Stan Ozark

City of Glasgow Looking for Public Works Director and Chief of Police

The City of Glasgow is searching for a new Public Works Director and Chief of Police in 2026.

Glasgow Public Works Director Paul Skubinna announced on Monday that he will resign his position January 17th. The Glasgow City Council Personnel Committee will meet on Thursday to begin the process on replacing Skubinna.

Glasgow Police Chief Robert Weber has also announced he will be retiring this year. The Glasgow City Council has already started the process in finding a replacement for Weber.

Stan Ozark Jan 6, 2026

Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Rates Announced

The long-awaited Farmer Bridge Assistance rates are out! Rice and cotton will receive the highest per-acre rates, in keeping with earlier predictions.

On the last day of 2025, USDA announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance program rates for row crop and oil seed farmers hit hard in 2025 by the ongoing trade wars.

“Farmers who qualify for the FBA program can expect payments in their bank accounts by Feb. 28, 2026,” says Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in the announcement.

The following per-acre rates apply:

Corn: $44.36 Soybeans: $30.88 Wheat: $39.35 Cotton: $117.35 Rice: $132.89 Peanuts: $55.65 Sorghum: $48.11 Barley: $20.51 Canola: $23.57 Sunflower: $17.32 Lentils: $23.98 Peas: $19.60 Oats: $81.75 Mustard: $23.21 Safflower: $24.86 Flax: $8.05 Chickpeas: $26.46 (large), $33.36 (small) Sesame: $13.68

Oil seeds rapeseed and crambe — which were included in the original list of commodities to receive payments according to USDA’s Dec. 8 announcement of the bridge payments — were not included in the Dec. 31 rate list.

The payments, which amount to $11 billion, are intended to bridge the gap between current economic straits of farmers dealing with “unfair market disruptions” and the stepped-up farmer support programs from the previously titled “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which will take effect in October 2026.

In addition to the $11 billion for row crops, $1 billion was set aside for specialty crops and sugar. The Dec. 31 rate announcement, like the Dec. 8 initial announcement of the bridge payments, notes “timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development.”

The bridge payments are funded under the Commodity Credit Corporation and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency based on 2025 acreage reports. Payments will be released to eligible producers by Feb. 28 with a limit of $155,000 per entity or individual.

Stan Ozark Jan 6, 2026

IRS Urging Taxpayers to Prepare For Tax Season

With the 2026 filing season quickly approaching, the Internal Revenue Service is urging taxpayers to take a few simple steps now to prepare for filing their 2025 federal income tax returns. Visit Get Ready on IRS.gov for checklists, updates and no-cost filing options.

One of the most important steps taxpayers can take is to access their IRS Individual Online Account. IRS Individual Online Accounts are available 24/7, to view account information, make payments, manage communication preferences and protect tax information.

Use direct deposit
Due to the presidential executive order, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account the IRS is phasing out paper tax refund checks. The IRS encourages taxpayers who do not have a bank account to open one so they can receive refunds by direct deposit.

Review new 2025 tax law changes
Recent legislation, such as the provisions in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, includes several new deductions and credits that may reduce tax bills or increase refunds. Beginning in 2025, to be eligible to claim certain credits for other dependents, the taxpayer and their spouse, if filing jointly, must have valid Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers issued on or before the due date of their returns (including extensions).

New Trump Accounts for eligible children
Parents, guardians and other authorized individuals will be able to open Trump Accounts, a new retirement savings vehicle for children under the age of 18 with a valid SSN. A pilot program contribution of $1,000 will be available for children who are U.S. citizens and born from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2028. Visit trumpaccounts.gov for details.

Income from payment apps and online sales
All income from part-time work, gig activities or sales of goods and services is taxable. Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, will be issued by payment card companies for any amount and by payment apps and online marketplaces when payments exceed $20,000 and more than 200 transactions occur for the year.

Digital assets reporting requirements
Taxpayers who bought, sold or received digital assets, including cryptocurrency, stablecoins or NFT, must report those transactions. Some taxpayers may receive Form 1099-DA from brokers. Regardless, all taxpayers must answer the digital asset question on Form 1040 and report any related income, gains, or losses. Visit Digital Assets for more information.

Get ready now
Take a few steps today, reviewing tax law changes, gathering documents and using online tools, to help ensure a smoother less stressful experience when filing taxes in 2026.

Stan Ozark Jan 6, 2026