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IRS plans to launch free tax filing pilot program in California and 12 other states next year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

By Katie Lobosco | CNNWashington  — The Internal Revenue Service is moving ahead with a plan to build its own free tax filing program, known as Direct File, announcing Tuesday that a pilot version will be available to some taxpayers in 13 states next year.Armed with an influx of new money approved by Democrats last year, the IRS is conducting a major overhaul of its operations – despite continued threats from Republicans to cut future funding and even abolish the agency altogether.Eventually, the IRS tax filing system could serve as an alternative to private tax preparation companies like H&R Block and Intuit’s TurboTax.But for now, the online pilot program will be very limited in scope. Only taxpayers in those 13 states with specific, eligible tax situations will be able to participate.The IRS anticipates that at least several hundred thousand taxpayers will decide to participate in the pilot.Critics of Direct File, including H&R Block and Intuit, argue that a government-ru...

Rising temperatures in store for Bay Area on Wednesday and Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Though November is less than two weeks away, the Bay Area hasn’t seen the last of 90 degree weather just yet, according to the National Weather Service.Related ArticlesWeather | After ‘miracle’ water year, can California agencies capture more from next El Niño? Weather | Forecasters warn of sneaker waves from Sonoma to Big Sur through Monday Weather | Solar eclipse leaves Bay Area in awe. And also disappointed. Weather | Cooling centers open throughout Bay Area for weekend heat wave Weather | Summer in October? Bay Area’s weekend warmup continues Saturday before rainy cooldown High temperatures around 90 degrees were forecast in several cities across the region for Wednesday, including 91 in San Jose, 90 in Concord, 88 in Oakland, 89 in Livermore, 86 in Santa Cruz, 89 in Palo Alto and 86 in San Francisco.While the heat wave may make a beach day sound ideal, the NWS issued a Beach Hazard State...

Solano County residents voice concerns over ‘California Forever’ development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

California Forever’s previously promised “listening tour” continued Monday afternoon in Fairfield, as Paradise Valley Estates held a forum for its residents to ask questions of community and business leaders on the proposed new city in eastern Solano County.Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, joined state Sen. Bill Dodd, Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn and retired Travis AFB pilot Steve Vancil for a panel discussion regarding the company’s proposed developments on the 50,000-plus acres they have purchased over the last five years.The forum offered each panel member the chance to address residents of the community and answer questions from other panelists and the audience. Sramek was repeatedly pressed for more details on his company’s plans, as regulators outlined their concerns about how the project will affect Travis Air Force Base and the county as a whole.According to California Forever polling, Sramek said 81% of parents in Solano County do not believe that their chi...

2 Napa bicyclists die after being hit by lumber on flatbed truck

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Two bicyclists died after lumber on a flatbed truck apparently shifted and hit them as they rode along Silverado Trail in Napa County on Tuesday morning, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson said.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | San Jose man’s toxicology results released in double-fatal Santa Cruz County crash Crashes and Disasters | Man accused in downtown Long Beach crash was working for Uber, had passenger in car, DA says Crashes and Disasters | East Bay woman arrested in connection with fatal hit-and-run earlier this year in Tracy Crashes and Disasters | Newsom approves automatic speed cameras for San Jose, Oakland pilot program Crashes and Disasters | East Bay man killed in single-vehicle collision in Fairfield Officers responded around 11 a.m. to a collision involving a three-axle flatbed truck on Silverado Trail north of Oak Knoll Avenue, CHP Officer Vince Pompliano said.A prelimi...

Alameda responds to Oakland Airport expansion plan with blistering 110-page critique

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

In the most comprehensive take-down of the Oakland Airport’s planned expansion to date, the city of Alameda has posted a damning 110-page critique blasting the port’s environmental impact report as “insufficient,” “legally inadequate” and a “failure.”In the extensive manifesto, Alameda officials argue the airport failed to analyze impacts to safety, include noise studies, or consider congestion, among a litany of other problems. The response also includes emails from concerned Alameda residents, highlighting worries ranging from climate change to air quality to noise pollution. It argues against the addition of any new airport gates, and asks for the Port of Oakland, which manages the airport, to produce a new environmental impact review that addresses the issues raised.Related ArticlesTransportation | ‘Coal war’ in Oakland could be settled by judge ruling in contract dispute Transportation | The Port of Oakl...

Southbound 87 to be repaved during closure this weekend: Roadshow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Q: Repaved northbound Highway 87 is great, but is Caltrans going to fix the on-ramps? I use the Capitol Expressway on-ramp and it’s a mess. It has cracked, uneven pavement, with potholes looking for axles to break, etc. And an annoyance, though not the worst problem, is that the stop line for the metering light hasn’t been visible since I’ve lived in that area, well over 20 years now.Tom KellyA: Good to hear about the northbound repaving. Repaving of southbound 87 between 85 and 280 is scheduled for this weekend. Full closure of southbound lanes in this area starts at 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20, and ends by 5 a.m., Monday, Oct. 23.Northbound ramps and auxiliary lanes have now been repaved, and should have been complete last Friday.Southbound ramps and auxiliary lanes will be repaved following southbound repaving.
The project includes median concrete barrier replacement, and upgrades and replacement of drainage systems and electrical components.For more information, vi...

Bay Area police chase ends with officer punching alleged thief in head

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

A suspect reportedly crashed into a cement truck and a car carrying two small children while fleeing Vallejo authorities Friday — before gaining widespread media attention when her arresting officer punched her in the head.Police say 19-year-old Maiya Green was resisting arrest and trying to escape when the officer struck her. Attorney General Rob Bonta called a video of the incident “disturbing” and “concerning” in an unrelated press conference Monday.Green, according to a press release from the city of San Luis Obispo, had been arrested just days before the incident for reportedly stealing $44,000 in merchandise from a Sunglass Hut in that city Oct 4.Staff at a business on the 1100 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane flagged down a Vallejo officer Friday, claiming two people had just stolen over $1,000 worth of merchandise, the Vallejo Police Department said in a social media post. An employee said the suspects were in a blue Nissan Altima that was leaving the business’s parking lot a...

3 juveniles, 1 adult arrested in connection to Redwood City violent crimes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

(KRON) -- Four suspects, including three juveniles and one young adult, were arrested over the weekend in connection to separate incidents of assaults, robberies and other crimes in Redwood City in recent weeks, according to the Redwood City Police Department.Police said the suspects were involved in seven violent crimes in downtown Redwood City. One robbery happened hours before one of the four suspects was arrested, RCPD said. Mother of 5 found dead near San Jose identified Authorities did not release further details on the crimes.The three juvenile suspects were booked into the San Mateo County Youth Services facility. The one adult was booked into San Mateo County jail.

SF supes approve ban on security drawing guns to protect property

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday legislation that will ban private security guards from drawing firearms to stop shoplifting. City supervisors said the law is a response to the killing of Banko Brown at a Market Street Walgreens store on April 27, 2023.The law was proposed by Supervisor Dean Preston, who said at the time of the incident involving a private security guard working at Walgreens shooting and killing Brown, the city’s police code allowed security to draw their guns in response to an actual threat to people as well as in the defense of property.“We should be doing everything in our power to prevent something like the killing of Banko Brown from happening again,” Preston said in a statement after the approval. Street vending to be banned on SF’s Mission Street According to city officials, state training limited unholstering a gun to only situations involving defending life, but San Francisco’s law was more permissive. Traini...

Evan Carter, Corbin Carroll and MLB’s precocious rookie class unfazed by pressure-packed playoffs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Johan Rojas dashed toward the warning track in a crucial October moment, sized up the hard-hit ball that was hurtling toward the fence and made a leaping catch before crashing into the wall as the crowd at Citizens Bank Park roared in approval.Not bad for a guy who’s been in the big leagues for about three months.The Philadelphia Phillies’ defensive wizard is among a handful of rookies who have made a huge impact in baseball’s postseason, joining Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and Texas Rangers standouts Evan Carter and Josh Jung. The youthful playoff infusion is the continuation of one of the best regular seasons for rookie hitters in MLB history.There have been 18 rookies with at least one at-bat this postseason through Monday, and that group was hitting a combined .247 with an .819 OPS. Five rookies — Carter, Carroll, Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Minnesota’s Royce Lewis and Edouard Julien — had OPS totals over 1.000, and Jung wasn’t far behin...