I just tried it in Speedy, it worked. The only thing that I did different from your steps, I didn't "ctrl-click" anything, while in Speedy I simply placed the cursor over the rest while I was in layer 2.

What version of Finale are you using?

You should check your layer settings. Stems in layer 2 should be pointed down when layer 1 is active.

First of all, are you sure your rest isn't actually hidden? Unless you have Show Hidden Notes and Rests Unchecked you will still see hidden items on the screen (they won't print, though), but they are shaded (normally 50%), which is sometimes difficult to see at a small zoom. You can change that to a lower shading in Preferences > View > Hidden Object Shading.

If for some reason you really can't hide your rests with the normal methods you mention, try the JW Change Plug.In > Rests > Visibility.

And it looks like you've got one repeat bracket on the bass staff, and another one covering both staves. Check your groups.

Also, is it really necessary to display measure numbers on the lower staff (Bass Clef Staff)?

Rarely have so many issues been found in a single measure!

Dear Jeffery Turner, Michael M., Mike Rosen, and Peter Thomsen,

Thank you so very much for contributing to my knowledge of Finale.  Your expertise and willingness to help truly enhances the beauty and utility of this extraordinary program, which i use both for publishing and also for sequencing recorded MIDI sound..

1.  My version is Windows 26.3.1.520

2.  I did intentionally reverse the STEM DIRECTION for voice 2 in this particular case, as this is a piano part, not a vocal score.  It took quite a bit of doing to align the stems in voice 1 and voice 2 until they appeared to merge.

3.  SHOW HIDDEN NOTES AND RESTS is unchecked.  By creating a pdf of the piece, i did verify that the "hidden" rest continued to print, in spite o all my efforts.

4.  Forward repeat brackets were shown in both the treble and bass staves, because i had inadvertently created two groups.  By deleting the duplicate group, the extra forward repeat bracket disappeared.

5.  I got rid of the bar numbers in the bass clef as Peter recommended.

6.  Rather than struggle all night with this dilemma while awaiting your most helpful assistance, i sidestepped the issue by giving voice 2 a note for each beat as shown below. 

Thank you all once again for enhancing my life.

… I did intentionally reverse the STEM DIRECTION for voice 2 in this particular case, as this is a piano part, not a vocal score …

1) Actually in this particular case it does not matter whether it is a piano part or a vocal score.

The half note ‘d’ should have its stem down so that pianist can clearly see a half note below and two quarter notes above.

Your layout (with the up-stem half note) is not “standard practice”, and some pianists may misread it.

Now I am talking “Finale-speak”:

2) Actually you are using Layer 2, not Voice 2. The feature Voice 1 / Voice 2 is a special feature available only via the Speedy Entry Tool.

Each of the 4 Layers can use Voice 1 and Voice 2, thus making it possible to to notate 8 simultaneous lines in the same staff.

You may not be familiar with V1/V2?

V1/V2 is particularly useful in keyboard notation:

- you can launch V2 on any entry, without having rests on the previous beats in the measure.

- you can tie between V1 and V2 of the same Layer

You can also change layers mid-measure in simple (it's a setting in Simple Menu > Simple Entry Options.) Leading rests will automatically be entered and hidden. Leave Show Hidden Notes and Rests checked. that way, you will see the greyed out entry, when it is hidden.

BTW, did you change your display color for layer 2? That bright red hasn't been used for years.

Dear Peter Thomsen,

This is wonderful!   Thank you so much for teaching me about "V! / V2," an approach far superior to "LAYERS" for my particular purpose.

In addition, thank you for pointing out that stem directions diverge when a piano piece presents dissimilar rhythms within the same staff.   It is strange i had studied piano music for years without noticing that fact.

Yes, Mike Rosen, I purposely changed the color of LAYER 2 to red in order to render it readily recognizable, as i have a severe visual disability.  Of course, it still prints in black.

I wasn't criticizing, Craig! Just questioning.

Dear Mike Rosen,

No worries.   Your assistance is more valuable than words can express.  It's always helpful, and i couldn't do this without your guidance.  That said, if you ever do see any mistake in my approach, do not hesitate to bring it up.  I don't take offense, as i'm always eager to learn.