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Age limit on Louisiana officials on hold for now

By WTOP Staff

MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana court officials who face new age restrictions that could oust them from office will be allowed to sign up for re-election bids this week.

A Baton Rouge judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday against enforcing a law that prohibits anyone 70 or older from running for justice of the peace or constable.

District Judge Tim Kelley granted the request from the Louisiana Justice of the Peace and Constables Association, which says in a lawsuit the restriction amounts to unconstitutional age discrimination.

A law establishing the mandatory retirement age of 70 for the court officials has been on the books since 2006, but it exempted anyone elected before Aug. 15 of that year. Legislation this year removed that exemption, a change that was slated to affect about 160 elected officials.

Kelley’s order allows anyone who was previously exempted to sign up for re-election during the Wednesday through Friday qualifying period for the Nov. 4 ballot. The judge also set an Aug. 29 hearing in the lawsuit to determine whether to continue a prohibition against enforcing the age restriction.

The mandatory retirement provision, sponsored by state Sen. Elbert Guillory, breezed to easy passage with Louisiana lawmakers and was signed into law in June with little attention, but it’s unclear who was behind it.

Guillory, a Republican from Opelousas, said he sponsored the measure for a constituent who said the justices of the peace and constables association wanted it. Guillory said the man raised concerns that the local officials are allowed to carry weapons under state law, while “in wheelchairs, some on oxygen tanks.”

But the association denies any involvement in the bill and now is challenging it in court.

Connie Moore, a St. Tammany Parish justice of the peace and president of the association, said her organization did not file the lawsuit just to prove it wasn’t involved in the legislation.

“I’m assuming that people will see that we filed it, and I guess the ones that were skeptical might change their minds, but that’s not why we filed it,” she said Tuesday. “We filed it just to help out the JPs and the constables who were affected by it. Plus, we felt the timing was kind of poor, so close to the election.”

Before the restraining order was issued, some of the court officials affected by the law had said they intended to run for new six-year terms anyway, even though they are too old to meet the law’s requirements.

Since the age restriction has ballooned into a controversy, Guillory said he’ll introduce a bill next year to undo the mandatory retirement provision.

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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