Federal and state income tax returns need to be filed tomorrow. Michelle Bachtel with H&R Block says you have options if you owe and are not able to pay. She adds the most important thing is not to panic
“If you can’t pay the full amount by April 15, just pay what as much as you can,” Bachtel said. “Even though interest will accrue on the amount owed, you’re not going to be arrested, and they’re not going to come knock on your door and seize your home.” Continue reading
Time is being spent this week to recognize the heroes behind all of the 911 and other resident calls at law enforcement agencies. 911 dispatchers are the first in a line of emergency personnel to talk to a person in distress about an issue whether it is medical related, an accident or another incident.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week runs until Sunday, April 19. Telecommunicators, or dispatchers, alert police, fire and EMS of calls for help. There are some medical instances where dispatchers can relay life-saving skills over the phone to help someone sustain life until emergency personnel can arrive at the scene.
The Plymouth Common Council could give final approval to a pair of bond-funded projects when they meet this evening. Specifically city officials want to issue water works bonds to make improvements to the municipal water system. They’re also looking to refinance the sewer bonds issued in 2008 in order to save some money. Continue reading
The Marshall County Council members will continue a discussion into the purchase of e-poll books when they meet this morning.
During the council’s last meeting in March, Clerk Deb Vandemark explained that 15 iPads would be purchased for placement at all of the voting sites for the purpose of signing in voters at the polls. There are 14 poll sites for the county’s 29 precincts. One extra iPad would be on hand as a backup. The purchase price is $32,225 which is not included in the clerk’s budget for this year.
A pipe replacement project will require the temporary closure of a state highway in Fulton County.
The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that State Road 14, between County Road 775 W. and County Road 850 W., just west of Rochester, will be closed on Tuesday, April 14 through April 24.
State road detours must follow state maintained roadways only. Motorists traveling east on State Road 14 will be detoured south on State Road 17, east on State Road 114, north/east on State Road 25 and return to State Road 14. Drivers going west on State Road 14 will be detoured south/west on State Road 25, west on State Road 114, north on State Road 17 and back to State Road 14.
Federal and state income taxes are due Wednesday. Michelle Bachtel from H&R Block in Knox says taxpayers can either take the standard deduction or itemize, depending on which will be most advantageous for their personal situation.
For individuals who are filing single or married filing separate, the standard deduction is $6,200. For a married filing joint couple or a qualifying widower with a dependent child, that amount is doubled to $12,400. And for a person filing head of household the amount is $9,100.
Bachtel encourages taxpayers to study their options carefully. Continue reading
The Marshall County Highway Department will be looking for ways to get more funding to improve roads in the county.
Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters commented to the commissioners this week that the county has limited funds to repair county roads. He said there will be some roads that will need to wait to be repaired until next year because the funding isn’t there to provide a workable solution.
Double check your federal tax return for any missed deductions and credits before you file it. Michelle Bachtel with H&R Block in Knox says deductions decrease your taxable income, which lowers the amount of money you owe. She says the IRS estimated last year over 4 million people failed to claim tax deductions to which they were entitled last year. Continue reading
National Library Week begins tomorrow and the Plymouth Public Library has a program in place to help patrons with fines.
The “Canned Food for Fines” program begins tomorrow. When library patrons bring in a can of food, library officials will take one dollar off of fines owed to the library. The deduction will be made through the patron’s account at the library. The library will only accept canned food that is not expired. Bottles, jars, or boxes will not be accepted.
The “Canned Food for Fines” program will continue through Saturday, April 18.
Marshall County is part of a pilot program for a wellness initiative.
Newly installed Wellness Community Coordinator Sandy Read told the Marshall County Commissioners this week that Purdue University received federal funding to place five coordinators in counties to develop a branch of the Nutrition Education Program. She will be employed by Purdue University.
Read said she and the Fulton County representative would be constructing the manual for the program and try to pave the way for a more widespread organization in 2016 or 2017.
If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, time is running out. Federal and state income taxes are both due Wednesday, April 15. Michelle Bachtel from H&R Block in Knox says you need to have personal information for everyone on your return handy before you start. This includes Social Security numbers, birth dates and full legal names as registered with the Social Security Administration. You will also need documentation of all of your income from wages, tips, savings, investments, retirement, rental property, self-employment or farming. Continue reading
A two-vehicle accident in Marshall County Wednesday afternoon caused minor injuries to a young passenger.
Police say Kimberly Moore, 42, of Knox was stopped at the intersection of State Road 8 and State Road 17 and was preparing to turn north onto State Road 17. Moore entered the intersection and struck a vehicle driven by Nicole Risner, 30, of Plymouth who was traveling south on State Road 17, according to a news release. Both vehicles sustained significant damage. A five-year-old boy, who was seated in the front seat of Moore’s car, suffered minor head and neck injuries after the airbag deployed.
There is a potential for severe weather in the area today. Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Clyde Avery says it depends on how several meteorological aspects set up today.
Avery says strong winds will most likely plague the area with a risk of tornadoes. Strong winds may break off tree limbs and create traffic hazards.
Crews are waiting for asphalt plants to open before resuming work on the 7th Road project in Marshall County.
Commissioner Kevin Overmyer said the roundabout needs to be complete, and a top coat of asphalt needs to be added to the new road leading from North Michigan Road east to the new U.S. 31 highway. Crews will also complete seeding and other aesthetic aspects before wrapping up the project.
Marshall County Treasurer Penny Lukenbill requested the extension of business hours to accommodate the payment of property taxes this spring and fall.
Lukenbill told the commissioners that the auditor delivered the tax duplicate to the treasurer’s office last week. The tax bills are now being created to be mailed out to taxpayers.
Lukenbill requested that the treasurer’s office be open on Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to noon. She also asked that hours be extended on Friday, May 8 and Monday, May 11 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
The Plymouth School Board may be able to better predict how students will perform on future SAT exams.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, PSAT data from the Class of 2017 was reviewed. The PSAT is designed to be given to High School Juniors. Plymouth Schools, however, have sophomores and a select group of juniors take the test. The state of Indiana helps fund the assessment.
Continue reading
State legislation that caused a national uproar is receiving comments from one of Indiana’s federal representatives.
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly appeared in Knox on Tuesday as part of a “Donnelly Day” visit. The Democrat uses the tours to learn more about important issues facing Indiana workers.
Continue reading
The Maxinkuckee Players will hold open auditions for this year’s summer production on Saturday, May 2.
Those interested in a part in Hello Dolly will read from a script prepared on site and sing a song of choice. A pianist and a CD player will be available for accompaniment.
The musical surrounds the antics of Dolly Levi as she decides that she needs to find someone for herself after years of finding matches for everyone else. The musical is set in the City of New York at the turn of the century and provides some famous musical hits such as “Before the Parade Passes By,” “It Only Takes a Moment,” “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” and the title number, “Hello, Dolly!”.
Article provided by the Plymouth Community School Corporation
Brooke Busse has been named the new Director of Quality Programs for Plymouth Community School Corporation. Prior to this promotion Busse had been serving since 2012 as the corporation’s eLearning Coach. She has worked for PCSC since 2006; initially as a Title 1 Reading Teacher at WDA Washington Discovery Academy and from 2007 through 2012 as a 2nd grade teacher at WDA. Busse holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Specialist endorsement from Valparaiso University. She is currently pursuing an online Master of Arts in Curriculum and Educational Technology at Ball State University.
Andy Hartley is the new Assistant Superintendent for Plymouth Community School Corporation. He first started in 2008 as an assistant principal at Plymouth High School. In 2012 Hartley became the principal of Washington Elementary. He holds a B.S. degree from Manchester College in elementary education and a M.S. from Butler University. Hartley obtained a Superintendent’s License after earning his Educational Specialist License in School Administration in 2012. Prior to coming to Plymouth, he was a classroom teacher for five years. In 2010, the Indiana Association of Schools Principals named Hartley Assistant Principal of the Year in District 2.
Tippecanoe Township officials are looking to upgrade equipment and other needs and the Marshall County Commissioners agreed to help with the process.
Tippecanoe Township Trustee Matt Pitney expressed concern to the commissioners Monday morning about the township’s aging fire trucks and dilapidated building.
“The fire truck and the fire tanker are over 30-plus years old – all of our trucks are failing. Our fire station is part of the old school that has been kind of retrofitted. We’re parking fire trucks on top of a basement of the old school. We’ve spent endless hours repairing things ourselves trying to save the township some money,” said Pitney.
