Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 319.09
Water Temperature:
52 degrees - top
54 degrees - bottom

Boat owners can claim federal, state tax deductions
Special to The Monitor
ALEXANDRIA, Va.–Recreational boat owners who paid state sales taxes on a boat purchase, or those who secured a bank loan to finance a boat, may have some tax deductions available when filing their 2008 federal income tax return.
Sales Tax Deduction
For boat owners who paid substantial state sales taxes on a new or used boat purchase last year, the Tax Extenders Act of 2008 signed by President Bush Oct. 3, 2008, continues to offer a federal tax benefit with a deduction for state sales taxes.
Boaters must choose either the state sales tax deduction or state income tax deduction on their federal tax return – you cannot take both.
In addition, to take the state sales tax deduction, the sales tax on a boat purchase must be applied at the same tax rate as the state’s general sales tax.
In order to claim the sales tax deduction, tax returns must be itemized. State sales taxes are entered on IRS form Schedule A, line 5b.
Boat Loan Deduction
For those owners with a secured boat loan, mortgage interest paid on the loan may be deductible from your federal income taxes.
Taxpayers may use the “second home” mortgage interest deduction for one primary home and one second home, and must itemize deductions on their returns.
A boat is considered a second home for federal tax purposes if it has a galley, a head and sleeping berth.
Some boaters may be unaware of this potential tax benefit, because not all lending institutions send borrowers an IRS form 1098 which reports the interest paid.
Not receiving the form does not preclude taking the deduction. If a 1098 is not available, boaters should contact their lender for the amount of interest paid and should enter it on line 11 on Schedule A, along with the lender’s tax ID number.
If a form 1098 is sent, boaters should simply enter the amount on line 10 of Schedule A.
No deduction for AMT
For those who fall under the Alternative Minimum Tax, most deductions are unavailable as taxes are calculated differently.
Boaters are urged to contact a tax preparer or financial advisor for more information.
For more details on the mortgage deduction, go to http://www.IRS.gov  and download Publication 936 or the Fact Sheets.
For state tax deduction information, download Publication 600, which also includes state-by-state tax tables.
 

Kemp splits at CH tourney
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–Kemp’s Yellowjackets split 2-2 at the Chapel Hill Bulldog Invitational baseball tournament last weekend, and fell to the hosting Kaufman Lions Tuesday.
This weekend, the ’Jackets were scheduled to play in a tournament hosted by Corsicana Mildred.
Tuesday, March 10, the ’Jackets travel back to Chapel Hill for a 6:30 p.m. non-district contest with the Bulldogs.
Next weekend, March 12-14, the ’Jackets will host their own baseball tournament before winding up their non-district schedule with a road contest at Crandall Monday, March 16.
Kemp is scheduled to open District 14-3A baseball play on the road at Van Friday, March 20. All district contests start at 6:30 p.m.
At Chapel Hill, the ’Jackets opened tournament play with a 12-6 loss to Greenville, despite senior first baseman Josh Carr’s first home run of the year.
Dudley Chambers took the loss on the mound, as the Kemp defense faltered, committing several errors.
Carr finished the day at 4-for-4 with five RBI, and Kevin Betz added two hits for the ’Jacket offense.
The ’Jackets crushed Fort Worth Trimble Tech 12-3 the next day.
Zach Allison got the win, allowing just three runs (none earned) in five strong innings.
Carr had two hits, including his second home run, and Bryan Fivecoat added two doubles as eight of the nine ’Jacket starters notched hits.
That night, the ’Jackets faced Greenville again, and fell 12-0. Carr started on the mound and took the loss.
Betz and freshman Kyle Kimberling notched the only Kemp hits in the loss.
In the final round of the tournament, the ’Jackets again bounced back with a dominating 14-3 victory over the Rains Wildcats.
Aaron Haessly went the distance for the win, notching three strikeouts and not issuing a single walk, and helped his cause with two hits and scored twice.
Fivecoat racked up another two-hit night for the ’Jackets.
At Kaufman Tuesday night, the error bug again bit the ’Jackets hard, as they committed four miscues in a 10-6 loss to the hosting Lions.
Chambers took the loss, despite giving up only two earned runs.
Kemp was trailing 5-0 in the fourth inning when Carr unloaded the bases with a double to right center, and the ’Jackets pulled within a run at 5-4 in the fifth inning.
However, the Lions scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth, as the ’Jackets committed three errors in the frame.
Kemp threatened in the top of the seventh inning, scoring twice, but Brice King grounded into a double play to end the comeback.

Trojans top 19-A picks
Monitor Staff Reports
TRINIDAD–Trinidad’s Lady Trojans dominated the District 19A-II all-district basketball selections released last week.
Lady Trojan Kiaundra Cofer was named the district’s Most Valuable Player, with coach Kendra McAlister named the Coach of the Year.
Joining Cofer on the superlatives list were Milford’s Ashley Ross, named as the Offensive MVP, and Coolidge’s Earlena Evans, the Defensive MVP.
Avalon’s Maegan Knight was named the district’s Newcomer of the Year.
Almost every district team placed one player on the first-team all-district list, headed by Trinidad’s Kaylee Callahan.
Joining her were Milford’s Chasity Waits, Avalon’s Dayanne Knight, Abbott’s Madeleine Crawford, Coolidge’s Dalila Gonzales, Penelope’s Latrese Williams and Frost’s Crystal Jackson.
Trinidad’s Rachel Boatright headed the second team.
Joning her were Frost’s Patricia Garcia, Abbott’s Kelsey Russell, Milford’s Brianna Ross and Bynum’s Jennifer Thompson.
Honorable mention went to Trinidad’s Tommi Moody, Chelsea Tart, Melissa Ray and Sasha Womack, along with Avalon’s Cathryn Freeman.