Skip to main content

CBS’ ‘Battle Creek’ turns city into star magnet

By WTOP Staff

LYNN ELBER
AP Television Writer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The Michigan city of Battle Creek is becoming a star magnet.

CBS’ new police series “Battle Creek” is being filmed in Los Angeles, but its cast is making pilgrimages to Battle Creek to soak up the atmosphere. Kal Penn visited, going on a ride-along with officers and observing in the squad room.

Josh Duhamel planned to take a red-eye flight Friday to gather his own impressions of Battle Creek, he told a TV critics’ meeting Thursday. He’s traveling solo, leaving wife Fergie and their baby behind for the weekend, the actor said.

He should receive a warm welcome: Penn said everyone he met was “super nice” and excited about the series created by Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”). “Battle Creek” stars Duhamel and Dean Winters as odd-couple law enforcement partners.

Gilligan, who came up with idea more than a decade ago, was asked if he could have imagined that his five years spent building AMC’s “Breaking Bad” into a hit could have led to the revival of his dormant script.

“Yes, I saw it all coming,” Gilligan said, tongue firmly in cheek. Then he got serious.

“Not even remotely did I see the success of ‘Breaking Bad,'” he said. When he came up with the idea for “Battle Creek” 12 years ago, “I thought I’d be lucky if I wasn’t living in half of a double-wide.”

“Battle Creek,” which also features Janet McTeer, Edward Fordham Jr. and Aubrey Dollar, will air in midseason.

Because Gilligan’s attention is being consumed by the “Breaking Bad” prequel “Better Call Saul,” David Shore (“House”) was brought in as the showrunner.

It was the combination of Gilligan and Shore that helped sell him on the show, said Winters, whose credits include “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and the Mayhem character in TV commercials for an insurance company.

Shore put him on the spot, saying Winters was initially reluctant to sign on to a network series.

“I had a terrible experience the year before and I said, ‘Never again,'” Winters said, not specifying the program or the details.

Duhamel, who spent five years on the TV drama “Las Vegas,” said he was aware of how much commitment a series can require. That didn’t deter him, he said, but he had to make sure he was excited about the project and the people he’d be working with.

Taping the show in LA was a bonus.

“I have a little one now and wanted to be there as often as I can,” Duhamel said of his nearly 1-year-old son, Axl Jack.

___

Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber@ap.org or at http://twitter.com/lynnelber .

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
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