Our Village Voice VOL. 36 NO. 4
www.seabreezepublications.com
Commissioner’s Update Free Tax Services Offered To Palm Beach County Residents By Mayor Maria G. Marino It’s that time of year when the United Way of Palm Beach County teams up with IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers for a tax-free filing campaign. This initiative offers free, confidential, and secure tax preparation and e-filing for qualified taxpayers. Taxes Filed Free provides two easy and stress-free ways to file at no cost: taxpayers can file online at www.MyFreeTaxes. com anytime and anywhere, or they can meet with an IRS-certified volunteer in person at one of 16 locations throughout the county. Volunteers are available to assist in English, Spanish, Creole and sign language, with no appointment required. To make it easier to prepare your return please bring the following items to the VITA sites: • Last year’s Federal Income Tax Return (2024 income tax returns)
• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse (if married), and all dependents listed on the return • Correct birth dates for all names listed on the return • All W-2s for 2024, including spouses • Form 1098 – Mortgage interest, property taxes • Form 1099 – DIV, G, INT, MISC, NEC, K, Q, R, RRB, SSA for 2024 • Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of your refund (This is optional, but it gets your cash to you fast) • A Photo ID card (driver’s license, etc.), including spouse’s, if married and filing joint return • For Dependent Care Credit, bring care provider’s name, address, SSN/EIN, and amount you paid • For Education Credit, bring 1098T or 1098E and amount paid for qualified expenses • Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement If married and filing a joint return, both spouses must come to the VITA site. VITA volunteers will NOT prepare Schedule D (Complex), Schedule E, Employee Business Expenses, Moving Expenses and Nondeductible IRA. This Free Tax Assistance is offered from Thursday, January 22 to Tuesday, April 15. Don’t miss this deadline! To find a VITA site location near you, call 211 or visit www.TaxesFiledFree.org.
Northern Notes Raccoons – Misunderstood Masked Marauders By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District Trash pandas, bandits, thieves—these are all nicknames for northern raccoons. Raccoons, common throughout Florida, are a testament to the adaptability of wildlife. They can thrive in both urban and rural environments, even as their natural habitats shrink. A large part of their success is due to their adaptability to new challenges and opportunities, whether that’s nesting in cozy chimneys, invading chicken coops, or breaking into trash bins, their reputation as sneaky thieves who prefer to steal trash to survive is a testament to their intelligence and resourcefulness. Raccoons are about the size of a small dog and weigh around 1 to 25 pounds when fully grown. They are most notable for their black eye masks and ringed tails. Raccoons also have flat feet, with their hind legs longer
APRIL 2025
Bill’s Box By Bill Thompson The Days Of Wine And Roses To the contrary—Life is complicated. Where I grew up in a little town in North Carolina, there was one dentist and one primary care doctor. Here in Jupiter, I have a primary doctor who, when felt necessary, sends me to a specialist who sends me to a specialist who sends me to another specialist who sends me to another specialist. Soon I have a string of specialists and many appointments. Seven specialists and a primary. That is eight doctors and one dentist. That is a lot to keep up with. Mercy. I need a medical secretary. Thank God for one fine talented wife with a keen eye for detail. And with all that, I’m primarily just tired. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. Don’t worry. I’ll be here when all my friends are gone. Stubborn, you know. With the life I’ve lived, one builds longevity and survival. Not correct, of course. but fun to think. What Else? The python crossing Island Way, the gator crossing Longshore with his dinner firmly clinched in giant jaws—a mid-size mud turtle, and a mid-sized alligator seen in Misty Lake, subsequently captured by the Fish and Wildlife. Bill’s Box on page 3
than their front legs, giving them a hunched appearance. Their feet have five moveable toes, allowing them to grab and handle food. Both a raccoon’s front and rear paws resemble a human hand, featuring five slender, finger-like toes that enable them to easily manipulate food and objects. Raccoons have extremely sensitive front paws with specialized hairs, allowing them to easily locate and identify objects by touching them. This sensitivity increases when their paws are wet. While it appears that raccoons “wash” their food by dunking it in water, they are actually using this behavior to enhance their sense of touch. In fact, their scientific name, Procyon lotor, literally means “washing dog.” When raccoons dunk their food in the water and, seemingly, wash it, they are really just making their paws more sensitive. Water Northern Notes on page 2
REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY TO THE JUPITER POLICE DEPARTMENT
(561) 799-4445
Use 911 for emergencies only. Lock car doors. Do not leave valuables in the car.