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New trail connects visitors to Virginia oysters

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL FELBERBAUM
AP Business Writer

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Riding a wave of growth and popularity of the state’s aquaculture, Virginia officials on Tuesday announced the creation of the Virginia Oyster Trail to connect travelers to the state’s oyster industry.

The industry that dates to the founding of Jamestown in 1607 is enjoying its largest harvest since 1987 and is hoping to propel Virginia’s briny bivalves into the global spotlight. The newly launched trail links visitors with Virginia oyster purveyors, and restaurants, raw bars and the long-standing watermen culture throughout the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

“From briny to mild, oysters have been bringing local flavor to Virginia since the first inhabitants harvested them from our waters,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said at an event announcing the trail at the Executive Mansion in Richmond that paired Virginia oysters and wine. “They are a terrific item in the world seafood market and they serve an invaluable function of filtering the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.”

Virginia’s seven different oyster regions produce the largest amount of wild-caught and farm-raised oysters in the U.S., bringing the industry back from “almost total collapse,” McAuliffe said.

Last year, the state’s harvest increased 25 percent to more than 500,000 bushels and a dockside value of more than $22 million. Just 12 years ago, Virginia’s oyster harvest was only about 23,000 bushels.

According to the Virginia Marine Resource Commission, the state has nearly 650 licensed oyster fishermen, more than 540 licensed oyster aquaculturists and more than 30 licensed oyster shucking houses.

The success has contributed to Virginia becoming the leading East Coast producer of seafood and the third-largest in the nation, officials said.

“People are eating more (oysters) year-round. They’re enjoying them all the time and they’re getting into it,” said Patrick Oliver, farm manager of the Rappahannock River Oyster Co., a century-old family business that was resurrected in 2002 by the founder’s great grandsons Ryan and Travis Croxton. The business now includes restaurants in its headquarters of Topping, Richmond and Washington, D.C.

Growth of Virginia oysters also has helped bolster other businesses, such as the wine industry in Virginia, which is home to more than 250 wineries and is fifth in the nation for wine grape production.

“It’s really huge what the impact has been economic development wise, environmentally, culinary,” said Dudley Patteson, who purchased a winery in Irvington three years ago and rebranded the vineyard as The Dog and Oyster with the intention of creating wines specifically to pair with oysters. “No one had really claimed the oyster as their own … and you have all sorts of tie-ins (in Virginia).”

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Online:

http://www.virginiaoystertrail.com

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Michael Felberbaum can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MLFelberbaum.

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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