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Crime Report: Knife-Wielding Robbers Edition

By WTOP Staff

Whether you’re out delivering a pizza or walking a dog, sometimes you can never be too careful after dark. In this week’s Arlington County crime report, there were two instances of people being robbed by knife-wielding individuals on the street at night.

ROBBERY, 12/07/11, 1000 block of Randolph Street. On December 7 at 8:40 pm, a man delivering pizza was robbed by an unknown male brandishing a knife. The suspect is described as an African American male, 5’8” and 150 lbs. wearing all black clothing including a black ski mask.

ROBBERY, 12/10/11, 800 block of S. Harrison Street. On December 10 at 8 pm, a man was walking a small dog when an unknown man confronted him. The suspect brandished a knife and demanded money. The victim gave him a small amount of money, and the suspect fled. The suspect is described as an African American male in his 20’s, 6” tall and 190 lbs. He was wearing a red and blacked checked button-down shirt and a red knit hat with ear flaps.

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

ROBBERY, 12/08/11, 1700 block of Wilson Boulevard. On December 8 at 9:30 pm, three unknown men entered a restaurant and demanded money while brandishing a handgun. They fled through a rear door after receiving cash. The suspects were men of average height and weight, wearing all black clothing, black ski masks and sunglasses.

BANK ROBBERY, 12/09/11, 1700 block of N. Moore Street. On December 9 at 1:50 pm, an unknown man demanded money from a bank teller, and left the bank after receiving cash. The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male in his early 20’s, 5’6” and 150 lbs. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with red lettering on it, tan pants, white shoes and glasses.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 12/11/11, 900 block of S. Columbus Street. On December 11 at 12:20 am, a man assaulted a security guard at an apartment complex. Josejusel Guevara, 29, of Fairfax, was charged with Assault and Battery and Drunk in Public. He was held until sober.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 12/14/11, 1000 block of Arlington Boulevard. On December 14 at 1:40 am, a man assaulted another man. Joseph Parker, 50, of Arlington, was charged with Assault and Battery. He was held on a $1,000 bond.

BURGLARY, 12/06/11, 600 block of S. 18th Street. On December 6 between 4:30 pm and 9 pm, an unknown person broke into a house and stole money. There are no known suspects.

BURGLARY, 12/09/11, 5100 block of Columbia Pike. On December 9 at 12:30 pm, a man woke up to find two unknown men in his apartment. They fled when confronted. The suspects were African American men in their 20’s wearing dark blue clothing.

BURGLARY, 12/13/11, 400 block of N. Wakefield Street. Between 6 pm on December 12, and 10 am on December 13, an unknown subject broke into a residence through a window. Electronics were stolen. There is no suspect description.

ATTEMPT BURGLARY, 12/10/11, 1100 block of S. Edison Street. On December 10 at 1:15 am, the resident of a house heard an unknown subject attempt to enter the front door twice. There is no suspect description.

GRAND LARCENY, 12/12/11, 900 block of N. Glebe Road. Between 9 pm on December 11, and 4 am on December 12, an unknown subject stole a significant amount of copper piping from a construction site. There are no known suspects.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (SERIES), 12/13/11, 800 block of Army Navy Drive. On December 13 between 5:30 pm and 7 pm, an unknown subject broke into at least two cars in the same parking garage. Various items were stolen. There are no known suspects.


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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