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Man charged with threatening to take over ranch

By WTOP Staff

HAMILTON, Mont. (AP) — A man who lost his western Montana ranch in a 1979 divorce and spent more than 20 years in prison for intimidating judges, attorneys and others involved in the case is now charged with threatening to kidnap the current owners and showing up at the property to “take back the ranch,” Ravalli County court records said.

John Fesler Lance II, 73, was arrested Sept. 15 after deputies arrived to find him on the ground with ranch owners Lee and Lucinda Hayne each pointing a gun at him.

He remained jailed Tuesday on $200,000 bail on charges of intimidation, stalking, trespassing and violating a protective order, according to jail records. He has not entered a plea. Lance’s public defender, Tom Schoenleben, was out of town and unavailable for comment Tuesday.

County Attorney Bill Fulbright said Lance lost his Florence-area ranch in a default judgment for failing to answer his wife’s petition seeking a divorce. Fulbright said Lance was convicted of threatening the judge who made the ruling, an attorney who prosecuted the intimidation charge and others he perceived as being involved in his loss of the ranch.

Lance served more than 20 years in the state prison so he could be released without being on parole, Fulbright said. Soon after his March 31 release, he was spotted loitering outside Lucinda Hayne’s place of work in Hamilton.

He was arrested and sat in jail until his July trial where he was convicted of violating a permanent restraining order and sentenced to time served, Fulbright said.

Over the past several months, the Haynes or their attorney received correspondence from Lance threatening to use any force necessary to “take the ranch back,” including kidnapping the Haynes and holding them for ransom, court records said.

Earlier this month, the Montana Supreme Court rejected Lance’s attempt to overturn a permanent order of protection the Haynes were granted against him.

On Sept. 15, Lance called attorney William Jones from Missoula, distraught, and said he was going back to his ranch. Jones contacted authorities.

The Haynes said that while they waited for deputies to arrive, Lance rambled on about the ranch, told them they were trespassing and he had the right to use force to evict them.

The couple told officers they were forced to drastically change their lives after Lance was released from prison, including always having someone stay on the property and not having visitors, charging documents said.

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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