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Las Vegas officer remembered as loving family man

By WTOP Staff

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Las Vegas police officer killed in an ambush at a pizza shop was remembered Saturday as a Renaissance man, a first-rate police officer and a loving family man.

More than 2,400 family members, friends, police officers and others gathered to pay tribute to Alyn Beck, who was gunned down while eating lunch last Sunday along with officer Igor Soldo.

Investigators say the two officers were killed by an anti-government couple who went on to kill a bystander before they died in a shootout with police in a Wal-Mart store.

Beck, 41, was remembered as a senior patrol officer, active member of the Mormon church and doting father of three who moved to Las Vegas from Wyoming and was close to being promoted to sergeant before he was killed.

“He was a great man, officer and an even better family man. Strong as an ox with a mind to match … (He) helped me through many a tough time,” police Sgt. Jimmy Oaks told mourners.

Sheriff Doug Gillespie, still crushed by the deaths of two patrol officers in one day, lamented the senseless murders.

“These two criminals took away from all of us what they can never have,” he said. “On that day they took two men who represented something good … Alyn and Igor would have sacrificed their lives for fellow officers as well as anyone in this community.”

Joseph Beck described his brother as a “Renaissance man, carpenter, architect, master chef, defender of musicals … teacher, keeper of promises,” the Las Vegas Sun reported (http://bit.ly/1hYbXCH ).

He also talked about his brother’s love of family.

“His wife was his greatest friend and cheerleader. He was an attentive and devoted father to his son and daughters,” Joseph Beck said.

Elder Terry Wade of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints quoted from a letter written by Beck’s daughter Avenlee, 11, on the night of his death.

“I wish I could say goodbye to you,” she wrote. “I’ll always be thinking of you. I’ll see you in heaven … Don’t worry, I’ll take care of mommy for you.”

Tracy Truman, first counselor of a local Mormon church stake, said as good an officer as Beck was, he was a family man first.

“Alyn got it. He realized it wasn’t about Alyn,” Truman said. “He understood no other success could account for failure in the home.”

Survivors include Beck’s wife, Nicole, and their 14-year-old son, 11-year-old daughter and 10-month-old daughter.

His service with full police honors was held at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Las Vegas. Burial will be in Wyoming. He was originally from Green River, Wyoming.

A memorial service was held Thursday for Soldo, 31, who was originally from Bosnia and a married father of an 11-month-old boy.

A memorial is scheduled June 22 for Joseph Wilcox, 31, a Wal-Mart shopper from Las Vegas killed when he tried to draw his legally concealed weapon and stop the two rampaging assailants — Jerad and Amanda Miller — before they died in the Wal-Mart store.

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Information from: Las Vegas Sun, http://www.lasvegassun.com

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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