— DMV locations across the state have been swamped with people getting their real ID as a regular license will not be enough to fly domestically in a week have wait times up to and exceeding an hour We spoke with a representative from the state who wants to remind people to check if you can complete your task online and avoid the lines She also says to check the TSA website to see if you have other proper identification for flying it has not affected the time between when you apply for a real ID to when it gets to the mail There are two restaurants along First Street in Yakima just waiting for the day that they'll re-open The Sonic Drive-In is one of the more complicated ones being on the corner of First Street and Nob Hill; it has quite the weird legal issue of why the location has not re-opened or even become something different Which, I've brainstormed several ideas that would fit great into that location. Check those thoughts out here The other restaurant that we've been eagerly awaiting word on its future is the El Porton in Union Gap The fire that shut down the family restaurant was back in September of 2022, and since then, it has been closed, with work being done to rebuild leading many to wonder if it'll ever re-open People driving by the restaurant know something is about to pop; with the chain fence coming down and boards over the windows to help prevent vandalism being removed it looks ready to start serving the valley again While enjoying dinner at their 48th & Tieton location I asked one of our servers if they had a date yet and although she didn't have an official date READ MORE: Yakima Mexican Restaurant Soda Raises So Many Questions they have one more inspection to go through and everyone is really excited about it opening soon When I asked about how soon "soon" is but led me to believe we're looking like before the start of June Since the fire in 2022, many in the Yakima Valley have been eagerly awaiting its reopening!\nRead More The Sonic Drive-In is one of the more complicated ones Which, I've brainstormed several ideas that would fit great into that location. Check those thoughts out here The other restaurant that we've been eagerly awaiting word on its future is the El Porton in Union Gap The fire that shut down the family restaurant was back in September of 2022, and since then, it has been closed, with work being done to rebuild READ MORE: Yakima Mexican Restaurant Soda Raises So Many Questions - Rating: 3.5 / 5 (21 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.0/5)- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, Fast Food- Address: 1705 W Lincoln Ave, Yakima, WA 98902-2409- Read more on Tripadvisor Intro rate $1.99This rate will renew automatically at $9.99 after 30 days First time here? Click to create a yakimaherald.com user account Tom Brandt has been selected to be the next school superintendent in Union Gap Brandt is an executive director in the Dallas Independent School District in Dallas according to a news release from the Union Gap school board He oversees seven schools with a focus on improving school culture Brandt brings 26 years of educational leadership experience as an elementary “I am honored and excited to be selected as the next superintendent of Union Gap School District,” Brandt said in the release “I look forward to working together with students and the community to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.” Brandt was selected from three finalists who also included Miranda Bacha of Sitka the former superintendent Moses Lake and Kittitas They met with community members and staff this week Brandt holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Texas at Austin collaborative school communities and ensuring equitable opportunities for all students The board will review a contract for Brandt during a meeting on March 25 Superintendent Lisa Gredvig announced earlier that she would be leaving at the end of the school year after 16 years with the district The district serves approximately 560 students in preschool to eighth grade Questen Inghram is a Murrow News Fellow at the Yakima Herald-Republic whose beat focuses on government in Central Washington communities. Email qinghram@yakimaherald.com or call 509-577-7674 This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, email news@yakimaherald.com Please select all the ways you would like to hear from us: You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails For information about our privacy practices We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Union Gap School District has selected Dr brings more than 26 years of educational leadership experience He is currently serving as an executive director in the Dallas Independent School District who is retiring after nearly two decades of service to the district Brandt is expected to begin his tenure in Union Gap this summer The new facility will offer improved transportation access known for its wide range of products including bread will maintain its current staff as it transitions to the new location the owner anticipates growth in the future as the expanded space allows for greater production capacity The current Yakima store will close on December 7 and the new Union Gap location will open its doors on December 11 at 9 a.m Franz Bakery will continue offering fresh deliveries daily to customers While he has yet to actually appear in court was charged in Yakima County Superior Court with hit-and-run causing a fatality who was scheduled for a preliminary appearance Dec has not made it to court because he is hospitalized for an undisclosed reason Benitez was not booked into the Yakima County jail found Mullins' body in the southbound outside lane in the 1100 block Chief Yakima County Deputy Coroner Marshall Slight said Mullins died from blunt-force trauma A witness said she saw Mullins lie down on the road and push himself up when he was hit by a sport-utility vehicle Police found pieces of a maroon bumper scattered near Mullins’ body Police used the Flock camera system to track vehicles in the area and identified a GMC Yukon connected to Benitez and Union Gap police took Benitez into custody as he was parking the vehicle Police found damage on the vehicle and that the pieces found at the crash site fit in the Yukon Benitez also had a suspended driver’s license and was required to have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle he drove Police said there was no interlock device on the Yukon A drug recognition expert did not observe any evidence that Benitez was intoxicated Benitez has prior convictions for vehicular homicide eluding and three prior convictions for drunken driving Reach Donald W. Meyers at dmeyers@yakimaherald.com — Solarity Credit Union will relocate its Toppenish branch to Union Gap in 2025 as part of an effort to better serve more members and expand both consumer and business banking opportunities in the area While the new Union Gap location is still being chosen Members can continue to use the drive-up and exterior ATM for transactions during this time The move is aimed at improving access for members and enhancing banking services in the growing Union Gap area 27—A family of three was killed in a fire at a home in Union Gap early Wednesday morning A man called the fire department after going to his brother-in-law's home in the 2400 block of South 10th Avenue around 5:30 a.m., Yakima Fire Department Capt. Jeremiah Stilley said he found smoke in the house and the husband dead Stilley described the scene as a "cold smoke event" where a fire consumes all of the oxygen in an enclosed area and puts itself out Firefighters went into the home and found the two other people Chief Yakima County Deputy Coroner Marshall Slight said a preliminary examination of the family determined that they died of smoke inhalation Slight is not releasing names at this time Stilley said the cause of the fire is under investigation Reach Donald W. Meyers at [email protected] Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. — A Union Gap man is accused of a hit and run where a man was killed last night near South Fair Ave and La Salle Street Yakima police were called to the intersection at 11:33 pm about a body in the middle of the road and found a man who was pronounced dead at the scene they also found maroon bumper pieces scattered nearby Using flock cameras to track vehicles in the area police contacted a Union Gap man who was parking a GMC Yukon that matched witness descriptions and arrested him The SUV was taken to the Yakima Police station where police found the bumper pieces matched the car The man was booked into the jail on suspicion of the hit and run HARRISBURG – Rep. Gary Day (R-Lehigh) today questioned why House Democrats are rushing a complex, 173-page bill to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania, … Click here to read more... Washington, D.C. — Congressman Ryan Mackenzie, representing the Greater Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, achieved the passage of his first piece of… Click here to read more... Latin Festival Returns to SteelStacks June 26-28 The 14th annual free admission ¡Sabor! will celebrate the talents of numerous musicians, cuisine and entertainment,… Click here to read more... Wildlands Conservancy Community & Educational Calendar of Events for June 2025 June Community/Education Events details are listed below; but also check out …… Lehigh Valley, Pa – Join the FUN! Youth are invited to attend 4-H day and evening camps held at the 4-H office in Allentown. Youth attending… Click here to read more... JOSHWAY Cuts Ribbon on New Brick-and-Mortar Location The nonprofit’s space will serve as a hub where youth can explore creativity, learn essential life skills and connect with the… Click here to read more... ArtsQuest’s ‘Marketing Musikfest’ Classes to Announce Selected Bands Performing at Musikfest 2025 Partnership with Bethlehem Area School District prepares students … Click here to read more... Lehigh Valley’s Premier Destination for Family Fun Kicks Off 141st Season ALLENTOWN, Pa. — May 5, 2025 — Dorney Park will open its gates for the 2025 season on Friday, May 9 at 10:30… Click here to read more... America’s Grow-a-Row is a 423-acre farm that grows and donates fresh produce to those in need, thanks to thousands of volunteers, donating over 25 million pounds across NJ,… Click here to read more... May… Click here to read more... The Valley Ledger – It’s All About The Lehigh Valley & Only The Lehigh Valley!!! Questions or Comments can be directed to info@thevalleyledger.com Privacy Policy | Terms of Use Wash.-The Internal Revenue Service building has changed locations in Yakima The taxpayer assistance building is now at the Cascade Building This location is just over two miles from where the previous location was The office is open from Monday through Friday from 8:30 in the morning to 4:30 in the evening A house fire in Union Gap that killed three people in the early morning on Nov Jeremiah Stilley said the fire started where an imitation leather chair was pushed up against an in-wall heater The home did not have a working smoke detector A preliminary autopsy revealed the cause of death to be smoke inhalation Yakima County Chief Deputy Coroner Marshall Slight said The names of the deceased are Lucio Sanchez Hernandez They were discovered later in the morning by a family member who came to the house Residents should make sure they have a working smoke detector in their homes and sleep with their bedroom door closed which can help limit the spread of smoke and fire – A man charged with shooting a loss prevention officer at Valley Mall in Union Gap is serving a 15-year sentence was sentenced March 19 after entering a plea deal to a charge of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon the loss prevention officer attempted to detain Donini for stealing merchandise at Macy’s Donini pulled out a concealed handgun and fired before fleeing the scene His vehicle was later stopped by Sunnyside Police and he was taken into custody without incident with the help of Grandview Police and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office Court documents say the victim was shot in the wrist and that he had his hands raised in a blocking manner when Donini fired FOX41 Yakima©FOX11 TriCities© © 2020 FOX11 FOX41.com All rights reserved KFFX Public FCC File KCYU 1205 W Lincoln Ave Yakima WA 98902 • 509-574-4141 FCC Applications KFFX FCC Applications KCYU Client Payment Portal music enthusiasts will have the chance to experience a special performance at the Oxford Performing Arts Center (OPAC) The legendary Gary Puckett and The Union Gap known for their remarkable success in the 1960s will be joined by The Classics IV for an evening filled with nostalgic hits and timeless melodies OPAC will welcome Gary Puckett and The Union Gap who captured the hearts of fans with their unmistakable sound and six consecutive gold records Their Top Ten Billboard hits include “Young Girl,” “Woman Woman,” “Lady Willpower,” “Over You,” “This Girl Is A Woman Now,” and “Don’t Give In To Him.” Puckett’s unique voice has made him a standout figure in the music industry for decades His career also boasts more than thirty television appearances and a notable performance at the White House Joining Gary Puckett and The Union Gap will be The Classics IV another iconic group celebrated for hits such as “Spooky,” “Stormy,” and “Traces.” The addition of The Classics IV promises to make this a night to remember blending two legendary acts that defined an era of music Gary Puckett’s continued passion for performance and touring has kept his music relevant to both longtime fans and new audiences This concert marks his first appearance on the OPAC stage adding an extra level of excitement for attendees a venue known for delivering exceptional entertainment experiences is expected to draw a large and enthusiastic crowd for this event Fans of classic rock and oldies will not want to miss this unique opportunity to see two legendary acts share the stage For more information, please contact the organizers. For a full list of local events click here Paid Advertisement – Click for More Information Copyright © 2025 Calhoun Journal  |  Designed and Managed by JLM Communications The Yakima County Coroner's Office has identified the victims as; 28-year-old Lucio Sanchez Hernandez and their 1-year-old daughter A tragedy that struck a family in Union Gap just before the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend remains under investigation Yakima Fire Department officials say a family of three was killed in a house fire in the 2400 block of South 10th Avenue in Union Gap at about 5:30 am Wednesday woman and a 1-year-old girl all dead from smoke inhalation No names have been released but the woman has been identified as the mother of the child Investigators continue to search for clues on how the fire started No working smoke alarms were found in the home ·         Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom ·         Install smoke alarms that have strobe lights and bed shakers for those who are hard-of-hearing or deaf ·         Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years from the manufacture date replace the smoke alarm if the manufacture date is more than 10 years old ·         Press the test button to ensure your smoke alarm is working properly Also make sure everyone in the home knows the sound a smoke alarm makes and how to respond if it goes off ·         It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms ·         Rental housing must also have working smoke alarms Contact your landlord or property manager if your rental home does not have smoke alarms installed Maintenance and testing of smoke alarms is the responsibility of the tenant ·         Contact your local fire agency for additional assistance.  Many local fire agencies have smoke alarm programs that may provide free devices and installation Gallery Credit: Annalise Mantz & Madison Troyer Do you have working smoke alarms in your home?\nRead More Alaskan merchant Con Miller used to dress up as Santa Claus for the local kids every Christmas so when he and his wife decided to open a trading post in North Pole naming it Santa Claus House was a no-brainer visitors can buy Christmas decorations year-round sample fudge and other treats at The Sweet Shop Visitors will find the world's largest Santa Claus statue and may even be able to pet some of Santa's reindeer By 1920, Christmas celebrations were shifting away from the public space and more toward the family. Nativity plays, a tradition still shared today, had become extremely popular for schoolchildren in 1920 The Minnesota State Fair has added another action-packed concert to its summer lineup that features several hitmakers from the 1960s and '70s The "Happy Together Tour 2025" will come to the Grandstand Stage Aug The six groups together had 55 Billboard Top 40 hits from the '60s and '70s which they will bring to this summer's concert are known for their California pop sound with songs like "Elenore," "She’d Rather Be With Me" and "Happy Together." Jay and the Americans had 12 records reach the Top 20 and gained popularity with their breakout hit "She Cried," as well as "Only in America" and "This Magic Moment." Minnesota State Fair music: 2025 Grandstand concert series to feature blockbuster bands Also part of the "Happy Together Tour 2025" is Little Anthony with songs like "Tears on My Pillow" and "I’m on the Outside (Looking In)," and Gary Puckett & The Union Gap known for "Young Girl" and "Lady Willpower," among others The Ledge concert: Breakout country star Warren Zeiders bringing Relapse Tour to The Ledge behind hits like "You're the One" and "Five O’Clock World," and family band The Cowsills who inspired the '60s television show "The Partridge Family" with popular songs like "Hair" and "The Rain the Park & Other Things (I Love the Flower Girl)." Tickets for the jam-packed concert will go on sale at 10 a.m The State Fair will continue announcing concerts leading up to the fair, which will start Aug. 21. Teagan King covers business and development for the St. Cloud Times. She can be reached at teking@gannett.com. Union Gap, Wash. — McCurley Subaru of Yakima celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility in Union Gap. The new location is designed to enhance the experience for both customers and employees. The facility features advanced service technology, including cutting-edge vehicle lifts and temperature-controlled tire storage. Customers can also enjoy a comfortable lounge area with a coffee bar and spaces for work or relaxation while their vehicles are being serviced. CEO John Enman said the new facility will help support further growth in the region. “We've grown our employee numbers since purchasing the organization three years ago, by 20% we've already seen an increase in sales rate here, which will mean that we'll need more staff to support that growth,” Enman said. “We anticipate adding 20 to 30 new jobs, including more salespeople, management staff, technicians, and additional support roles in our service department.” With the new facility, McCurley Subaru looks forward to strengthening its presence in Union Gap and continuing to grow its ties to the local area. Union Gap, Wash. — MultiCare Health System broke ground today on a new 10,000-square-foot emergency department in Union Gap, expanding access to emergency care in Yakima County. The facility, located at Adelyn Way and Valley Mall Boulevard, is expected to open in late 2025. The new emergency department will feature 10 treatment rooms, along with on-site radiology and lab services. It will operate 24/7 and be staffed by board-certified emergency physicians. The facility aims to alleviate pressure on MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital, which treated nearly 87,000 emergency patients last year, making it one of the busiest emergency departments in the state. “This is one of several strategies to ensure MultiCare is providing as much care locally as possible,” said Tammy Davenport, MultiCare’s chief medical officer. “It will also expand emergency department access in Yakima, where we handle 87,000 visits — the highest in the state and among the top 20 in the nation.” Davenport emphasized the significance of the expansion. “Having another access point that will allow us to see our patients but also decompress our existing emergency room is very important,” he said. The Union Gap facility will be MultiCare’s seventh neighborhood emergency department in Washington, designed to provide faster care for a wide range of emergencies. MultiCare is preparing to meet both current and future demands for emergency services in the region. President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHTwo Union Gap crashes injure a dozen peopleby John Franklin two incidents on Interstate 82 near Union Gap injured a dozen people According to Trooper Chris Thorson with the Washington State Patrol an SUV traveling towards Pasco rolled across the median and struck a sedan heading towards Seattle there was another incident on the same freeway about a mile south A GMC Yukon traveling west left the road in a rollover crash and alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor Of the 12 people injured in the two incidents especially in the Yakima Tri-cities region after the sun goes down and it's dark out we have around a 50 to 55 percent of occupants inside their vehicles don't wear a seatbelt," Thorson said the crashes happened during the 100 deadliest days of summer A Union Gap-area man was killed in a head-on crash with a truck on Ahtanum Road Monday Yakima County sheriff’s deputies were called to the 13000 block of Ahtanum Road Deputies found a 2005 Honda Civic on the north side of the road with “catastrophic” damage to the front and driver’s side was pronounced dead at the scene from what Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice said were blunt-force trauma injuries a Kenworth power utility vehicle owned by Power Technology Inc was on the south side of the road with extensive front-end damage The sheriff’s traffic division determined that Torres was driving west on Ahtanum Road and crossed into the eastbound lane and hit the truck head-on Mark Donohue Joins to Lead Next Phase of Growth for Placements.io Retail Media Customers the leading advertising operations platform today announced the appointment of 20-year advertising vet who brings deep retailer and advertising experience from Western Union will lead the company's growing retail media business and drive innovation and expansion of the AdSalesOS solution capabilities Industry professionals and members of the press are invited to meet with Donohue at ShopTalk205 Donohue served as Head of Media Network at Western Union where he led the expansion of digital media and commerce initiatives Donohue held senior leadership roles at GAP and Sony where he was responsible for scaling e-commerce operations and developing innovative digital media strategies Donohue's appointment comes as retail media continues to transform the advertising industry retail media ad spend is expected to exceed $100 billion by 2026 as brands increasingly shift budgets to platforms that enable them to engage consumers at the point of purchase Placements.io's AdSalesOS platform allows retailers to manage and scale their advertising operations more efficiently—now with Donohue's leadership set to accelerate that momentum "Retail media is changing everything about how brands reach consumers—at the right place "Placements.io is already at the forefront of this shift and I'm excited to lead the next phase of growth as we empower retailers to unlock the full potential of their media networks." Donohue will be working with retailers and advertisers to deploy best practices in revenue operations across in-store His background in multimedia revenue operations and customer success will be critical to shaping the next wave of solutions in retail media "Mark's deep understanding of both the advertising and retail landscapes makes him the ideal leader to drive our retail media business forward," said Edwin Fu "As retail media networks become a critical growth driver for retailers and other online advertisers Mark's expertise will help our customers maximize value and scale their advertising operations more effectively." Donohue launched the Western Union Media Network a global media portfolio for brand advertisers utilizing digital out-of-home he is a member of the IAB Retail Media Committee A graduate of Hamilton College and New York University Stern School of Business As far as what to expect from Placements.io in the retail media industry for 2025 "We're focused on helping retailers unlock new revenue streams by making RMNs more intelligent and efficient Our platform is uniquely positioned to help retailers monetize both online and in-store advertising and giving retailers the tools they need to deliver more targeted and measurable campaigns —all while improving operational efficiency." Industry professionals, analysts, and press attendees are invited to attend one of two exclusive Happy Hour events at ShopTalk2025. Reach out to Phil Antonson at [email protected] Media Contacts: Placements.io PR [email protected] today announced the extension of its strategic partnership with ITV today announced a strategic partnership with Advisr Advertising Retail Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: they must work longer for the same amount of pay Equal Pay Day originates from the 1996 National Committee on Pay Equity to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages and is the symbolic day when women’s earnings catch up to men’s earnings from the previous year National Equal Pay Day will be celebrated on Tuesday Federal women employees are protected by The Equal Pay Act of 1963 which made it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform equal work According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the median weekly earnings was $1,253 for men and $1,017 for women The data also revealed discrepancies by race The median weekly earnings of white women were $1,037 or 80.1 percent of earnings per dollar by white women the median weekly earnings of women were highest for women ages 45 to 54 at $1,151 and lowest for women ages 16 to 24 at $771 According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research more than 36 million households in the U.S and 43 percent of Asian and Paci c Islander mothers are breadwinners in their households mothers overall are paid just 62 cents for every dollar paid to fathers The wage gap also varies by state and congressional district women are paid only 61 cents for every dollar paid to men (a gap of 39 cents for every dollar) women are paid just 83 cents for every dollar paid to men – a gap of 17 cents In each of the 435 congressional districts across the country and the District of Columbia the median annual pay for women is less than the median annual pay for men The Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA) was a bill that addressed wage discrimination in the workplace The House of Representatives formerly passed the bill in April 2021 it did not make it to the floor for a vote If reintroduced and passed in the new Congress the PFA would help strengthen the Equal Pay Act and eliminate wage discrimination by: Wear RED to show solidarity with the fight for pay equity and gender equality Resources: Institute for Women’s Policy Research Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census Bureau © Copyright 2025 Privacy Policy If you've been driving near the Rattlesnake Ridge landslide in Union Gap it may look like it's getting worse but the experts disagree Officials say the pace of the Rattlesnake Ridge landslide near Union Gap is continuing to slow Yakima County Emergency Management Director Tony Miller says measurements show the slab is moving less than 2 inches each week the slab was sliding up to 3 inches each week The slab is expected to continue sliding with debris depositing in the gravel pit or quarry area Officials and scientists have been monitoring since a crack was spotted in 2017 officials said the slide could pose an immediate danger and 60 people were evacuated Some returned after an assessment firm confirmed the landslide was not likely to rapidly slip Miller says officials with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network continue monitoring the site through seismometer equipment in key areas of the slide He says if any major changes happen or are anticipated in the near future the county would alert the county and residents who still live at the base of the mountain Officials say the pace of the Rattlesnake Ridge landslide near Union Gap is continuing to slow.\nRead More Hula Valley in Northern Israel is a recently restored ecosystem drawing hundreds of millions of birds through the valley. The common cranes are one of the most notorious migratory birds arriving in the tens of thousands during the fall months on route to Africa Feed is placed out to by the Agamon Hula Ornithology and Nature Park to deter the visitors from harming the local crops Issue Briefs Op-Eds Press Releases Blogs Interstate Commerce Initiative Taxpayer Defense Center Taxpayers' Budget Office Part 1: Taxpayer Service Part 3: Modernization View PDF A good measure of the effectiveness of our tax system could be based in part on how many people actually pay the taxes they owe While a variety of factors can influence taxpayer behavior it is important for the government to collect all legally due taxes The IRA included a significant amount of funding for tax enforcement to close the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount owed and the amount paid. With these additional resources, NTUF has recommended that the IRS refine its calculation of the tax gap set accountable goals for closing the tax gap and increase compliance through communication with taxpayers.  the efforts that the IRS has highlighted thus far fail to make meaningful improvements on assessing the tax gap and seemingly only chase the lowest-hanging fruit.  The IRS also boasts that it sent warning letters to 32 tax preparers suspected of scamming taxpayers While the IRS has made earnest efforts to stop ERC scams in absence of congressional action to halt the program The Strategic Operating Plan update notes some missed 2024 objectives that would have gone further to help taxpayers in the face of scams Improve victim assistance for those who fall victim to tax scams Use advanced analytics to measure success and find areas of vulnerability The Strategic Operating Plan update’s 2025 priorities to “disrupt scams” only include continuing to partner with the newly formed coalition and continuing to analyze IRS information to identify tax scams The IRS deserves credit for deploying this coalition within the Strategic Operating Plan proposed timeline and we hope to hear about the coalition’s progress throughout the next year it is disappointing that the IRS has failed to use analytical tools to identify and measure other vulnerabilities since ERC fraud only accounts for a subset of the entire universe of tax scams that taxpayers or the tax collector may encounter victims of identity theft often must wait 18 months to get their case resolved by the IRS and the IRS should immediately shift additional resources toward reducing it.  Part of the IRS’s efforts to improve tax collection with IRA funds involve closing the tax gap which is an estimate of the difference between the tax revenues collected and the amount taxpayers actually owe The IRS report card focuses on a push to collect taxes that were long overdue from high-income taxpayers as well as some new initiatives to uncover tax evasion among targeted groups.  Closing the tax gap is important enough for the IRS that it is the focus of the third objective outlined in the Strategic Operating Plan the plan’s update released in April of this year lists several key FY 2024 milestones for this objective that had not yet been completed Continue examinations of 76 of the largest partnerships in the U.S that represent a cross section of industries including hedge funds Continue to explore alternative interventions including “soft” notices such as compliance alerts sent to large partnerships with balance sheet discrepancies Establish a team and develop work plan to evaluate key enforcement programs for fairness Develop data and research approach to inform and continuously refine compliance strategy needed to promote voluntary compliance Establish at least one minimum viable product for advanced case selection of priority taxpayer segment such as high income—high wealth  Since then, the IRS has announced a new team dedicated to uncovering what it deems are “basis shifting” transactions by partnerships It has also said that it is continuing to audit 76 of the nation’s largest partnerships While it is good that the IRS is investigating potentially unlawful activity the IRS should not assume wrongdoing merely based on the size of a business The report card also highlights efforts to target specific groups that may be evading taxes such as individuals using corporate jets for personal purposes It is unclear how widespread this practice is how much tax revenue this project will generate and how much this will cost in IRA resources that could otherwise be dedicated to more systematic efforts to close the tax gap The report card highlights over $1 billion that has been collected from high-wealth taxpayers who are known to owe taxes or have failed to file returns in recent years Since the IRS was already aware of the potential tax due in these instances Unlike the taxes collected from these known high-wealth nonfilers much of the tax gap is unknown and merely estimated through analyzing data from the past Comprehensively refining its methodology for developing these estimates would be a better approach to transform how the IRS addresses the tax gap.  the IRS should be much farther along in “closing the gap” after the completion of one-fifth of the ten-year IRA funding window.  Truly transformative efforts to close the tax gap will require better methods to estimate and identify the unknown element of the tax gap. In light of this, we have recommended that the IRS make critical improvements to its data collection once the largest retailer in the US many years ago down from their peak of 3,500 in the 1970s and 80's Sears emerged from its bankruptcy with 22 stores in the US At one point it was the largest US retailer but was rapidly overtaken by Walmart and others the Union Gap store was #2 in overall sales among the surviving stores which officials now say will be down to about 12:  "The closure leaves one remaining Sears presence in Washington state: at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, one of about 9 left in the United States according to one estimate as of July 2024 along with two Kmarts and a handful of sites in Guam and the U.S Financial observers say more signs point to the eventual complete extinction of the brand The company's former massive headquarters in Hoffman Estates once housed 9,000 workers and was one of the 30 largest structures in the world The building has been bought and is being demolished and a new data center will be constructed at the site but business experts say it's mostly 3rd party items The volume of actual "Sears" branded items continues to shrink every month until the experts say it will eventually hit zero You may not know Sears emerged from its bankruptcy with 22 stores in the US, that number now down to 12.\nRead More  "The closure leaves one remaining Sears presence in Washington state: at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, one of about 9 left in the United States according to one estimate as of July 2024 General Motors introduced Pontiac in 1926 as a sister brand to Chevrolet. The line produced performance vehicles such as the Fiero, Sunfire, and Solstice. Despite numerous attempts to save Pontiac, in 2009, GM discontinued the brand due to a lack of profits.