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Maryland
Maryland men’s basketball stifles No. 21 Indiana, 66-55
![Maryland men’s basketball stifles No. 21 Indiana, 66-55 Maryland men’s basketball stifles No. 21 Indiana, 66-55](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/A6tZN1npBXTlbCWBRYpWWyaZdTw=/0x0:6479x3392/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24400748/1461216067.jpg)
Maryland males’s basketball has been near-unstoppable at residence this season, and it was offered with a serious alternative to choose up a resume-building, ranked win when it welcomed No. 21 Indiana to a vigorous XFINITY Middle Tuesday evening.
The Terps (15-7, 6-5 Huge Ten) struggled on the offensive finish of the ground — taking pictures simply 34% from the sphere and and 22.7% from three — however rode a chic defensive exhibiting to a 66-55 win over the Hoosiers (15-7, 6-5).
Indiana was held to about 19 factors beneath the 73.9 factors per recreation it was averaging in convention competitors getting into Tuesday, turning the ball over 12 instances and unable to benefit from an 18-point, 20-rebound efficiency from junior ahead Trayce Jackson-Davis.
The Terps, who improved their residence file to 12-1 general and 6-0 in convention video games, had their struggles too, however positioned belief in graduate guard Jahmir Younger. He began sizzling by scoring the workforce’s first 5 factors and by no means appeared again, main all scorers with 20 factors; he has scored not less than 20 in all residence Huge Ten video games.
Sophomore ahead Julian Reese additionally put in a powerful exhibiting for Maryland, recording a double-double with 10 factors and 11 rebounds, even whereas typically matched up with the uber-athletic Jackson-Davis. Senior ahead Donta Scott chipped in 19 factors himself — regardless of taking pictures simply 6-of-18 from the ground.
After buying and selling blows for the primary couple of minutes, the Terps started to depend on taking pictures threes to no avail. They began 1-for-10 from past the arc, and Indiana prolonged its result in 22-15 simply over midway via the primary half, forcing Maryland head coach Kevin Willard to burn a timeout.
Willard’s squad rapidly regained its footing after it regrouped, taking part in via its very good protection. The Terps compelled seven turnovers within the opening 20 minutes and didn’t commit any, making an attempt to disrupt Indiana’s makes an attempt to drive the ball inside to Jackson-Davis. Regardless that Jackson-Davis had his method for essentially the most half, managing eight factors and 11 rebounds within the first half, Maryland’s stress compelled Indiana into loads of errors and dared his ensemble to beat it, which it couldn’t.
The Terps turned their defensive success into offense and outscored Indiana 22-7 within the last 9 minutes of the primary half to go into the break up 37-29.
All eight Hoosiers that noticed the court docket scored, however one in every of Jackson-Davis’ common right-hand males barely made an impression. 5-star freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino entered Tuesday averaging 15.4 factors in Huge Ten video games however didn’t convert a subject purpose earlier than solely three minutes and 45 seconds remained within the recreation, held to only a free throw within the first. He completed with a measly three factors on 1-of-14 taking pictures.
The most effective guard on the court docket Tuesday was Hood-Schifino’s reverse, Younger, who exploded as soon as once more. Younger entered the sport averaging 24 factors per recreation in residence Huge Ten contests and continued to show himself as Maryland’s most potent offensive weapon in entrance of a rambunctious XFINITY Middle contingent.
Because the second half started, the Terps’ lead rapidly lessened although, as they — who’ve develop into accustomed to quick second-half begins at residence — turned the ball over 3 times in fast succession.
However Maryland weathered the storm, heading to the under-12 media timeout with a six-point lead after each groups went quiet offensively, taking part in into the favor of a bodily Terps workforce.
Jackson-Davis, who began out ice chilly on the offensive finish within the second half, started to have his method with the Terps within the later phases of the sport however failed to beat a double-digit deficit.
Even with its success at residence this season, the largest unchecked field on Maryland’s resume stays its lack of a convention street win. It’ll get maybe its greatest shot at altering that Saturday when it travels to Minneapolis to tackle last-place Minnesota.
Three issues to know
1. Turnover battle. Not solely did the Terps drive Indiana into committing 12 turnovers, however extra importantly they had been capable of restrict their very own giveaways, solely turning the ball over 5 instances Tuesday. Regardless that their pictures weren’t falling with consistency, they averted permitting Indiana to run in transition and get simple baskets.
2. Maryland overcame poor taking pictures. The Terps didn’t put collectively a traditional offensive efficiency Tuesday however had been capable of make up for it with a implausible efficiency on the opposite finish of the court docket. Jackson-Davis made his presence felt on the stat sheet however nonetheless struggled to take the sport over, and a poor efficiency from Hood-Schifino made the Hoosiers’ uphill climb to come back again from their deficit even steeper.
3. Maryland swept its three-game homestand and is again above .500 in Huge Ten play. The Terps wanted to carry serve at residence to enhance their standing in each the Huge Ten and the postseason image, and so they did simply that. Now on a three-game profitable streak for the primary time in convention play this season — they hadn’t received back-to-back convention video games till beating Nebraska on Saturday — Maryland wants to hold its momentum onto the street to collect wins there.
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Maryland
Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some
![Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some Maryland makes filing taxes online free for some](https://thebaltimorebanner.com/resizer/v2/VNZHS3ZRPZFIPLMIQSBCIVIK4M.jpg?auth=ff77372d15f6509b1a1f9c396b1babd2c44c98f67411941eae674ed3f248e4b4&width=657&smart=true&quality=85)
More than 700,000 Marylanders should be able to file their state and federal income tax returns online for free next year, saving residents hours of work and hundreds of dollars on tax software and prep services.
Maryland joined dozens of states Wednesday in a voluntary federal program called Direct File after a test run received positive reviews and showed possible cost savings. Filing paper returns by mail will still be an option.
“It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said at a news conference in Annapolis.
The first-term Democrat called the program a game changer for Maryland taxpayers that will modernize her agency. It targets low-to-moderate earners with relatively simple tax returns, and is expected to expand over time.
Lierman’s office will partner with the nonprofit Code for America to integrate the Maryland tax filing system into Direct File. Eligibility requirements will be announced in January, the comptroller’s office said.
Gov. Wes Moore, State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and nonprofit partners joined Lierman for the announcement.
Funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 helped build and test the system. The IRS and Treasury Department then invited states to participate.
The IRS has been considering a free e-filing option for low-income American taxpayers for decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. When tax prep companies pushed back, the federal government agreed not to compete with them if they provided free help and e-filing to low-earning taxpayers.
However, many qualified taxpayers were pushed toward paid services, according to an investigation by nonprofit news outlet ProPublica.
The IRS piloted Direct File in 12 states this year. Filers used a laptop, tablet, cellphone or other device to submit income returns and request certain tax credits offered to low-earning individuals and families.
In a survey, nine out of 10 Direct File users ranked their experience as “Excellent” or “Above Average.”
U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 5th District, called paying taxes the “price of our democracy.”
“We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities,” he said. “And this system of Direct File does that.”
Robin McKinney, CEO and co-founder of CASH Campaign of Maryland, said easy, free online filing makes the government work more efficiently for citizens and should deliver refunds and credits to taxpayers faster.
McKinney’s nonprofit promotes economic advancement for low- to moderate-income Marylanders and provides free tax help, among other services.
Economic Security Project, a nonprofit that advocates for guaranteed income and economic equity for working families, found that adopting Direct File could mean $355 million in costs and time saved for Maryland’s low- to moderate-earners.
Maryland recently has expanded tax credits for working families, but about $152 million goes unclaimed each year, according to the Security Project’s analysis.
They also estimated that about $148 million could be saved in filing fees and $56 million could be saved in time spent filing taxes.
That money could have gone into Marylanders’ pockets, CASH Campaign’s McKinney said, and it could have gone back into the state’s economy.
Maryland
Maryland joins IRS Direct File program, offering free tax filing for up to 700,000 taxpayers – Maryland Matters
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Some Maryland taxpayers will be able to use a free electronic filing tool for their federal taxes rather than having to pay a tax preparer or buy tax-filing software next year, when Maryland will offer the IRS’s new Direct File service.
The service was tested in 12 states this year, where 140,803 people filed with Direct File, saving an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) estimated Wednesday that as many as 700,000 Maryland taxpayers could be eligible for the program when it debuts in the state next year.
“While we value our relationship with tax preparers and CPAs (certified public accountants), it’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns,” Lierman said at a news conference announcing the program.
The IRS and the U.S. Treasury still have to finalize eligibility rules for the program this fall, but Lierman said it will be a “game changer” for those families who do qualify, which could be as much as 20% of individual taxpayers in the state.
“Taxes are a part of the glue that keeps our state and our nation together, functioning, producing, protecting and thriving,” Lierman said. “Yet in America, we make it uniquely challenging to pay those taxes and file a return — until now.”
According to the Treasury, taxpayers spend “approximately 13 hours and $270 preparing their taxes each year.” Many Americans use tax filing services or software, such as TurboTax and H&R Block, to ensure that their taxes are filed correctly, despite most of the information being readily available state and federal tax collection agencies.
It’s unacceptable that Marylanders should have to pay any portion whatsoever of their refund or paycheck to fulfill a mandatory requirement like filing tax returns.
– Comptroller Brooke Lierman
Direct File launched this year in 12 states for people to file their 2023 federal returns — Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said the program is aimed at helping middle-income tax filers with “relatively simple” filings.
“What I can tell you is our goal for us is to build a system that’s going to work for working class and middle class Americans. So you get a W-2, and you’re somebody who’s a teacher, you’re a fireman, you’re a doctor who’s earning most of your money from a W-2, we want to make sure we’re building a system that potentially works for you,” said Adeyemo, who was in Annapolis for the announcement.
“The thing we’re not going to do is build a system that works for big corporations or wealthy individuals. Next year we’re going to expand the system so that more Americans are able to participate in it,” Adeyemo said.
The Biden administration invited all 50 states and the District of Columbia to join the program next year, when people will be filing their 2024 taxes. The Treasury said that Maryland joins Oregon, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Connecticut, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Maine in taking up Direct File.
“I know to some, this announcement may seem inconsequential — and I know how exciting tax announcements are,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) joked at the announcement. “But the details matter. They matter to the families who are impacted by this work. They’re going to matter to the families, who … dread tax season because it feels complicated. Who dread tax season because it seems expensive, or oftentimes have to deal with the consequences of getting something wrong.”
The Direct File program came out of the Inflation Reduction Act signed in 2022, which also secured additional funding to help the IRS modernize and provide better services to Americans.
But Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who chairs a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, said Direct File program and other services under the Inflation Reduction Act could be “under threat.” While his subcommittee wants to fully fund the IRS and keep Direct File going, House leaders want to cut funding for both.
He also said that the industry is lobbying against the free tax filing system.
“There are people who didn’t want us to do this, including a lot of the middlemen” who currently profit from tax preparation, Van Hollen said. “They’re lobbying against this kind of thing.”
In addition to Van Hollen, Moore, Lierman and Adeyemo, Wednesday’s event drew a number of Maryland Democratic heavyweights: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer John Sarbanes and State Treasurer Dereck Davis.
Hoyer put it simply: “Nobody likes taxes.”
“We don’t really get excited about paying our taxes. But we know that it is the price of our democracy,” Hoyer said. “We ought to make it as easy as possible for people to comply with a legal obligation that they have to support their country, their state and their communities.”
Maryland
Maryland Weather: Nice stretch with rain chance Friday into Saturday
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BALTIMORE -Nice weather continues through Thursday. Sprinkles & drizzle may develop Friday with steadier rain likely Saturday.
We are right in the middle of an outstanding weather pattern that will continue into Thursday. Temperatures reached the middle to upper 70s Wednesday afternoon with comfortable humidity levels. High clouds are mainly south of Baltimore, so we’ve enjoyed a mostly sunny sky.
We have a fantastic evening of weather on the way. If you’re headed to the Os game this evening expect mostly sunny weather for the 1st pitch at 6:35 PM against the White Sox. Temperatures will start in the upper 70s, but then ease into the lower 70s by the end of the game.
Early fall-like temperatures return tonight with lows in the 50s for most neighborhoods. The coolest overnight lows in the low 50s will be located in neighborhoods north and west of the Baltimore Beltway. Temperatures in the metro will dip down into the upper 50s. Any patchy high thin clouds will sink south overnight.
Humidity levels gradually climb Thursday, but we still score ourselves a very nice day. Highs will climb toward 80°. Other than a few patchy clouds, expect a mostly sunny sky.
You will feel even more humidity in the air on Friday. With an easterly to southeasterly wind off the Ocean, areas of low clouds will be possible. As the atmosphere continues to moisten through the day Friday, patchy sprinkles and drizzle will become possible. The greatest chance for this happening would be late Friday into Friday evening. While the rain will be light and patchy in nature, you may want a poncho or light rain jacket if you’re headed to any high school Friday night football games.
Scattered showers and patchy drizzle is likely Friday night with lows in the middle 60s.
Saturday will be our last real humid day for awhile. Expect patchy areas of light rain and showers during the morning and midday hours. There may be a lull or two in the wet weather Saturday, but a steadier round of showers, possibly a thunderstorm will cross the area Saturday evening into early Saturday night. Highs on Saturday will top out in the upper 70s. The cold front that’s responsible for Saturday’s wet weather will flush out the clouds, showers, and humidity overnight Saturday. Temperatures late Saturday night will fall into the lower to middle 50s!
Sunday has another beautiful fall-like feel. Early morning temperatures in the lower to middle 50s with highs in the middle 70s. We get to enjoy abundant sunshine and pleasant breeze out of the northwest at 10 mph.
A winning stretch of weather continues for most of next week along with a gradual warming trend. Highs on Monday reach the upper 70s. By Tuesday and Wednesday, high temperatures climb into the lower 80s with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. We get to enjoy yet another spectacular stretch of September weather for most of next week with little to no rain!
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