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Marijuana legalization vote erupts in name-calling

By WTOP Staff

JEFF BARNARD
Associated Press

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s upcoming vote on whether to legalize marijuana has generated a name-calling dispute between a congressman who wants to overhaul federal marijuana policy and a prominent district attorney who has been speaking out about the dangers of pot.

The spat between U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis erupted over whether upcoming events featuring national anti-drug activist Kevin Sabet shortly before mail ballots go out to voters amounts to political activity, and whether federal funds can be used to finance the events.

Blumenauer on Friday sent a letter to White House drug czar Michael Botticelli calling for a federal investigation into whether federal funds financing the Oregon Marijuana Education Tour were being illegally used to pay for political activity.

“The bias of the speakers selected, the overall one-sided focus of the events, and the proximity between these events and the upcoming election are cause for concern,” Blumenauer wrote.

Marquis shot back that Blumenauer was a bully.

“He is trying to bully people — the remaining members of the tour — into not talking about marijuana,” said Marquis, the Oregon District Attorneys Association point man on Measure 91. “They are so afraid of any conversation they are willing to essentially make the allegations in Congressman Blumenauer’s letter.”

Blumenauer countered that Marquis must have forgotten they were meeting face to face next week for a debate on Measure 91 at a Salem City Club luncheon.

Blumenauer added that organizers of the tour had used federal funds to pay for newspaper ads about the dangers of marijuana.

Meanwhile, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association is taking over funding of the events, cutting a check for $15,000, said association manager Darrell Fuller. Fuller is listed on the secretary of state election website as the contact for the campaign organization No on 91.

Fuller said there has never been controversy about the summit and tour before, but “because there happened to be something on the ballot having to do with marijuana, people are jumping up and down waving their hands. We saw value in still having the summit, so we are stepping in and covering the money they were losing.”

The summit in Madras and subsequent tour was originally financed by federal drug education grants distributed by the Oregon Health Authority to counties, said agency spokeswoman Rebeka Gipson-King.

When the authority saw a flier Aug. 19 advertising the tour, “we realized the nature of the event had changed from what our understanding was,” Gipson-King said. “It was advertising Kevin Sabet. He has a reputation for being anti-marijuana legalization. That combined with the timing of the event right before the election made us decide not to participate.”

Sabet is director of the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

The state agency pulled employees who had been slated to moderate panels at the summit, and on Aug. 28 Karen Wheeler, manager of the Addictions and Mental Health Division, sent an email to county participants urging them to contact legal counsel over the legality of using federal funds to pay for the event.

Marquis said the sheriff’s association funding will allow the summit and tour to go forward, though with only about four or five stops at other cities.

Fuller said that he had hired Mandi Plunckett, who had been an organizer of the summit, to work for the No on 91 campaign.

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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