SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 | 7A
HONOR from page 1A
The show was produced by
Frances Klippel and the Florence
Bahá’í community. It presented
a brief glimpse into the Black
experience in Oregon and how
national debates about race can
impact life in Florence.
During the program, the cur-
rent state of race relations was
reflected in presentations by four
individuals with unique perspec-
tives on race in America.
The broadcast began with
Florence resident Angela Apo-
daca reading from the letters of
Leticia Carson, the only African
American woman to receive land
in Oregon through the Home-
stead Acts —a series of land
grants that were offered from
1862- 1916 to offer free land to
any adult who had never taken
up arms against the United States
during the Civil War. The 1866
Act specifically included Black
Americans among those eligible
to apply for land.
The letters were drawn from
the archives of the New York
Historical Center for Woman’s
History and the Oregon Black Pi-
oneers Museum and are available
to the public.
Carson’s struggles to overcome
the challenges of gender accep-
tance were poignantly read by
Apodaca, who finished her seg-
ment of the show by reading a
poem dedicated to her grandfa-
ther and ancestral lineage.
Next during the broadcast,
coastal residents and siblings
Robert Montgomery and Annis
Cassells talked
about “Enough:
Say
Their
Names,” a book
they authored
with a focus
on the African
American expe-
rience.
Montgomer y
said the book
took shape after
the unrest fol-
lowing the racial
upheaval of last
summer.
He discussed the seven authors
that co-authored the book and
encouraged listeners to check out
the title online.
“This book was inspired and
motivated after the death of
George Floyd. … There were sev-
en of us that worked on this proj-
ect and this book, in my opinion,
represents those who have died,”
Montgomery said. “We are the
ones left behind to make a change
and a difference for our children
and our grandchildren. It was
meant to be a starting place for
people to have a difficult conver-
sations, for people that want to
be awake and understand what is
going on and who want to take
part in the change that is going
on.”
Cassells and Montgomery then
read excerpts from the work, with
both selecting poems written as
tributes to civil rights icon U.S.
Rep. John Lewis, “Good Trouble”
and “Anthem of the People.”
Lewis died in July 2020 after
serving for 17 terms in the rep-
resenting Georgia’s 5th Congres-
sional District. He was one of
the most influential civil rights
leaders of his time and continues
to inspire social justice activists
around the world.
Education is central to ad-
vancement and improvement
within any culture, and this has
certainly been one result of the
racial tumult shaking America
over the last year. The result has
been more people than ever be-
fore becoming engaged in learn-
ing about our
collective racial
history.
All of the
KXCR
speak-
ers, and the in-
dividuals who
inspired them,
counted
on
s elf-education
and the educa-
tion of others to
improve
their
own conditions
and, ultimately,
the downtrodden.
Building on this, the program
concluded with music as vocal-
ist Maree Beers performed an a
cappella version of “Lift every
voice,” a song written for Abra-
ham Lincoln.
Beers shared her personal lin-
eage, which is mixed, and spoke
of her home and her affinity for
music and song.
“I’m just a local Florence gal,
and I take a lot of pride in my
community here,” she said. “I am
also a mother, a musician and I
like to work with kids and the-
ater.”
Her stirring rendition was a
fitting way to end the KXCR
broadcast as “Lift every Voice”
has been described, by Beers and
others, as the “Black National
Anthem.”
Among it’s lyrics:
“Sing a song full of the faith that
the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of the hope that
the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun of our new
day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.”
Maya Angelou, who wrote
some of the most critically ac-
claimed books on the Black ex-
perience, including “I Know
Why the Caged Bird Sings” and
“And Still I Rise,” once said the
goal was not to recognize one or
another history as correct but to
think about America in a much
more integrated and united way.
“Won’t it be wonderful when
Black history and Native Amer-
ican history and Jewish history
and all of U.S. history is taught
from one book — Just U.S. histo-
ry,” Angelou wrote.
For more information about
Black History Month, visit www.
africanamericanhistorymonth.
gov.
2021 STATE, FEDERAL TAX SEASON NOW OPEN
The Oregon Department
of Revenue began process-
ing state income tax returns
on Feb. 12, the same day the
IRS began processing feder-
al returns. Although some
taxpayers have already sub-
mitted their returns, pro-
cessing doesn’t start until
the tax season officially be-
gins.
Returns will be processed
in the order they are re-
ceived. However, as in years
past, the department won’t
be issuing personal income
tax refunds until after Feb-
ruary 16. The fastest way for
a taxpayer to get a refund is
by e-filing. Taxpayers who
e-file returns and request
refunds via direct deposit
receive their refund soon-
er, on average, than those
who file paper returns and
request refund checks.
A refund hold is part of
the department’s tax fraud
prevention efforts and al-
lows for confirmation that
the amounts claimed on
tax returns match what
employers report on Forms
W-2 and 1099. Once we
begin processing returns,
filers can check Where’s My
Refund? to see the status of
their refund.
As a result of COVID-19
stimulus payments, unem-
ployment benefits, and fed-
eral tax law changes, there
may be impacts to what
taxpayers file on their Or-
egon income tax returns.
Here are some important
topics and information for
Oregon personal income
tax filers.
Stimulus Payments
Economic Impact Pay-
ments received during
2020 and early 2021 may
impact the amount of fed-
eral tax subtraction that
can be claimed on the 2020
Oregon personal income
tax return. The federal tax
subtraction is based on the
amount of federal tax you
had to pay in the 2020 tax
to submit Form 1040WH
to the Oregon Employment
Department to authorize
withholding.
es for employees through
2025. Visit the IRS for more
information on business
use of home.
Oregon Withholding
The Department of Rev-
enue has its own Form OR-
W-4. Individuals should
review their withholding
to determine if changes are
Unemployment Benefits necessary for tax year 2021.
Unemployment
bene- A calculator is available to
fits are taxable to Oregon. help ensure withholding
Funds received through the amounts are correct.
Pandemic Unemployment
Business Use of Home
Assistance program are also
Oregon is automatically
taxable to Oregon. Unlike
W-2 wages, unemployment tied to changes made to tax-
benefits do not automati- able income under the Tax
cally have amounts with- Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
held to pay taxes at the end Employees who receive a
of the year. Individuals who paycheck or a W-2 exclu-
did not elect to have with- sively from an employer are
holding on their unemploy- not eligible for the business
ment may see an increased use of home deduction,
even if they are currently
tax bill.
For individuals still re- working from home. Along
ceiving
unemployment with other changes, the
benefits in 2021, the de- TCJA suspended the use of
partment urges recipients employee business expens-
Disaster Relief
The Department of Rev-
enue recognizes not all in-
dividuals will be prepared
to pay their taxes in full this
year. The department is of-
fering penalty waiver relief
for individuals impacted
by COVID-19, wildfires,
or straight-line winds. To
learn more, visit Revenue’s
tax relief options webpage.
year. Individuals should
reduce the amount of fed-
eral tax paid in 2020 by the
payments received to deter-
mine the amount of federal
tax subtraction they are al-
lowed. The federal tax sub-
traction is limited to $6,950
(or $3,475 if married filing
separately).
Free-File
All Oregon taxpayers
preparing their own returns
can file electronically at no
cost using Oregon’s free fill-
able forms. There are many
free or low-cost prepara-
tion options available for
both federal and Oregon
tax returns. Some software
companies offer free soft-
ware use and e-filing for
eligible taxpayers. Visit the
Department of Revenue
website to take advantage of
the software and free offers
and get more information
about free tax preparation
services.
Revenue Online
The Department of Rev-
enue continues to expand
features available through
Revenue Online. Individu-
als can view letters sent to
them by the department,
initiate appeals, make pay-
ments, and submit ques-
tions. Visit Revenue Online
to learn more.
To get tax forms, check
the status of your refund, or
make payments, visit www.
oregon.gov/dor or email
questions.dor@oregon.
gov. You can also call 800-
356-4222 toll-free from an
Oregon prefix (English or
Spanish) or 503-378-4988
in Salem and outside Ore-
gon. For TTY (hearing or
speech impaired), we ac-
cept all relay calls.
COVID-19 special enrollment health coverage period now open
SALEM—Feb. 15 was the
first day of a COVID-19
special enrollment peri-
od, which lasts until May
15, 2021. This special en-
rollment period will allow
people throughout the
United States, including
Oregonians, who are look-
ing for health coverage to
shop at HealthCare.gov.
The COVID-19 pan-
demic has brought signifi-
cant change to hundreds of
thousands of Oregonians,
who either lost their job
or experienced a loss in
income. As a result, these
Oregonians may be newly
eligible for financial help to
purchase health insurance.
Unlike a typical special en-
rollment period, this en-
rollment period is available
to everyone, not just those
who have experienced a
life event.
Until May 15, any per-
son who is eligible to shop
through the Marketplace
may enroll in new cover-
age or change their current
plan.
Insurance agents and
community partner orga-
nizations throughout the
state are available to help
people apply for financial
assistance and choose pri-
vate plans. People can also
browse plans and find out
how much savings they
are eligible for at Oregon-
HealthCare.gov/Window-
Shop.
Oregonians who do
not get health insurance
through their job or a pro-
gram such as the Oregon
Health Plan or Medicare
may qualify for help paying
for 2021 coverage through
the Oregon Health Insur-
ance Marketplace. Even
if people are temporarily
uninsured or are currently
enrolled in COBRA cov-
erage, they can sign up for
help to get health insur-
ance for 2021.
“The pandemic has made
life uncertain for many Or-
egonians. We want to help
you find a way to control
your finances,” said Chiqui
Flowers, administrator of
the Oregon Health Insur-
ance Marketplace. “Quality
health coverage protects
your financial future in
the event that you get sick,
injured, or something else
unforeseen happens.”
“It is true. The pandem-
ic has proven that life is
unpredictable. That can
be scary when it comes to
the health and financial
security of your family,”
said Amy Coven, commu-
nications strategist for the
Oregon Health Insurance
Marketplace. “Health cov-
erage brings predictability
to health needs that may
arise, as well as a wealth
of benefits to keep you
healthy.”
Individuals
making
$51,040 or less per year,
and families of four mak-
ing $104,800 or less, may
Since 1983
Alva Bracey
Broker
Your goals are my
top priority.
Let’s get together!
LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTERS
Tires • Brakes • Shocks
Alignments
4325 Highway 101
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-7178
Call, Text or Email
Cell: 541-505-1180
Alva@CBCoast.com
541-997-7777
100 Hwy. 101,
Florence, OR
COAST REAL ESTATE
ESTATE JEWELRY AND
ANTIQUE FURNITURE!!!
We buy, sell and consign quality
estate/heirloom jewelry & furniture.
Gold, silver, platinum jewelry with
precious & semi precious stones.
Call 541-997-8104,
Florence Antiques
&
Coast Jewelers
Insect & Pest Removal
Trapping • Mole/Gopher
Dead Animal Removal • Honey Bee Removal
Crawl Space Cleaning • Exclusion Work
Fumigation of Antiques and Commodities.
(541) 997-4027
MODEL TRAIN
ENTHUSIASTS
Auto, Home, Life, Business
Flood, Antique Auto, RV’s
Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Supplements
Health Insurance
Phone (541) 997-9497
1234 Rhododendron Dr / Florence
Over
ars
50 Ye ce!
rien
Expe
CALL ME TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE!
I’M LOCATED HERE IN FLORENCE.
541-255-9822 - Larry
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Us TOO Florence
Prostate Cancer Education
Support on the Oregon Coast
www.ustooflorence.org
BOTH MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
WATCH SIUSLAW NEWS FOR RESUMPTION
• Tuesday Evening Group (2nd Tuesday)
5-7 p.m. - Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff attends.
• Tuesday Lunch Group (3rd Tuesday)
12 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Ichiban Chinese/Japanese
Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Roger McKimmy attends.
Contact Bob for more information:
(H) 541-997-6626 • (C) 541-999-4239
maribob@oregonfast.net
get help paying for cov-
erage. In 2020, more than
seven in 10 Oregonians
who chose plans through
HealthCare.gov got finan-
cial help for monthly pre-
miums and out-of-pocket
costs. These savings low-
ered the average premium
to just $145 per month.
To apply, go to Oregon-
HealthCare.gov until May
15 and answer a few Ore-
gon-specific questions to
get to the right applica-
tion. You can also search
the “get help” directory on
OregonHealthCare.gov to
find an insurance agent or
community partner orga-
nization to help complete
the application and enroll.
Insurance agents and
community partners pro-
vide local, one-on-one as-
sistance at no charge to the
client. This help is avail-
able virtually and over the
phone, as well as in person
following safety protocols.
The Oregon Health In-
surance Marketplace, a
part of state government,
helps people get health in-
surance when they do not
have job-based coverage,
and do not qualify for the
Oregon Health Plan or an-
other program. The Mar-
ketplace is the state-level
partner to HealthCare.gov,
and a division of the De-
partment of Consumer and
Business Services (DCBS).
For more information, go
to OregonHealthCare.gov.
NOTICE
We’re buying used cars,
trucks and SUV’s.
Any make or model,
paid for or not.
Please call today for quote.
All quotes by appointment only.
Johnston Motor Company
Since 1939
2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475