Still Waiting for Your Tax Refund?

If you’re awaiting a refund from the IRS, check the status of your refund online.

Your refund status should be available 24 hours after your electronically filed tax return has been received, and 4 weeks after you’ve mailed a paper return.

In checking your refund status online, you’ll need to supply the following information:

• Social Security number
• Filing status (single, married-filing jointly, etc.)
• Exact amount of your refund, as shown on your return

America’s Most Wanted

Visit USA.gov’s America’s Most Wanted Criminals to find government websites with photos and descriptions of fugitives. In some cases, rewards are offered.

The page includes links to Most Wanted sites from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Interpol, an international police organization that tracks criminals across borders; and many other agencies.

You’ll also find links to National Sex Offender Registries and resources related to Missing Children.

Travel Reminder

If you plan to travel outside the United States, be sure to check your passport long before your trip. Routine processing times for passport services are 4-6 weeks (expedited services take approximately 2-3 weeks).

Renew Your Passport – Check your passport’s expiration date. If your passport expires before you plan to return to the United States, then you’ll need to get a new passport before you leave the U.S.

Apply for a Passport – If you are eligible for a U.S. passport and plan to travel abroad, get application instructions.

Change or Correct Your Passport – If you need to makes changes or corrections (due to a name change, for example) or add visa pages to your passport, see which forms you need to submit.

Report Your Lost or Stolen Passport – If your passport has been lost or stolen, report it as soon as you can. Call 1-877-487-2778 (TTY 1-888-874-7793) in the U.S., or contact the nearest U.S. embassy if you’re overseas. 

Get Additional U.S. Passport Services – Look up passport fees, get the status of your passport application, find information about photo requirements, and more.

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“Understanding and Clearing Up Criminal Records in Ohio,” by the Ohio Justice & Policy Center is a step-by-step manual describing the process of sealing a record. The guide also discusses the different versions of a criminal record or “rap sheet” and the varied information found in each record. For instance, there is different information found in the following types of records: county conviction record transcripts, clerk of court websites, commercial background checking companies, and the State of Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

The process of correcting an inaccurate state or federal criminal record is explained, and the guide will answer the question, “What does it mean to get my criminal record sealed?” Readers will also know who is authorized by law to open sealed records.

Understanding and Clearing Up Criminal Records in Ohio includes the new record sealing rules found in Senate Bill 337. According to the guide, the following list outlines the steps you need to take to seal a criminal record:

1. Call the clerk of court’s office
2. Request the expungement forms
3. File the Application
4. Decide if you need an attorney
5. Get a hearing date
6. Develop what you will say
7. Attend the hearing

A lawyer is not required to have records sealed, but there is an organization available to assist applicants in Akron, Ohio: the University of Akron, School of Law, Expungement Clinic, 330.972.7462.

The guide also provides advice for employment seekers such as participating in job training programs, acquiring letters of recommendation, explaining why the conviction deters success, being prepared to discuss one’s criminal background at an interview, not lying on an application, and knowing one’s limits.

In addition, the manual includes information about a pardon. A pardon provides forgiveness of the crime and is granted by the governor after a recommendation from the Parole Board. Pardons do not seal or erase convictions and may be unconditional or conditional. To obtain a pardon application click this link Executive Clemency Pardon.

For more information about record sealing, click here Understanding and Clearing Up Criminal Records in Ohio.

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Two years ago on May 2, U.S. Special Operations Forces killed Osama bin Laden at a secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.  Osama bin Laden was the mastermind of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, of which almost 3,000 people died.  Four American passenger jets were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists.  Two were flown into the World Trade Center towers, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; their destination the U.S. Capitol.

Two days after the attacks, then President George Bush said, “The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden.”  After a decade long manhunt, CIA intelligence zeroed in on a compound in Abbottabad.  Navy Seals were sent by helicopters on a “kill-or-capture” mission for the elusive bin Laden.

This mission has been written about by Mark Owen, a pseudonym for one of the Navy Seals.  His book is “No easy day:  the autobiography of a Navy Seal: the firsthand account of the mission that killed Osama bin Laden.”  This takes the reader from the helicopter crash to the radio call confirming Bin Laden’s death.  The author begins the narrative with how he became a member of the Seal team and the rigorous training required of its members.  The second half captivates from the preparation for the raid to the gripping outcome known to all.

Peter Bergen’s “Manhunt: the ten-year search for Bin Laden – from 9/11 to Abbottabad” is a dramatic narrative of the hunt for Osama bin Laden.  Mr. Bergen had access to members of the National Security Council, intelligence and counterterrorism officials and former Special Operations officers.  The author describes some of the internal debates in the Obama administration about whether, and how, to attack the Abbottabad compound.  He also gives the reader a glimpse of bin Laden’s life at the compound, described as a depressing retirement, a terrorist leader mostly confined to the third floor of the house.

Both books have been described as riveting, gripping, illuminating, and authoritative.  Both give us an inside look at an extremely dangerous mission.  We gain knowledge of two secret organizations – the Navy Seals and the intelligence community.  Better yet, we get two good stories.

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With Spring finally here, the 2013 Ohio fishing season is now getting underway.  There are many public fishing opportunites available via inland lakes and streams across the state, not to mention our own world class fisherie-Lake Erie.  Whether by bank or boat, Ohio provides an assortent of opportunities for every angler no matter what experience or skill level.   From a morning of bluegill angling from dock or shore, to fishing for famed walleye and yellow perch on the open waters of Lake Erie, fun is in every Ohioan’s backyard with fine eating aftwards.  Other popular sport fish that can be harvested from Ohio waters are black crappie, white crappie, large mouth bass, small mouth bass, rainbow “steelhead” trout, muskellunge, and channel catfish.

Resident fishing licenses are $19 for anglers ages 16 through 65.  Seniors are $10.   Children 15 and younger are free.  Make sure to familiarize yourself with the general and site-specific 2013 regulations for each body of water you intend to visit.

Have fun on your Ohio adventure, but make sure to know the regulations.  Questions can be directed to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

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It is often observed that one thing we can all depend on is that things will change.  Organizational change is a source of stress for workers which can affect them physically, emotionally, and socially.  Because of these collateral effects, much attention has been paid to the management of change.  The goal is implement change with minimal damage and maximum benefit to all parties.

Our collection includes a variety of titles which address current thought in the management of change.  Highly regarded and in its second revised and expanded edition is Terms of Engagement: New Ways of Leading and Changing Organizations by Richard H. Axelrod, with a foreword by Peter Block.  As the title implies, the focus is on the concept of engagement between management and employees.  Key concepts include communication, both in terms of talking and listening between involved parties, reliable commitment- keeping by management, and the ultimate goal of trust.  Trustworthy leaders “are able to engage the organization in change”.

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Consumer Alerts

Tax Time…and Tax Scams

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud.

Find out how to avoid common tax scams.

Sweepstakes Scams

A recent research poll showed that more than half of all American adults entered sweepstakes within the past year – most of which were legitimate and law-abiding. However, con artists try to capitalize on the popularity of these offers by disguising their illegal schemes.

The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of complaints each year from consumers about gifts, sweepstakes, and prize promotions. You can protect yourself by recognizing the differences between legitimate sweepstakes and fraudulent ones:

• Prizes in legitimate contests are awarded solely by chance. Contestants don’t have to pay a fee or buy something to enter or increase their odds of winning.

• In fraudulent schemes, “winners” almost always have to pay to enter a contest or collect their “prize,” if they get a prize at all. Requiring a fee to enter is illegal.

Fraudulent sweepstakes promotions often show up through telemarketer calls, e-mails, or in the mail. You can reduce your chance of receiving these notifications by registering for the National Do Not Call Registry and by having your name removed from direct mail and e-mail marketing lists.

Learn your rights under the law when it comes to sweepstakes and find more ways to protect yourself. Keep yourself informed.

For additional information on the most recent scam alerts, please see the Federal Trade Commission’s web site: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts

Recent Books Worth Reading:

Leading Firms: How Great Professional Service Firms Succeed & How Your Firm Can Too, by David Kuhlman. Most businesses claim that people are their most important asset, but Kuhlman explains that professional service firms are unique because their entire value chain consists of people who must differentiate themselves from competitors who often offer the same product in similar ways with near-identical messaging. He offers a guide to the dynamics of the professional services firm. Kuhlman covers the aspects of the daily dealing with clients and markets as well as the planning and implementation of long-term strategy that leading a firm requires. Leading Firms is perfect for anyone who wants to explore their firm’s potential and can serve as a how-to guide for anyone leading in, or participating in, moving a service firm forward.

The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation, by Kal Raustiala and Christopher Springman. In The Knockoff Economy, the authors argue that creativity can not only survive in the face of copying, but can thrive. They approach the question of incentives and innovation in a wholly new way–by exploring creative fields where copying is generally legal, such as fashion, food, and even professional football. By uncovering these important but rarely studied industries, Raustiala and Sprigman reveal a nuanced relationship between imitation and innovation. In some creative fields, copying is kept in check through informal industry norms enforced by private sanctions. In others, the freedom to copy actually promotes creativity. Example: High fashion gave rise to the very term “knockoff,” yet the freedom to imitate great designs only makes the fashion cycle run faster–and forces the fashion industry to be even more creative.

For Crew and Country: The Inspirational True Story of Bravery and Sacrifice Aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts, by John Wukovits. On October 25, 1944, the Samuel B. Roberts, along with the other twelve vessels comprising its unit, stood between Japan’s largest battleship force ever sent to sea and MacArthur’s transports inside Leyte Gulf. Faced with the surprise appearance of more than twenty Japanese battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, including the Yamato, which, at 70,000 tons, was then the most potent battlewagon in the world. The 1,200-ton Samuel B. Roberts turned immediately into action with six other ships. It churned straight at the enemy in a near-suicidal attempt to deflect the more potent foe, allow the small aircraft carriers to escape, and buy time for MacArthur’s forces. The Samuel B. Roberts was sunk, going down with guns blazing in a duel reminiscent of the Spartans at Thermopylae or Davy Crockett’s Alamo defenders. The book chronicles the most dramatic naval battle of the Pacific War and the sacrifice of the ship’s crew.

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Did you know there are a dozen or more local organizations that come together each month for the purpose of helping ex-offenders? Every fourth Friday, the Training & Education subcommittee of the Summit County Reentry Network hosts the Reentry Resource Seminars at the Job Center: 1040 East Tallmadge Avenue, Akron, Ohio, in room 119B at 10am. During the seminars, a local speaker talks about a selected topic for 20 minutes. About a dozen or more social service providers host resource tables of useful services and information. After a few announcements, and the speaker’s presentation, providers introduce themselves and their organization. Clients (ex-offenders and returning citizens) visit the tables, ask questions, and obtain useful services and information. Many people walk away saying they never knew such assistance existed.

Organizations that participate in the seminars include (but are not limited to) the following: Akron Summit County Public Library; Moving Toward Employment (Oriana House); Benefit Bank; Project Learn; Broken Chains Ministry; Goodwill; Job Center; Urban Ounce of Prevention; Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles; Friends of the Homeless; SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business; Huntington Bank; Planned Parenthood; Victim Assistance; LOOP (Loved Ones of Prisoners); Ohio Civil Rights Commission; Family Support Matters; Men of Valor; Akron CNC Training; Portage Path Behavioral Health; Truly Reaching You; Greenleaf Family Counseling; Community Legal Aid; Transitions (Akron Urban League); Adult Parole Authority; Fathers & Sons of Northeast Ohio; and Akron Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Outreach Program. At some seminars, an employer arrives with job applications.

The Training & Education subcommittee makes up a “network of providers that seeks to assist 1,500 ex-offenders who return to Summit County annually.” Past seminar topics included information about the new Senate Bill 337 with a section on the Certificate of Qualification for Employment, child support assistance featuring the Family Support Matters organization, employment information, and at the end of April the topic will focus on business start-up. Although there are different topics each month, returning citizens and ex-offenders are encouraged to come to every seminar for networking, referrals, education information, job opportunities and training, and lasting connections. For more information about the Reentry Resource Seminars contact the Summit County Reentry Coordinator at 330.643.2003.

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The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank is sponsoring the 22nd annual Harvest for Hunger campaign, which is a fundraising effort to help alleviate hunger in 21 counties in Ohio.  There are many ways in which individuals, organizations, and corporations can contribute.  The main library and all branches of the Akron-Summit County Public Library are donation points for the Harvest for Hunger campaign.

In 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the poverty rate for Summit County at 16.6%.  In 2010 it was 15.3% and in 2007 it was 14.1%.  The estimated population of Summit County in 2011 was 539,832, of whom 87,783 were estimated to be living in poverty.  The most heart-wrenching statistic comes from the documentary and book “A place at the table”, which states that one in four children goes hungry every day.

The documentary has been well reviewed on NPR and the Huffington Post website.  An excellent overview of the film is provided by Evelyn Thiess of the Plain Dealer.  This is a documentary not just about hunger in America, but about the cheap, non-nutritional food being eaten by the poor and those just above poverty level.  Directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush look at three people living with hunger and food insecurity.  Barbie is a single mother, working barely above minimum wage and providing for two small children.  Rosie is a fifth-grader who often gets food from neighbors and has trouble concentrating at school.  Tremonica is a second-grader whose unhealthy meals exacerbate her asthma.

The companion book offers diverse strategies for solving the hunger crisis.  Many notable experts involved in food and anti-hunger policies offer their insight and knowledge to solving this growing crisis.  This includes the actor Jeff Bridges, cofounder of the End Hunger Network; David Beckmann, head of Bread for the World; and other anti-hunger activists.

It takes a commitment from the public to solve hunger in America.  Both the documentary and book make clear that healthy, affordable food is in the best interest of everyone.  As Jeff Bridges says in the film, “How do you envision your country?  Do you envision it a country where one in four of the kids are hungry?”

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These days, the American Congress isn’t very popular, in fact many prefer cockroaches to them.  So what is going on with our elected representatives? Why can’t they work together? Why can’t they get things done?  Some recent books attempt to answer that question and provide ideas in how to fix this problem.

Dangerous convictions : what’s really wrong with the U.S. Congress by Tom Allen

The rhetoric of the 2012 presidential campaign exposed the deeply rooted sources of political polarization in American. One side celebrated individualism and divided the public into “makers and takers;” the other preached “better together” as the path forward. Both focused their efforts on the “base” not the middle.

In Dangerous Convictions, former Democratic Congressman Tom Allen argues that what’s really wrong with Congress is the widening, hardening conflict in worldviews that leaves the two parties unable to understand how the other thinks about what people should do on their own and what we should do together. Members of Congress don’t just disagree, they think the other side makes no sense. Why are conservatives preoccupied with cutting taxes, uninterested in expanding health care coverage and in denial about climate change? What will it take for Congress to recover a capacity for pragmatic compromise on these issues?

Allen writes that we should treat self-reliance (the quintessential American virtue) and community (our characteristic instinct to cooperate) as essential balancing components of American culture and politics, instead of setting them at war with each other. Combining his personal insights from 12 years In Congress with recent studies of how human beings form their political and religious views, Allen explains why we must escape the grip of our competing worldviews to enable Congress to work productively on our 21st century challenges.

The parties versus the people : how to turn Republicans and Democrats into Americans by Mickey Edwards

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Last Week, the United Nations unanimously approved sanctions against North Korea in the wake of a recent nuclear test.  Among other things, the measures block the sale of a variety of luxury items including yachts, luxury cars, racing cars, and fine jewelry.    There have long been reports of many citizens going hungry in North Korea.  The year 2012 saw floods and poor harvests bringing more reports of victims suffering from severe hunger, to the extreme of sensational stories of cannibalism.  At the same time, the North Korean government rarely accepts donations of food relief from other countries.

So why is the import of luxury goods to this country an international issue?  It has been estimated that North Korea imported $584.8 million in luxury goods in 2011, up from $446.2 million in 2010.  Who are the consumers of these items?  It appears to be the fortunate “political elites”.  After Kim Jong Un (now 30, the youngest world leader) came to power in 2011, succeeding his father, it has become important for him to consolidate his hold on power.  It is likely that many of the imported goods find their way to these ruling elites, as a way to gain favor.  It is also seems that Kim Jong Un , who was educated in Western society (Switzerland), has developed an appreciation of Western consumer goods as well as his love for American basketball. It is also speculated that North Korea’s rising entrepreneurial class is a further outlet for expensive imported goods.  These luxuries are sold to a growing number of citizens with increased disposable incomes.

These current stories confirm the impression held by many Americans. North Korea is a paradox, but not one which we can just ignore, as they attempt to display power through the refinement of nuclear arms.  The impact of the United Nations’ luxury good sanctions remains to be seen.

To further your understanding of North Korea, these titles are available at the library:

North Korea: Beyond Charismatic Politics

Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

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