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Crime Report: Autumn Arson Edition

By WTOP Staff

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a local man was arrested for arson after allegedly setting a series of leaf piles on fire.

ARSON-ARREST, 11/14/11, 3100 block of N. Vermont Street. On November 14 at 9:45 pm, a man set a series of seven of brush fires. Joseph Warsowick, 31, of Arlington, was arrested for Arson. He was held on a $1,750 bond.

Also this week, a bus driver helped to protect a woman from a pair of would-be armed robbers.

ATTEMPT ROBBERY, 11/15/11, 4800 block of Columbia Pike. On November 15 at 6:30 pm, two unknown men attempted to rob a woman at a bus stop by brandishing a knife. The victim fled on a bus and the driver would not let the suspects on board. The suspects were both African American males, 40-50 years old.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 11/10/11, 1400 block of Arlington Boulevard. On November 10 at 5:50 am, an unknown man grabbed a woman around the waist as she was jogging. Subject fled when victim screamed. Suspect is described as an African American male between 20-30 years old, 5’10” with a medium build. He was wearing dark clothing.

ABDUCTION, 11/10/11, 4500 block of Four Mile Run Drive. On November 10 at 11:30 pm, a woman was walking home and talking on her cell phone, when an unknown man grabbed her by the neck. The victim screamed and fought back. The suspect fled. He is described as a white Hispanic male in his 30’s, 5’4” and 145 lbs. He was wearing a black jacket, jeans, and wore metallic sunglasses.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 11/11/11, 1800 block of Wilson Boulevard. On November 11 at 12:50 am, a man was found in the road with serious facial injuries. The victim has no knowledge of the assault, and there are no known suspects.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 11/11/11, 5500 block of Columbia Pike. On November 11 at 3:15 am, a man was filling a newsstand when unknown man approached him. The suspect attempted to rob him and brandished a knife. The suspect is described as 30-year-old African American male, 6’0” and 220 lbs.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 11/13/11, I-395 South at Washington Boulevard. On November 13 at 3:40 am, a woman was assaulted by two male acquaintances inside a vehicle. Daniel de la Vega, 22, of Arlington, and Walter Reyes, 21, of Arlington, were arrested for Malicious Wounding. They were held without bond.

ATTEMPT MALICIOUS WOUNDING-ARREST, 11/12/11, 800 block of S. Greenbrier Street. On November 12 at 10:30 am, a man chased an adult female family member and threatened her with a knife. John Herbert, 63, of Arlington, was arrested for Attempted Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

ATTEMPT MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 11/14/11, 900 block of S. Buchanan Street. On November 14 at 9:00 pm, an unknown man attempted to cut victim with a knife. The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male in his early 20’s, 5’7” wearing dark clothing.

SEXUAL BATTERY-ARREST, 11/13/11, 4200 block of N. Fairfax Drive. On November 13 at 5:45 pm, subject grabbed a 17-year-old female and pushed himself into her chest. Simba Kundert, 42, of no fixed address, was arrested for Sexual Battery and held without bond.

ASSAULT ON POLICE-ARREST, 11/15/11, 3000 block of Columbia Pike. On November 15 at 7:30 pm, a man disregarded a banning notice and was subsequently arrested. Keith Franklin, 45, of no fixed address, was arrested for Drunk in Public, Assault and Battery on Law Enforcement, Trespassing and Indecent Exposure. He was held on a $10,000 bond.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 11/11/11, 2800 block of Wilson Boulevard. On November 11 at 1:30 am, a man assaulted another man in a bar. Andrew McCoy, 22, of Fairfax Station, was arrested for Assault and Battery. He was released on a $1,200 bond.

BURGLARY, 11/09/11, 800 block of S. 19th Street. On November 9 between 9:30 am and 8:45 pm, an unknown subject entered a house and stole numerous items. There is no suspect description.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/10/11, 800 block of N. Glebe Road. Between 2 pm on November 9 and 4 am on November 10, an unknown person broke into a construction site and stole copper wiring. There are no known suspects.

COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/14/11, 4300 block of Wilson Boulevard. Between 6 pm on November 11, and 8:30 am on November 14, an unknown suspect stole tools from a locked storage area.

ATTEMPT COMMERCIAL BURGLARY, 11/12/11, 3400 block of Wilson Boulevard. On November 12 at 6 pm, a business owner heard unknown suspects on roof of the business attempting to enter the building. There is no suspect description.

UNLAWFUL ENTRY-ARREST, 11/13/11, 2200 block of Arlington Boulevard. On November 13 at 5:30 am, an intoxicated man broke a window to a hotel room so he could enter and go to sleep. Gary Nesbitt, 29, of College Park, MD was arrested for Drunk in Public, Unlawful Entry and Destruction of Property. He was held on $1,000 bond.


Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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