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Mother, daughter die, 3 rescued in Washington fire

By WTOP Staff

PHUONG LE
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — A mother and her adult daughter died early Friday in a raging house fire in Washington state, while fast-acting neighbors helped rescue three others, witnesses and authorities said.

The women, ages 54 and 26, are from Idaho, but their identities were being withheld pending notification of relatives, Grays Harbor Coroner Dan Burns said Friday afternoon.

Two neighbors used a ladder to help an elderly couple escape out of a window of a home in Aberdeen, about 80 miles southwest of Seattle, said Aberdeen Fire Chief Tom Hubbard said. Another woman climbed out on the roof and jumped, and was partially caught by one of those neighbors and an Aberdeen police officer who had arrived on scene, Hubbard said.

Donna Hensel, who lives next door, said she woke up early smelling smoke and stepped onto her deck to find the house engulfed in flames. She yelled at her husband and called 911, and in the meantime another neighbor came by asking for a ladder.

Hensel’s husband, Mark, “ran into the garage and got the ladder. They ran over there and got them out,” she said.

The man climbed up the ladder, broke a window and helped the couple to safety, while her husband helped the couple down the ladder and across the street, Hensel said.

The couple, who are in their 70s, were getting ready to move to Idaho, Donna Hensel and another neighbor, Lea Kemplin, said. The couple’s family members had come to the area to help them pack and move.

“Thank God they’re OK, but they lost family members,” Donna Hensel said, sobbing in a telephone interview.

A neighbor who lives across the street also saw the fire when she awoke.

“I heard someone screaming,” Bev Brown said. “The house was engulfed in flames, shooting out. It was terrible. It was awful.”

Kemplin, who is friends with the couple, said she believed the two who died in the blaze were the elderly couple’s adult daughter and a grandchild.

Hubbard said officials are investigating the cause of the blaze, which happened around 5 a.m.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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