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Man kills 3 members of California family, himself

By WTOP Staff

POMONA, Calif. (AP) — A man who shot to death his girlfriend and two of her relatives before turning the gun on himself warned his own brother of the plan only minutes before the attack, police said Friday.

There was no time to prevent the tragedy after the 28-year-old man made the call late Thursday, and it appeared the gunman quickly mowed down the victims in bedrooms, police said.

“Basically, he went from room to room and killed everyone,” Lt. Mike Keltner told the San Bernardino County Sun (http://bit.ly/1izn038 ).

Officers called to the single-story home found the bodies of the gunman, two women and a teenage boy. The suspect was found at the foot of the younger woman’s bed and there were no signs of a struggle.

However, investigators believe at least two victims, including the younger woman, were awake when they were confronted and one victim was still in bed, Keltner told the Los Angeles Times (http://bit.ly/QoxTJS ).

“This could’ve happened within 30 seconds easily,” Keltner said of the attacks.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office had not released the names of the dead Friday evening.

However, the family’s sole surviving member, April Mejia, said they included her sister, Mariana Padilla, 25; 17-year-old brother, Juan Padilla, and their mother, Manuela Padilla, 52.

The gunman was her sister’s live-in boyfriend but he was unemployed, wasn’t going to school, and their mother considered him a deadbeat and for months had tried to force him out of the home. “I know my mom wanted him out,” Mejia said. “She got fed up, asked him to leave.”

Mejia also told the Sun that her sister once mentioned that she wanted to leave her boyfriend.

However, “I wouldn’t think he would do anything like this,” she said.

Mariana Padilla was a pastry chef who would travel to restaurants to train employees, said a neighbor, Mary Luna.

She had promised to bake a cake for Luna for Mother’s Day, she told the Sun.

Leonardo Pina, 38, lives down the street and described hearing gunshots around 11 p.m. Thursday. He said that while the neighborhood is accustomed to violent crime, the apparent murder-suicide was a jolt to residents who described the family as being quiet but friendly.

“We’re used to drug stuff and gang crimes, but not a murder-suicide,” Pina told the Times. “This is something different. It’s horrible.”

Pomona is a city of about 150,000 people 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

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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