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Broncos exec sentenced in DUI case

By WTOP Staff

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — A Denver Broncos executive accused of crashing into two cars while driving drunk last year has been sentenced to seven months in jail after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and careless driving resulting in injury.

Director of player personnel Matt Russell won’t have to miss any work, however, because County Court Judge Edward Casias on Friday approved Russell for work release as part of his sentence.

That means Russell can make arrangements to serve his sentence in his home county of Arapahoe, serving jail time at night while going to his job at team headquarters during the day.

Russell, who was charged after his vehicle ran into the back of a police SUV in Colorado’s Summit County over the Fourth of July holiday last summer, also was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service and pay fines and victim restitution.

Russell was arrested while celebrating his 40th birthday. He hit two vehicles, including the police SUV in Breckenridge, injuring an officer. He registered a 0.246 percent breath alcohol content, three times the legal threshold for a DUI violation in Colorado, according to the arrest affidavit.

Russell was traveling an estimated 40 mph when he struck the police SUV that was parked on the side of U.S. Highway 9. The officer sustained a neck injury and was transported to Summit Medical Center for treatment.

“Mr. Russell was given neither a (harsher) nor a less severe sentence than any other defendant,” District Attorney Bruce Brown said. “In the eyes of the prosecution, he deserves treatment like any other citizen. The court has rendered an appropriately significant sentence upon Mr. Russell, measured to hold him accountable for the injuries he caused to a law enforcement officer who was doing his job to protect the public and instead ended up in the hospital.”

Following his arrest, the Broncos suspended Russell without pay and he spent a month at an in-patient facility getting treatment, rehabilitation and counseling services before rejoining the team last season as it made its run to the Super Bowl.

Russell’s bosses made it clear following his sentencing Friday that they’re standing behind him.

“We are pleased with the commitment Matt Russell has shown in making positive changes in his life since this incident occurred nearly a year ago,” the Broncos said in a statement. “In addition to his successful completion of a monthlong inpatient treatment program last summer, he has taken full advantage of outpatient counseling resources and passed every substance abuse test administered as part of his reinstatement to this organization.

“We will continue to support Matt as a member of the Denver Broncos and this community.”

Also in July, the Broncos suspended director of pro personnel Tom Heckert for a month after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated in June.

The pair of drunken driving arrests by the Broncos executives not only served as a black eye for the organization but also left executive vice president John Elway without his top two lieutenants for several weeks during a key period of player evaluation last summer.

Both men have returned to their former duties and helped Elway put together a roster that’s again favored to reach the Super Bowl.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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