NATIONAL
Big Lots says it found a buyer that will keep some stores open

Washington Post

Eight days after Big Lots announced plans for liquidation sales at all of its U.S. stores, the discount retailer said Friday it reached a deal with an asset buyer that will allow at least 200 stores to remain open and could preserve thousands of jobs.

COLORADO
Longtime Alamosa County Assessor to retire Dec. 31

The Alamosa News

Alamosa County Assessor Sandra Hostetter, who has worked in Alamosa County government for 32 years, is retiring on Dec. 31. At a retirement party held in county offices on Dec. 27, Hostetter said, “Thank you for all the support throughout the years, this is a great day and I've loved every minute of it…I'm looking forward to this next chapter…I appreciate the county and all of those for the support.”

FLORIDA
Possible Loss Of Ag Classification Terrifies Some Area Residents

Town-Crier Newspaper

A dozen residents of the western communities gathered Tuesday, Dec. 17 to air their frustrations and fears related to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office. Several local residents have reported that they are suddenly and unfairly being denied agricultural classifications for their land, which in some cases is tripling property tax bills and crippling small farmers, equine and livestock operations that get by on slim margins.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
With high property tax burden, lawmakers look to alleviate costs

Concord Monitor

Sanjeev Manohar had never knocked on a door asking people to vote for him before. So as he hit one after the other in Nashua during his campaign for state representative, he had a policy pitch prepared. He'd champion women's rights if he was elected to the State House. He'd use his background as a professor to inform decisions on education, he was prepared to tell his future constituents.

WEST VIRGINIA
Jackson County Assessor Brian Thomas retires after 36 years

Jackson Star and Herald

The Jackson County Assessor is the person who evaluates personal property to provide a tax assessment. For the past 36 years, that person has been Brian Thomas. Thomas is the fifty-first assessor for Jackson County since 1831. The only other assessor on the job longer than Thomas was W.A. “Bill” Riggs of Sandyville who served for 39 years.

WYOMING
'We can't take much more of this:' Fremont 'dangerously close to overdosing' on property tax relief, County Assessor warns

County 10

The Director of the Wyoming Department of Revenue gave an overview of recent residential property tax relief efforts in the state during a legislative committee meeting last month – including details about the impacts of those efforts on Wyoming's 23 counties. “Each county is unique,” DOR Director Brenda Henson said during the Joint Revenue Committee meeting last month, explaining that Wyoming has “some counties that are very reliant on minerals and some counties that are very reliant on residential.”