 
seeking that adrenaline,” she says.

On a longboard, Brighton says,
 he doesn't have to try to concentrate. It’s built into the movement. If
 you don’t pay attention, you’re going to get hurt, he says.

“You’re
 on a board. Your brain now needs to learn not only where the body is, 
but also where the board is, and how the board is moving with relation 
to the ground,” he says. Longboarders “jump in and out of two different 
planes of movement… You need to be able to keep track of those two 
states.”

Associated PressSANTA
 MONICA, Calif. — This winter's been a hard one in Southern 
California. Highways flood and the rain keeps coming. Pedestrians pick 
their way across fallen cypress trees, around puddles on sidewalks roped
 off with caution tape. Between fire, flood, and drought, sometimes it 
feels like the end of the world.But tonight, there’s a break. 
Just east of the Santa Monica boardwalk, a dozen or so longboarders 
cruise in loping patterns along the empty stretch of South Lot 4, a 
mostly empty parking area.Hannah Dooling glides down the 
pavement, earbuds hidden by long brown hair tucked beneath a baseball 
cap. She steps off her longboard, flips it in a semi-circle in the air 
while taking a few running steps, and hops back on the board, landing 
with a resounding thud.“That’s cool, right?” another woman asks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681412146316.jpg" alt="Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>It
 is, in fact, really cool. The trick is the half moon, named for the arc
 the board makes in the sky, and it’s one that Dooling, 30, has shown 
other women how to master. They include Yun Huang, a 33-year-old tech 
worker, and Jane Kang and Christie Goodman, both 29, who work as a nanny
 and real estate agent, respectively.They’re all here in wide-leg
 pants and zero-drop sneakers for the longboard session, bundled against
 the wind in hoodies, puffer coats or trucker jackets.They get 
together most Saturday and Sunday afternoons if the weather’s good, at 
meetups supported by Dancing Foundation, a non-profit started with a 
matching grant from Google by Achille Brighton, a 39-year-old software 
engineer.Longboard dance is still in its infancy, but Brighton 
says it has already spread — here, in Paris, in Seoul — anywhere with 
public squares or wide, open sidewalks where people can watch.“You
 don’t need skate parks. You just need roads," he says. "And because you
 do it in public, you’re out there, people see it. And they’re like, 
‘Oh, that’s kind of cool.’”Originally designed for surfers 
entertaining themselves between sets, most longboards range from 3 to 4 
feet in length, about a foot longer than traditional skateboards. The 
longer decks can be cumbersome, but also graceful. They’re used for 
carving sidewalk turns and bombing hills, as well as longboard dancing, a
 skate/dance hybrid that fuses movement, music and danger.“When 
you’re doing longboard dancing, you’re listening to music, typically, 
and you’re moving your body to the beat,” Brighton says. “There’s this 
effect where the rest of the world melts away. And I think that is like 
one of the things that gets you addicted.”Dooling was an early 
adopter, learning how to skate in Seattle. If anyone wants to learn a 
trick, she can probably show them how. She works remotely for Amazon and
 moved to L.A. with her partner in 2021 during “peak COVID,” not knowing
 anyone. Skating was a way to find community.Huang, a native of 
Melbourne, Australia, started skating during the pandemic. Some days, 
her board and her dog were the only things that would get her outdoors 
and moving.“We were all kind of depressed from COVID," she says. 
"I tried meditation before. That didn’t work for me, but I felt like I 
could really be in the zone with this.”At first, Huang just 
wanted to learn how to skate. Then she got sucked into “the longboard 
dancing hole of Instagram,” where a 30-second clip can be posted with 
music. That’s how Huang learned about Brighton and Longboard Dancing Los
 Angeles.Says Dooling: “As a woman, skating can feel intimidating
 and not welcoming.” But during the pandemic, people were connecting 
through social media, finding their niche.Longboard dance was 
featured in a commercial for Facebook Groups during the 2021 Tokyo 
Summer Olympics, showing skaters of different genders, races and 
nationalities finding each other online. You could watch reels and 
think, “I identify, or I see myself, or connect with the people that I’m
 seeing doing this,” Dooling says.Goodman, flashing a “rock on” 
sign with her index and pinky finger, says, "I was like, Tony Hawk!” The
 women laugh, but Goodman is semi-serious. “Yeah! I was obsessed with 
him! And now I’m like, I can do some of those tricks!”The four 
women jump in and out of conversation, their speech overlapping. Kang is
 the most reticent, a former dancer attracted to the sport’s grace. 
Dooling is unassuming yet self-assured, a quietly rebellious “solo 
sporter” who grew up snowboarding and practicing Tae Kwan Do. Huang, 
also a snowboarder, sports a sea-green manicure and dark hair balayaged 
into blonde.Goodman is animated, her long red hair moving with her as she gesticulates.“Don’t laugh at me, I’m fulfilling my 12-year-old dreams, OK?” she says.Goodman first stepped on a skateboard in 2021. Now she’s sponsored, as is Huang.Goodman
 does downhill, descending inclines at rapid speed. It’s dangerous; it’s
 exciting; “it brings up all the emotions,” she says.The thing 
that ties together longboarding and longboard dancing is danger, 
Brighton says. You might miss a step; you might fall; you might get 
hurt, he says. “And that’s the exciting bit.”Brighton has ADHD 
and falls on the autism spectrum, he says. Longboarding attracts a 
neurodiverse community, says Goodman, who also has ADHD. “It’s, like, 
seeking that adrenaline,” she says.On a longboard, Brighton says,
 he doesn't have to try to concentrate. It’s built into the movement. If
 you don’t pay attention, you’re going to get hurt, he says.“You’re
 on a board. Your brain now needs to learn not only where the body is, 
but also where the board is, and how the board is moving with relation 
to the ground,” he says. Longboarders “jump in and out of two different 
planes of movement… You need to be able to keep track of those two 
states.”When one of the women lands a new trick, “we fully 
celebrate,” Goodman says. They hang out after sessions, walking up to 
Samosa House on Main St., Jameson’s, or Venice Beach Bar, which you can 
skate down to.The sun is lowering on the horizon, which is thick 
with clouds. The sand has turned gray and damp. Waves and wind have 
pushed sand onto the boardwalk, where it swirls and drifts in marbled 
patterns punctuated by footsteps, stroller wheels, and the tire patterns
 of a bike caravan glowing with LED lights, revolutions of pink and 
green slowly cycling towards the Ferris wheel.The women, 
shivering in ripped jeans, want to make the most of the light that’s 
left. “We need to move,” Huang says, and, laughing, they glide off into 
the sunset.

Misc