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Gov. Martin O’Malley makes plea against death penalty

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – Four years after he unsuccessfully sought to repeal Maryland’s death penalty, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his administration will try again.

Surrounded by supporters at a news conference in Annapolis, he declared that “the death penalty is expensive and does not work.”

“For that reason alone, I believe we should stop doing that,” O’Malley said as supporters applauded. “I will be filing to repeal the death penalty”.

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, whose cousin Cathy was murdered by an ex-boyfriend in Montgomery County in 2008, voiced his support.

“Abolishing the death penalty does not dishonor the victims of violent crime, and in their memory, we must remain committed to tough and appropriate punishments,” he said.

But Sen. Jim Brochin disagrees. He says most state’s attorneys want to keep the death penalty as a valuable prosecutorial tool. The focus, he said, continues to be on criminals and “the worst of the worst.”

“The victims are left to languish,” he said. “It just blows my mind.”

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, on the other hand, delivered an emotional message of support for repealing the death penalty. Referring to his wife, an attorney who spent much of her career working to abolish the death penalty and now suffers from Alzheimer’s, he said he hopes to be able to share the news with her.

“I don’t know if she will know if we pass this bill this year, but if we abolish the death penalty, and I can go home to my wife and let her know that … I know I will be happy,” he said. “I know she will, and I thank you for your efforts.”

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett also spoke.

“It’s been stated that the death penalty was wrong from birth. Unfortunately, it has survived,” he said. “It is now our responsibility to put a stake through its heart and kill it.”

Four years ago, the governor’s repeal measure never made it out of the Senate. This year, before the General Assembly session even started, O’Malley was approached by national NAACP president Benjamin Jealous for support of a repeal bill.

At that time, Jealous said the governor wanted to see that the Senate had the 24 necessary votes to pass the bill. As of last week, they had 22 votes.

But after Tuesday’s announcement, Sen. Jamin Raskin joked they might even be up to 24.5 votes.

Raskin says he is confident the bill will pass, but there’s “a long and curving road ahead.”

O’Malley, who made the announcement on Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, invoked the late civil rights leader’s pleas for nonviolence. He quoted from King in his speech:

“Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @KateRyanWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 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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