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IRS has tool to help people who don't file taxes get coronavirus impact check

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 8:04pm

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service on Friday launched a new web tool allowing quick registration for economic impact payments for those who don’t normally file a tax return.

The non-filer tool, developed in partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, provides a free and easy option designed for people who don't have a return filing obligation, including those with too little income to file. The feature is available only on IRS.gov, and users should look for Non-filers: Enter Payment Info Here to take them directly to the tool.

"People who don't have a return filing obligation can use this tool to give us basic information so they can receive their Economic Impact Payments as soon as possible," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The IRS and Free File Alliance have been working around the clock to deliver this new tool to help people."

The IRS reminds taxpayers that economic impact payments will be distributed automatically to most people starting next week. Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for 2019 or 2018 will receive the payments automatically. Automatic payments will also go in the near future to those people receiving Social Security retirement, survivors, disability or survivor benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits.

How do I use the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info tool?

For those who don't normally file a tax return, the process is simple and only takes a few minutes to complete. First, visit IRS.gov, and look for "Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here." Then provide basic information including Social Security number, name, address, and dependents. The IRS will use this information to confirm eligibility and calculate and send an Economic Impact Payment. Using the tool to get your payment will not result in any taxes being owed. Entering bank or financial account information will allow the IRS to deposit your payment directly in your account. Otherwise, your payment will be mailed to you.

"Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info" is secure, and the information entered will be safe. The tool is based on Free File Fillable Forms, part of the Free File Alliance's offerings of free products on IRS.gov.

Who should use the Non-Filers tool?
This new tool is designed for people who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and who don't receive Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits or Railroad Retirement benefits. Others who should consider the Non-Filers tool as an option, include:

Lower income: Among those who could use Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info tool are those who haven't filed a 2018 or 2019 return because they are under the normal income limits for filing a tax return. This may include single filers who made under $12,200 and married couples making less than $24,400 in 2019.

Veterans beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients: The IRS continues to explore ways to see if economic impact payments can be made automatically to SSI recipients and those who receive veterans disability compensation, pension or survivor benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and who did not file a tax return for the 2018 or 2019 tax years. People in these groups can either use Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info option now or wait as the IRS continues to review automatic payment options to simplify delivery for these groups.

Social Security, SSDI and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries with qualifying dependents: These groups will automatically receive $1,200 Economic Impact Payments. People in this group who have qualifying children under age 17 may use Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info to claim the $500 payment per child.

Students and others: If someone else claimed you on their tax return, you will not be eligible for the Economic Impact Payment or using the Non-Filer tool.

Coming next week: Automatic payments begin
Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 and chose direct deposit of their refund will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples and $500 for each qualifying child. Individuals who receive Social Security retirement, survivors or disability benefits, SSDI or who receive Railroad Retirement benefits but did not file a return for 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive a payment in the near future.

Coming next week: Get My Payment shows economic impact payment date, helps with direct deposit
To help everyone check on the status of their payments, the IRS is building a second new tool expected to be available for use by April 17. Get My Payment will provide people with the status of their payment, including the date their payment is scheduled to be deposited into their bank account or mailed to them.

An additional feature on Get My Payment will allow eligible people a chance to provide their bank account information so they can receive their payment more quickly rather than waiting for a paper check. This feature will be unavailable if the Economic Impact Payment has already been scheduled for delivery.

More Information on Economic Impact Payments
The IRS will post additional updates on IRS.gov/coronavirus on these and other issues.

Franklin nursing home now has eight residents with COVID-19

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 1:01pm

Legacy Helathcare in Franklin, where officials learned Wednesday that a resident had tested positive for COVID-19, now has eight cases after five more positive results were reported Friday.

Coroner Eric Melancon, a physician, was on his way to the nursing home over the noon hour Friday to make sure anti-COVID protocols are in place.

"You've got to do what you can to prevent the spread," Melancon said.

No Legacy staff members are known to be infected, Melancon said.

The first case was a resident who had been taken to another facility for an examination. Screening there determined that the resident was COVID-19 positive, Melancon said.

Two more residents tested positive subsequently, and then the five positive tests were reported Friday.

Melancon said he has been able to direct samples from Legacy to Ocshner St. Mary in Morgan City, from where samples are sent to Ochsner in New Orleans and results are available in 24 hours. Commercial labs generally take days more because of a testing backlog.

Melancon is working with Dr. Chip Riggins, director of the Louisiana Department of Health's Region 3, to obtain the equipment needed for the one-day turnaround for Ochsner St. Mary.

Twenty-four of the 31 nursing homes in Region 3 have at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.

TGMC gets rapid testing capability

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 12:34pm

Thibodaux Regional Health System has successfully obtained rapid testing capabilities that will enable the hospital’s laboratory to process COVID-19 specimens.

“We want to help as many people as possible determine if they are COVID positive,” said Greg Stock, CEO Thibodaux Regional. “Thibodaux Regional is excited to bring rapid testing to our region. This will enable us to quickly identify if a patient needs to be in isolation, and will help us to more efficiently utilize hospital resources, staffing, and supplies.”

“Rapid testing is an additional way that we are being proactive and addressing the need for expanded access to testing,” continued Stock. Thibodaux Regional was the first to establish a drive through collection site several weeks ago.

An allotment of rapid test kits are provided to the hospital. Thibodaux Regional will utilize these as they are made available. The hospital still has an adequate supply of collection kits that are being sent to the state or independent lab for results as well.

Eleven more COVID-19 cases in St. Mary

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 12:10pm

Eleven new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in St. Mary in the 24 hours ending at noon Friday, according to the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

The number of positive tests in St. Mary is now at 100 after 380 tests. The number of deaths among St. Mary residents remains at one after Wednesday's death of a local resident who tested positive for COVID-19 in New Orleans.

St. Martin Parish continues to have a relatively high percentage of positives compared to the number of tests performed. Thirteen new COVID-19 positives were reported for the parish for a total of 140 after 157 tests. The death toll remains at six.

A death was reported in Assumption Parish, where 11 new COVID-19 positives bring the total to 105 after 132 tests.

Statewide, the number of cases grew by 970 to 19,253 in the 24 hours leading up to noon Friday. Another 40 people have been hospitalized, bringing the total to 2,054 and continuing a trend toward smaller numbers of new hospitalizations. Six more people went on ventilators, bringing that total to 479.

The statewide death toll grew by 53 to 755.

Officials caution that because of a testing backlog, the number of cases reported each day may reflect results of tests performed a week or more earlier.

More than 1,100 unemployment claims filed from St. Mary last week

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 1:46am

St. Mary Parish residents filed 1,147 initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week ending April 4, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

That was up from 811 in the week ending March 28 and 387 in the week ending March 21, just after the first wave of anti-COVID-19 measures began to close or limit the region's businesses.

In St. Martin, 979 people file initial benefit claims last week. In Iberia, 1,479 filed claims.

St. Mary had been engaged in long struggle to recover from depressed oil prices. Total employment, which had topped 27,000 in fall 2014, was down to about 21,000 in fall 2019, according to the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Oil is again playing a role St. Mary's economic woes. As the coronavirus and reduced commerce have depressed oil demand, and Saudi Arabia and Russia engage in a price war, West Texas intermediate crude has fallen to $22.76 on the NYMEX.

Statewide, more than 102,000 people filed new unemployment claims last week.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said about 277,000 Louisiana residents applied for unemployment benefits between March 1 and April 4, compared to about 103,000 during all of 2019, the Center Square reported.

School Board OKs security enhancements at 8 schools

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 8:21pm

GEOFF STOUTE

gstoute@daily-review.com

Front door security enhancements at eight schools were approved by the St. Mary Parish School Board during its monthly meeting Thursday at the Central Office Complex in Centerville.
Board members approved contractor recommendations from the maintenance committees, which met before the full board meeting Thursday, to complete work at the schools.
District 1 work will be completed at Franklin Junior High School, Franklin High School and West St. Mary High School and B.E. Boudreaux Middle School, both in Baldwin. Franklin-based Acadiene Renovations, the low bidder at $139,200, was awarded the work.
District 2 work will be completed at Berwick Elementary School and Hattie Watts Elementary School in Patterson. Berwick-based DEL-CON, the low bidder at $143,624, was awarded the project.
The District 3 work will take place at J.S. Aucoin Elementary School in Amelia and Wyandotte Elementary School in Morgan City. Acadiene Renovations, the low bidder at $249,800, received the project.
All three projects are scheduled to begin on May 27th and be completed by Aug. 5. However, the projects may begin sooner if students, who are at home at least until the end of April due to Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home mandate in response to COVID-19, do not return to school in May.
The board’s three maintenance districts also set meeting dates and times to discuss school maintenance projects. All three meetings will be held May 5. The District 3 meeting will be at 1 p.m. the District 2 meeting at 2 p.m. and the District 1 meeting at 3 p.m.
In other action Thursday, the board, some of which met via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic, approved student meal prices for the 2020-2021 school year. Superintendent Teresa Bagwell told the board that there will be no changes next year in school lunch prices for students.
However, she said she thinks there may be a change in the price of faculty and visitor lunch prices. The school system will find out that answer at the end of the school year.
In her superintendent’s report, Bagwell stressed that students use the school-issued instructional materials as well as online learning materials on the school system’s website each day. She also encouraged participation in digital meetings with teachers.
“Also, parents and students are urged to reach out to teachers throughout the closure for any additional assistance that they may need,” she said.
Bagwell also stressed the importance of St. Mary Parish residents filling out their U.S. Census packets.

Atchafalaya crest near 8 feet expected

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 6:52pm

Levee board director says he thinks area will 'ride this one out'

The St. Mary Parish Levee District board zoomed through a meeting conducted Thursday with the Zoom teleconferencing application because of coronavirus restrictions.

The highlight of the meeting, which was over 17 minutes after its scheduled 6 p.m. start, was news that the rising Atchafalaya River is predicted to begin falling next week.

At 5 p.m. Thursday, the river at Morgan City was at 7.2 feet, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to continue rising and reach 8 feet Monday evening. At 7 feet, the river causes moderate flooding between the Morgan City and Berwick flood walls.

District Director Tim Matte told the board that his information is that the crest will be just short of 8 feet.

"We should be able to ride this one out," Matte said.

That's if no more heavy rain falls.

The Atchafalaya rises as more water is diverted into the system from the Mississippi River. The Mississippi's crest was near Vicksburg, Mississippi and moving downriver Thursday night, Matte said.

A sudden jump in the predicted crest of the Mississippi at New Orleans' Carrollton Street gauge led the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to recommend opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway last week. The Corps began opening gates Friday, diverting more water into Lake Pontchartrain.

The Corps has opened 50 of the Bonnet Carre's 350 gates, Matte said.

"It's a fairly small opening within the context of what's been happening," Matte said.

The Bonnet Carre' opening has no direct impact on the Atchafalaya system, except that it indicates that officials are on guard against potential flooding. The Corps has resisted calls to open the Morganza Floodway, which would put more water into the Atchafalaya, as an alternative to opening the Bonnet Carre'.

La. lawmakers seek Saudi oil embargo, testing for energy workers

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 5:23pm

Staff Report

Louisiana’s federal lawmakers are ratcheting up the pressure for intervention on a behalf of an energy industry hammered by reduced demand and a Saudi-Russia feud.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge and chairman of the Senate Energy Subcommittee, intends to introduce legislation when Congress reconvenes that would impose tariffs on oil imports from Saudi Arabia and withdraw American troops from the country.
Cassidy’s office said he bill is in response to Saudi Arabia’s manipulation of the oil market that is threatening American energy jobs.
Saudi Arabia has slashed oil prices below the cost of production, which has made it impossible for American producers to compete, Cassidy said in a press release. Saudi Arabia’s actions, coupled with a steep decline in demand due to the coronavirus lockdown, have put at risk the viability of the American oil and gas industry and the tens of thousands of jobs it provides.
“Our nation’s economy, national security and the economic welfare of families across Louisiana is threatened by oil being dumped on the world market at below-production costs. The US spends billions protecting other oil producing countries and their ability to safely transport oil around the world. Now is the time to protect ourselves. Tariffs will restore fair pricing. Withdrawing troops placed to protect others recognizes that friendship and support is a two-way street,” Cassidy said.
The bill requires that the United States removes all troops from Saudi Arabia 30 days after enactment, and it prohibits funds from being used to keep US troops there.
It also requires the president to impose tariffs on Saudi petroleum and any petroleum-related produce or byproduct to ensure the price of Saudi imports in not less than $40 per barrel, or face penalties.
Meanwhile, U.S. Reps. Clay Higgins, R-Port Barre, and Ralph Abraham, R-Alto, are asking for COVID-19 testing for oil and gas work-ers.
“At a time when Russia, Saudi Arabia, and OPEC are deliberately tanking the oil economy, our energy sector cannot withstand the impact of a highly communicable and dangerous virus such as this. The disruption of this industry is a direct threat to the energy independence and national security of the United States of America,” the congressmen wrote in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the White House coronavirus response. “Therefore, I request your support in making available valuable COVID-19 testing units for all vulnerable oil and gas workers.”
News broke Thursday about an OPEC decision to cut production by 10 million barrels of oil per day. The United States, currently the world’s leading oil producer, is producing 11.8 million barrels a day.
It’s not clear how large an impact the cut will have on prices. West Texas intermediate crude oil was at $22.76 per barrel at 5 p.m. Thursday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That was down more than 9% in the day’s trading.
Brent crude was at $31.48, down 4%, in European trading.
Natural gas was at $1.73 on the NYMex, down nearly 3%.

Governor likely to order schools closed for remainder of year

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 4:49pm

LHSAA cancels prep spring sports

Gov. John Bel Edwards said it's likely he'll go along with requests from state and local education officials to extend the closure of Louisiana schools to the scheduled end of the school year.

One part of the school year is already gone: The Louisiana High School Activities Association on Thursday canceled the winter sports championships and spring sports seasons and championships.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Louisiana School Boards Association, local superintendents and the Louisiana Department of Education have written letters asking for the current school year to be declared over. Edwards said he received the letters just before he walked into Thursday's press conference on COVID-19. He said he wants to talk to Acting State Superintendent Beth Scioneaux before making a decision.

"Obviously, there's a real good chance I'll do what they're asking me to do," Edwards said.

The governor ordered schools to be closed in his March 13 order on coronavirus precautions. That closure was to last through March 31. He later extended the order through April 30.

"We, the leadership of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), respectfully request that you act now in making a decision to formally extend school facilities closures for the remainder of the Spring term," BESE wrote in its letter.

"The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently issued guidance to this effect, noting the closure of school facilities greatly reduces the spread of COVID-19; additionally, and unfortunately, recently reported data suggests that much of our population in Louisiana is particularly vulnerable and susceptible to this virus — as confirmed cases continue to rise. The CDC factors for long-term facilities closure, based on available science, indicates that the citizens of our state are more at risk if children and staff are introduced into these facilities too soon."

BESE continues to support programs to provide online and at-home learning for students and the effort to provide two meals daily to children by local school systems.

The LHSAA said it made its decision to call off sports because of "the severity of the virus and its spread, the continued uncertainty surrounding our membership, their facilities, coupled with the importance of protecting the health and safety of our athletes, their families, potential spectators, coaches and game officials."

St. Mary officials: COVID-19 case at Franklin nursing home

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 4:17pm

At least one case of COVID-19 has been identified at Franklin's Legacy Nursing Home, parish officials said Thursday.

The information was in a press release from St. Mary Parish Coroner Eric Melancon and Parish President David Hanagriff.

Melancon has been in contact with Dr. Chip Riggins, medical director of the Louisiana Health Department's Region 3, "to advise that the proper protocols as set by the Center of Disease Control, relative to preventing the spread of COVID-19 at this facility were in place at this facility and will continue."

The parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has provided personal protective equipment to the nursing home.

Twenty-four of 31 nursing home facilities in Louisiana Health Department Region 3, which includes St. Mary, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and Terrebonne, have positive cases, the press release said.

"St. Mary Parish's long-term care facilities have done a great job following following the CDC guidelines and keeping the facilities sanitized, clean and COVID-19 free," the press release said.