Skip to main content

Washington’s Top News – Tuesday, July 15, 2014

By WTOP Staff

Here’s a look at some of the day’s top stories from WTOP.

Hamas says no to cease-fire proposal

A senior Hamas official says his group rejects an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire with Israel. Egypt had proposed the plan to end a week of heavy fighting that has killed at least 185 people in Gaza.

The Israeli Cabinet had accepted the proposal.

House to take up highway bill as deadline looms

The House is set to act on a bill that would temporarily patch over a multibillion-dollar pothole in federal highway and transit programs while ducking the issue of how to put the programs on sound financial footing.

The bill by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp cobbles together $10.8 billion in pension tax changes, customs fees and money from a fund to repair leaking underground fuel storage tanks to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund solvent. The Transportation Department says that by the first week in August the fund will no longer have enough money.

Quest for statehood may go up Pennsylvania Avenue

A D.C. councilwoman has proposed changing the name of a piece of road to note the District’s struggle for statehood — but it would also involve changing one of the most famous addresses in the world. WTOP’s Andrew Mollenbeck has the details.

US consumer bureau sues debt-collection law firm

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing a major debt collection law firm, alleging it is a “mill” that produces shoddy, mass-produced credit-card collection lawsuits.

The bureau’s claim was filed in federal court in Atlanta on Monday and states that Frederick J. Hanna & Associates failed to do basic due diligence on the accuracy of suits it filed to collect defaulted consumer credit-card debts. In Georgia, one attorney signed off on 180,000 lawsuits over two years.

In a statement, Hanna & Associates said “we strongly deny the allegations of the complaint and, moreover, the overall characterization of our law firm.”

Is vegan the wave of D.C.’s food future?

A giant in the vegan fast-casual food scene is opening two District locations soon. On our Living page, find out who it is, where the locations will be and how big vegan and vegetarian food has gotten in the area.

Nationals’ Clippard is not pity pick for the All-Star Game

Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard may only have been picked for Tuesday night’s All-star Game on Sunday, but WTOP’s Noah Frank explains that he deserves to be there — and gives the latest on a couple of Nats prospects to keep an eye on.

Windows 7 users: Don’t panic over end of support

If you use Windows 7 and you’ve heard that Microsoft’s support will end soon, Ken Colburn of the Data Doctors says you shouldn’t worry — yet. But there are some deadlines coming up you shouldn’t ignore. Find out more on our Tech page.

Local venues among highest-grossing in the world

A trade publication has listed the venues with the highest revenues and biggest crowds in the world, and two arenas in the region made the top 20 in their class. On our Entertainment page, find out what venues made the list and learn more about the state of big-event venues.

Atheist to open N.Y. meeting after top court OKed prayers

An atheist is set to deliver the invocation in a western New York community whose town board won a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding its right to open meetings with a prayer. Dan Courtney says he asked the town of Greece for an opportunity to deliver the “non-theist” message right after the 5-4 decision in May.

Courtney says his request was granted without question and Tuesday’s meeting was the first open slot. Town supervisor William Reilich says it’s not unusual to have a diversity of views represented.

Study: US Alzheimer’s rate seems to be dropping

New studies show that the rate of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is falling in the United States and some other rich countries, even though the total number of cases continues to rise because more people are living to an old age.

One study finds that an American over age 60 today has a 44 lower chance of developing dementia than a similar-aged person did roughly 30 years ago. Scientists think the trend is due to better education and control health factors.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote