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Recalls this week: shears, helmets

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

Nearly 300,000 shears that can break are among this week’s recalled consumer products. Others include potentially faulty helmets and hanging lamps.

Here’s a more detailed view:

SHEARS

DETAILS: Fiskars 32-Inch Bypass Lopper Shears with model number 6954. They were sold at The Home Depot Inc. stores nationwide and online at HomeDepot.com from May 2011 through June 2014 for about $40.

WHY: The handles can break when cutting branches and cause injuries.

INCIDENTS: 11 reports of the handles breaking, which caused bruising and cuts to some users. Some needed stitches on their head and face.

HOW MANY: About 277,000.

FOR MORE: Call Friskars at 855-544-0151 or go to www2.fiskars.com and click on product notifications on the bottom of the page.

CHAIR AND TABLE SET

DETAILS: A three-piece cafe set sold at Costco Wholesale Stores. The set includes two aluminum swivel chairs and a rectangular table with a tabletop made from porcelain tile. They were sold from December 2013 to May 2014 for about $400.

WHY: The recalled chairs can break due to a missing metal washer plate and might cause a customer to fall.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 18,000.

FOR MORE: Call Dimension, the distributor, at 800-598-6532 or go online at www.costco.com.

BED BUG HEAT TREATMENT SYSTEMS

DETAILS: ThermalStrike Expedition bed bug heat treatment system. Customers use them by placing items inside to kill bed bugs. They were sold at Bedbug Central, Bedbug Supply, Protect-a-Bed, Univar and other pest control sellers nationwide between December 2011 and May 2014 for between $189 and $199. They were also sold online at Amazon.com.

WHY: A flexible, electrical conducting strip at the top of the device can break, posing a fire risk.

INCIDENTS: Four reports of an electrical strip breaking. There is one report of a fire and three reports of units sparking. No injuries were reported.

HOW MANY: About 1,700.

FOR MORE: Call PAB Two at 866-470-1755 or go online at www.thermalstrike.com.

ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES

DETAILS: Kymco MXU 700 ATVs that came in black, camouflage, gold, green, red and silver. The recall is for model years 2013, 2014 and 2015. They were sold at Kymco dealers nationwide from April 2013 to August 2014 for about $9,000.

WHY: The fuel cap may not vent properly, causing the fuel to heat up and pressure to build up in the tank and may cause it to rupture and burn the rider or start a fire.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 540.

FOR MORE: Call Kymco at 888-235-3417 or go online www.kymcousa.com.

HANGING LAMPS

DETAILS: Hanging lamps that were sold at Rejuvenation stores nationwide from July to September for between $250 and $325.

WHY: The cord holding the pendant can fail, causing it to fall from the ceiling.

INCIDENTS: One report of the pendant falling. No injuries have been reported.

HOW MANY: About 85.

FOR MORE: Call Rejuvenation at 888-401-1900 or go online at www.rejuvenation.com.

BICYCLE HELMETS

DETAILS: Louis Garneau P-09 aerodynamic bicycle helmets with model number 1405362. They were sold at bicycle dealers nationwide and online at Louisgarneau.com from January through September for between $280 and $350.

WHY: The helmet may not protect the wearer from impact in cold weather.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 1,180.

FOR MORE: Call Louis Garneau USA at 800-448-1984 or go online at www.louisgarneau.com/us-en/.

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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