Vol. 1, No. 23 May 14, 2020
As John Edward Smith has so beautifully suggested in his online magazine, South Miami is stronger together. Although it is hard to say for certain, South Miami seems to have fewer corona virus cases than other places its size. That is because the people of South Miami have been diligent about following the guidelines of safe-at-home, masks, and social distancing. We will have a chance to show our togetherness by shopping care-fully and safely in out downtown starting on Monday. Yes,
DOWNTOWN SOUTH MIAMI is OPENING!
Our downtown shops may start to open up this coming Monday, May 18. Masks and social distancing are just a couple of the necessary requirements for everyone entering a business. The places which may open include: restaurants, retail, offices, and personal grooming. Restaurants may only seat 50% of their capacity inside. Beauty parlors and barber shops may require appointments. Other stores may only be able to allow a few people in at a time in order to maintain enough space for distancing. Please be careful and safe: follow the directions given to you by the enterprise's personnel. Remember: parking is free.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Weekly food distribution with Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, in partnership with Feeding South Florida
Several food distribution events take place weekly at 9 a.m. Residents are encouraged to arrive early.
All events are drive-thru. Residents must wear masks, stay in their vehicles and open their trunks when it’s their turn in line.
For more information, call 786-300-9046.
Every Tuesday [4 miles from South Miami City Hall]
Tropical Park: 7900 SW 40th Street, Miami, FL 33155
Enter from SW 40th Street (Bird Road)
Every Wednesday [20 miles from South Miami City Hall]
Homestead Air Reserve Park: 27401 SW 127th Avenue, Homestead, FL 33032
Every Thursday [19 miles from South Miami City Hall]
Amelia Earhart Park: 401 East 65th Street, Hialeah, FL 33013
Miami-Dade County Public Schools offers Grab and Go meals from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at various schools on Tuesdays and Fridays.
More food distribution events
Friday, May 15
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. [28 miles from South Miami City Hall]
Greynolds Park, 18501 NE 22nd Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL 33160
Vehicles should enter through the park entrance at Northeast 22nd Avenue and Miami Gardens Drive
Please remain in your vehicle with the trunk open.
In partnership with Feeding South Florida.
Saturday, May 16 9 a.m. to noon [4 miles from South Miami City Hall]
Miami Dade College North Campus, 11380 NW 27th Avenue, Miami, FL 33167 No walk-ups are permitted. Please remain in your vehicle with the trunk open.
In partnership with Farm Share.
Always check the Farm Share web site: https://farmshare.org/food-distributions/
EVERGLADES
Starting this Thursday, visitors will once again be able to rent canoes and kayaks at Everglades National Park and use some areas for picnics and other recreational activities. For more details click on: Trails reopen ... .
This picture was taken from the Anhinga trail - perhaps the best trail I know for experiencing the Everglades up close.
MAY 24 CONCERT
I neglected to post the url for the concert that is being given by the Elks Lodge. See below.
TO VIEW CONCERT .... www.facebook.com/ElksLodge1676
TO DONATE .... elks1676.com/rsvp
COVID-19 OR ALLERGIES?
WHAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS
IRS.gov has answers to many questions people may have about their Economic Impact Payment. Here are answers to some of the top questions people are asking about these payments.
Is this payment considered taxable income?
No, the payment is not income and taxpayers will not owe tax on it. The payment will not reduce a taxpayer’s refund or increase the amount they owe when they file their 2020 tax return next year. A payment also will not affect income for purposes of determining eligibility for federal government assistance or benefit programs.
Can people who receive a Form SSA-1099 or RRB-1099 use Get My Payment to check their payment status?
Yes, they will be able to use Get My Payment to check the status of their payment after verifying their identity by answering the required security questions.
If someone’s bank account information has changed since they filed their last tax return, can they update it using Get My Payment?
To help protect against potential fraud, the tool also does not allow people to change direct deposit bank account information already on file with the IRS.
If the IRS issues a direct deposit based on the account information that the taxpayer provided on their tax return and the bank information is now invalid or the account has been closed, the bank will reject the deposit. The agency will then mail payment as soon as possible to the address they have on file. Get My Payment will be updated to reflect the date a payment will be mailed. It will take up to 14 days to receive the payment, standard mailing time. For more details, click on the following url:
DETECTING & RESPONDING TO FRAUD
This is from one of Congresswoman Donna Shalala's weekly newsletter: "While most of us are focused on staying safe during this crisis, we need to be wary of bad actors who are using this pandemic for their own financial gain. This week, I want to alert you to the danger of coronavirus-related scams and provide you with some information for keeping your information secure.
Scams in the age of COVID-19 can take a variety of forms. Here are a few examples:
Advanced fee schemes, through which scammers ask for money up front for goods (masks, protective equipment, hand sanitizer) or services (COVID-19 tests);
Counterfeit products, like knock-off N-95 masks that don’t actually work;
Impersonation of government officials demanding payment;
Investment schemes that falsely promise you the chance to profit off the pandemic;
Solicitations for private information, such as your Social Security Number, bank account number, or Medicare/Medicaid number;
In-person marketers offering free COVID-19 testing; and
Fake phone calls from the IRS offering to help you get a stimulus payment
If you’ve already given out personal or financial information, you should check and freeze your credit reports, change your passwords and account information, and monitor your finances for unexpected changes.
Various agencies and organizations have released consumer alerts regarding specific scams that have been reported. You can follow these links to find alerts from the Florida Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Better Business Bureau.
Fortunately, you can foil these schemes by staying vigilant. [Congresswoman Shalala then goes on to list] tips for avoiding coronavirus-related scams: https://shalala.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=KHCMPDSCYTQIW "
So, I offer this as a reminder to keep well and stay safe:
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