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Dozens of Occupy D.C. members arrested

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – Police brought in an airbag, an armored truck and a cherry picker to arrest dozens of protesters at the McPherson Square Occupy D.C. camp following a 10-hour standoff over a wooden structure.

Protesters refused to leave or dismantle a wood structure they built Saturday night. By Monday morning, the structure at 17th and I Streets was taken down.

Protesters say they are uncertain of what civil disobedience may occur in the District Monday.

Late Sunday evening, police used the cherry picker to force down the remaining protesters who had taken up positions on the roof.

The last man, named David, was taken down after a struggle with police, shortly after 8:30 p.m.

Police arrested 39 people over the course of the day, after the deadline passed for protesters to take down the barn-like structure. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 16 protesters were charged with crossing a police line. They have 15 days to pay a fine or request a court date.

Another 17 protesters were given citations for failure to obey an order. They can pay a $75 fine and $25 fee to avoid appearing in court Feb. 15. The six remaining protesters also have been charged with failure to obey an order but were expected to appear before a federal judge Monday in U.S. District Court.

During the standoff, an inspector posted a notice on the structure, which U.S. Park Police say is in violation of park rules.

Metropolitan Police SWAT officers arrived Sunday afternoon to help Park Police remove those who had taken up camp on or inside the wooden structure.

Police told protesters Sunday morning they needed a permit for the wood structure that resembles a partially built shed or barn and gave them an hour to disassemble it. The group was given a deadline of 11:45 a.m. to take down the structure.

When the protesters failed to comply, officers on horseback moved in.

The encampment’s general assembly was split between complying with police orders and standing their ground.

At one point, Park Police officers pulled out a Taser as they arrested 21-year-old homeless veteran, Micheal Patterson from Alaska. Patterson was slammed to the ground and arrested.

The protesters built the “structure-like tent” in about four hours Saturday night. Some of them were calling it a “barn raising.”

Several occupiers said the group spent $1,400 on the wood. The structure was designed by an architect and built with help of donated time from someone from Annapolis.

Camping and cooking are prohibited in the park, though protesters have been doing both openly in front of police since they started occupying the park.

The structure originally had blue tarps on the top, but they were pulled off by the protesters shortly before the police arrived.

Occupiers had been throwing food and provisions to protesters who took up a stance inside the structure.

WTOP’s Kristi King, Max Smith, Thomas Warren and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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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