Each spring, millions of Americans look forward to receiving a hefty income tax refund. And it truly is “hefty” with the average federal refund in 2010 hovering around $3,000.
That’s a lot of money to be giving the government through what is essentially a year-long, interest-free loan.
If you regularly receive large refunds, you’re probably having too much tax withheld from your paycheck. Instead, you might want to withhold less and put the money to work for you, by either saving or investing a comparable amount each month, or using it to pay down debt. Your goal should be to receive little or no refund at the end of the year.
Ask your employer for a new W-4 form and recalculate your withholding allowance using the IRS Withholding Calculator available at www.irs.gov. This is also a good idea whenever your pay or family situation changes significantly (e.g., pay increase, marriage, divorce, new child, etc.) Just be careful, because if too little is deducted, you might end up owing more tax next April, and possibly even interest or penalty fees. IRS Publication 919 can help guide you through the decision-making process.
Some people received larger-than-normal tax refunds in 2009 and 2010 thanks to the Making Work Pay credit, which expired December 31, 2010. In its place, most taxpayers will see a 2 percent reduction in the amount being withheld for Social Security in 2011 paychecks.
Another change this year was a Treasury Department pilot program that offered 600,000 randomly selected low- and moderate-income families an opportunity to have their tax refunds direct- deposited into a prepaid debit card issued through Bonneville Bank. The pilot explored ways to save the government money (direct deposits cost 1/10th as much to process as paper checks) as well as to give people with no bank account easier and more cost-effective access to their tax refunds.
Here are ways to put your refund to good use:
Pay down debt. By increasing your payment amount on outstanding loan or credit card balances you can significantly lower the total amount of interest paid. Say you’re paying $80 a month on a $2,000 credit card balance at 18 percent interest. By doubling your payment to $160, you’ll reduce the payoff time from 32 months to 14, and shave $295 off the total amount of interest paid.
Start an emergency fund. To protect your family against the impact of a layoff or other unexpected financial crisis (such as a medical emergency, car accident or theft), set aside enough cash to cover at least six months of living expenses.
Save for retirement. If your debt and emergency savings are under control, add to your IRA or 401(k) accounts, particularly if your employer matches contributions – a 50 percent match corresponds to a 50 percent rate of return.
Invest in yourself. Enroll in college courses or vocational training to ensure you have additional skills to fall back on should you lose your job or want to change careers.

Longview residents are invited to participate in the Citywide Cleanup, Tire Recycling, and Electronics Recycling events from 8:00 a.m. – Noon, Saturday, April 2, 2011. The events are sponsored by the City of Longview and Keep Longview Beautiful and are in conjunction with the Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program. All events will be held at or near the Longview Public Library, 222 W. Cotton St.

According to City of Longview Community Relations Coordinator Mary Jane Burnett, “This is usually our largest cleanup event of the year volunteers from throughout Longview participating. We encourage as many people as possible to get involved and join the 3.9 million volunteers working nationwide during the Great American Cleanup.”

Citywide Cleanup volunteers clean the street or park of their choice. Volunteers may register, receive supplies, and enjoy refreshments at a 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. kickoff event at the Longview Public Library, 222 W. Cotton St. Following the event, Citywide Cleanup volunteers are invited to a “Reporting Party” at 11:45 a.m., where participants may report volunteer results and enjoy lunch. To volunteer in the Citywide Cleanup, please contact the City of Longview at 903-237-1390 or Keep Longview Beautiful at 903-237-4029.

Tire Recycling will also take place from 8:00 a.m. – Noon on Saturday, April 2. During the event, Longview residents may bring tires to the recycling trailer located across the street from the Longview Public Library at 200 W. Cotton St. Tire Recycling is limited to Longview residents and non-commercial users only.

The City of Longview Sanitation Department will sponsor Electronics Recycling for Longview residents from 8:00 a.m. – Noon on April 2. The Electronics Recycling trailer will be located outside the north entrance to City Hall, 300 W. Cotton St., which is across the parking lot from the Library. Items accepted for recycling include: computers, CRT monitors, flat screen LCD’s, networking equipment (servers & cabinets), telecommunications equipment, phone systems/cell phones, video and audio equipment, power supply units, connectors, wire, cables, printed circuit boards, computer cards, printers, and ink cartridges. No television sets, business copiers, or industrial material will be accepted.

To participate in Tire Recycling or Electronics Recycling events, please bring proof of Longview residency such as a water bill. For recycling information, contact the Sanitation Department at 903-237-1250. For more information about these or other City of Longview events, visit LongviewTexas.gov.

Retired Tyler police officer Allan Crosby and his sister, Audrey Crosby Spies, a retired Bowling Green, Ky., and former Tyler police officer, plan to walk across Texas this spring in memory of their sister and to raise money to help East Texas cancer patients.
They plan to start their walk on April 1 on the Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas state line near Atlanta, Texas and walk 857 miles during April and part of May to El Paso.
The walk called “Cops Crushing Cancer,” is in memory of the Crosbys’ sister, Jacqueline Crosby Mazzola, a retired Dallas police officer, who died in 2010 of colon cancer. Mazzola told her family to look for change on the street as a sign that she was dropping pennies from heaven for them to help cancer patients. Crosby says they are asking walkers to get pledges of one penny per mile.
All money raised from the walk will go to ETMC’s Cancer Institute Remembrance Fund. The fund, which is coordinated through the East Texas Medical Center Foundation, assists cancer patients and the community through patient support programs, such as retreats and support groups, cancer screenings, advancement of cancer programs and services and assistance to patients with special needs.
Crosby hopes retired and active law enforcement officers as well as cancer survivors will join them as they pass through their county and walk with them.
They plan to use their Facebook page under Cops Crushing Cancer, to update walkers as to when they will be in their area.

The walk will begin in Cass County on State Highway 155 and turn onto U.S. Highway 80 to travel to Dallas. Walkers will travel through Dallas-Ft. Worth and take routes north of Midland to reach El Paso. They are staying off main interstates so the trip will be safer for the walkers.

To make a donation by check, please send your tax-deductible gift to the ETMC Foundation, Cancer Institute Remembrance Fund, P. O. Box 6400, Tyler, TX 75711. For more information on the walk please contact Crosby at 903-245-9004.

In wake of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that has caused widespread disaster in Japan and some areas of the U.S., the Office of the Attorney General is cautioning generous Texans to carefully vet relief organizations before making any charitable contributions.

By doing a little research, well-meaning Texans can ensure their dollars actually help the recovery effort and aid victims – rather than funding fraudulent scams set up to capitalize on a tragedy.

Texans who are solicited for charitable contributions to relief efforts by telephone, text message, e-mail, mail, social networking sites or otherwise should consider the following:
• Ensure the relief organization is legitimate. Ask for credentials, including the soliciting entity’s exact name and telephone number, particularly if the purported relief organization is not well known.
•  Call the charity directly and confirm that the solicitor is actually working for that organization.
• Watch for questionable charities using names that closely resemble the names of well-known charities.
• Find out how the donation will be used.
• Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion and short on descriptions about how charitable contributions will aid the recovery effort.
• Don’t succumb to high-pressure tactics and demands for an immediate decision. A legitimate charity welcomes background checks on their operations.
• Never give a credit card or bank account number to an unknown solicitor.
• Never give cash and never agree to give money to a courier. Write a check to the charity directly – not the soliciting individual – and get a receipt.
For information about specific relief operations currently underway, Texans should contact the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP). AIP is a national charity watchdog service that assists donors with identifying reliable charitable organizations. Texans should visit their Web site at www.charitywatch.org.

Texans who wish to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General regarding suspicious e-mail charity solicitations may call the Consumer Complaint Hotline at (800) 252-8011 or file a complaint online at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.

Gregg County Jail

                William Edward Welch, 24, of Kilgore and Tori Gambling, 19, of Longview remained jailed Sunday on $30,000 bond each, charged with manual delivery of a controlled substance. Police said Welch and Gambling were arrested Saturday morning at Motel 6 in the 100 block of South Access Road.

                Patrick Shane Russell, 32, of Kilgore remained jailed Sunday on $5,000 bond, charged with possession of a controlled substance. Police said Russell was arrested about 5 p.m. Saturday .

                Manuel Enrique Barrientos Jr., 18, of Longview remained jailed Sunday on $20,000 bond, charged with deadly conduct/discharging a firearm. Police said Barrientos was arrested about 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Fenton Street.

                Find Police Beat by clicking ‘police’ at news-journal.com. Gregg County Crime Stoppers might pay up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest or conviction. To report a crime, call (903) 236-STOP.

Accused Man Could Face More Charges In California

By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer

            A Jacksonville man could face additional charges from California after he was arrested for allegedly abusing a girl.

            John David Mullins, 57, was arrested Friday at his residence on Beaumont Street, where he lives with his wife and grandson. He was charged with prohibited sexual conduct with a descendent or ancestor by blood or adoption, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. As of Tuesday, he remained in the Cherokee County Jail on a $200,000 bond, according to jail records.

            Jacksonville Police Detective James Oden said the Special Weapons and Tactics Team executed the arrest warrant on Mullins’ residence because they had information that the house had numerous fire-arms.

            Mullins, who moved from California to Jacksonville in August 2010, also made comments about using the weapons, and authorities worried about him being a danger to himself or others, Oden said.

            During the raid, police collected computers, hard drives and other items.

            Oden said police became aware of the alleged abuse when the now 18-year-old woman spoke out.

            He said the inappropriate contact began when she was about 6 years old and continued until January this year.

            The abuse was “basically manipulative and coerced because of years of training,” he said.

            “She’s dating a young man (now) who got her to confirm his beliefs. Somebody finally gave her the courage to come forward.”

            Oden said police would have charged Mullins with continuous sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, but they were unable to because the accused moved to Texas when she was considered an adult.

            California authorities, who helped Oden by interviewing people there, can review his case report and decide whether they want to pursue charges.

            Meanwhile, Oden continues to follow up on leads to ensure there are no other possible victims in Texas.

            “We are trying to make sure that’s not something that’s happened that we haven’t found out about,” he said.

            Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth said his office could get the case later this week and will work with California authorities if they decide to pursue charges.

Driver Charged With Intoxication Manslaughter

            The driver of a pickup truck involved in a fatal accident with a motorcycle was charged with intoxication manslaughter, Tyler police said.

            A Tylerite was killed Saturday from injuries suffered when the motorcycle he was riding hit a truck that had failed to yield the right of way at a red light, police said.

            Carlos Edgar Ramirez-Medina, 25, was driving a motorcycle southbound on Palace Avenue near the intersection of Oakwood Street at 5:39 p.m. Saturday, police said.

            Witnesses told police the motorcycle was south on Palace in the inside lane, and a pickup truck was north on Palace turning west onto Oakwood.

            Witnesses said the motorcycle had a green light and the pickup turned in front of the motorcycle, failing to yield right of way. The motorcycle struck the passenger’s side of the pickup, according to police.

            The driver of the pickup, Charles Winn, 52, of Tyler, was charged with intoxication manslaughter, police said. Ramirez-Medina was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injuries reported at the scene.

With drugs online without prescription the weather warming up, many families are getting a head start on their spring cleaning.
The Glass Recreation Center wants to help these families get rid of all the junk that has accumulated in their closets and garages over the year by holding a community rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 5.
The Glass Center is currently accepting applications from vendors; booth spaces will be rented for $10 each. Booth space must be purchase on or before March 1. Vendors will be able to set up their booth between 5 and 10 p.m. on Friday, March 4.
“This is a great way to clean house and generate a little bit of extra cash,” said Ann Santana, recreation supervisor. “With spring break coming up, this will give families the opportunity to relax and enjoy some extra spending money.”

Authorities last week raided a cockfighting  operation in Tyler, confiscating 44 roosters and detaining about 20 persons who  were present at the cockfight.
The Humane Society of the United States  (HSUS) provided the information that led to the sting, but most of those at the  scene were released because Texas is one of just six states that permits  attending a cockfight, to posses birds for the purpose of fighting, and to  possess cockfighting weapons.  Pending legislation would restrict such  activities.
Representative Wayne Christian, R-District buying prescription drugs online 9, is  sponsoring an HSUS-supported bill to make it illegal to attend a cockfight or to  possess roosters for the purpose of fighting.  HSUS Director of Animal  Cruelty Policy John  Goodwin is enthusiastic about the new legislation.
“We commend the Smith County Sheriff’s Department  for taking allegations of animal fighting seriously,” he said.   “Cockfighting will continue to be a widespread problem in Texas until a law is  passed to punish those who make this gruesome crime profitable.”
Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states, and a  felony in 39.
Prosecution of this crime in Texas is difficult because  merely being present at a cockfight is not yet outlawed.  Those caught at  fights claim they were only watching.  The Texas anti-cockfighting law  is weak, allowing the keeping and training roosters to fight.  Therefore  surrounding states which have tougher laws come to Texas to hold their  tournaments.
The HSUS offers rewards of up to $5000 for information on cases of already-illegal animal fighting, and informants’  identities are kept secret.
Anyone with news of illegal animal fighting  should call (877) TIP-HSUS (847-4787.)

The Tyler Professional Fire Fighters Association (TPFFA) “Turned Tyler Pink” on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010 when they welcomed the Pink Heals Tour back to the downtown square as part of the second annual event to raise awareness of women’s cancer.
The Pink Heals Tour features pink fire trucks that travel across the country to raise awareness of women’s cancer. Each truck is signed by thousands of people who have been affected by cancer.
“The inspirational messages written on the trucks about the ravages of this disease and the spirit of those who are fighting it is something everyone should see,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass, a breast cancer survivor. “This event was an opportunity for the entire community to come out and honor those who have been affected by cancer. We were particularly excited to welcome “Tonya” (a Tyler Fire truck given to the Pink Heals Tour in 2009) back to Tyler, showing off her new pink paint and messages from cancer survivors from around the U.S.”
Area public safety officers, businesses, schools and citizens were urged to wear pink on this date to show that “Tyler cares enough to wear pink”.
The Tyler Firefighters’ sale of the pink shirts began in 2008 when the wife of a fellow firefighter was struck with cancer. To raise funds to help the family, the department raised $12,000 by selling pink shirts. In 2009, the effort grew significantly with an event held on the Downtown Square that attracted more than 500 people who wore pink in support of women who are fighting cancer.
Funds raised this year as part of the shirt sales and the Turn Tyler Pink event are being donated to local cancer organizations and to assist firefighters and their families battling cancer. Tyler fire fighters raised $20,885 Buy Cialis Online Without Prescription that will be disseminated to:
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure;
The American Cancer Society;
East Texas Medical Center Foundation;
Trinity Mother Frances Health System Cancer Foundation;
Fit Steps for Life;
Total HealthCare Center;
Northeast Texas Public Health District;
Tyler Fire Fighter CARE Fund;
Lone Star Pink Heals; and,
Fire Fighter Cancer Support Network.

Plans for the Fourth Annual Main Street Flower Market are underway, with vendor registration available online at the Flower Market web page.

The Main Street Flower Market is set Buy Viagra for March 25 and 26 on the grounds of the historic Goodman LeGrand Museum, 624 N. Broadway. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, visitors will have the opportunity to visit booths to purchase bedding plants, herbs, roses and garden décor from a variety of vendors.
“We hold the Flower Market for two chief reasons,” said City of Tyler Main Street Department Leader Beverly Abell. “We want to help celebrate the annual Azalea Trail, and we want people to enjoy one of Tyler’s most beautiful and historic places: the Goodman-LeGrand Museum and its grounds.”

Abell emphasized that the Flower Market committee strictly monitors content of the market, allowing only garden-related items to be sold.

“This keeps the market focused on its mission and offers gardening enthusiasts exactly what they expect when they come to a flower market,” Abell said.

Those who want more information should go to www.cityoftyler.org, www.tylermainstreet.org, or www.heartoftyler.com. The Tyler Main Street office can be contacted at (903) 593-6905.

Carter BloodCare donor centers throughout East Texas have re-opened following closings forced by freezing weather that also aborted blood drives. Although the collection facilities were closed, the demand for blood never slacked, and supplies are low in area hospitals and clinics.
Carter BloodCare serves fifty-six counties and more than 200 medical facilities, and despite assistance from the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Waco facilities the shortage remains because of closings forced by inclement weather all across the northern half of Texas.
The Tyler facility imported blood from eight other centers, but such assistance can only be sustained for a short period.  All local blood collection facilities rely on local donors, so the Tyler center is buy prescription drugs online urging all eligible contributors to make appointments to give blood at the first opportunity.
In order to meet patient demand Carter BloodCare needs at least 1100 donors daily throughout the state system, and there is no substitute for human blood.  Cancer sufferers comprise the largest blood-needing group, but blood is also required for joint-replacement surgery patients, those undergoing sickle cell treatment, emergency labor and delivery cases and emergency trauma care.
Anyone aged sixteen and younger must have parental consent before donating blood.  There is no upper age limit, but all donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in overall good health and present a photo ID.  It is a good idea to eat a hearty meal and drink lots of fluids before donating.
For more information call (800) DONATE-4 or visit carterbloodcare.org.