There will be a volleyball Tournament, amusement rides, food, pancake breakfast, antique tractor pull, parade, pork chop BBQ dinner, and many other events. Looks like a good way to spend part of Labor Day weekend.
For all of the details go to http://www.shannonillinois.com/documents/laborday2013sm.pdf
Don’t Discriminate Against Unmarried Couples in Housing
The State of Illinois is suing Christian Housing Development for Discriminating Against Unmarried Couples. The State of Illinois is seeking $10,000 in civil penalties, civil rights training, and possible damages against a Christian housing development for refusing to let an unmarried maintenance worker live with a female companion. Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, housing providers can’t discriminate against people on the basis of marital status.
Deduction for Interest on Motor Home as Qualified Residence Allowed
A couple who operated a consulting business was entitled to deduct the interest they paid on a loan secured by their motor home because the interest was qualified residence interest. That was the good news. The bad news is that other deductions were disallowed such as a laptop computer for failure to establish business use and/or substantiate the deductions. Dunford v. Comm’r, T.C. Memo. 2013-189 (8/20/13).
IRS Denies Tax-Exempt Status to Medical Marijuana Cooperative
The IRS ruled that an organization’s primary activity of facilitating and organizing transactions between members who cultivate and possess cannabis is illegal under federal law and, thus, the organization did not qualify for tax-exempt status. PLR 201333014. Those potheads aren’t as dumb as you think!
Creative IRS Employee Can’t Deduct Cash Donations
The Tax Court held that charitable cash donations deducted by an IRS employee were not deductible. The court stated that it appeared highly probable that the taxpayer, in concert with her longtime friend and fellow IRS employee, cut and pasted stationery from a church and provided the same to the IRS agent examining her returns in an attempt to support the claimed charitable deductions. That attempt failed, the court noted, when the IRS agent attempted to verify the reported contributions with the church’s pastor, who made clear that he did not authorize the receipts to be prepared or issued on his church’s stationery, nor did he sign any such receipts. The real question is – Is She Still Working for the IRS? Payne v. Comm’r, T.C. Summary 2013-64 (8/13/13)
Our Final Advice for the Week – Do Not Dump Dirt from A Front-End Loader at the Feet of an IRS Officer!
An Omaha man has been sentenced to three years’ probation after dumping dirt from a front-end loader truck at the feet of Internal Revenue Service officers who were trying to seize his boss’s dump truck.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas D. Thalken sentenced Walter M. Trizila, age 45, to a three-year term of probation last Thursday, following a misdemeanor conviction for assault, resisting or impeding a federal officer. According to prosecutors, Trizila encountered several IRS officers who were trying to seize a dump truck owned by his employer on Nov. 8, 2012 and became confrontational with them. He then entered a front-end loader vehicle, scooped a full load of dirt into the bucket and drove directly at the IRS officers. Trizila stopped the front-end loader vehicle just short of striking an IRS officer, after which he dumped the entire load of dirt at the IRS officers’ feet and in front of the dump truck that the officers were trying to seize.
Perhaps, he should have gotten some other employees, a country band, and did a little line dancing in front of the agents. The agents would have understood this, and would have joined in since they had received line dancing lessons at taxpayer expense. They would all have had a good time, Trizila would not have been arrested, and the IRS agents would have taken the dump truck which Trizila had filled with s###!
Come to Krape Park between 10 am to 5 pm and enjoy the sights and sounds at this free community event. View the fine art on display by local and regional artists. Listen as local performing artists take the stage. Let the kids enjoy a variety of hands-on activities especially for them. Co-sponsored by the Freeport Art Museum and the Freeport Park District (815-235-6114 or 815-235-9755)
On August 19 Good Day Illinois stated that Mayor Gitz had been in office for 90 days, and let’s see what he does at the council meeting that evening. Remember he reappointed all department heads upon assuming office for 90 days so he could evaluate each department. At the meeting on August 19 he either reappointed four department heads permanently or on an interim basis for another 90 days. Let’s look at these appointments:
Tom Dole – reappointed Public Works Director. Look at the streets and the condition of this community. Mayor Gitz voted for 4 more years of the same.
Shelly Griswold – reappointed on interim basis up to 90 days as Community Development Director. Again look at the last 8 years and you decide. How long does it take for Mayor Gitz to decide? The President of the United States can choose a Secretary of State faster than Mayor Gitz can find a Community Development Director. Does Mayor Gitz have trouble making decisions?
Jerry Whitmore – reappointed on interim basis up to 90 days as Police Chief. Look at the crime rate in this community and the allocation of our police resources. You decide if you want the same policies continued.
Sarah Griffin – reappointed Corporation Counsel. Look at the Carnegie Library debacle, the Comcast Cable office closing, and the handling of other legal issues. The continual hiring of outside counsel and a City Attorney hired by Ms. Griffin who prosecutes traffic and misdemeanor cases like they are murder cases unless your name is Jesse Jackson (and then he dismisses them). A full time corporation counsel should have time to do the work the City Attorney is now handling, and in addition there should be limited use of outside counsel. Mayor Gitz voted for 4 more years of the same.
The citizens of Freeport by electing Mr. Gitz voted for change. Now as Mayor, Mr. Gitz has reappointed two individuals who were an integral part of the administration of the previous mayor and his disastrous policies. Failure to immediately deal with the Community Development Director and Police Chief does bode well for the future. So much for a new direction for Freeport!
7 pm at the historic Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square, downtown Freeport at 114 E. Douglas Street. This is an annual program to commemorate the historic 1858 debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Freeport Mayor Jim Gitz will be the guest speaker and the Freeport High School NJROTC Color Guard will participate. If you have not been to Debate Square, this is good opportunity to look at it. It is worth your time. Before or after the ceremony, you can go next door to Union Dairy for ice cream and those wonderful burgers with meat from Harbach meats. What a wonderful way to spend a summer evening! (815-975-7631)
See the world’s first 30-row corn head and some of the latest technology in farming such as crop scouting drones. For more details go to http://farmprogressshow.com/main.aspx
Mark your calendars for the 2014 show which will be in Boone, Iowa August 26 – 28. The show is always Tuesday through Thursday during the week just before the Labor Day holiday weekend and alternates between Decatur, Illinois and Boone, Iowa.
If you presently use FirstEnergy Solutions as your supplier, you probably received a letter stating the new rate beginning when your one year contract expires. Look at the rate and compare to your present rate. In reviewing one such letter the increase was over 30%. Do not ignore this letter since there is only a short time to terminate FirstEnergy Solutions as your supplier, and to obtain a new one. This does not apply to residential users since most municipalities (such as the City of Freeport) have negotiated separately on residential rates. If you use a different supplier, be sure to read any correspondence on renewal rates. One letter from FirstEnergy Solutions had the following penalty clause:
You will not incur any termination fee if you tell FirstEnergy Solutions you do not want to renew prior to your September 2013 meter read date. Termination of the agreement after that time will result in a cancellation fee of $1,000 for each account between 15,001 kWh to 100,000 kWh annually, $3,000 for each account using between 100,001 kWh to 400,000 kWh annually, and $5,000 for each account using more than 400,000 kWh annually.
Wow – what a penalty for not reading a letter and then trying to change your electric supplier!
August 23 – 25 at the Lindo Theatre, 115 S. Chicago Avenue, Freeport. Friday: 7 pm; Saturday: 1 pm and 7 pm; Sunday: 1 pm. Spencer Tracy, one of Hollywood’s most cherished actors, comes home to Freeport where his parents lived and where he enjoyed many happy times as a child. Four prized films will be presented on the Lindo Theatre’s big screen. In attendance at Friday’s film will be Tracy’s granddaughter-in-law, Cyndi Tracy and his great grandson, Shane Tracy. A Film Festival Reception will be held on Friday from 4 pm to 6 pm at 9 East Coffee, 9 East Stephenson Street, Freeport at which the Tracy family members will appear and present information about Spencer. Light hors d’oeuvres and wine from Famous Fossil Winery will be offered. $5 per film and $20 for the reception. (815-232-8419)
FILM SCHEDULE:
Friday at 7 pm: “Boom Town” (1940)
Saturday at 1 pm: “A Guy Named Joe” (1943):
Saturday at 7 pm: “The Actress” (1953)
Sunday at 1 pm: “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955)
The annual Pearl City Homecoming will be celebrated from 10 am to midnight on Saturday, August 24. Enjoy this community festival with a parade, roast beef dinner, games, midway, pork chop bbq, entertainment, and fireworks. Call 815-291-3400 for more information.
Good Day Illinois - Happenings in Northwest Illinois 