Readers, sorry for not updating this paper lately, I fractured my knee at the last month now I am recovering at medical facility in Sequim Wa, I'll be here for 3 months until I can return to my home in Port Angeles WA. Please bare with me and keep me in your prayers and thoughts. ---Peter Ripley, Publisher
Friday, March 21, 2025
Saturday, February 15, 2025
WSDA confirms HPAI in Mason County
OLYMPIA
– The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) confirms Mason County’s
first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or H5N1) in domestic
birds, detected in a small backyard flock of ducks.
The
initial report of sick birds came in to state veterinarians last week, with
confirmatory results received late Monday Feb. 10.
WSDA
veterinarians say bird owners in Washington should continue to take precautions
to protect their flocks.
“The
virus remains present in the environment, and we continue to recommend enhanced
biosecurity,” Dr. Dana Dobbs, Avian Health Lead for the Washington State
Veterinarian’s office, said.
Flock
owners within 10 kilometers (or approximately 6 miles) of a detection are in a
surveillance zone and are encouraged to self-report the health of their flock.
WSDA encourages flock owners to use the online surveillance self-reporting tool
to facilitate self-reporting and visit the interactive map to check if you are
in a surveillance zone. State veterinarians want to contact every flock owner
in a surveillance area to check on the health of their flock; self-reporting
allows a veterinarian to make phone contact to discuss biosecurity and what
symptoms to look for without having to make in-person contact.
State
veterinarians say the biggest risk factor to date is direct contact with wild
waterfowl.
Since
May 5, 2022, when the WSDA announced the first Washington case, the majority of
55 affected flocks (three commercial, 52 backyard) have had contact with wild
waterfowl.
Protecting
your birds
Maintaining
enhanced biosecurity involves keeping birds sheltered and restricting access to
water sources where wild waterfowl gather and interact with domestic flocks. It
is also a good idea to clean up any feed spills, limit visitors to the coop,
and refrain from sharing equipment with other flock owners.
Resources
for flock owners to learn about bird flu and protect their birds include WSDA’s
bird flu webpage, an interactive map, frequently asked questions, the WSDA
Facebook group, and USDA’s Defend the Flock webpage.
Reporting
signs of illness
If
your flock experiences sudden death or illness of multiple birds, call WSDA’s
Sick Bird Hotline at 1-800-606-3056, or use the online reporting tool. Birds
that have already died should be double-bagged and kept in a cooler on ice
until WSDA veterinarians can arrange for sampling. Veterinarians also recommend
not allowing scavenger birds to have access to dead domestic fowl, as this can
further spread the virus. Sick or dead wild birds should not be touched or
moved and can be reported using the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife’s online reporting tool.
Ref.
https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=42047
IN
OTHER STATE NEWS:
Washington
joins landmark multistate lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s unconstitutional power
grab.
OLYMPIA
— Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown today joined 13 other attorneys
general in a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful delegation of
executive power to Elon Musk — the world’s richest man who is unelected,
unconfirmed and upending the federal government./WAAG
More
than 300 applications received for WSBO’s BEAD funding in first round/WA
COMMERCE
Washington
Supreme Court Justices Will Answer Questions, Hear Cases at Western Washington
University February/WA COURTS
https://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/?fa=newsinfo.internetdetail&newsid=51669
Fighting
fires – and air pollution
Redmond
leads the charge on electric fire trucks/DOE
https://ecology.wa.gov/blog/february-2025/fighting-fires-and-air-pollution
NEWS
FROM OUR CONGRESSINAL DELEGATION:
Cantwell
Sounds Alarm on Trump Funding Cuts for Lifesaving Biomed Research
State
University is on the front lines of avian flu research - Trump’s NIH cuts could
jeopardize pandemic response
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the
Finance Committee, joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in sending a
letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert
F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing serious alarm over the Trump Administration’s recent
decisions that threaten to undermine America’s life-saving biomedical research
infrastructure, in violation of federal law.
“This
change to NIH’s indirect cost rate represents an indiscriminate funding cut
that will be nothing short of catastrophic for the lifesaving research that
patients and families are counting on. The Administration’s new policy means
that research will come to a halt, sick kids may not get the treatment they
need, and clinical trials may shut down abruptly,” the Senators wrote.
Last
week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it would set the
maximum rate for indirect costs to 15 percent—creating a serious funding
shortfall for research institutions of all types across the country. This move
would dismantle the biomedical research system and stifle the development of
new cures for disease.
This
Trump administration action is blatantly illegal as Congress’ bipartisan
Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations law prohibits modifications to NIH’s
indirect costs. Moreover, Congress specifically included this language in the
law after President Trump similarly tried to unilaterally impose a sweeping
across-the-board cut for research institutions in his first term – and Congress
has included it in every appropriations law since then.
Research
entities in Washington state received $1.29 billion in NIH funding in Fiscal
Year 2023, which supports nearly 12,000 jobs and nearly $3 billion in economic
activity. A state by state analysis of total NIH funding, jobs supported, and
economic activity supported through NIH research is available HERE.
Earlier
this week, Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown joined 21 other
attorneys general in filing a multi-state lawsuit in the U.S. District Court
for Massachusetts challenging the move. A federal judge in Boston temporarily
blocked the NIH rate cut and set a hearing for February 21st.
Sen.
Cantwell discussed the repercussions of the proposed NIH cuts during her floor
speech explaining her opposition to RFK Jr.’s nomination to head the Health and
Human Services Administration last night. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is
available HERE, audio HERE, and transcript HERE.
For
decades, Sen. Cantwell has remained a staunch supporter of medical innovation
and evidence-based science, including treatments for fentanyl addiction,
abortion, vaccinations, stem cell research, and more.
MORE
DELEGATION NEWS:
Cantwell
Introduces Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill, Secures Wins for WA Environment
& Tribes
Bill
would authorize USCG “Whale Desk” for additional 2 years to help ships steer
clear of Puget Sound Orcas and other whales/From press released 2/12/25
Pressed
by Sen. Murray, McMahon Can’t Name a Single Requirement of Landmark Education
Law; Murray Grills McMahon on Trump Plans to Dismantle Education Department,
DOGE Access to Sensitive Student Data/ Press release issued 2/13/25
Senator
Murray: Trump Blocking Funding Will Kill Good-Paying Energy Jobs and Raise
Families’ Energy Bills/ FROM PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 2/13/25
WORLD,
NATION, BUSINESS
WORLD
Second
World Summit in Doha Must Advance Humanity’s Fight against Structural
Inequalities, Speakers Tell Commission for Social Development
At
one of two panel discussions held today by the Commission for Social
Development, speakers stressed that the Second World Summit for Social
Development must advance humanity’s fight against structural inequalities by
promoting quality employment for young people, closing digital divides,
addressing the challenges of ageing populations and tackling the climate
crisis.
The
Commission — established in 1946 by the Economic and Social Council as one of
its functional commissions — advises the United Nations on social development
issues, and its sixty-third session will run through 14 February.
The
first panel discussion, titled “Preparations for the World Social Summit under
the title of the Second World Summit for Social Development”, focused on the
specific needs of various regions ahead of the meeting to take place in
November in Doha. Panellists provided
updates collected via various regional consultations and underscored the global
summit’s unique opportunity to reset global priorities and build a more
sustainable future for all.
Navid
Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Department of
Economic and Social Affairs, moderated the panel. “The state of play looks good, but then I ask
myself if I were to describe it in two words I would say, not good,” he
emphasized. Around 300 million people
will still be living in poverty by 2030 if the world continues the same
trajectory.
“Unless
we act with foresight, the gaps we seek to close will only deepen,” said Rola
Dashti, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia (ESCWA). For the Arab
region, social development cannot succeed unless conflict and displacement are
addressed. “Social policies must be
designed for resilience,” she went on to stress. The Arab region also faces a growing divide
between the skills needed for emerging industries and those currently being
developed through the education system.
The Summit in Doha must ensure employment policies are fit for the
future. The political declaration to
come out of that meeting must promote policies that enable all generations to
contribute meaningfully to economic and social progress. The digital divide in the Arab region remains
significant, she also underscored, noting the gap between men and women, and
urban and rural communities.
Laura
Thompson, Assistant Director-General for External and Corporate Relations,
International Labour Organization (ILO), said that the opportunity to renew the
global social contract should be an invitation to all Member States to uphold
social justice principles.
“Technological innovations create both challenges and opportunities, and
monitoring their impact and optimizing their potential for decent work creation
is critical,” she added. One in five
young persons in the world is neither in employment, education or
training. The rate is almost 26 per cent
for young women. “This is a personal
drama for the young person concerned, but also a waste of assets for national
development plans,” she added.
Magdalena
Sepúlveda Carmona, Director, United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development (UNRISD), said that environmental degradation, including climate
change and biodiversity loss, is widely recognized as a cross-cutting issue
affecting livelihoods, health and equity.
More specifically in Africa, formality, lack of social protection and
labour rights, youth unemployment, gender inequality and climate change are all
considered to be major challenges.
Meanwhile, Asia faces significant structural challenges, including a
digital device, ageing population and climate related risk. For Latin America and the Caribbean region,
structural inequalities, backlash against progressive policies, weakened
democratic governance and climate change risk are challenges most
identified. The political declaration
must mobilize resources towards achieving universal rights to ensure access to
adequate income and social assistance.
Srinivas
Tata, Director of the Social Development Division of Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), said that the region is undergoing
an unprecedented demographic transition.
The number of older persons — 65 years or above — is expected to nearly
double from 500 million in 2024 to almost 1 billion in 2050. “Yet, there are many countries in the region
which are still having a youth bulge, and so we also need to pay specific
attention to the needs of the youth,” he added.
It is estimated that 42 million people in the region were pushed into
extreme poverty in 2020 compared with pre-pandemic levels. “We really suffered during the COVID-19
pandemic,” he added, expressing alarm that in many countries in the Asia region
fewer than 50 per cent of the population are covered by any form of social
protection.
Rodrigo
Martinez, Senior Social Affairs Officer, Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean (ECLAC), said that all people must achieve a life free of
poverty and have access to economic growth and freedom and dignity. Every person must be able to fully exercise
their economic, social and cultural rights.
“Poverty and hunger are two persistent but surmountable scourges,” he
added. “Inequality, in its multiple
dimensions, represents a trap for development,” he also emphasised. People must be able to access the labour
market, decent working conditions, education and healthcare. On urbanization, he urged Governments to also
expand access to energy, water and sanitation.
In
the afternoon, the Commission held a multi-stakeholder forum on achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the “social and solidarity
economy”, which encompasses a wide range of organizations, including
cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations and social
enterprises, that prioritize people and communities over profit.
Moderating
the discussion was Konstantinos Papadakis, Principal Social Affairs Officer at
the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, who recalled the
General Assembly resolutions on cooperatives and the social and solidarity
economy in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
He also noted that 2025 marks the International Year of Cooperatives,
observed under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World”. He then introduced three panellists, who
shared their experiences and actions taking place in their countries.
Carlos
Jorge Paris Ferraro, Vice-Minister for Social Policies at the Ministry of
Social Development of Paraguay, said that while the social economy was not a
public policy in his country until 2024, such an idea has historically existed
in indigenous communities whose economies are marked by reciprocity. They were able to create a self-sufficient
solidarity economy during the colonial period.
Currently, peasant organizations and family agriculture include this
culture of solidarity and reciprocity.
In Paraguay, the social and solidarity economy accounts for 12 per cent
of the gross domestic product (GDP), with cooperatives producing 72 per cent of
dairy products and 24 per cent of meat for export. About 500,000 small- and medium-size
enterprises are members of cooperatives.
In a country with only 6 million people, “the cooperative sector is
gigantic and is growing”, he said. He
then detailed several national initiatives, such as cash transfers to preserve
forests or to plant trees that benefited 268 families. To promote this growth model, the Government
created the Department for the Social and Solidarity Economy within the
Ministry of Social Development.
Ankhbayar
Nyamdorj, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations, said that
his country in April 2024 launched the “New Cooperative” programme under its
“New Recovery Policy” to enhance agriculture, particularly risk-resistant
livestock husbandry through cooperatives.
The programme aims to stabilize herders’ income, improve social security
and boost the livestock sector’s climate resilience. By the end of 2024, it had reached 16,009, or
6.4 per cent, of Mongolia’s 247,900 herder families. Government efforts include establishing a
National Committee led by the Deputy Prime Minister, granting $200 million in
investment loans, and subsidizing $9.27 million in interest. Loans support breeding animal purchases,
facility expansion and dairy/meat production.
Training programmes engaged 1,500 cooperative members, while forums
promoted development strategies. Public
outreach reached 1 million citizens.
Future plans include model cooperatives, national insurance integration
and food safety standards. Challenges
include strengthening the “social and solidarity economy” capacities, enhancing
research and fostering public-private partnerships. Mongolia also shared experiences
internationally, such as at the Global Cooperative Conference in India, he
added.
Maxime
Baduel, Ministerial Delegate for the Social and Solidarity Economy at the
Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty of
France, said that the social and solidarity economy is imbued with equality,
justice and cooperation. In his country, it represents 10 per cent of GDP. “The strength of this French ecosystem also
lies in its legislative framework,” he said, noting how laws are designed to
encourage organizations like cooperatives. Developing the social and solidarity
economy is “a strong lever” to meet the SDGs, and it should be encouraged by
the Commission. In conclusion, he
stressed the importance of establishing a legislative regulatory framework to
“give a structure to this ecosystem”, as well as the need to ensure that they
are resourced financially and capacity-building instruments are in place. It is
also vital to promote these structures with financial institutions and create
public policies in line with the social and solidarity economy, he emphasized./UN
PRESS RELEASE
Ref.
https://press.un.org/en/2025/soc4922.doc.htm
IN
OTHER WORLD NEWS
$6
billion Needed to Support Nearly 21 Million Sudanese Facing Humanitarian Crisis
of Staggering scale, Brutality, Secretary-General Says Tells Aid Conference/ UN
PRESS RELEASE
https://press.un.org/en/2025/sgsm22555.doc.htm
As
Tentative Reduction in Hostilities Opens Door for More De-escalation,
Sustainable Resolution to Yemen Conflict ‘Still Possible’, Special Envoy Tells
Security Council/ UN PRESS RELEASE
https://press.un.org/en/2025/sc15993.doc.htm
Remarks
by Ambassador Dorothy Shea, Chargé d ’Affaires ad interim, at a UN Security
Council Briefing on Yemen/ USUN
Secretary
of State Marco Rubio And Senior Advisor Adam Boehler With Sean Hannity of Fox
News February 11, 2025 Via Telephone Interview/US STATE DEPT.
NATIONAL
Donald
J. Trump Establishes the Make America Healthy Again Commission.
MAKING
AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive
Order establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission.
Chaired
by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the
Commission is tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of
America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic
diseases.
Within
100 days, the Commission will produce an assessment that summarizes what is
known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis,
and include international comparisons.
Within
180 days, the Commission will produce a strategy, based on the findings of the
assessment, to improve the health of America’s children.
The
Commission has four main policy directives to reverse chronic disease:
Empower
Americans through transparency and open-source data and avoid conflicts of
interest in all federally funded health research.
Prioritize
gold-standard research on why Americans are getting sick in all health-related
research funded by the federal government.
Work
with farmers to ensure that U.S. food is the healthy, abundant and affordable.
Ensure
expanded treatment options and health coverage flexibility for beneficial
lifestyle changes and disease prevention.
The
Commission aims to restore trust in medical and scientific institutions and
hold public hearings, meetings, roundtables, and similar events to receive
expert input from leaders in public health.
ADDRESSING
THE RISE OF CHRONIC ILLNESSES: President Trump understands that America’s
healthcare system is largely focused on treating chronic illnesses rather than
preventing them, leading to a growing health crisis with serious economic and
national security consequences.
Based
on all health indicators and global comparisons, Americans are becoming sicker,
beset by illnesses that our medical system isn’t addressing effectively.
In
the United States, six in 10 adults have at least one chronic condition, and
four in 10 have two or more.
Prior
to COVID, American life expectancy averaged 78.8 years, while comparable
countries averaged 82.6 years, creating a gap that equates to 1.25 billion
fewer life years for Americans.
The
United States has the highest age-standardized cancer incidence rate across 204
countries, nearly double the next-highest rate.
From
1990 to 2021, the United States saw an 88% increase in cancer.
Asthma
is far more common in the United States than in other parts of the world,
including most of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The
rise in chronic conditions is not limited to adults.
Childhood
is usually the healthiest period of life, yet as of 2022, 30 million (40.7%)
United States children had at least one health condition like allergies,
asthma, or autoimmune diseases.
Autism
now affects one in 36 children, a staggering increase from rates of one to four
out of 10,000 children identified with the condition during the 1980s.
18%
of teens suffer from fatty liver disease, nearly 30% are prediabetic, and more
than 40% are overweight or obese – these conditions were virtually unheard of
in prior generations.
The
incidence of childhood cancer, while still rare, increased 0.8% per year since
1975—an over 40% increase over 45 years.
Overmedication,
particularly among children, is a growing concern. More than 3.4 million
children are currently taking medication for ADD/ADHD and diagnoses continue to
rise.
Chronic
disease has widespread effects, including on our military and our economy.
77%
of young adults do not qualify for military service without a waiver, primary
due to being overweight, drug use, or mental and physical health issues.
90%
of America’s $4.5 trillion healthcare expenditure is directed at managing
chronic and mental health conditions.
The
United States spends almost twice per capita what other wealthy countries spend
on healthcare.
Americans
have lost trust in our health system, skeptical as to whether they are
receiving honest answers about the causes of the country’s health crisis and
how to improve it.
Only
a third of Americans trust the U.S. health system, a near-record low.
TAKING
ON THE HEALTH CRISIS: President Trump is fulfilling his promise to tackle the
health crisis facing America.
President
Trump pledged that upon returning to the White House he would establish a
special Presidential Commission that’s “not bought and paid for by Big Pharma,
and I will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long
increase in chronic illnesses […] And then, I will ask them to publish
recommendations for how every American child can have a safe and healthy
childhood.”
In
his first term, President Trump lowered healthcare costs, provided more
healthcare options, and ensured better care for the American people.
President
Trump has consistently championed initiatives aimed at improving the health and
well-being of Americans. Select actions from the prior Trump Administration
include:
Passed
Right To Try to give terminally ill patients access to lifesaving cures.
Signed
an executive order to fight kidney disease with more transplants and better
treatment.
Accelerated
medical breakthroughs in genetic treatments for Sickle Cell disease.
Declared
the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency and signed the SUPPORT
for Patients and Communities Act, the largest-ever legislative effort to
address a drug crisis in our Nation’s history.
Expanded
access to telehealth, especially in rural and underserved communities.
MORE
NATIONAL NEWS:
Eight
Venezuelan Nationals Charged with Offenses Related to their Roles in a
Transnational Commercial Sex Enterprise/DOJ
Member
of the 764 Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and
Other Charges/DOJ
U.S.
Department of Education Cancels Additional $350 Million in Woke Spending
Contracts
and grants terminated at several Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity
Assistance Centers/DEPT. OF ED
HUD
Secretary Scott Turner Launches DOGE Task Force to Eliminate Waste, Fraud and
Abuse/HUD
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/hud_no_25_030
BUSINESS:
Don’t
wait on hold; use IRS online tools for faster help
Presidents
Day weekend is peak time for IRS phone traffic. Skip the wait by visiting
IRS.gov.
IR-2025-22,
Feb. 12, 2025
WASHINGTON
— With the 2025 filing season underway and the anticipated high demand for IRS
phone lines around the Presidents Day holiday, the Internal Revenue Service
today encouraged taxpayers to visit IRS.gov and use online tools to get
immediate answers.
Presidents
Day weekend is typically a busy time in the tax filing season, according to IRS
statistics, when calls to IRS phone lines are often at their highest.
The
IRS has resources to help taxpayers beat the rush. On IRS.gov, taxpayers can
use the Let us help You page that covers most topics for filing season and
beyond. In addition, people can get free help online with self-service options.
The
IRS offers several free filing options. There’s also step-by-step help about
filing a personal federal income tax return.
Skip
the mail: File electronically and choose direct deposit
Approximately
93% of taxpayers file their federal income tax returns electronically, and most
choose direct deposit to receive their refunds. According to Treasury’s Bureau
of the Fiscal Service, paper refund checks are 16 times more likely to have an
issue, like the check being lost, misdirected, stolen or uncashed.
The
IRS offers free online and in-person tax preparation options for eligible
taxpayers through IRS Free File, IRS Direct File and Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs.
Taxpayers
who earned $84,000 or less in 2024 can use IRS Free File Guided Tax Software
now through Oct 15. IRS Free File Fillable Forms are also available at no cost
to any income level and provide electronic forms that people fill out and
electronically file themselves.
Direct
File is now open in 25 participating states where taxpayers can use Direct File
to e-file directly with the IRS for free. It’s a free web-based service –
available in English and Spanish – that works on mobile phones, laptops,
tablets or desktop computers. It guides taxpayers through a series of questions
to prepare their federal tax return step-by-step. Direct File automatically
guides taxpayers to state tools to complete their state taxes. Get help from
IRS customer service representatives through a live chat feature in English and
Spanish. Interested taxpayers can go to directfile.irs.gov, where they can
determine if they’re eligible.
The
VITA and TCE programs offer free tax return preparation to eligible people in
the community by IRS certified volunteers through a network of community
partnerships. The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer
free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns,
including, people who generally make $67,000 or less, persons with disabilities
and limited English-speaking taxpayers. In addition to VITA, TCE program
volunteers offer free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age
and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related
issues unique to seniors.
MilTax,
a Department of Defense program, generally offers free return preparation and
electronic filing software for federal income tax returns and up to three state
income tax returns for all military members and some veterans, with no income
limit.
Skip
the wait: Get tax info with an Individual Online Account
Individuals
with Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers
(ITIN) can create or securely access their Individual Online Account and get
the latest information about their federal tax account.
With
an IRS online account, taxpayers can:
Access
their tax records, including their Adjusted Gross Income from their most
recently filed tax return.
View,
approve and sign authorizations from their tax professional.
Request
and view their identity protection PIN (IP PIN), a six-digit number known only
to the taxpayer and the IRS that prevents someone else from filing a tax return
using their information.
Check
refund status.
Validate
and save bank accounts.
View
balance and payment history and create a payment plan.
Make
a payment and schedule or cancel future payments.
Get
virtual assistance for balance due and payment-related questions.
Manage
their communication preferences.
Skip
the wondering: Check refund status online
The
popular Where’s My Refund? tool on IRS.gov has the most up-to-date information
available about a taxpayer’s refund status. Recent improvements to Where’s My
Refund? allow taxpayers to see more detailed refund status messages in plain
language, reducing the need for taxpayers to call the IRS.
Most
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) related
refunds should be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 3 if
taxpayers chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax
return. Taxpayers can check Where’s My Refund? for their personalized refund
date. Where's My Refund? should show an updated status by February 22 for most
early EITC/ACTC filers.
Skip
the phone: Get answers to tax questions online
The
Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) tool on IRS.gov provides answers to several tax
questions specific to individual circumstances. Based on input, ITA determines
a person’s filing status, whether they should file a tax return, if someone is
an eligible dependent, if a type of income is taxable, if a filer is eligible
to claim a credit, if an expense is deductible and more.
Skip
the headache: Use online checklists when preparing to file
Taxpayers
can find out what tax paperwork and records they need to file an accurate and
complete return on IRS.gov. Taxpayers should have all their important and
necessary documents before preparing their return. They should also check for
common errors and omissions that may slow down tax processing, including refund
times.
If
a taxpayer receives Form 1099-K, they should visit What to do with Form 1099-K
to help them determine if that money should be reported as income on their
federal tax return. Missing a W-2? Certain information return documents are
available in Individual Online Account. People can sign on and get copies of
Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement; Forms 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace
Statement; and Forms 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation. These forms are
available for tax years 2023 and 2024.
Skip
the guessing: Check eligibility for EITC using online tax assistant
The
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low- to moderate-income workers and
families get a tax break. The IRS estimates that about one in five EITC
eligible taxpayers don’t claim this valuable credit. If a taxpayer qualifies,
they can use the credit to reduce the taxes they owe – and maybe increase their
refund.
The
Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant on IRS.gov can help individuals determine:
If
they are eligible to claim the EITC.
If
they have any qualifying children or relatives.
The
estimated amount of their credit.
The
filing status they should use.
Skip
the worry: Use an IP PIN to protect against tax-related identity theft
An
identity protection PIN (IP PIN) is a proactive way to protect against
tax-related identity theft. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses
stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to file a tax
return claiming a fraudulent refund. If a person suspects they are a victim of
identity theft, they should continue to pay their taxes and file their tax
return, even if they must file a paper return. Visit Identity Theft Central to
find out more.
An
identity protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number known only to the
taxpayer and the IRS that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using
their Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. It
helps the IRS verify a person’s identity when they file their electronic or
paper tax return. The fastest way to request and receive an IP PIN is by
creating an Individual Online Account. If someone wishes to get an IP PIN and
they don’t already have an account on IRS.gov, they must register to validate
their identity.
Skip
the stress: Find a reputable tax professional at IRS.gov
The
IRS also reminds taxpayers that a trusted tax professional can prepare their
tax return and provide helpful information and advice. People can use the IRS
Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select
Qualifications to find a preparer who is skilled in tax preparation and
accurately files income tax returns.
Most
tax professionals provide outstanding and professional tax service. However,
choosing the wrong tax return preparer hurts taxpayers financially every year.
Be sure to check tips for choosing a tax preparer and how to avoid unethical
"ghost" return preparers.
While
all tax professionals are required to list their preparer tax identification
number (PTIN) and sign the return, some do not. Referred to as ghost preparers,
these people encourage taxpayers to take advantage of tax credits and benefits
for which they do not qualify. Sometimes they charge a large percentage fee of
the refund or even steal the entire tax refund. After the tax return is
prepared, these “ghost preparers” may simply disappear, leaving well-meaning
taxpayers to deal with the consequences.
The
IRS encourages people to use a trusted tax professional because even when the
tax return preparer signs the return, the taxpayer is ultimately responsible
for the accuracy of every item reported on their return. Visit IRS.gov to find
a reputable tax professional.
Skip
the surprise: Use the Tax Withholding Estimator
Taxpayers
should check their tax withholding every year, especially if they experience a
major life change. The Tax Withholding Estimator tool allows taxpayers to
estimate the federal income tax they want their employer to withhold from their
paycheck.
By
using the Tax Withholding Estimator, taxpayers can adjust their tax withheld up
front so they can protect against having too little tax withheld and prevent an
unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time next year. Taxpayers should submit a
new Form W-4 to their employer to make any adjustments.
IRS.gov
is the first stop for help
IRS.gov
is the quickest and easiest option to get help. Taxpayers can visit IRS.gov
anytime to get answers to tax questions. People can find more tips and
resources by visiting the Let us help you page on IRS.gov./
Ref.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dont-wait-on-hold-use-irs-online-tools-for-faster-help
MORE
BUSINESS NEWS:
United
States, Australia, and the United Kingdom Jointly Sanction Key Infrastructure
that Enables Ransomware Attacks/US TREASURY
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0018
Reflections
on a Maturing Stablecoin Market Governor Christopher J. Waller/the fed
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20250212a.htm
Trump
USDA Vows to Correct Biden’s Financial Mismanagement of SNAP/USDA
Dean
Heyl Appointed as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs/DEPT. of
LABOR
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/opa/opa20250213
IN
FOCUS & LOCAL MEETINGS:
Cantwell
Hits Trump’s Trade Policy on CNBC: “It Almost Seems Like A Tariff Tantrum”
WA
depends on steel & aluminum imports; last year, the state imported $1.2B
worth of steel & aluminum for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics &
more; Last round of Trump trade wars nearly decimated WA’s apple export market
to India; Cantwell helped negotiate end to retaliatory tariffs in 2023 &
restore the market.
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – This morning, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member
of the Senate Committee on Finance, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to push back
against President Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs, even against the United
States’ closest allies, instead of focusing on opening up export markets and
lowering costs for American consumers.
“This
is the fourth week of the Trump Administration, and I would hope that we would
have been hearing about how we're lowering costs on housing, food prices, and
drugs. And instead, we're now in – it almost seems like a tariff tantrum, like
we're just going to tariff everything. And what I would like to see is an
engagement by both Democrats and Republicans pushing back on this notion that a
‘tariff everything’ strategy is the way to get out of this situation,” Sen.
Cantwell told Squawk Box’s Andrew Ross Sorkin.
“I’ve
been critical of Obama's tariffs. I've been critical of Biden's tariffs. What I
want people to understand is we live in a world, now, where alliances and
dealing with these issues on a coalition basis will get us further, because 95%
of consumers are outside the United States,” she continued.
“In
the last Trump administration, he did the same thing [… he] cut hundreds of
apple jobs in my state that never recovered. But it decimated a $120 million
market, and then, basically, because of the retaliatory tariffs, we were
without an apple market to India. I worked in the Biden administration to get
that restored. So, what people don't understand is, in this environment, you
don't just lose farmland -- because actually, Bill Gates or somebody will buy
it -- you're losing farmers. And right now, the world, we should be opening up
markets. We should be opening up agriculture opportunities around the globe.”
Her
full appearance on Squawk Box can be viewed HERE; a transcript of the interview
is HERE.
In
Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and
trade-related industries. Combined, the
state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the
major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum
include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics.
When
President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately
responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially
agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally,
across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in
production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report.
Sen.
Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy
in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice
in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which
was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated
Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export
market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel
and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response
and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was
severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less
than $1 million by 2023. In September
2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its
retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the
state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
Last
week, Sen. Cantwell also delivered a major speech on the Senate floor arguing
that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and
economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on
building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support
innovation in the Information Age.
Sen.
Cantwell also voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick,
President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing
concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs. More information
on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and
China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be
found HERE.
In
May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help
U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In
June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for
a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm
Bill.
In
2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law
to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease
supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for
U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.
In
August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a
letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be
distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the
passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for
farmers, including those who grow wheat.
In
2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief
package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset
the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.
Related
press release
President
Donald J. Trump Announces “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” on Trade
THE
“FAIR AND RECIPROCAL PLAN”: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a
Presidential Memorandum ordering the development of a comprehensive plan for
restoring fairness in U.S. trade relationships and countering non-reciprocal
trading arrangements.
The
“Fair and Reciprocal Plan” will seek to correct longstanding imbalances in
international trade and ensure fairness across the board.
Gone
are the days of America being taken advantage of: this plan will put the
American worker first, improve our competitiveness in every area of industry,
reduce our trade deficit, and bolster our economic and national security.
AMERICA
WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES: The United States is one of the
most open economies in the world, yet our trading partners keep their markets
closed to our exports. This lack of reciprocity is unfair and contributes to
our large and persistent annual trade deficit.
There
are endless examples where our trading partners do not give the United States
reciprocal treatment.
The
U.S. tariff on ethanol is a mere 2.5%. Yet Brazil charges the U.S. ethanol
exports a tariff of 18%. As a result, in 2024, the U.S. imported over $200
million in ethanol from Brazil while the U.S. exported only $52 million in
ethanol to Brazil.
The
U.S. average applied Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff on agricultural goods is
5%. But India’s average applied MFN tariff is 39%. India also charges a 100%
tariff on U.S. motorcycles, while we only charge a 2.4% tariff on Indian
motorcycles.
The
European Union can export all the shellfish it wants to America. But the EU
bans shellfish exports from 48 of our states, despite committing in 2020 to
expedite approvals for shellfish exports. As a result, in 2023, the U.S.
imported $274 million in shellfish from the EU but exported only $38 million.
The
EU also imposes a 10% tariff on imported cars. Yet the U.S. only imposes a 2.5%
tariff.
A
2019 report found that across 132 countries and more than 600,000 product
lines, United States exporters face higher tariffs more than two-thirds of the
time.
This
lack of reciprocity is one source of America’s large and persistent annual
trade deficit in goods: closed markets abroad reduce U.S. exports and open
markets at home result in significant imports, both of which undercut American
competitiveness.
The
United States has run a trade deficit of goods every year since 1975. In 2024,
our trade deficit in goods exceeded $1 trillion.
Thanks
to the proliferation of non-reciprocal barriers in just the last few years, the
U.S. now runs a trade deficit in agriculture, worth around $40 billion in 2024.
Though
America has no such thing, and only America should be allowed to tax American
firms, trading partners hand American companies a bill for something called a
digital service tax.
Canada
and France use these taxes to each collect over $500 million per year from
American companies.
Overall,
these non-reciprocal taxes cost America’s firms over $2 billion per year.
Reciprocal
tariffs will bring back fairness and prosperity to the distorted international
trade system and stop Americans from being taken advantage of.
THE
ART OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEAL: President Trump continues to deliver on his
mandate given to him by the American People to put America First when it comes
to trade.
As
President Trump said in the Presidential Memorandum on American First Trade
Policy on his first day in office, trade policy is a critical component of our
economic security and national security.
In
his first term, President Trump successfully ended the outdated and unfair
NAFTA, replacing it with the historic USMCA to deliver one of the largest wins
for American workers.
When
our national security was threatened by a global oversupply of steel and
aluminum, President Trump took swift action to protect America’s national
security by implementing tariffs on imports of these goods.
In
response to China’s intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer,
and other unreasonable behavior, President Trump acted with conviction to
impose tariffs on imports from China, using that leverage to reach a historic
bilateral economic agreement.
Just
last week, President Trump leveraged tariffs to force Canada and Mexico to make
long-overdue changes at our northern and southern borders, ensuring the safety
and security of American citizens.
CLALLAM
COUNTY MEETINGS
Clallam
County work session for 2/18/25
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02182025-1435
Clallam
County Commission meeting for 2/18/25
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02182025-1436
Clallam
County Board of Health meeting for 2/18/25
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02182025-1439
Peninsula
Housing Authority Commission meeting for 2/19/25
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02192025-1437
City
of Port Angeles Council meeting for 2/18/25
https://www.cityofpa.us/DocumentCenter/View/16477/02182025-CC-Agenda-Packet
OMC
BOARD MEETING FOR 2/19/25
School
Board meeting for 2/18/25
https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/pasd/Board.nsf/Public
JEFFERSON
COUNTY MEETINGS
Jefferson
County Commission meeting for 2/18/25
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/d5dc865d-909e-45d1-b694-02a61b106572
City
of Port Townsend meeting for 2/18/25
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=4688
Weekly devotional
1 John 4:10 (New King James Version)
In this is love, not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Weekly Bible Lesson:
Why Study Church Organization?
The Bible prophesied a falling away
from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1-5). Some would change the true Gospel (Galatians
1:6-9). The apostle Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus that they
should take heed to the flock over which they were overseers (Acts 20:28). He
told them to feed the flock (teach the members of the church) because false
teachers would come. They would lead away disciples from the church which
Christ purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28-30)---TFTW
https://truthfortheworld.org/why-study-church-organization
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn English using the bible as
text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
(Join us in worship every Sunday
starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
1233 E Front St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
Come and See
https://www.comeandseefoundation.org/
THIS WEEKS VIDEOS:
PBD Reacts to Glenn Beck's Prediction the
Epstein Files WILL Be Exposed
Radical
transparency IS coming to America, Glenn says, but only if Kash Patel is
confirmed to head the FBI. In fact, Glenn makes one of his boldest predictions
yet: Kash will release the Epstein client list on his FIRST DAY leading the
bureau. On tonight’s episode of "Glenn TV," Glenn is joined by
@PBDPodcast host Patrick Bet-David and co-hosts Tom Ellsworth, Adam Sosnick,
and Vincent Oshana. They discuss the damning ramifications releasing the
Epstein list (or the Diddy list) may have for those who were associated with
the island but were not guilty of partaking in criminal activity there —
something President Trump expressed concern for before becoming elected. Plus,
what will releasing the JFK files do to the CIA? We now know the CIA was in
Miami following Lee Harvey Oswald, so why then didn’t the CIA stop him? Public
trust in our federal government dropped substantially after the JFK
assassination, and it continued to plummet over the next several decades until
it hit a new low (14%) under Biden. Can Trump — with the radical transparency
Glenn predicts is coming — turn that all around? PBD predicts Trump could
increase that number to 50% or even 60%. Democrats see it coming, too. Their
meltdowns over the DOGE and Elon Musk ending wasteful spending now are on fully
display: “Accountability is here, and they’re panicking.” Lastly, Glenn and the
"PBD Podcast" guys discuss how the first assassination attempt
against Trump changed him as a person, providing him with both laser focus and
an understanding that his job in the White House is much bigger than himself.---Glenn
Beck Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huy9RYMusd0
This
week on the Mark Levin Show, Frédéric Bastiat once stated, 'When plunder
becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time
they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code
that glorifies it.' This is precisely what we are witnessing today. If you
stand up against the government for what you see as unconstitutional plunder,
Federal Judges tell you that your actions could violate the Constitution or
some statute. They assert that the Constitution mandates the appropriation of
your tax dollars to subsidize individuals who hate you, or to support other
nations. What you are seeing right now is the exposure of this Democrat
left-wing power structure that are now under assault by President Trump and Elon
Musk. Trump and Musk are challenging the Marxist influence in the U.S.,
particularly in the economy and government bureaucracy, revealing entrenched
corruption. Democrats, along with media,
academia, and government unions, are protecting a system that benefits them at
the expense of the American public.
Despite all the lies and static about “the conservatives” on the present
Supreme Court, who are actually originalists doing the job of real jurists,
these activists are destroying and intending to destroy the judicial system,
using it as a kind of politburo to impose their ideology from the bench. This
is the real Constitutional crisis, not President Trump, Elon Musk, and others
trying to re-establish separation of powers, representative government, limited
central authority, etc. These entities have the temerity to claim Trump is a
threat to Constitutional government as they usurp it and him. The truth is,
Trump is a threat to them. No judge has the power to run the executive branch,
especially when it comes to such basic executive functions as restructuring
agencies, personnel matters like severance, temporary holds on spending to
conduct reviews, access to agency information to conduct audits, etc. The Democrat Party is actively working to
stop efforts by President Trump and Elon Musk to investigate the waste, fraud,
and abuse in government. It’s clear the Democrat Party stands for and would not
only continue but expand the fraud in government. One must assume they and
their groups are benefitting from it. What else explains their conduct?—Mark Levin
Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdm7OQNZjU
Deranged
Libs Go All In For Ukraine War and Govt. Corruption—Dan Bongino show
Sunday
morning worship at the Concord Street Church of Christ on February 9, 2025.
David Pharr preached a sermon titled “Jars of Clay”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szG4YrLPysE
OTHER
NEWS SOURCES:
Oooh,
Witchy Woman (Pastor) and One Woke Church Has Had Enough—PJMEDIA
Hamas
frees 3 hostages, Israel releases hundreds of prisoners as fragile ceasefire
holds—Washington Times
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/15/hamas-frees-iair-horn-sagui-dekel-chen-alexander-t/
Foreign-funded
dark money org pumped millions into left-wing groups during 2024 elections—WA Examiner
BREAKING:
J6 Investigation To Move To Judiciary Committee To Help Republicans Uncover FBI
Abuses—The Federalist
NIGHT
OWL COMICS
https://pjrnightowlcomics.blogspot.com/
The
Port Angeles Globe is published weekly by, Peter Ripley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)