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Vet sues after burial with gay partner is denied

By WTOP Staff

REBECCA BOONE
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A U.S. Navy veteran filed a civil rights lawsuit Monday after the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery refused to allow her to be buried with the ashes of her late wife.

Seventy-four-year-old Madelynn Taylor filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Boise after she tried to make advance arrangements last year to have her ashes interred with Jean Mixner, whom she met on a blind date in 1995 and married in California in 2008 when gay marriage was briefly legal.

Though federal veterans cemeteries allow the spouses of gay veterans to be interred with their loved ones, Taylor said she was surprised to find the Idaho cemetery — which is owned and operated by the state — does not.

Taylor’s situation is “among the most extreme examples of the harm caused by state laws that deny respect to the marriages of same-sex couples,” said Christopher Stoll, a senior attorney with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is representing Taylor. “Denying these important protections to committed couples is not simply unjust, it is needlessly cruel.”

Todd Dvorak, a spokesman for Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, said Wasden hasn’t reviewed the lawsuit and couldn’t comment on the case. Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s spokesman Jon Hanian also declined to comment.

Taylor’s lawsuit contends that Idaho’s anti-recognition laws violate the due process and equal protection guarantees of the U.S. Constitution, and that Idaho’s refusal to recognize her marriage tells the world that her relationship is unworthy of recognition.

Taylor wants a judge to order the cemetery to allow her ashes to be interred in a memorial wall along with those of Mixner, who died in 2012.

The case was filed as Taylor’s health is deteriorating. She has serious heart and lung problems and uses a cane, walker or scooter to get around. She laughs easily at her predicament, though, joking that she expects to win the case before she has the heart attack that “could happen any day now.”

Her ready laughter may have been what attracted Mixner when the two met on a blind date in 1995.

Taylor, for her part, was captivated by Mixner’s blue eyes. The two hit it off and it wasn’t long before Mixner moved from her Kansas City home to join Taylor in Nampa, Idaho. They soon married in a religious ceremony during a church retreat in Oregon.

They filled their days with work, church and volunteering — Taylor as an emergency medical technician and Mixner running a support group at their home for transgender people. They bought a home and remodeled it together.

“I taught her how to use power tools and she taught me how not to cuss when I hit my thumb,” Taylor joked. “She turned out to be the queen of mud and tape — she could do a wall up just beautifully.”

They took care of aging relatives, and they retired at the usual age, traveling from campsite to campsite in a 33-foot RV. When the California ban on gay marriage was struck down in 2008, they had a civil ceremony so their marriage would be legally binding.

When Mixner got emphysema, they made a promise: Whoever went first would be cremated then later buried when the other.

“Whichever one went first is supposed to wait by the eastern gate,” said Taylor, glancing up at the beige ceiling of her attorney’s conference room. “So she’ll be up there by the eastern gate waiting for me now.”

They chose the veterans cemetery because they knew it would be well maintained and decided on cremation and interment in a wall so their names and spot wouldn’t get covered over with weeds or grass.

They wanted to be in Idaho, where their family could come to pay respects.

Taylor is represented in the case by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Boise attorneys Deborah Ferguson and Craig Durham. It’s the same legal team that successfully sued earlier this year to overturn Idaho’s ban on gay marriages. That ruling remains on hold while the state appeals the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit.

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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