Urgent tax reminder - Today is the deadline to file!
Every tax-exempt organization is required to annually file some form of 990 with the IRS. This form must be filed by Dec. 15.

In the past, organizations whose gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less were able to file the form 990-N (e-postcard). New for this year, the threshold has been raised to allow all organizations whose gross receipts are less than $50,000 the opportunity to file the e-postcard.

The e-postcard can be found on IRS.gov, or by clicking here. Associations will need eight items of basic information about the organization:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
• Tax year
• Legal name and mailing address
• Any other names the organization uses
• Name and address of a principal officer
• Website address if the organization has one
• Confirmation the organization's annual gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less ($50,000 for tax years ending on or after Dec. 31, 2010)
• If applicable, a statement that the organization has terminated or is terminating (going out of business)

If any association needs its Employer Identification Number, please send an email to Mike.Donahue@bowl.comrequesting this information.

USBC membership cards update 
Some USBC members are experiencing a delay in receiving their 2011-2012 membership cards. This season USBC is including a customized bag tag with membership cards as an enhanced benefit. Unfortunately, the design change has caused unexpected fulfillment delays outside of USBC’s control.

“USBC’s goal in adding the bag tag to the membership card mailing is to provide an added thank you for our bowlers,” USBC Managing Director of Marketing and Membership Kevin Terry said. “ This change has caused some production delays but we are working diligently with our vendor and are getting caught up.  We sincerely hope our members will like the addition of the bag tags and look forward to feedback from our members on the new cards”.

Members may continue to experience delays in receiving cards by mail through mid-January.

The card delay does not affect member eligibility for events, awards or benefits. Members can always print out a temporary card by visiting BOWL.com and using the “Find a Member” function. Anyone needing additional information can contact USBC at bowlinfo@bowl.com or 800-514- BOWL (2695).

Bowling Information Center will be unavailable
The Bowling Information Center team will have training classes at the start of next week and will be unavailable to field calls during class. The times the BIC team will be unavailable (Eastern times):

• Monday, Dec. 19, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Should you have any questions during these times, please leave a message and we will return your call.

System maintenance scheduled for Dec. 28
The USBC Headquarters computer system will undergo maintenance on Wednesday, Dec. 28, from 7 a.m.-9 a.m. (Eastern). During this time, the following applications will not be available:

• Associate Membership (Join USBC)
• USBC Search (Find A Member, Find A Center,  etc.)
• Bowl53s and General Inquiry Menu (the bowling pin icon)
• Bowinkle
• Bowler TRAC
• Center Certification and Maintenance
• Coaches Association Registration
• College Bowling
• High School Bowling Team Registration
• League Standing Sheets
• Online Membership Processing (Youth)
• Online Tournament Registration and Maintenance
• Online Championships Team Registrations (2012 Open/2012 Women’s)
• SMART (including Online Accounts/Administration)
• Sport Bowling - League, Tournament/Center Registration, Search Pages
• Supply Orders
• WinLABS (including AWARDS)          
• Youth Open Tournament Registration

Open Championships deadline extended; construction starts in Baton Rouge 
The entry deadline for the 2012 Open Championships in Baton Rouge, La., has been extended to March 1, 2012. There are limited prime times available, but spots are filling quickly.

A news conference on Wednesday kicked off the start of construction at the Baton Rouge River Center. The venue is scheduled to be finished the first week of February; the tournament's 151-day run is from Feb. 11-July 10.

Click here to read more from Wednesday's news conference at the Open Championships' site.

USBC Youth Volunteer and Coach of the Year awards are announced
Jori Peterson of Rockford, Ill., has been selected as the USBC Youth Volunteer of the Year Award and Robert “Bud” Endicott of Apopka, Fla., has been named USBC David Dahms Coach of the Year by the USBC Youth Committee.

Peterson is the Mites and Bumper coach for the youth leagues at Don Carter Lanes in Rockford. Click here to read about the Volunteer of the Year. Endicott is a USBC Silver coach and has been the Youth Director at Brunswick Wekiva Lanes for more than 10 years. For more on the Coach of the Year, click here.

Center certification notices
In January, USBC will send letters to the local associations and centers that have not been certified for the 2011-12 season.

The letter to the center will state the center is not certified and is in jeopardy of losing its certification and to contact the local association to get this rectified. It will include the association contact information.

The letter to the associations will state that we have sent letters to the center(s) in your jurisdiction and they should contact you.

Please check the certification status of all centers in your jurisdiction for the 2011-12 season. If the center(s) are not certified, please schedule an appointment with the center for an inspection. Once the inspection has been completed, please enter into the system through BOWL.com regardless of whether the center meets or does not meet specifications. If a center does not meet specifications, the center will be placed on Pending status. If a center does meet specifications the center will be issued a certificate.

When entering the information, you might experience some trouble with the certification page. The page will be blank and if this occurs please select the compatibility button (only once) which looks like a torn piece of paper. This should correct the problem. If you cannot enter into the system, you may email Steve Boyle at steve.boyle@bowl.com, fax 817.385.8261 or mail to: USBC - Specs, Attn: Steve Boyle, 621 Six Flags Dr., Arlington, TX  76011

Be advised that in February, USBC will do the same for the centers on Pending and Not Certified status.

IBC Youth updates
Junior Gold
With average requirements no longer in place and four separate divisions for youth, any and all current USBC Youth Standard members are eligible to become a USBC Junior Gold member and bowl in a North Pointe Junior Gold Championships qualifying event. Junior Gold membership is available for purchase online by going to BOWL.com/joinusbc and selecting Junior Gold.

Youth Open
Online registration for the 2012 USBC Youth Open now is available at BOWL.com/youthopen. When registering, required information includes the number of bowlers participating in each event, as well and the dates and times the bowlers wish to bowl each event.

Other important dates for the Youth Open:

• April 1, 2012 - Reservations still accepted, but full fees must accompany reservation.
• July 8, 2012 - Online registration closes. On-site entries only will be accepted.
• July 28, 2012 - Entries for the Youth Open are closed.