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County to send anti-federal message by horseback

By WTOP Staff

ELKO, Nev. (AP) — A rural Nevada county will send a message the old-fashioned way to Washington about what it calls federal overreach on public lands: by horseback.

Elko County Commissioner Grant Gerber said riders will begin the 2,800-mile ride at Point Reyes, California, around Sept. 26 and reach the U.S. Capitol about 20 days later.

Multiple riders covering 5 miles each at a time will carry the commissioners’ resolution touching on various issues including livestock grazing, water rights and wild horses.

The theme of the Cowboy Express ride is “regulation without representation is tyranny,” he said, and commissioners hope its outcome will be an increase in local voices on public land decisions.

“It’s extremely serious, but we’re trying to make it fun as we go,” Gerber told the Elko Daily Free Press (http://bit.ly/Wr5ypi ).

He said he organized the ride in response to the federal Bureau of Land Management’s decision to temporarily close some areas of the Argenta grazing allotment in Humboldt and Lander counties because of severe drought.

Bureau officials have said federal regulations require them to take such actions if grazing poses likely damage to rangelands during a drought.

Gerber, a lawyer who has represented dozens of plaintiffs in lawsuits against the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, said riders will follow along freeways and on frontage roads as they cross the country. Supporters in a few vehicles will assist them.

“We’ll be riding from 13 to 24 hours (a day) depending on the moon and such,” he said. “I expect most of the time we’ll be looking at riding 15, 16, 17 hours.”

This past spring, Gerber staged a 70-mile horseback trek from Elko to Battle Mountain to protest livestock grazing reductions on U.S. lands.

His protests follow the federal government’s run-in with southern Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy earlier this year.

Bundy and his states’ rights supporters, some of them armed militia members, thwarted a BLM roundup of his cattle about 75 miles northeast of Las Vegas in April. The BLM says he owes more than $1 million in fees and penalties for trespassing without a permit over 20 years, but he refuses to acknowledge federal authority on public lands.

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Information from: Elko Daily Free Press, http://www.elkodaily.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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