By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated Press

Every
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.

In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.

Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.

According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:

Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.

Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.

If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.

This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.

Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.

Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.

It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.

You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.

Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.

You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."

If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.

You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.

An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.

Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.

Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."

Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.

Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait

Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.

Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.

Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.

If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:

Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.

To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.

It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.

More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:

This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

By AMAKA CHUKWUMA Wealth of Geeks, courtesy Associated PressEvery
 year, the IRS sends between 5 and 1o million math error notices. And 
that's just one of several red flags that can pop up on tax returns, 
even before an audit is triggered.In the grand scheme of things, 
the most minor of actions can significantly impact your finances and tax
 situation. To avoid a penalty, you must file your 2022 taxes by April 
18th, 2023. But you don't have to wait. In fact, there are several 
actions you can take now, or before the end of the year, which can 
substantially impact your tax liability.<h2>Donate to Charity</h2>Help
 those in need and lower your tax bill by donating to charity before the
 end of the year. Typically, you can only deduct charitable donations if
 you itemize your tax deductions. If your itemized deductions are more 
than the amount of the standard deduction, you can claim them.According to Levon Galstyan, a certified public accountant at <a href="https://www.ovlg.com/">Oak View Law Group</a>,
 the IRS allows you to lower your tax liability by a fixed amount, known
 as a standard deduction. For the 2022 tax year (returns due in 2023), 
the standard deduction amounts are as follows:<ul>
 <li>$25,900 for taxpayers who are married filing jointly or who are qualified widow(er).</li><li>$12,950 for taxpayers who are single or married and file separately.</li><li>$19,400 for taxpayers who are head of household.</li>
 </ul>Galstyan
 advises checking using The IRS's Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool to
 see if your preferred charity accepts tax-deductible donations before 
you donate.<h2>Contribute More to Your 401(k)</h2>Pretax 
contributions to retirement accounts have the benefit of lowering your 
current-year income tax obligation. Before you pay taxes, you can put 
money into a retirement plan at work, like a <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/what-is-a-self-directed-401k/">traditional 401(k)</a>. Consider contributing to your 401(k) with your final paycheck in 2022.If
 you are 50 years or older, you may contribute an additional $6,500 to 
surpass the $27,000 contribution limit since employer contributions are 
not subject to contribution limits.This works perfectly because, 
in 2022, the combined total of your and your employer's contributions 
can be at most $61,000. If you're self-employed, consider establishing a
 self-employed retirement plan and making the maximum contribution to 
reduce your tax obligation in 2023.<h2>Verify Tax Withholding</h2>Ensure
 you're withholding the right amount of tax from your pay. Incorrect 
withholding could place you on the hook for a big tax bill or snag a 
refund. According to Galstyan, not withholding enough <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-to-file-taxes-as-an-influencer/">tax may result in owing money when filing</a> your income taxes and receiving unexpected bills.Alternatively,
 if you withhold too much and receive a sizable tax refund, you may 
choose to adjust your taxes to receive more money in each paycheck.It's
 good practice to review the amount of taxes withheld from your pay, 
especially if your job or family dynamics have changed recently. Use the
 IRS tax withholding estimator, a self-service tool, to see if you've 
taken out the right amount of money from your pay.<h2>Defer Income</h2>You
 can delay getting paid to pay less in taxes this year if your company 
has a policy of paying year-end bonuses the following year. As Galstyan 
points out, if you work for yourself, are a freelancer, or offer 
consulting services, you have more freedom. For instance, delaying 
billings until the end of December can ensure that you won't be paid 
until the following year.Whether employed or self-employed, you 
can delay income by taking capital gains in 2023 rather than in 2022. 
However, this strategy is only worthwhile if you expect to be in the 
same or a lower tax band the following year.You want to avoid 
paying more in taxes the following year if you could be subject to a 
higher tax rate due to increased income. "If you think that's likely," 
Galstyan says, "you might try to advance your income into 2022, so you 
can pay taxes on it sooner rather than later at a lower bracket."<h2>Contribute to a 529 Plan</h2>If you stash money in a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html">529 plan</a>
 before year-end, it may lower your state tax tab. Most states allow you
 to deduct at least a portion of your 529 plan contributions from state 
income taxes. In such states, you must contribute to your own state's 
plan to get the tax deduction, but several states allow you to deduct 
contributions to any state's plan.You can deduct up to $10,000 
($20,000 if filing jointly) from your federal income tax return and 
avoid state income tax on qualified higher education expenses. Rollovers
 from other states' 529 plans can be deductible (but not earnings). Only
 donations made in a given year by December 31st are tax-deductible.<h2>Tax Loss Harvesting</h2>An
 investment loss can be used to offset income or capital gains, and a 
tax offset can lower your gains tax. If you have more losses than gains,
 you can only deduct $3,000 in excess losses to offset other ordinary 
income and carry the balance over to the following year.Year-end 
is the most typical time, primarily because of the December 31st 
deadline for claiming capital losses to offset capital gains. However, 
Tax-loss harvesting can be done throughout the year.<h2>Beware of the Alternative Minimum Tax</h2>Accelerating <a href="https://www.playlouder.com/21-tax-deductions-small-businesses-need-to-know/">tax deductions</a>
 can cost you money if you've unknowingly triggered the AMT or are 
subject to it. "This is a problem at the end of the year because some 
expenses that are deductible under the regular rules but not under the 
AMT can be paid quickly," says Galstyan. "For example, under the AMT, 
you can't deduct state and local income taxes or property taxes."Consequently,
 Galstyan cautions that if you expect to have to pay the AMT in 2022, 
don't pay the installments due in January 2023 on December 2022. Doing 
so triggers or increases AMT liability for next year.<h2>Buy Mutual Funds in a Tax-Advantaged Account or Wait</h2>Mutual
 funds distribute their owners' capital gains at the end of each year. 
Most funds distribute in December, so if you own the fund in a taxable 
account, you will immediately have a taxable gain. This suggests that 
you are getting a taxable return on your principal and not keeping all 
the distribution because you are giving up a portion for taxes.Purchase
 the fund in a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA, instead of a 
taxable account to prevent distribution costs from costing you money. 
With a tax-advantaged account, you can purchase at any time because the 
account protects you from capital gains tax. Otherwise, there would be 
no reason to buy shares before the distribution. Essentially, you are 
paying taxes on income that you haven't earned.<h2>Maximize Child Tax Credit and Others</h2>Tax
 credits lower your tax bill by the same amount as the credit. With the 
Child Tax Credit program, you can get a $1,000 discount on your <a href="https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/938#:~:text=The%20Child%20Tax%20Credit%20program,credit%20starting%20in%20summer%202021.">federal tax bill</a>
 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Families can get $3,600 
for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the 
ages of 6 and 17.If a family's annual income is less than 
$150,000, or if one parent earns less than $112,500, the entire family 
is eligible for the credit. You should investigate all potential tax 
deductions right now. Tax credits are preferable to deductions because 
they directly reduce your taxable bill. Other IRS tax breaks include:<ul>
 <li>Education credit</li><li>Child and dependent care credit</li><li>Adoption credit</li><li>Retirement savings contributions credit</li><li>Earned income tax credit (EITC)</li><li>First-time homebuyer credit</li>
 </ul><h2>Empty FSA Accounts</h2>Employees
 who have a flexible spending account (FSA) can put money away for 
various expenses, from child care to medical costs. Contributions to an 
FSA are tax deductible for income and Social Security purposes, but any 
money still in the account at the end of the year may be forfeited.To
 find out if your plan's deadline can be extended till early next year, 
check your balance and get in touch with the administrator. With an FSA,
 your money is only good if you spend it. Employers normally keep any 
contributions that remain unused. According to an analysis by <a href="https://money.com/fsa-contributions-workers-forfeit-money/">Money</a>, American workers lose about $3 billion in FSA contributions they didn't use every year.<h2>Make Your Final Tax Preparations</h2>It's
 getting late in the year, and time is running out on several excellent 
tax-saving moves you can make. Identifying what you need to do and what 
can wait is a crucial task at the moment. Tax preparation is best 
approached in a proactive manner rather than a reactive one. Since 
everyone's financial and tax circumstances are different, it's essential
 to consult with professionals before deciding how to minimize your tax 
liability.More Articles From the Wealth of Geeks Network:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/w4-vs-w2-vs-w9-vs-1099-tax-forms-what-are-the-differences/">W4 vs W2 vs W9 vs 1099 Tax Forms: What Are the Differences?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.playlouder.com/quickbooks-vs-freshbooks-vs-xero-vs-quicken/">The 4 Most Popular Bookkeeping Programs for Your Business</a></li>
 </ul>This article was produced by <a href="https://playlouder.com/best-year-end-tax-moves-to-reduce-your-taxes">Play Louder!</a> and syndicated by <a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/year-end-tax-moves/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

Make these year-end financial moves to reduce your taxes

WASHINGTON (AP) —Former President Donald Trump and some other Republicans are twisting minor voting problems in <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">U.S. midterm elections</a>
 into conspiracy theories and false claims to sow doubt about Democratic
 victories, continuing efforts since 2020 to undermine Americans’ 
confidence in voting.

Election Day unfolded without major or 
widespread voting snags, yet some GOP candidates sought to distort the 
severity of the few hitches that occurred, such as voting <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-arizona-4e15278b82452878d6f6aa45b2984579">machines temporarily malfunctioning in Arizona’s largest county</a> and some Detroit voters wrongly being told they had already cast ballots.

“The
 most concerning thing is the way those isolated incidents are being 
used to spread mis- and disinformation and lies around the election in 
an attempt to undermine people’s confidence and faith in the election,” 
said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections for the nonpartisan
 group Common Cause.

In 2020, conspiracies about a rigged election
 were fueled by bogus reports of suitcases stuffed with fraudulent 
ballots at a Georgia vote-counting operation and ‘’ballot mules’’ 
loading up drop boxes with fraudulent ballots.

The GOP has kept up the rhetoric since then and laid the groundwork for contesting this year's midterm elections. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-lawsuits-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-b5bbd44a2fe3ade45a1f6cf2a59c0639">More than 100 lawsuits were filed</a>
 across the country before Election Day, targeting mail-in voting rules,
 voting machine security and access for partisan poll watchers.

After
 Trump lost Arizona to President Joe Biden by just over 10,000 votes, he
 and his supporters peddled a string of allegations about election 
wrongdoing that crumbled under scrutiny.

Two years later, the state remains pivotal. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-274fa547d321f88762954f8f8806c88d">Democrats held narrow leads early Wednesday</a> in too-close-to-call races for governor and U.S. Senate.

Trump
 and some of his supporters sought to amplify problems with 
vote-tabulation equipment in roughly 25% of polling places in Maricopa 
County, home to Phoenix and the majority of the state’s population.

Codes
 on ballots that were printed too lightly to be be read by tabulating 
scanners caused the confusion. Impacted voters were given a choice: 
Leave their ballots in a locked box at their polling place to be counted
 at a central office on Wednesday, or take them to another voting center
 on Tuesday.

Trump seized on the problem in a message on his 
social network. He said the problem, which appeared similar to a voting 
issue in New Jersey’s Mercer County, was an effort by Democrats to 
“steal the election.”

“Every national election you have problems 
like these somewhere,” said Lawrence Norden, senior director of the 
Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The
 fact that we’re talking about them the next day speaks to the fact that
 there was an organized effort to weaponize these types of things.”

The
 Republican official overseeing the election in Maricopa County 
apologized for the inconvenience and pledged that every legal vote would
 be counted no matter which method voters chose.

But Kari Lake, 
the Republican candidate for governor, told her supporters that they 
should leave the ballot to be counted later only if they couldn’t wait —
 and that they should not take it to another polling place.

In a late-night speech to supporters, Lake focused entirely on election issues.

“The
 system we have right now does not work,” she said. “We the people 
deserve to know on election night the winner and the loser and we will 
bring that kind of election back to Arizona. I assure you of that.”

Election
 critics also focused on a glitch in Detroit. Some electronic poll books
 used for signing in voters displayed an error message stating that 
numbers on ballots already had been assigned to an absentee ballot. Poll
 workers were able to use paper backup poll books when the electronic 
ones had problems.

Detroit is a Democratic stronghold in a swing state, so turnout there can be key in election outcomes. On Tuesday, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-a91578081bc2141151efdf74bb4b3ccb">Democrat Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected</a> as governor. Democrats also won races for attorney general and secretary of state, defeating <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-donald-trump-0ee9afeb304662dcec28e8af0f18bc1d">Republicans who questioned the 2020 election results</a>.

“It
 was identified and resolved quite quickly” and voters who were wrongly 
flagged were given ballots, said Jake Rollow, a spokesman for the 
Michigan Secretary of State office.

But that didn’t keep Trump from urging his supporters to protest in Detroit — actions that did not materialize on Tuesday.

“We
 have seen misinformation spread about nuances and complexity of 
elections for more than two years,” Rollow said. “It continues to be a 
threat to our democracy, a threat to voters’ faith in our elections and 
really just an unfortunate part of the current political era.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —Former President Donald Trump and some other Republicans are twisting minor voting problems in <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">U.S. midterm elections</a>
 into conspiracy theories and false claims to sow doubt about Democratic
 victories, continuing efforts since 2020 to undermine Americans’ 
confidence in voting.Election Day unfolded without major or 
widespread voting snags, yet some GOP candidates sought to distort the 
severity of the few hitches that occurred, such as voting <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-arizona-4e15278b82452878d6f6aa45b2984579">machines temporarily malfunctioning in Arizona’s largest county</a> and some Detroit voters wrongly being told they had already cast ballots.“The
 most concerning thing is the way those isolated incidents are being 
used to spread mis- and disinformation and lies around the election in 
an attempt to undermine people’s confidence and faith in the election,” 
said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections for the nonpartisan
 group Common Cause.In 2020, conspiracies about a rigged election
 were fueled by bogus reports of suitcases stuffed with fraudulent 
ballots at a Georgia vote-counting operation and ‘’ballot mules’’ 
loading up drop boxes with fraudulent ballots.The GOP has kept up the rhetoric since then and laid the groundwork for contesting this year's midterm elections. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-lawsuits-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-b5bbd44a2fe3ade45a1f6cf2a59c0639">More than 100 lawsuits were filed</a>
 across the country before Election Day, targeting mail-in voting rules,
 voting machine security and access for partisan poll watchers.After
 Trump lost Arizona to President Joe Biden by just over 10,000 votes, he
 and his supporters peddled a string of allegations about election 
wrongdoing that crumbled under scrutiny.Two years later, the state remains pivotal. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-274fa547d321f88762954f8f8806c88d">Democrats held narrow leads early Wednesday</a> in too-close-to-call races for governor and U.S. Senate.Trump
 and some of his supporters sought to amplify problems with 
vote-tabulation equipment in roughly 25% of polling places in Maricopa 
County, home to Phoenix and the majority of the state’s population.Codes
 on ballots that were printed too lightly to be be read by tabulating 
scanners caused the confusion. Impacted voters were given a choice: 
Leave their ballots in a locked box at their polling place to be counted
 at a central office on Wednesday, or take them to another voting center
 on Tuesday.Trump seized on the problem in a message on his 
social network. He said the problem, which appeared similar to a voting 
issue in New Jersey’s Mercer County, was an effort by Democrats to 
“steal the election.”“Every national election you have problems 
like these somewhere,” said Lawrence Norden, senior director of the 
Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The
 fact that we’re talking about them the next day speaks to the fact that
 there was an organized effort to weaponize these types of things.”The
 Republican official overseeing the election in Maricopa County 
apologized for the inconvenience and pledged that every legal vote would
 be counted no matter which method voters chose.But Kari Lake, 
the Republican candidate for governor, told her supporters that they 
should leave the ballot to be counted later only if they couldn’t wait —
 and that they should not take it to another polling place.In a late-night speech to supporters, Lake focused entirely on election issues.“The
 system we have right now does not work,” she said. “We the people 
deserve to know on election night the winner and the loser and we will 
bring that kind of election back to Arizona. I assure you of that.”Election
 critics also focused on a glitch in Detroit. Some electronic poll books
 used for signing in voters displayed an error message stating that 
numbers on ballots already had been assigned to an absentee ballot. Poll
 workers were able to use paper backup poll books when the electronic 
ones had problems.Detroit is a Democratic stronghold in a swing state, so turnout there can be key in election outcomes. On Tuesday, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-a91578081bc2141151efdf74bb4b3ccb">Democrat Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected</a> as governor. Democrats also won races for attorney general and secretary of state, defeating <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-donald-trump-0ee9afeb304662dcec28e8af0f18bc1d">Republicans who questioned the 2020 election results</a>.“It
 was identified and resolved quite quickly” and voters who were wrongly 
flagged were given ballots, said Jake Rollow, a spokesman for the 
Michigan Secretary of State office.But that didn’t keep Trump from urging his supporters to protest in Detroit — actions that did not materialize on Tuesday.“We
 have seen misinformation spread about nuances and complexity of 
elections for more than two years,” Rollow said. “It continues to be a 
threat to our democracy, a threat to voters’ faith in our elections and 
really just an unfortunate part of the current political era.”

Minor poll problems twisted into false US election claims

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.

The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.

The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.

The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.

The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.

The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.

The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.

“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.

“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."

Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.

The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.

The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667933043117.jpeg" alt="AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in 
Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot 
after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize.The
 winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw 
studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the 
red Powerball was 10.The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service
 Center in Altadena, an unincorporated community in the foothills 
northeast of Los Angeles. A voicemail left for Joe’s Service Center was 
not immediately returned.The jackpot was by far the largest 
lottery prize ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize
 won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-d074aec16d0f17eba2cc51c814faa99e">Only four previous jackpots</a>
 have topped $1 billion, but none of those are close to the current 
prize, which started at $20 million back on Aug. 6 and over three 
winless months has grown massive. No one has won the jackpot since Aug. 
3.The jackpot was initially reported as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-drawing-today-what-to-know-75a57b3d83a5c5d1e0264c55261671cf">an estimated $1.9 billion</a> on Monday, but the prize was increased to $2.04 billion Tuesday morning after updated calculations.The
 Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing 
was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating 
lottery had issues processing sales.The problems in holding a 
drawing Monday night were blamed on one participating lottery's 
inability to process its sales data. After the lottery, which wasn't 
identified, completed its pre-draw procedures, the drawing was able to 
go ahead.“Protecting the integrity of the draw is of upmost 
importance, and we were able to do that during this historic drawing 
with the cooperation of all participating lotteries,” said Drew Svitko, 
the chairman of the Powerball Product Group and executive director of 
the Pennsylvania Lottery.Terry Rich, a former director of the 
Iowa Lottery who also served on the Powerball board, said the delay was 
likely due to a two-part verification system of ticket sales that makes 
use of an outside vendor to ensure all is in order before the game's 
numbers are drawn.“Each state must verify through a dual process 
that all of the sales and dollars match before the Multi-State Lottery 
Association can do the draw," said Rich, who headed the Iowa Lottery for
 10 years and was president of the North American Lottery Association. 
“This is a state-by-state procedure, which separates the whole process 
and has been very effective."Rich said state lotteries deal with 
similar problems several times a year but the delays usually don't 
attract much attention because the potential jackpots are far less than 
was up for grabs this week.The winning numbers and recorded video of the drawing were posted to the Powerball's YouTube channel.The $2.04 billion prize is for a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">winner who chooses an annuity</a>, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million.The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Powerball ticket sold in California snags record $2.04B win

If you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).

Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."

If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.

No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.

Selecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.

If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).<h2>How the scam works&nbsp;</h2>Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.Tips to avoid open enrollment scamsSelecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.<ul>
 <li>Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a> and Medicare provide <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-help-applying/" target="_blank">legitimate help with figuring out which plan</a>
 is right for you. These people — sometimes called Navigators or 
Assisters — are not allowed to charge for their support. If someone asks
 you for payment, it's a scam. You will also need to contact them. They 
will not call you first.&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Be wary of free gifts and "health screenings." Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13033-scam-alert-beware-of-the-medicare-back-brace-scam" target="_blank">free gifts</a>
 or other special deals. Never sign up with a broker who offers you an 
expensive sign-up gift in exchange for providing your Medicare ID number
 or additional personally identifiable information. Other times, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/17378-scam-alert-when-a-free-health-screening-is-really-a-health-insurance-scam" target="_blank">brokers offer free "health screenings" to weed out people who are less healthy</a>. This technique is called "cherry picking" and is against Medicare rules. </li><li>Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer 
your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or 
banking information to anyone you don't know. </li><li>Go directly to official websites.&nbsp;If you want to make changes to your health care plan, go directly to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare.gov</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/">Healthcare.gov</a>, or your employer's health insurance provider. Don't click on links in suspicious messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Contact your employer directly. If you receive an 
unexpected email about benefits policies, ask your employer about it 
before you click on anything to make sure it's legitimate.&nbsp; </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information: &nbsp;</h2>If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

Beware of health care cons during open enrollment

WASHINGTON — In fiscal year 2022, IRS Criminal Investigation 
initiated more than 2,550 criminal investigations, identified over $31 
billion from tax and financial crimes, and obtained a 90.6% conviction 
rate on cases accepted for prosecution. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3583.pdf">IRS-CI FY22 Annual Report</a>PDF,
 released Thursday, details these statistics, as well as important 
partnerships and significant criminal enforcement actions from the past 
fiscal year, which began October 1, 2021, and ended September 30, 2022.

"The cases the IRS-CI team investigated over the past fiscal year 
touch multiple continents and require cooperation with partners around 
the globe. This is why IRS-CI continues to cement itself as the 
preeminent law enforcement agency investigating financial crimes on a 
global scale," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.

In FY22, IRS-CI expanded partnerships with foreign counterparts to 
help combat tax and financial crimes on a global level. IRS-CI special 
agents delivered trainings in countries like Argentina, Germany, 
Colombia, and Palau on topics ranging from cybercrime to human 
trafficking. IRS-CI Mexico City, after changes to Mexico law that 
enabled the extradition of tax fugitives, launched an initiative to 
identify fugitives who had absconded to Mexico and nearby countries. 
This initiative resulted in the location of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-ci-mexico-city-initiative-locates-79-criminal-fugitives-in-first-year">79 criminal fugitives and the apprehension of eight during the first year</a>.

IRS-CI joined <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-launch-task-force-kleptocapture">Taskforce Kleptocapture</a> in March 2022 to target Russian oligarchs and other sanctions-evaders. It also worked with the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/joint-chiefs-of-global-tax-enforcement">Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5)</a>
 to identify potential sanction evaders or sanctioned assets as part of a
 global strategy to deter Russia's aggression. As of September 2022, the
 agency had identified nearly 50 individuals and entities for potential 
sanctions-related enforcement.

IRS-CI's 2,077 special agents spent about 70% of their time 
investigating tax-related crimes like tax evasion and tax fraud during 
FY22, while nearly 30% of their time was spent on money laundering and 
drug trafficking cases. Special agents identified over $31 billion from 
tax and financial crimes, and the agency seized assets valued at 
approximately $7 billion in FY22. IRS-CI is the only U.S. federal law 
enforcement agency that focuses 100% on financial investigations.

"Our team follows the money," said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. "We've been 
doing it for more than 100 years, and we've followed criminals into the 
dark web and now into the metaverse. Tax and other financial crimes know
 no borders. If you violate the law and end up in the crosshairs of an 
IRS-CI special agent, you are likely going to jail."

The IRS-CI Cyber Crime Unit, with assistance from U.S. authorities, 
traced billions of dollars of Bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex, a 
cryptocurrency exchange, after a 2016 hack. This led to the February 
2022 arrest of Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife, Heather Morgan, for 
alleged conspiracy to launder stolen cryptocurrency. IRS-CI special 
agents lawfully seized and recovered more than 94,000 stolen Bitcoin, 
which was valued at over $3.6 billion at the time, marking the largest 
seizure in U.S. history.

The Tampa Field Office investigated Michael Dexter Little for 
tax-related crimes. He was sentenced to 19 years and six months in 
federal prison in January 2022 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 
conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. 
Little also had to forfeit at least $12.3 million, traceable to his 
offenses. He filed a series of false tax returns, claiming massive, 
bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and 
the names of co-conspirators, as well as identity theft victims. He 
obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted 
to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators used
 scheme proceeds to purchase real estate and other assets for 
themselves.

The Oakland Field Office investigated Jeff and Paulette Carpoff for 
running a billion-dollar fraud scheme centered around DC Solar. 
Investors were duped into investing in DC Solar based on fake financial 
and engineering reports, and the money was used to fund the Carpoffs' 
lavish lifestyle, which included a NASCAR sponsorship, ownership of a 
minor league baseball team, luxury real estate and more. The federal 
government seized and auctioned off 148 of the Carpoffs' vehicles to 
recoup more than $8 million for scheme victims. In November 2021, Jeff 
Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and in June, Paulette 
Carpoff was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The report also includes additional case examples for each U.S. field
 office, an overview of IRS-CI's international footprint, details about 
the specialized services provided by IRS-CI and investigative 
statistics, broken down by discipline, for FY22.

IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for 
conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, 
narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare 
fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only 
federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over 
violations of the Internal Revenue Code, boasting a near 90% federal 
conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S.
 and 12 attaché posts abroad.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — In fiscal year 2022, IRS Criminal Investigation 
initiated more than 2,550 criminal investigations, identified over $31 
billion from tax and financial crimes, and obtained a 90.6% conviction 
rate on cases accepted for prosecution. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3583.pdf">IRS-CI FY22 Annual Report</a>PDF,
 released Thursday, details these statistics, as well as important 
partnerships and significant criminal enforcement actions from the past 
fiscal year, which began October 1, 2021, and ended September 30, 2022."The cases the IRS-CI team investigated over the past fiscal year 
touch multiple continents and require cooperation with partners around 
the globe. This is why IRS-CI continues to cement itself as the 
preeminent law enforcement agency investigating financial crimes on a 
global scale," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/q44uedBm-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Irs Ci Annual Report Video 2022 (540p)" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>In FY22, IRS-CI expanded partnerships with foreign counterparts to 
help combat tax and financial crimes on a global level. IRS-CI special 
agents delivered trainings in countries like Argentina, Germany, 
Colombia, and Palau on topics ranging from cybercrime to human 
trafficking. IRS-CI Mexico City, after changes to Mexico law that 
enabled the extradition of tax fugitives, launched an initiative to 
identify fugitives who had absconded to Mexico and nearby countries. 
This initiative resulted in the location of <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/irs-ci-mexico-city-initiative-locates-79-criminal-fugitives-in-first-year">79 criminal fugitives and the apprehension of eight during the first year</a>.IRS-CI joined <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-announces-launch-task-force-kleptocapture">Taskforce Kleptocapture</a> in March 2022 to target Russian oligarchs and other sanctions-evaders. It also worked with the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/joint-chiefs-of-global-tax-enforcement">Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5)</a>
 to identify potential sanction evaders or sanctioned assets as part of a
 global strategy to deter Russia's aggression. As of September 2022, the
 agency had identified nearly 50 individuals and entities for potential 
sanctions-related enforcement.IRS-CI's 2,077 special agents spent about 70% of their time 
investigating tax-related crimes like tax evasion and tax fraud during 
FY22, while nearly 30% of their time was spent on money laundering and 
drug trafficking cases. Special agents identified over $31 billion from 
tax and financial crimes, and the agency seized assets valued at 
approximately $7 billion in FY22. IRS-CI is the only U.S. federal law 
enforcement agency that focuses 100% on financial investigations."Our team follows the money," said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. "We've been 
doing it for more than 100 years, and we've followed criminals into the 
dark web and now into the metaverse. Tax and other financial crimes know
 no borders. If you violate the law and end up in the crosshairs of an 
IRS-CI special agent, you are likely going to jail."<h2>Case examples include:</h2>The IRS-CI Cyber Crime Unit, with assistance from U.S. authorities, 
traced billions of dollars of Bitcoin stolen from Bitfinex, a 
cryptocurrency exchange, after a 2016 hack. This led to the February 
2022 arrest of Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife, Heather Morgan, for 
alleged conspiracy to launder stolen cryptocurrency. IRS-CI special 
agents lawfully seized and recovered more than 94,000 stolen Bitcoin, 
which was valued at over $3.6 billion at the time, marking the largest 
seizure in U.S. history.The Tampa Field Office investigated Michael Dexter Little for 
tax-related crimes. He was sentenced to 19 years and six months in 
federal prison in January 2022 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 
conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. 
Little also had to forfeit at least $12.3 million, traceable to his 
offenses. He filed a series of false tax returns, claiming massive, 
bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and 
the names of co-conspirators, as well as identity theft victims. He 
obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted 
to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators used
 scheme proceeds to purchase real estate and other assets for 
themselves.The Oakland Field Office investigated Jeff and Paulette Carpoff for 
running a billion-dollar fraud scheme centered around DC Solar. 
Investors were duped into investing in DC Solar based on fake financial 
and engineering reports, and the money was used to fund the Carpoffs' 
lavish lifestyle, which included a NASCAR sponsorship, ownership of a 
minor league baseball team, luxury real estate and more. The federal 
government seized and auctioned off 148 of the Carpoffs' vehicles to 
recoup more than $8 million for scheme victims. In November 2021, Jeff 
Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and in June, Paulette 
Carpoff was sentenced to 11 years in prison.The report also includes additional case examples for each U.S. field
 office, an overview of IRS-CI's international footprint, details about 
the specialized services provided by IRS-CI and investigative 
statistics, broken down by discipline, for FY22.IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for 
conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, 
narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare 
fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only 
federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over 
violations of the Internal Revenue Code, boasting a near 90% federal 
conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S.
 and 12 attaché posts abroad.

🎥 IRS: More than 2,500 investigations, 90% conviction rate for 2022 tax crimes

If you’ve bought something from <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/santa-monica/profile/mobile-apps/tiktok-1216-1074502" target="_blank">TikTok</a> recently, you aren’t alone. According to <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/nearly-half-of-tiktokers-are-buying-stuff-from-brands-they-see-on-the-platform/" target="_blank">one study</a>, 49% of users reported purchasing something they saw on the app. The social platform began offering <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/24/tiktok-expands-shopify-partnership-pilots-tiktok-shopping-in-us-uk-and-canada/" target="_blank">in-app shopping last year</a> and is now expanding to “Live Shopping,” allowing creators and brands to sell goods directly through videos.

While TikTok may be a good way to snag a deal promoted by your favorite <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22242-social-media-influencers-how-theyre-changing-the-marketplace-and-tips-to-avoid-fraud" target="_blank">influencer</a>, <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">phony products</a>, less-than-scrupulous sellers, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/27566-bbb-scam-alert-cryptocurrency-investment-scams-take-to-tiktok" target="_blank">outright scams</a> are also common. As shopping on TikTok expands, here’s how to have a positive shopping experience and avoid cons.

Here’s what you should know about shopping on TikTok.

BBBIf you’ve bought something from <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/santa-monica/profile/mobile-apps/tiktok-1216-1074502" target="_blank">TikTok</a> recently, you aren’t alone. According to <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/nearly-half-of-tiktokers-are-buying-stuff-from-brands-they-see-on-the-platform/" target="_blank">one study</a>, 49% of users reported purchasing something they saw on the app. The social platform began offering <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/24/tiktok-expands-shopify-partnership-pilots-tiktok-shopping-in-us-uk-and-canada/" target="_blank">in-app shopping last year</a> and is now expanding to “Live Shopping,” allowing creators and brands to sell goods directly through videos.While TikTok may be a good way to snag a deal promoted by your favorite <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22242-social-media-influencers-how-theyre-changing-the-marketplace-and-tips-to-avoid-fraud" target="_blank">influencer</a>, <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">phony products</a>, less-than-scrupulous sellers, and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/27566-bbb-scam-alert-cryptocurrency-investment-scams-take-to-tiktok" target="_blank">outright scams</a> are also common. As shopping on TikTok expands, here’s how to have a positive shopping experience and avoid cons.<h2>Tips for shopping on TikTok </h2>Here’s what you should know about shopping on TikTok. <ul>
 <li>Avoid impulse buys. With TikTok and many other 
social media platforms, making a purchase can be as simple as clicking 
on the product and clicking “buy.” Before you buy something based on a 
30-second video, think it through. Some experts recommend <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/26/heres-why-you-probably-bought-something-you-saw-on-tiktok.html" target="_blank">waiting 48 hours</a>
 between adding an item to your cart and checking out. In addition, you 
can use the extra time to research the product and seller and make sure 
the purchase won’t throw off <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/4666-create-a-budget-and-stick-to-it" target="_blank">your budget</a>. </li><li>Always research the seller. Make sure the seller 
has plenty of account engagement, which means they have followers who 
comment on their posts and review their products. If the seller has a 
website, visit it and look for the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">red flags of a scam website</a>. Do an <a href="https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2022/social-media-scams-soared-last-year.html" target="_blank">online search</a>
 of the company name and the words “complaint” or “scam.” Adding those 
keywords can bring any reports of suspicious behavior to your attention. </li><li>Pay close attention to consumer reviews. Reviews 
can help you determine the quality of the product and how well the 
business handles customer service. Read reviews on TikTok, on the 
company or individual’s website, and on sites like <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> to make sure what you read is impartial and comes from real buyers. </li><li>Keep an eye on product descriptions. Some sellers 
might offer what appears to be a great deal on a name brand or viral 
product, but don’t forget to read the fine print. The <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/online-shopping" target="_blank">Federal Trade Commission</a>
 reminds consumers that if the product description contains words like 
“refurbished,” “vintage,” or “close-out,” you might be getting a 
second-hand or imperfect item. </li><li>Watch out for scams. You may find high-dollar items
 for sale on TikTok for highly reduced prices, but these offers could 
indicate an outright scam. Some TikTok users have reported purchasing a 
product only to receive a <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/tiktok-shop-customers-say-products-fake" target="_blank">fake product</a> in the mail. Remember that too-good-to-be-true deals usually are. Besides unusually low prices, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26050-bbb-warning-watch-out-for-counterfeit-items-when-shopping-online-this-holiday-season" target="_blank">grammatical errors and missing contact information</a> could also indicate you’re looking at a scammer’s social media shop. </li><li>Understand return policies and keep good records. Before
 you make a purchase, get to know the seller’s return and refund 
policies. Keep records of your transactions in case you need them to get
 a refund or to hold the seller accountable. </li><li>Unhappy with a purchase? Act quickly. According to TikTok terms of service, buyers have six days
 from when a product is marked as “delivered” to make a return or refund
 request. After that, shoppers need directly communicate with the seller
 or email <a href="mailto:e-commerce@tiktok.com">e-commerce@tiktok.com</a> for customer support. Learn more about <a href="https://seller-id.tiktok.com/university/article?knowledge_id=10000852&amp;identity=1" target="_blank">the TikTok shopping guidelines</a>. </li><li>Pay by credit card. Using your credit card for 
online purchases is always a good idea. It’s much easier to contest a 
fraudulent charge and get your money back on a credit card than with a 
debit card.</li>
 </ul>

Shopping on TikTok? Better stay on your toes

<a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.

By ANNE GOODCHILD and RISHI VERMA <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-amazon-packages-get-delivered-each-year-187587">The Conversation</a>

It’s incredibly convenient to buy something online, right from your 
computer or phone. Whether it’s a high-end telescope or a resupply of 
toothpaste, the goods appear right at your doorstep. This kind of 
shopping is called “e-commerce” and it’s becoming more popular each 
year. In the U.S., it has grown from a mere 7% of retail purchases in 
2012 to <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/04/ecommerce-sales-surged-during-pandemic.html">19.6% of retail and US$791.7 billion in sales in 2020</a>.

For Amazon, the biggest player in e-commerce, this means delivering lots of packages. In 2021 the company shipped an <a href="https://www.mwpvl.com/html/amazon_com.html">estimated</a> 7.7 billion packages globally, based on its nearly <a href="https://ir.aboutamazon.com/quarterly-results/default.aspx">$470 billion in sales</a>.

If each of these packages were a 1-foot square box and they were 
stacked on top of one another, the pile would be six times higher than 
the distance from the Earth to the Moon. Laid end to end, they would 
wrap around the Earth 62 times.  

Back in the early 2010s, most things bought from Amazon.com were shipped using a third-party carrier like <a href="https://www.fedex.com/global/choose-location.html">FedEx</a> or <a href="https://www.ups.com/ship/guided/origin?tx=16615836120951417&amp;loc=en_US">UPS</a>. In 2014, however, Amazon began delivering packages itself with a service called “Fulfilled by Amazon.” That’s when those <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/09/amazon-delivery-contractors-operates-with-little-oversight-report-finds/">signature blue delivery vans</a> started appearing on local streets.

Since then, Amazon’s logistics arm has grown from relying entirely on other carriers to shipping <a href="https://news.pb.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=6046">22% of all packages</a> in the U.S. in 2021. This is greater than FedEx’s 19% market share and within striking distance of UPS’s 24%. Amazon’s <a href="https://sell.amazon.com/fulfillment-by-amazon/fba-multi-channel">multichannel fulfillment service</a>
 allows other websites to use its warehousing and shipping services. So 
your order from Etsy or eBay could also be packed and shipped by Amazon.

To handle that many packages, shipping companies need an extensive 
network of manufacturers, vehicles and warehouses that can coordinate 
together. This is called the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-your-local-store-keeps-running-out-of-flour-toilet-paper-and-prescription-drugs-135786">supply chain</a>. If you’ve ever used a tracking number to follow a package, you’ve seen it in action.

People who make decisions about where to send vehicles and how to 
route packages are constantly trying to keep costs down while still 
getting packages to customers on time. The supply chain can do this very
 effectively, but it also has downsides. 

More delivery vehicles on the road produce more <a href="https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/carbon-pollution-transportation">greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change</a>, along with pollutants like <a href="https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/smog-soot-and-other-air-pollution-transportation">nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that are hazardous to breathe</a>. <a href="https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-delivery-trucks-traffic.html">Traffic congestion</a> is also a major concern in cities as delivery drivers try to find parking on busy streets.

Are there ways to balance the increasing number of deliveries while 
making freight safe, sustainable and fast? At the University of 
Washington’s <a href="https://www.supply-chain-transportation.uw.edu/about/sctl-center">Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center</a>,
 we work with companies like Amazon and UPS and others in the shipping, 
transportation and real estate sectors to answer questions like this. 
Here are some solutions for what we and our colleagues call the “last 
mile” – the last leg of a package’s long journey to your doorstep.

– Electrification: Transitioning from gasoline and diesel vehicles to
 fleets of electric or other zero-emission vehicles reduces pollution 
from delivery trucks. Tax credits and local policies, such as creating 
so-called <a href="https://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Urban_Delivery_Company_Needs_and_Preferences_for_GLZ.pdf">green loading zones</a> and zero-emission zones for clean vehicles, create incentives for companies to make the switch.

– Common carrier lockers: Buildings can install <a href="https://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Final-50-Feet-Common-Carrier-Locker-Pilot-Report.pdf">lockers</a>
 at central locations, such as busy transit stops, so that drivers can 
drop off packages without going all the way to your doorstep. When 
you’re ready to pick up your items, you just stop by at a time that’s 
convenient for you. This reduces both delivery truck mileage and the 
risk of packages being stolen off of porches.

– Cargo bicycles: Companies can take the delivery truck out of the equation and use <a href="http://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Cargo-E-Bike-Delivery-Report.pdf">electric cargo bicycles</a>
 to drop off smaller packages. In addition to being zero-emission, cargo
 bicycles are relatively inexpensive and easy to park, and they provide a
 healthier alternative for delivery workers.

To learn more about supply chains and delivery logistics, check with 
your town or city’s transportation department to see if they are testing
 or already have goods delivery programs or policies, like those in <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/ssi10-offhour.pdf">New York</a> and <a href="https://www.seattleneighborhoodhub.com/">Seattle</a>.
 And the next time you order something for delivery, consider your 
options for receiving it, such as walking or biking to a package locker 
or pickup point, or consolidating your items into a single delivery.

Package delivery can be both convenient and sustainable if companies 
keep evolving their supply chains, and everyone thinks about how they 
want delivery to work in their neighborhoods.

Anne Goodchild is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director, Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center, University of 
Washington. Rishi Verma is a PhD Student in Industrial Engineering and Research Assistant, Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666123069174.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666123136951.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ANNE GOODCHILD and RISHI VERMA <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-amazon-packages-get-delivered-each-year-187587">The Conversation</a>It’s incredibly convenient to buy something online, right from your 
computer or phone. Whether it’s a high-end telescope or a resupply of 
toothpaste, the goods appear right at your doorstep. This kind of 
shopping is called “e-commerce” and it’s becoming more popular each 
year. In the U.S., it has grown from a mere 7% of retail purchases in 
2012 to <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/04/ecommerce-sales-surged-during-pandemic.html">19.6% of retail and US$791.7 billion in sales in 2020</a>. <h2>Amazon’s growing reach</h2>For Amazon, the biggest player in e-commerce, this means delivering lots of packages. In 2021 the company shipped an <a href="https://www.mwpvl.com/html/amazon_com.html">estimated</a> 7.7 billion packages globally, based on its nearly <a href="https://ir.aboutamazon.com/quarterly-results/default.aspx">$470 billion in sales</a>. If each of these packages were a 1-foot square box and they were 
stacked on top of one another, the pile would be six times higher than 
the distance from the Earth to the Moon. Laid end to end, they would 
wrap around the Earth 62 times. Back in the early 2010s, most things bought from Amazon.com were shipped using a third-party carrier like <a href="https://www.fedex.com/global/choose-location.html">FedEx</a> or <a href="https://www.ups.com/ship/guided/origin?tx=16615836120951417&amp;loc=en_US">UPS</a>. In 2014, however, Amazon began delivering packages itself with a service called “Fulfilled by Amazon.” That’s when those <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/09/amazon-delivery-contractors-operates-with-little-oversight-report-finds/">signature blue delivery vans</a> started appearing on local streets.Since then, Amazon’s logistics arm has grown from relying entirely on other carriers to shipping <a href="https://news.pb.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=6046">22% of all packages</a> in the U.S. in 2021. This is greater than FedEx’s 19% market share and within striking distance of UPS’s 24%. Amazon’s <a href="https://sell.amazon.com/fulfillment-by-amazon/fba-multi-channel">multichannel fulfillment service</a>
 allows other websites to use its warehousing and shipping services. So 
your order from Etsy or eBay could also be packed and shipped by Amazon.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3K2RaQ63w28"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The supply chain</h2>To handle that many packages, shipping companies need an extensive 
network of manufacturers, vehicles and warehouses that can coordinate 
together. This is called the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-your-local-store-keeps-running-out-of-flour-toilet-paper-and-prescription-drugs-135786">supply chain</a>. If you’ve ever used a tracking number to follow a package, you’ve seen it in action. People who make decisions about where to send vehicles and how to 
route packages are constantly trying to keep costs down while still 
getting packages to customers on time. The supply chain can do this very
 effectively, but it also has downsides. More delivery vehicles on the road produce more <a href="https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/carbon-pollution-transportation">greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change</a>, along with pollutants like <a href="https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/smog-soot-and-other-air-pollution-transportation">nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that are hazardous to breathe</a>. <a href="https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-delivery-trucks-traffic.html">Traffic congestion</a> is also a major concern in cities as delivery drivers try to find parking on busy streets.<h2>Urban freight solutions</h2>Are there ways to balance the increasing number of deliveries while 
making freight safe, sustainable and fast? At the University of 
Washington’s <a href="https://www.supply-chain-transportation.uw.edu/about/sctl-center">Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center</a>,
 we work with companies like Amazon and UPS and others in the shipping, 
transportation and real estate sectors to answer questions like this. 
Here are some solutions for what we and our colleagues call the “last 
mile” – the last leg of a package’s long journey to your doorstep. – Electrification: Transitioning from gasoline and diesel vehicles to
 fleets of electric or other zero-emission vehicles reduces pollution 
from delivery trucks. Tax credits and local policies, such as creating 
so-called <a href="https://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Urban_Delivery_Company_Needs_and_Preferences_for_GLZ.pdf">green loading zones</a> and zero-emission zones for clean vehicles, create incentives for companies to make the switch. – Common carrier lockers: Buildings can install <a href="https://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Final-50-Feet-Common-Carrier-Locker-Pilot-Report.pdf">lockers</a>
 at central locations, such as busy transit stops, so that drivers can 
drop off packages without going all the way to your doorstep. When 
you’re ready to pick up your items, you just stop by at a time that’s 
convenient for you. This reduces both delivery truck mileage and the 
risk of packages being stolen off of porches.– Cargo bicycles: Companies can take the delivery truck out of the equation and use <a href="http://depts.washington.edu/sctlctr/sites/default/files/research_pub_files/Cargo-E-Bike-Delivery-Report.pdf">electric cargo bicycles</a>
 to drop off smaller packages. In addition to being zero-emission, cargo
 bicycles are relatively inexpensive and easy to park, and they provide a
 healthier alternative for delivery workers. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our 2021 Seattle Neighborhood Delivery Hub pilot replaced 📦 delivery vans with e-cargo <a href="https://twitter.com/CoasterCycles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoasterCycles</a> bikes, and found that 🚴‍♂️ trips were faster and more direct than vans, halved <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VMT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VMT</a>, and reduced tailpipe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/emissions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#emissions</a> by 30% per delivery. ➡️ The report:<a href="https://t.co/Kjxime6SsI">https://t.co/Kjxime6SsI</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3pVsy3oAy">pic.twitter.com/v3pVsy3oAy</a>&mdash; UW Supply Chain Transportation &amp; Logistics (@SCTLCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCTLCenter/status/1570100146246934537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>To learn more about supply chains and delivery logistics, check with 
your town or city’s transportation department to see if they are testing
 or already have goods delivery programs or policies, like those in <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/ssi10-offhour.pdf">New York</a> and <a href="https://www.seattleneighborhoodhub.com/">Seattle</a>.
 And the next time you order something for delivery, consider your 
options for receiving it, such as walking or biking to a package locker 
or pickup point, or consolidating your items into a single delivery.Package delivery can be both convenient and sustainable if companies 
keep evolving their supply chains, and everyone thinks about how they 
want delivery to work in their neighborhoods.Anne Goodchild is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director, Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center, University of 
Washington. Rishi Verma is a PhD Student in Industrial Engineering and Research Assistant, Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187587/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

🎥 How many Amazon packages get delivered each year?

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/17/chinese-wireless-tech-could-put-offutt-air-force-base-and-nebraska-missile-silos-at-risk/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

BELLEVUE, Nebraska — More than 10,000 military members and civilians working at Offutt Air Force Base could be at risk of having cell phone calls, texts and data seen by the Chinese government because at least one cellular service provider installed Chinese equipment on nearby towers.

The U.S. Commerce Department is 
investigating the potential data collection and transmission 
capabilities of equipment from Chinese tech company Huawei that was 
installed on cell towers near U.S. military installations, including 
missile silos in western Nebraska, as Reuters reported.

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., wrote 
to the Commerce Department this week seeking an update on the 
investigation, which he said he supports. He sought confirmation from 
Commerce about any Huawei tech on cell towers within 20 miles of Offutt 
or other Nebraska military facilities.&nbsp;

Huawei equipment has been found that 
close to Offutt and to nuclear missile silos in Cheyenne County, home to
 Sidney, several sources told the Nebraska Examiner. State and federal 
leaders have not yet discussed specifics publicly.

“I think it’s a slap in the face to every airman that goes to work,” said Flood, whose 1st
 Congressional District includes Offutt. “I want to know where this is 
in Nebraska, what companies are using it and why it hasn’t been 
removed.”&nbsp;

Adm. Charles Richard, commander of 
Offutt’s U.S. Strategic Command, acknowledged during a conference in 
July the reality of nation-states trying to access military information.
 He said U.S. intelligence services and others are working to protect 
key military assets from cyberattack.

Huawei was founded by former members 
of the Chinese military. The company has denied that its equipment is a 
spying threat or that it is working in concert with the Chinese 
government. Tech experts say the Chinese state can force companies in 
China to share users’ information.

Crystal Rhoades, a Democrat who 
represents much of the Omaha area on Nebraska’s Public Service 
Commission, would not discuss the locations of specific cell phone 
towers in Nebraska with Chinese equipment on them, citing national 
security concerns.

But she said nearly every Viaero 
Wireless tower in Nebraska has Huawei equipment on it. She said the 
company has discussed applying for up to $330 million in federal funds 
to rip out and replace Chinese equipment in Nebraska with tech approved 
by the U.S. Department of Defense. The company did not return repeated 
messages seeking comment.

“This is a big deal,” Rhoades said. “It needs to get fixed.”

Flood said he hopes the Commerce 
Department acts with a sense of urgency. He said the United Kingdom 
banned the use of Huawei equipment on its cell towers, and the U.S. 
should be able to act with similar speed. He said the public needs 
answers, and soon.

“China is a real threat,” Flood said.
 “We can’t trust Chinese technology when it comes to protecting our 
national security. … My hope is this should not be drawn out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663530990213.png" alt="The U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band performs during the 55th Wing Headquarters Building Dedication in 2021 at Offutt Air Force Base (Courtesy of U.S. Air Force/Josh Plueger)" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band performs during the 55th Wing Headquarters Building Dedication in 2021 at Offutt Air Force Base (Courtesy of U.S. Air Force/Josh Plueger)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/17/chinese-wireless-tech-could-put-offutt-air-force-base-and-nebraska-missile-silos-at-risk/">Nebraska Examiner</a>BELLEVUE, Nebraska — More than 10,000 military members and civilians working at Offutt Air Force Base could be at risk of having cell phone calls, texts and data seen by the Chinese government because at least one cellular service provider installed Chinese equipment on nearby towers.The U.S. Commerce Department is 
investigating the potential data collection and transmission 
capabilities of equipment from Chinese tech company Huawei that was 
installed on cell towers near U.S. military installations, including 
missile silos in western Nebraska, as Reuters reported.U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., wrote 
to the Commerce Department this week seeking an update on the 
investigation, which he said he supports. He sought confirmation from 
Commerce about any Huawei tech on cell towers within 20 miles of Offutt 
or other Nebraska military facilities.&nbsp;Huawei equipment has been found that 
close to Offutt and to nuclear missile silos in Cheyenne County, home to
 Sidney, several sources told the Nebraska Examiner. State and federal 
leaders have not yet discussed specifics publicly.“I think it’s a slap in the face to every airman that goes to work,” said Flood, whose 1st
 Congressional District includes Offutt. “I want to know where this is 
in Nebraska, what companies are using it and why it hasn’t been 
removed.”&nbsp;Adm. Charles Richard, commander of 
Offutt’s U.S. Strategic Command, acknowledged during a conference in 
July the reality of nation-states trying to access military information.
 He said U.S. intelligence services and others are working to protect 
key military assets from cyberattack.Huawei was founded by former members 
of the Chinese military. The company has denied that its equipment is a 
spying threat or that it is working in concert with the Chinese 
government. Tech experts say the Chinese state can force companies in 
China to share users’ information.Crystal Rhoades, a Democrat who 
represents much of the Omaha area on Nebraska’s Public Service 
Commission, would not discuss the locations of specific cell phone 
towers in Nebraska with Chinese equipment on them, citing national 
security concerns.But she said nearly every Viaero 
Wireless tower in Nebraska has Huawei equipment on it. She said the 
company has discussed applying for up to $330 million in federal funds 
to rip out and replace Chinese equipment in Nebraska with tech approved 
by the U.S. Department of Defense. The company did not return repeated 
messages seeking comment.“This is a big deal,” Rhoades said. “It needs to get fixed.”Flood said he hopes the Commerce 
Department acts with a sense of urgency. He said the United Kingdom 
banned the use of Huawei equipment on its cell towers, and the U.S. 
should be able to act with similar speed. He said the public needs 
answers, and soon.“China is a real threat,” Flood said.
 “We can’t trust Chinese technology when it comes to protecting our 
national security. … My hope is this should not be drawn out.”

Chinese tech could put Offutt, Nebraska missile silos at risk

By JARED STRONG <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/15/dairy-farm-fined-for-200000-gallon-manure-discharge-into-creek/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

The owner of a northwest Iowa 
dairy farm was ordered to pay the state more than $36,000 for a massive 
manure release last year that killed nearly 100,000 small fish in a 
nearby creek, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The manure discharge happened in April 2021 when a worker at Rock 
Bottom Dairy, near Lester, neglected one night to shut off an irrigator 
that spreads manure onto a nearby field.

An overrun of about 200,000 gallons of manure into Mud Creek and its 
tributary was discovered early the next morning. Signs of contamination 
stretched 13 miles downstream, with elevated concentrations of E. coli 
bacteria and ammonia, the DNR reported.

The dairy has about 3,800 cattle, and the DNR has documented four other manure releases there in the past two decades.

One of them, in 2009, similarly polluted the waterways with about 
100,000 gallons of manure and killed about 1,400 fish. That spill was 
caused by a clamp that came loose from a hose that was used to transfer 
manure from one location to another on the site, DNR records show. The 
dairy was fined $6,000.

The causes of the spills were different in each case, said Scott Wilson, supervisor of the DNR field office in that area.

“This is unfortunate,” Wilson said of the most-recent spill. “It was 
clearly a mistake, and we expect them to come up with procedures, some 
sort of remedy that would prevent this from happening in the future.”

The dairy’s owner Bernard Bakker agreed to pay a $10,000 fine for the
 most-recent spill — the maximum administrative penalty the DNR can 
levy. He must also pay restitution to the state for the estimated 96,168
 fish that were killed along with the costs for the DNR investigation 
into the fish kill. That totaled about $26,100.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663276576445.png" alt="A manure spill in April 2021 in northwest Iowa near the Minnesota border killed nearly 100,000 small fish. (Photo courtesy of Iowa DNR)" />
 <figcaption>A manure spill in April 2021 in northwest Iowa near the Minnesota border killed nearly 100,000 small fish. (Photo courtesy of Iowa DNR)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JARED STRONG <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/15/dairy-farm-fined-for-200000-gallon-manure-discharge-into-creek/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>The owner of a northwest Iowa 
dairy farm was ordered to pay the state more than $36,000 for a massive 
manure release last year that killed nearly 100,000 small fish in a 
nearby creek, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.The manure discharge happened in April 2021 when a worker at Rock 
Bottom Dairy, near Lester, neglected one night to shut off an irrigator 
that spreads manure onto a nearby field.An overrun of about 200,000 gallons of manure into Mud Creek and its 
tributary was discovered early the next morning. Signs of contamination 
stretched 13 miles downstream, with elevated concentrations of E. coli 
bacteria and ammonia, the DNR reported.The dairy has about 3,800 cattle, and the DNR has documented four other manure releases there in the past two decades.One of them, in 2009, similarly polluted the waterways with about 
100,000 gallons of manure and killed about 1,400 fish. That spill was 
caused by a clamp that came loose from a hose that was used to transfer 
manure from one location to another on the site, DNR records show. The 
dairy was fined $6,000.The causes of the spills were different in each case, said Scott Wilson, supervisor of the DNR field office in that area.“This is unfortunate,” Wilson said of the most-recent spill. “It was 
clearly a mistake, and we expect them to come up with procedures, some 
sort of remedy that would prevent this from happening in the future.”The dairy’s owner Bernard Bakker agreed to pay a $10,000 fine for the
 most-recent spill — the maximum administrative penalty the DNR can 
levy. He must also pay restitution to the state for the estimated 96,168
 fish that were killed along with the costs for the DNR investigation 
into the fish kill. That totaled about $26,100.

Misc