Congressman Offers Free Grants Conference

Congressman Paul Hodes (2^nd District of New Hampshire) is offing free grant seminars to local residents. The Grants Conference allows people to learn about Federal, state and private grant opportunities for municipalities, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, school districts, libraries, and hospitals. The Grants Conference will be held on Monday, January 28, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Concord at the New Hampshire State House in Representatives Hall. Please contact Lisa Levine in the Concord office with the names of the individuals from your organization who will attend the conference. Lisa can be reached at 603-223-9814 or Lisa.Levine@mail.house.gov. Additional information can be found here: http://hodes.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1469. Please be sure to RSVP by January 21, 2008.

The IRS says "sorry" with $1000

The National Taxpayer Advocate Service really does work for you. The National Taxpayer Advocate proposed to Congress, the idea of 'apology payments', which would give up to $1,000 to those taxpayers whose cases have been mishandled by the IRS. The proposed apology payments of $100 to $1,000, adjusted for inflation, would go to taxpayers who endure 'excessive expense or undue burden' on their time. Britain and Australia already make such payments. The money would not be subject to tax. The proposed budget implies that the advocate's office believes 1,000 to 10,000 taxpayers per year should receive apology payments. Keep in mind, the proposal is still in the works, and Congress has not passed it yet. To read more, go to: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177288,00.html Remember, if you have any tax concerns or problems with the IRS, you contact your local taxpayer advocate for help. Here's how: http://www.irs.gov/advocate/content/0,,id=150972,00.html

$1,200 Loan to Get a $4,000 Car

Are you in need of a new car? Vehicles for Change, a Halethorpe, Md. Non-profit agency provides cars to low-income families. The group receives donated cars, many a decade old and with more than 100,000 miles, fixes them up and works with social service agencies across Maryland and Virginia to find recipients, who pay about $1,200 per car through a guaranteed loan program. The cars come with a six-month/6,000-mile warranty and a membership in AAA. The average fair-market value of the cars is $4,000. To see if your family is eligible for a car, contact Vehicles for Change, 5230 Washington Blvd. Halthorpe, MD 21227; 410-242-9674 or 800-835-3821; Fax: 410-242-9677; http://www.vehiclesforchange.org; Email:info@vehiclesforchange.org
Income Eligibility: Determined on a case-by-case basis.

The Public Has a Right to Know

On December 31, 2007, President Bush signed into law the OPEN Government Act of 2007. The legislation reforms the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and expands the definition of who is a "representative of the news media" under FOIA. This change would significantly benefit bloggers and non-traditional journalists by making them eligible for reduced processing and duplication fees that are available to "representatives of the news media." The OPEN Government Act of 2007, if enacted properly, should help curb some of the most frustrating aspects of the FOIA process, such as the indefinite waiting period for agency responses and fee charges for released documents. Specifically, the legislation requires an online tracking system for requesters, creates a government-wide office to arbitrate disputes, establishes penalties for FOIA offices that take longer than the allotted response times, clarifies the definition of "news media" status, limits agency "search" and "duplication" fees, and allows for reimbursement of attorney fees in some situations where requesters must go to court. To read about this legislation in its entirety, go to: http://www.citmedialaw.org/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/OPEN%20Government%20Act%20of%202007%20%28s.2488%29.pdf

New Rights for Airplane Passengers in New York

New York State became the first State in the Nation to implement an Airline Passenger Rights Law on January 1, 2008. The new law created an "Airline Passenger Bill of Rights" for passengers who fly out of New York airports and an Office of the Airline Consumer Advocate within the NYS Consumer Protection Board. This law requires airline carriers to post notice of passenger rights at all airport service desks and gates. Consumers who have been delayed on the tarmac for more than 3 hours and were not provided with fresh air, lights, waste removal service for on-board restroom facilities and adequate food and water, may file a complaint with the New York State Consumer Protection Board office: http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/complaint.htm. To read more about this law, go here: http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/pdf/airline_passenger_law.pdf. To read through the passenger rights to be posted in all airports, see: http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/pdf/airline_bill_rights.pdf

Don't Forget: $80 to Upgrade Your TV

The Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program started January 1, 2008. All U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes. The digital converter box coupons are available now at: https://www.dtv2009.gov/

How to Save Money at the Grocery Store

When you visit the grocery, do you walk out with much more than you planned? We have come up some ingenious ways to help you save time and more importantly, money when going grocery shopping. From where to look, how to pay and when to eat, we help you navigate the crowded aisles of the supermarkets.


Online Videos by Veoh.com