Los Angeles to pay to end case by KKK hood-wearer

By WTOP Staff
June 12, 2014 | 9:40 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The city will pay $215,000 to a man who was tossed out of a city commission meeting for wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood.

The City Council voted Wednesday to settle a free-speech lawsuit by Michael Hunt, the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1ppIq7g ) reported Thursday.

The Venice-area resident, who is black, wore the hood and a T-shirt emblazoned with a profanity and a racial slur against African-Americans during a 2011 meeting of the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners.

Hunt has worn the outfit at other city meetings to confront what he believes is government discrimination, said his lawyer, Stephen Rohde.

“He has co-opted these images and uses them to protest back against the city,” Rohde said.

At the parks commission meeting, then-President Barry Sanders told Hunt that his garb violated city rules of decorum and told him to remove the hood and “offensive signage” or be ejected.

Hunt was escorted out and cited for disturbing a public assembly but wasn’t prosecuted.

The settlement “means that the city is held accountable when it violates civil rights and First Amendment rights,” Rohde said.

City Councilman Bernard Parks, who also is black, says the council decided to settle because it might have been forced to pay much more in legal fees if the case had gone to trial.

“This is one of those things where you hold your nose and vote,” Parks said.

The city recently lost another federal case that Rohde had brought on behalf of two men who were repeatedly ejected from council meetings and alleged violation of their rights.

A jury awarded the men $1 each but it cost the city around $600,000 in legal fees, Parks said.

It’s not the first lawsuit filed against the city by Hunt, who is a vendor on the Venice Boardwalk. He also sued in 2009 to challenge vending restrictions at the tourist attraction.

A jury awarded him $264,286 and the city paid his lawyer $340,000 in fees.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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
July 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM

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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