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Patchy turf causing concern at Amazonian cup venue

By WTOP Staff

THEMBA HADEBE
Associated Press

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Visibly dry, white stripes across the grass pitch at the Amazonian World Cup stadium have heightened concerns about the playing surface ahead of Saturday’s key Group D match between Italy and England.

“Frankly, Manaus is in bad shape,” Carlos Botella, head groundsman for the Royal Verd company which is responsible for the turf at Manaus and six other World Cup stadiums, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “We’ve started to implement an emergency plan to try to save the field and improve it as much as possible, but I don’t think it’ll be in good condition,” by the weekend.

Measures to improve the dry, patchy surface were in full swing Wednesday.

“Yesterday we put fertilizer, and we’ll increase the fertilizing process with biostimulants and seeds to try to get the most out of the grass,” Botella said.

FIFA issued a statement saying its experts were satisfied that the Manaus pitch will be ready for training and matches and that “mitigation procedures” have been in place for three months.

Royal Verd installed the drainage system and planted the grass at the $229 million stadium and has worked with local contractors to maintain the surface.

Botella said preparing the pitch has been difficult due to access issues, recent rain and problems with algae when the grass was laid. The northwest Brazil city is in the heart of the world’s biggest rainforest and reachable only by plane or boat.

“The maintenance has been complicated in Manaus. There’re no roads, all the machinery and materials had to be brought by ship,” he said. “There’s no fertilizer, no seeds. Everything has been complicated.”

The Spain-based Royal Verd is working on World Cup stadiums in Rio, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Salvador and Recife as well as training venues for 10 national teams during the tournament.

Manaus has been in the headlines since it was selected as a World Cup host, attracting criticism initially in Brazil due to its distance from the country’s other major venues. Before the World Cup draw last year, England coach Roy Hodgson upset local officials with remarks about it being “the place ideally to avoid” because of the humid and steamy weather.

Construction of the 42,000-capacity Arena da Amazonia, with its lattice roof of diamond panels that look like snake scales, was marked by three workers’ deaths.

Last month, the Manaus city government declared a state of emergency as the waters of an Amazon River tributary swelled, but said it was a preventative measure to assure swift access to emergency resources and didn’t expect it to flood.

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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