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Storm impact on Hawaii election, tourists, transit

By WTOP Staff

CATHY BUSSEWITZ
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Residents and tourists in Hawaii are bracing for two major storms swirling toward the island chain. Hurricane Iselle is expected to hit the Big Island late Thursday evening or early Friday morning, canceling flights and shaking up the final days of campaigns before the state’s primary election. Hurricane Julio is following in the Pacific, having strengthened into a Category 3 storm but forecast to pass just north of the islands sometime Sunday morning.

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ELECTION

Officials say Hawaii’s primary election will be held Saturday as planned. But candidates in heated races are suspending campaign activities, including a Democratic rally.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, both in the final days of tight races, asked supporters to take down campaign signs so they don’t become dangerous projectiles. Kathryn Xian, who’s running for Congress, suspended campaign activities and her volunteers focused on driving homeless people to shelters.

“My campaign hat is off,” Abercrombie said in a news conference Thursday. “I’m engaged in the job I got hired to do, and I feel very confident not only that we’re ready, but that we can carry through.”

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TRANSIT

Airports remained open Thursday, but the Department of Transportation encouraged travelers to check with airlines. Nearly 30 flights from several airlines, including Delta, United, Air China and WestJet, were canceled Thursday, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said.

American Airlines and US Airways announced they canceled flights in and out of the Big Island and Maui Thursday evening through noon Friday. Hawaiian Airlines canceled some interisland flights for Thursday evening and moved its Maui-Los Angeles flight up by nearly five hours.

Travelers were urged to stay in hotels instead of heading to the airport, unless their flight was imminent.

“It’s very, very important that people understand that our airport is not set up to handle large crowds,” Ford Fuchigami, interim director of the Hawaii’s Department of Transportation, said in a news conference.

Most public bus services on Oahu and Maui would be shut down Friday, but some express buses would run in the morning, officials said. On Oahu, evacuation buses would start running late Thursday.

The U.S. Coast Guard shut down ports on the Big Island, Maui and Oahu, arranging for barges and ships to leave the ports and seek sheltered waters.

“I am committed to reopening each port as soon as it is safe to do so,” Capt. Shannon Gilreath said in a statement.

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TOURISTS

An estimated 204,000 visitors are scattered across the Hawaiian islands on any given day, and hotel and tourism officials are delivering emergency information in multiple languages, said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the tourism authority.

Tourists in popular Waikiki Beach on Oahu lounged on beach chairs Thursday morning and surfed on the azure waves while the tropical sun shone.

“We did decide to come out here and make the most of it before we had to be back inside because of the storm,” said Helen Povazan, retired IT manager visiting from Melbourne, Australia.

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RURAL AREAS

On Hawaii’s Big Island, residents in the quaint town of Pahoa were glad they stocked up on bottled water earlier in the week because most stores had run out.

“Lucky thing I bought four cases Monday,” said Tarty Taurus at the Kaleo’s Bar and Grill, as restaurant staff served customers and tied down everything they could.

Residents of rural Hana on Maui are hoping Hana Highway isn’t washed out and have been buying up plywood, said Wiloris Perry-Estocado of Hasagawa General Store.

“There’s a lot of old homes in Hana — we’re all as prepared as can be,” Perry-Estocado said. “If the wind comes, a lot of our roofs are going to go.”

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Associated Press Writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report. Rob Collias contributed to this report from Maui.

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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