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DA dismisses most remaining protest arrests in NC

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL BIESECKER
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The top prosecutor in North Carolina’s capital is dropping criminal charges against hundreds of people arrested at mass protests at the state legislature last year.

Wake County District Attorney Ned Mangum said Friday his move was prompted by a June 30 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the constitutional rights of people to peacefully assemble and protest government policies.

That federal decision, which struck down a Massachusetts law limiting protests outside abortion clinics, has since been cited by North Carolina judges in rulings in favor of Moral Monday protesters.

The demonstrators were arrested by General Assembly police while chanting civil rights slogans, singing hymns and holding signs. Nearly all were charged with second-degree trespassing, failure to disperse and violating legislative building rules, which are misdemeanors.

At their peak, the weekly events attracted thousands to downtown Raleigh to oppose a far-reaching conservative agenda enacted by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and GOP lawmakers. Groups in other Southern states, including Georgia and South Carolina, have since launched similar protests.

Of the nearly 1,000 people arrested in 2013, about half resolved their cases by agreeing to do community service and pay a modest fee. Mangum’s action dismisses almost all the remaining cases.

“You have classes in law school about what the First Amendment means, and it can get complicated,” Mangum said. “In this instance, it has to do with the time, place and manner of restrictions and how police interact with individuals.”

Mangum said cases against a few dozen 2013 protesters will remain active because they were arrested on a day when the General Assembly was supposed to be closed to the public. In a few other cases, protesters were arrested during sit-ins inside legislators’ offices, which are considered private.

The Rev. William J. Barber II, president of the North Carolina branch of the NAACP and a leader of the protest movement, urged Mangum to dismiss those remaining cases, as well.

“We never went in to be arrested,” said Barber, who was among the first handcuffed in 2013. “The General Assembly is the people’s house. … Rather than meet with us for a fair debate on the issues, they arrested us.”

Spokespeople for North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate leader Phil Berger Sr. did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Tillis is now campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Kay Hagan.

Prior to the 2014 legislative session, Republican lawmakers made numerous changes to the building rules. The new rules have also come under criticism for language that appears to give sweeping powers to legislative police officers to arrest people they feel may become disruptive, even if those individuals have not yet actually broken the law.

Mangum declined to comment on the specifics of what he would now consider appropriate forms of protests at the General Assembly.

“It’s not a free for all down at the General Assembly,” Mangum said. “There are limits to what individuals can do at the legislature.”

___

Follow Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker at Twitter.com/mbieseck

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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