Friday, January 28, 2011

Amber Alert Update: 4-Year Old California Boy - Car Recovered

The car that 4-Year old Juliani Cardenas and his suspected abductor, Jose Rodriquez, was recovered from the waters of the Delta-Mendola canal. There were no bodies found in the car. Authorities have still not ruled out the possibility the two drowned. It could take another week before the bodies, if they're in the water, surface.

Amber Alert Update: 4-Year Old California Boy

The car that 4-Year old Juliani Cardenas and his suspected abductor, Jose Rodriquez, was found in the cold, dirty waters of the Delta-Mendola canal. It will be about 4 hours before the car can be pulled out. It is not known at this time if the bodies of the two are in the car, although police suspect they are due to eyewitness reports of the vehicle with a man and a child in it was driven into the canal.

Tax Tip: Hey Bob, I'm Confused About This Earned Income Tax Credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a financial boost for workers earning $48,362 or less a year. Four of five eligible taxpayers filed for and received their EITC last year. The IRS wants you to get what you earned also, if you are eligible.
Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants you to know about this valuable credit, which has been making the lives of working people a little easier for 36 years:
As your financial, marital or parental situations change from year to year, you should review the EITC eligibility rules to determine whether you qualify. Just because you didn’t qualify last year, doesn’t mean you won’t this year.
If you qualify, the credit could be worth up to $5,666. EITC not only reduces the federal tax you owe, but could result in a refund. The amount of your EITC is based on your earned income and whether or not there are qualifying children in your household. The average credit was around $2,100 last year.
If you eligible for EITC, you must file a federal income tax return and specifically claim the credit – even if you are not otherwise required to file. Remember to include Schedule EIC, Earned Income Credit when you file your Form 1040 or, if you file Form 1040A, use and retain the EIC worksheet.
You do not qualify for EITC if your filing status is Married Filing Separately.
You must have a valid Social Security Number. You, your spouse – if filing a joint return – and any qualifying child listed on Schedule EIC must have a valid SSN issued by the Social Security Administration.
You must have earned income. You have earned income if you work for someone who pays you wages, you are self-employed, you have income from farming, or – in some cases – you receive disability income.
Married couples and single people without children may qualify. If you do not have qualifying children, you must also meet the age and residency requirements as well as dependency rules.
Special rules apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces in combat zones. Members of the military can elect to include their nontaxable combat pay in earned income for the EITC. If you make this election, the combat pay remains nontaxable.
It’s easy to determine whether you qualify. The EITC Assistant, an interactive tool available on the IRS website, removes the guesswork from eligibility rules. Just answer a few simple questions to find out if you qualify and estimate the amount of your EITC.
Free help is available at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites and IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers to help you prepare and claim your EITC. If you are preparing your taxes electronically, the software program you use will figure the credit for you. To find a VITA site or TAC near you, visit http://www.irs.gov.
Tax Topic 601, Earned Income Credit

FDA Recall: KEEBLER ISSUES ALLERGY ALERT ON MISLABELED 8-COUNT CARTONS OF FUDGE SHOPPE® JUMBO FUDGE STICKS SOLD AT CONVENIENCE STORES

This brings the total FDA recalls of 2011 to 24:
Media Contact:
Media Hotline
269-961-3799
Keebler® is recalling a limited quantity of 8-count cartons of Fudge Shoppe® Jumbo Fudge Sticks sold at convenience stores. This recall was initiated because the cartons contain individually wrapped Jumbo Peanut Butter Sticks. The individually wrapped cookie sticks are correctly labeled.
People who have allergies to peanut run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions. Because the individually wrapped cookie sticks contain peanuts, consumers with peanut allergies should avoid eating this product.
Approximately 17,000 8-count cartons of the recalled product were distributed to brokers and convenience stores in the U.S. They are marked with UPC Code 3010053332 and a lot code of AS 07 27 1A.
No allergic reactions have been reported to date.
Consumers with questions or who would like a replacement may contact the Keebler Consumer Response Center at 888-746-3679 from 8 am to 8 pm Eastern time, or visit www.Keebler.com.

CPSC Recall: KEE Action Sports Recalls Paintball Marker Due To Injury Hazard

This brings the total CPSC recalls for 2011 to 31:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: BT SA-17 Paintball Gun/Marker
Units: About 1,400
Importer: KEE Action Sports LLC, of Sewell, N.J.
Hazard: When users attempt to pierce the CO2 cartridge by closing the lever to the cartridge chamber, the cartridge can fly out of the marker, posing an injury hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: No incidents or injuries have been reported.
Description: The marker is made of aluminum and resembles a pistol. It is black with model number BT SA-17 printed on both sides. It uses a horizontally-fed magazine and requires a 12g CO2 cartridge.
Sold at: Paintball fields/arenas, stores and retailers from May 2010 through August 2010 for about $130.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled paintball markers. Consumers can return the markers to KEE or the retailer from which the product was purchased for a free repair or contact KEE for the repair parts and installation instructions.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact KEE Action Sports at (800) 220-3222 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT, or visit KEE’s customer service website atwww.paintballsolutions.com:

FDA Recall: PEEKAY INTERNATIONAL INC. ISSUES ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED SULFITES IN SWAN GOLDEN RAISINS