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Holiday parades, Army-Navy game, shopping events in the District, weekend Metro delays expected

By WTOP Staff

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

Weekend Wakeup Call – Friday, Dec. 9 to Monday, Dec. 12

Thankfully, there won’t be any closed Metro stations this weekend. There will be a lot of single tracking causing delayed service, so check the summary below if you plan to use Metro. There will be some overnight paving on Interstate 66, and the Army-Navy football game could cause some Saturday afternoon delays on the Beltway.  In the holiday fun department: Shopping events in the District, a parade in Leesburg, a boat parade in Annapolis, and more. Sweet!

12 Days of Merriment in Georgetown

From Dec. 9 through Dec. 20, enjoy 12 days of holiday shopping specials and events, $2 flat rate parking and more. On Saturday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., there will be a special kick-off party featuring live music, a fruitcake eating contest, gourmet cocoa tastings, and live band holiday karaoke. More info here.

Downtown Holiday Market

Centered at 8th and F Streets NW, the Downtown Holiday Market began its seventh year last week. Through Dec. 23, you’ll find a little “shopping village” set up between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. Lots of local boutique businesses will be featured — and on the weekends you can enjoy some live music. Check the schedule here.

Metro track work

No stations will be closed this weekend, but you’ll find work taking place on the Red, Blue, Orange and Green Lines. Here’s the summary from Metro:

Red Line
Beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing through closing Sunday, Red Line trains will share one track in two areas: between Van Ness and Friendship Heights to allow for rail and fastener renewal, and between Takoma and Forest Glen to allow for fiber optic cable installation and platform rehabilitation. Throughout the weekend, Red Line trains will operate between Shady Grove and Glenmont every 24 minutes. Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, additional trains will operate between Van Ness and Takoma only, providing service every 12 minutes through the Downtown core.

Blue/Orange Lines
Beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing through closing Sunday, Blue Line trains will share one track between Foggy Bottom and Arlington Cemetery and Orange Line trains will share one track between Foggy Bottom and Clarendon to allow for rail, joint and fastener renewal. Orange and Blue line trains will depart endpoint terminals every 20 minutes, resulting in trains every 10 minutes at stations served by both lines.

Green/Yellow Lines
Beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing through closing Sunday, Green Line trains will share one track between U Street and Georgia Ave-Petworth to allow for rail maintenance. Green Line trains will operate at normal weekend service levels with minor delays through the work zone. Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq. only; customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt .Vernon Sq. should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.

I-66 overnight construction

On Friday night between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., construction will block 3 left lanes on eastbound I-66 at Route 123/Chain Bridge Road. Between Chain Bridge Road and Route 50, two left lanes may be blocked between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m.

D Street off-ramp closure

From 7 a.m. Saturday until 7 p.m. Sunday, DDOT will close the eastbound D Street SW off-ramp from 12th Street SW to reconstruct a damaged catch basin. Traffic will be detoured through the 12th Street SW tunnel to Constitution Avenue NW then right on Constitution Avenue to 7th Street NW then right on 7th Street to D Street SW. Traffic from the northbound 14th Street Bridge (I-395) and westbound traffic on the Southwest Freeway will still be able to access the 12th Street Tunnel and westbound D Street SW. The closure will be in place next weekend as well.

Arlington Wreath Laying Ceremony

The wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery is scheduled for Saturday at 12 p.m. Check here for info about the cemetery.

Leesburg Holiday Parade

The Leesburg Christmas and Holiday Parade is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. The parade will feature local bands, seasonal floats, and Santa Claus. There also will be three Jingle Jam concerts. More details here.

Army-Navy football game

FedEx Field hosts the 112th Army-Navy football game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Watch for delays on I-495 near Md. 202 and Central Avenue.

Harambee Holiday Showcase and Bazaar

On Friday at the Oakcrest Community Center in Prince George’s County, the Harambee Holiday Showcase and Bazaar will feature cultural dancing, singing, poetry and shopping. More info here.

Holiday Boat Parade of Lights

On Saturday between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., the Eastport Yacht Club presents the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights at the Annapolis Harbor. Spectators will enjoy the many boats decked out in thousands of lights and decorations.

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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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