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Man killed in plane crash was on anniversary trip

By WTOP Staff

TAMARA LUSH
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sometime Sunday morning, Ommy Irizarry posted a message on Facebook to mark his ninth wedding anniversary.

“I am very happy and can’t wait to see what the next 100 have in store for us,” he wrote, and tagged his wife, Rebecca, in the post.

But hours later, Irizarry, 36 was killed during a freak plane crash on a Florida Gulf Coast beach near Sarasota, where they were celebrating their anniversary. The couple’s daughter, 9-year-old Oceana, was critically injured.

The 1972 Piper Cherokee lost a wheel, damaged a wing and smashed its propeller shortly after making a distress call about 2:45 p.m. Sunday to Venice Municipal Airport, officials said. The plane crash-landed on Caspersen Beach, just south of the airport, at the southern tip of the island of Venice.

Irizarry and his daughter were hit by the plane or its debris, officials said.

Irizarry died at the scene. His daughter was airlifted to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. Officials have not released further information about the victims. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.

Family friend Kim Howard described Irizarry as “a great, hands-on father” to three children. He was an Army sergeant stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia, according to officials, and Howard said the family was scheduled to be stationed in Alaska.

The couple’s Facebook pages were filled with photos of the family enjoying beaches in Georgia and in Ommy’s native Puerto Rico. On Saturday, Ommy posted a photo from a beach near Sarasota, with the words “I love Mom + Dad,” scrawled in the sand, with the symbol for a heart in place of the word love.

Rebecca’s page showed a photo of her and her husband in the water, smiling for the camera. About 4 p.m. Sunday, she wrote: “We need prayers, now! Please stop and pray for Ommy and Oceana.”

It’s unclear how the plane or the debris hit father and daughter. A woman calling 911 from at the airport first informed officials that the plane would be landing on the beach.

“He’s trying to make the airport,” said the caller. “He says he’s not going to make the airport. But he’s going to be on the beach.”

In other 911 calls, a family friend cried as she described the scene while screams and wailing could be heard in the background. Another man told a dispatcher about the little girl’s condition.

“She’s breathing a little right now,” a man said. “Rapid pulse and difficult breathing. She’s unconscious.”

Sheriff’s officials say the pilot radioed the airport that he was having trouble with the plane and was planning to land on the beach because he could not make it to the airport.

“He landed on the edge of the water,” said Wendy Rose, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.

Officials say the pilot was Karl Kokomoor, 57, and the passenger was David Theen, 60, both of nearby Englewood. They were not injured.

National Transportation and Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams said the plane will be removed from the beach Monday afternoon.

___

Information from: Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune, http://www.heraldtribune.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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