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Jersey shore unfazed by great white shark surge

By WTOP Staff

WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. (AP) — Despite a surge in the great white shark population and several recent sightings off the Jersey shore, beachgoers still plan to hit the beach for the Fourth of July weekend.

A study by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists finds that numbers of the great white, immortalized in the film “Jaws,” are surging along the East Coast. And in recent weeks, fishermen have encountered great whites off Cape May and Long Beach Island.

But most beachgoers say that won’t keep them out of the water. Fisherman T.J. Loughran of Manahawkin says he caught several brown sharks off the beach in Ship Bottom last week, but he isn’t afraid of great whites.

“I love to fish and I love the water and I’m not changing a thing,” he said. “This is the first time I ever heard of a great white near here.”

His wife, Lucy, isn’t so sure.

“It does concern me because one of them was close,” she said. “But it doesn’t bother me enough to keep me out of the water. A friend of my husband caught a sand tiger shark recently, and that freaked me out when I saw all those teeth. But as much as I think about it, I keep going into the water. I know a lot of people are afraid of sharks, but what can you do?”

Skimboarder Logan Sheehan, also of Manahawkin, says most shark attacks are accidental and happen farther offshore than where he boards. But the federal report found exactly the opposite: that great whites are more common along the coast than offshore. People encounter them mostly between Massachusetts and New Jersey during the summer, and off Florida in the winter, the report said.

“Sharks don’t bother me,” Sheehan said. “They don’t really like people; when they do bite, they’ll usually spit it back out. They don’t take the whole body.”

On June 21, a group of fishermen watched with surprise as a 16-foot-long great white snacked on their bag of bait. That encounter was far offshore.

But a day earlier, a fisherman was in his boat only a mile and a half off Long Beach Island — with swimmers visible — when he hooked a juvenile great white shark. It was about 6 feet long and weighed 100 to 120 pounds. Adult great whites can reach 23 feet long and weigh between 1,500 to 5,000 pounds.

“I don’t go out far enough so I’m not concerned, but my son is a surfer, so that’s somewhat of a concern,” said Karen Delmonaco of Ship Bottom. “We’ve been coming here our whole lives, and it never was an issue. We’re in their realm. This is their environment we’re coming into.”

Laurie Krempa will keep her family at the beach this holiday weekend.

“We’re not leaving,” she said. “They have lifeguards up and down the coast. If they see anything, I’m sure they’d blow the whistle and get everyone out.”

___

Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

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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