Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/475039
REDDING The IRS began testing an appointment- based service approach on Feb. 23 in 10 of its larger Tax Assistance Centers (TACs) around the coun- try. Since the original an- nouncement, the test has been expanded to 34 other offices nationwide begin- ning March 2, including Redding. The IRS is testing the new approach to determine if it will increase efficiency during a time of severe bud- get cuts. IRS believes an appoint- ment approach could ben- efit taxpayers by helping them avoid long waits in line. IRS is testing this pro- cess during the tax filing season to ensure the ap- proach will work for tax- payers during the busiest time of the year. "Our hope is that the test location in Redding will provide better use of our resources to help peo- ple get the assistance they need, and to avoid long lines and wait times," said IRS spokesperson David Tucker II. Taxpayers can schedule an appointment at this loca- tion by phone at 224-0695. "During a challenging filing season with a very limited budget, we need to find ways to increase our efficiency and still provide the best service possible to taxpayers," said IRS Com- missioner John Koskinen. "My hope is that this test increases the level of cus- tomer service that we can provide while minimizing needless burden on tax- payers." The IRS believes the ap- pointments will help tax- payers by allowing them to know in advance that they can get the service they need. The first come-first served process typically in place at most IRS offices cannot guarantee when or if a taxpayer can receive as- sistance. This situation can force taxpayers to wait in long lines, sometimes with waits lasting over an hour. Overall, the IRS has more than 350 walk-in locations across the nation. Taxpayers should al- ways check IRS.gov for days and hours of service as well as services offered at the location they plan to visit. For information on how to make an appoint- ment, please visit the con- tact my local office on IRS. gov. At the test locations, taxpayer services will con- tinue to be offered without an appointment for those picking up limited forms or making a payment, but the IRS urges taxpayers to use IRS.gov to get forms they need and Direct Pay to make a payment when- ever possible. All other ser- vices will require an ap- pointment. IRS Reddingoffice appointment-based test extended A dinner to raise funds for the biannual student trip to Washington D.C. was held on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Corning Veterans Memorial Hall. The dinner was put on by the Corning D.C. Kids Committee and the funds raised will be used to send 24 students, accompanied by Maywood Middle School teacher Linda Robinette, to the capital. This unique opportu- nity is given to selected students every two years so they can visit and see first hand their nation's capitol. This year the students going to Washington D.C. are Kara Beckwith, Sarah Gomez, Alejandro Amador, Jack Noble, Ja- cob Mura, Donald Guice, Nathan Fletcher, Conner Casey, Camren Olsen, Angela Sandoval, Me- liecio Solorio, Jose Mal- donado, Charles Neles, Camron Lee, Nicole Cu- riel, Austin Mishoe, Co- rey Busta, Angelica Lo- pez, Ruby Cervantes, Jared, Burreson, Saman- tha Terra, Masiel Anaya, Mickaila Cordray and Jarred Darrow. The committee would like to offer its sincere thanks to the public and all of the numerous do- nors whose generosity will once again make it possible for the committee to send these students on a trip of their lifetimes. FUNDRAISER Corning students raise money for trip COURTESY Students from Corning area middle schools who will be going to Washington, D.C. shown with teacher Linda Robinette, who heads up the Corning D.C. Kids Committee. The February meeting of the Fitzhugh Literary Society met at the home Madi Gates and the pro- gram for the evening was presented by Sue Williams on the topic of the Pacific Rim. Cuisine and Empire by Rachel Louden was the basis for Williams' re- port. The book discussed how merchants, mis- sionaries and military all transported cuisines over mountains, oceans deserts and across po- litical frontiers. Cuisine is treated like language, clothing, architecture, as something constructed by humans. The expansion of cui- sines rises and falls with empires. What we grow, cooking methods, utensils used, who we dine with, whether we sit or stand and whether genders eat together are all signifi- cant cultural aspects of food. Williams explained high and humble cuisine and talked about global cuisine. The food story is inher- ently tied to major world religions. When considering the Pacific Rim, Buddhism, Is- lam and Christianity have the major influence. Working her way around the Pacific Rim, Williams started with dis- cussing food from China, Korea, Japan, the Phil- ippines, Australia, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, California, Canada and Alaska. Louden's major tenet is joining empires with major world religions has mas- sively affected global qui- nine. FITZHUGH Literary society discusses the Pacific Rim Takeuswithyou!FollowusonTwitterandFacebookforupdatesandmore. LIFESTYLES ยป redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, March 7, 2015 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6