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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Governor Shapiro, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Announce Pennsylvania to Join IRS Direct File, Ensuring Pennsylvanians Can File Federal and State Taxes for Free Starting Next Year

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On Wednesday  Governor Josh Shapiro joined U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) Secretary Janet Yellen, leaders from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR), Representative Brendan Boyle, and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon to announce that Pennsylvania will join IRS Direct File for filing season 2025, ensuring people have access to a free, easy-to-use online tool when they file their federal taxes next year. Direct File will build on myPATH, Pennsylvania’s free tool to file state income taxes and apply for tax cuts like the Property Tax/Rent Rebate.

Shapiro believes we need to meet people where they are and make it easier to access government services online. That’s why the Shapiro Administration worked with the Treasury to bring this program to Pennsylvania. Direct File has already been proven successful at saving taxpayers’
money – in a pilot program across 12 states earlier this year, 140,000 taxpayers claimed more than $90 million in refunds and saved an estimated $5.6 million in filing fees using the free online filing tool.

“Filing your taxes should be free and easy – that’s why we’re improving our digital services and adopting IRS Direct File here in Pennsylvania,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Thanks to the BidenHarris Administration’s Direct File initiative, Pennsylvanians will be able to save money by filing both their state and federal taxes at no cost on an easy-to-use platform. There should be no wrong door to access government services, and the Shapiro Administration will continue to bring human-centered, user-friendly, reliable, and accessible digital services to every Pennsylvanian to help lower costs and break down barriers.”

Commonwealth Media Services

“Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians will be able to file their taxes online for free, directly with the IRS in Filing Season 2025. Direct File will save Pennsylvania taxpayers time and money and help ensure they receive the tax benefits for which they are eligible,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “Direct File is one of the many ways the Biden-Harris Administration is working to lower costs in everyday life, and we are pleased to welcome Pennsylvania as the next state to offer this new free option to taxpayers.” “We know from our experience that many Pennsylvanians spend a lot of time and money every year to ensure their personal income tax returns are filed timely and accurately. That’s why we’re eager to bring Direct File to Pennsylvania, because it will be a free and simple online filing tool that will relieve stress and a financial burden for many of our taxpayers,” said Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne.

“We’re excited to partner with the U.S. Treasury and the IRS to bring Direct File to Pennsylvania starting next year. This work will be another step forward for our agency in meeting Governor Shapiro’s goal of transforming online services for the citizens we serve.” Using the Direct File online filing tool, qualifying taxpayers will first be able to complete their 2024 federal tax returns. Following that step, Direct File will direct qualifying taxpayers to Pennsylvania’s state income tax filing system, myPATH, where they will be able to file and complete their 2024 Pennsylvania state returns. Some information, including W-2s and demographic information, will automatically be uploaded to their state return to help save time and ensure folks don’t have to input
their information twice.

Treasury’s goal in the coming years is to expand the reach and tax scope of Direct File to provide an option for working-and middle-class taxpayers nationwide. Direct File is central to the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to deliver modern, world-class customer service using Inflation Reduction Act resources. Direct File also advances a goal of the IRS’s Strategic Operation Plan (SOP) to ensure that taxpayers receive tax credits that they are eligible for, including the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. The IRS will continue to improve the product over time and ensure that it remains
free, secure, and easy to use.

BACKGROUND ON THE DIRECT FILE PILOT PROGRAM
The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes (Taxpayer Burden Survey). President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act required the IRS to study the potential for an IRS-run Direct e-File System that would allow taxpayers to file taxes for free, directly with the IRS. After reviewing the report, which showed strong taxpayer interest in a free IRS filing option, the Treasury Department initiated a pilot of IRS Direct File during the 2024 Filing Season. In Filing Season 2024, Direct File was available to taxpayers with simple tax situations in 12 states. The pilot exceeded expectations with more than 140,000 Americans successfully filing in the five weeks the program was widely available following extensive product testing. These filers claimed
more than $90 million in refunds and saved an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees on their federal returns alone. Direct File users also reported a high degree of satisfaction and quick answers to their filing questions. In a GSA Touchpoints survey of more than 11,000 Direct File users, 90 percent of respondents ranked their experience with Direct File as “Excellent” or “Above Average.” A majority of survey respondents who filed taxes in the prior year reported having to pay to prepare their taxes last year. Among survey respondents, 47 percent of users paid to file their taxes last year and 16 percent did not file last year at all.

In Treasury and IRS engagements with Direct File users, taxpayers relayed that Direct File was straightforward to use, and they valued features that allowed them to learn more about different tax situations, credits, and deductions. Taxpayers emphasized their appreciation for the fact that Direct File is always free and there are no hidden fees or attempts to upsell users as they moved through the filing process. Taxpayers also shared that filing directly with the IRS gave them

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Ed Hazel

    August 2, 2024 at 7:05 am

    Why was the direct file program rolled out to not allow 1099=R income? It basically eliminates anyone in their 60s and above with social security or pension incomes from filing under this free program.

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Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township

NJ Man Has Aggravated Assault Charges of Police Held Over for Trial

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A Millville, New Jersey man accused of stealing a vehicle and subsequently striking a Bensalem Police officer last year, when attempting to flee a traffic stop had all of his charges held over for trial at preliminary hearing last week.

Late last month Magisterial District Judge Michael W. Gallagher ruled there was enough evidence presented by the Commonwealth to sustain two felony counts of aggravated assault, felony fleeing, felony theft and related offenses filed against Devit Sanchez of New Jersey.

According to the probable cause, on Friday, August 8, 2025, Bensalem Township Police conducted a stolen vesicle investigation at the Sunoco Gas Station, located at 1432 Street Road,  The stolen vehicle was identified as a 2020 Acura ILX. white in color, bearing NIN97NMP, The vehicle is listed in NCIC as stolen out of Mount Laurel, NJ. Police were alerted to the stolen  vehicle traveling in the area of Bensalem Twp.

Police saw the stolen vehicle at the gas pumps of the Sunoco Station and a male entering the driver’s seat.

Officers pulled behind the stolen vehicle af the gas pumps and another Bensalem officer pulled in front of it, and the driver reversed the allegedly stolen vehicle rammed a patrol car causing the officer’s head to hit the interior roof.

Sanchez then fled the Sunoco Station at a high rate of speed traveling Eastbound on Street Rd. Bensalem officers pursued the vehicle that fled onto Northbound I-95 exceeding speeds of over 100 mph. The pursuit was eventually terminated and the vehicle got away.

Surveillance footage from the Sunoco Gas Station was obtained by the Bensalem Police, court records show.

Investigators circulated the video surveillance to other police agencies and to the public depicting the stolen vehicle and driver. Through investigation, a suspect was developed, identified as Sanchez, according to the probable cause.

On  October 7 , Police conducted an interview with Sanchez in which he allegedly admitted he was the driver of the stolen vehicle in this incident that hit an officer’s police car and fled.

An arrest warrant  was issued on January 27 for Sanchez and he was arrested on Feb. 2.

Sanchez remains in County Jail unable to post bond although a county judge reduced his his bail to half of the original set, to 10 percent of $100,000.00

He is scheduled for a formal arraignment in Doylestown on March 13 and is legally represented by the Bucks County Public Defender’s Office.

No trial date has been set as of publication time

 

 

 

 

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

Pig Iron’s Franklin’s Key Returns This Summer to Light Up Philly’s 250th

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Credit: Pig Iron Theatre Company

Celebrated for its jaw-dropping special effects, imaginative  stagecraft, bold costumes, and original score, Pig Iron Theatre Company’s Barrymore Award-winning  production Franklin’s Key returns this summer following last year’s breakout world premiere that  captivated audiences and critics alike.

Pig Iron remounts its hit sci-fi adventure June 11 to 28, 2026, at the intimate, 220-seat venue -Plays & Players Theatre- located at 1714 Delancey Street, Philadelphia.

Set across iconic Philadelphia landmarks and steeped in the city’s real scientific legacy, Franklin’s Key is  an ideal cultural experience as the nation celebrates the Semiquincentennial. The show transforms  Philadelphia’s history of invention, revolution, and curiosity into a thrilling live adventure, making it a  natural fit for theater lovers exploring the city during America’s 250th commemoration. Fans of The  Goonies, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, and National Treasure will enjoy the artistry and mystery of this  thrilling live, immersive stage production. Last year’s debut generated strong audience demand,  extensive press attention, and praise for its inventive storytelling and visual ingenuity. Broad Street Review called the show “visually mesmerizing,” highlighting its blend of history, science, and myth as “a  timely look at who wields power and knowledge.”

Co-Director Dan Rothenberg offers, “This love letter to Philadelphia brings together sci-fi fans, history  nerds, and science enthusiasts. We were so delighted to hear audiences say it was the one show that  they could bring grandparents and kids to, and nobody felt left out. While the show offers adventure and  humor that keeps younger audiences engaged, the intrigue of secret societies and a story rooted deeply  in Philadelphia’s culture is sure to fascinate audiences of all ages. Our goal is to offer everyone a wild ride  that makes history and science surprising and arresting and twisty.”

During the War of Independence, the British feared Benjamin Franklin could control the weather.  Franklin’s Key asks: What if that were true? A mystery unfolds for audiences in an alternate reality where  Franklin’s undiscovered technology has been hidden underneath some of Philadelphia’s most treasured  landmarks for centuries. Set in present-day Philadelphia, Franklin’s Key follows two teenage prodigies:  Temple (Jameka Monet Wilson), a self-taught scientist, and her brother Arturo (Alton Alburo), a gifted  musician. The two uncover an ancient mystery, setting off a chain of events that draws them into a secret  battle between rival factions seeking to harness the incredible yet volatile powers of Franklin’s long-lost  technology. Aided by a cast of misfit friends, Temple and Arturo traverse hidden tunnels under the city,  leading them from abandoned subway platforms to the iconic statue of William Penn atop City Hall and  the building-sized organ inside the old Wanamaker Department Store. With time running out, the team must navigate a labyrinth hidden underneath Philadelphia, evade powerful enemies, and unlock the  secrets Franklin left behind before his discoveries fall into the wrong hands.

Almost all of the original Barrymore Award–winning cast returns for Franklin’s Key, reuniting the  celebrated ensemble that first brought the production to life and earned widespread critical acclaim in  Philadelphia. Their return underscores the production’s impact and the continued collaboration at the  heart of Pig Iron’s work.

Franklin’s Key runs approximately two hours with a short intermission and is recommended for children  ages eight and up. Previews run from June 11 to 14, with an opening, invite-only performance set for  Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $45, with 20% discounts for patrons 18 and under or 65+, and group discounts are  available for parties of 10 or more. Click here to purchase tickets. To book a group of 10 or more  people, please email boxoffice@pigiron.org

Click here for more information.

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Human Interest - Bensalem Township

‘A Tribute to the Tenors’ Salutes More than a Dozen Singers 

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Credit: BCCC

Bucks Live! – the series of cultural events at Bucks County Community College (BCCC) that brings world-renowned entertainment to Newtown – proudly presents “A Tribute to the Tenors” with John D. Smitherman.

Smitherman, one of the original Three American Tenors, showcases his incredible vocal range, commanding stage presence, and heartfelt storytelling. With a voice equally at home in operatic arias and popular classics, Smitherman takes audiences on a musical journey celebrating the greatest tenor voices of all time.

The concert will be in the intimate Zlock Performing Arts Center, located on the BCCC’s main campus at 275 Swamp Rd. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13. .The Zlock Lobby Bar serves drinks and snacks starting 90 minutes before curtain and during intermission.

Smitherman pays homage to more than a dozen songsmiths, varying in style, including such iconic artists as Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Tom Jones, Mario Lanza, Andy Williams, Luciano Pavarotti, and others. The show features many favorites, including “You Raise Me Up,” “It’s Impossible,” “Magic Moments,” “Time to Say Goodbye,” and many more. 

Reserved seating tickets are only $25, and free for BCCC students with current student ID. 

Click here to reserve tickets.

Click here for directions and a campus map..

 

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