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LeBron tells Ohio crowd: “I love you. I’m back.”

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — On a night packed with emotion and inspiration, LeBron James saved the biggest moment for last.

Surrounded by family, friends and fans in a city welcoming him home, James delivered a line he’s been waiting to say for four years.

“I love you,” he told the crowd of nearly 25,000. “I’m back.”

James then dropped the microphone and left the stage as fireworks exploded about InfoCision Stadium, illuminating the Akron sky.

James is home, and he’s not leaving again.

The NBA superstar, who re-signed with Cleveland last month, said Friday night he intends to play the rest of his career with the Cavaliers, the team he returned to after winning two NBA titles in Miami.

When he signed a two-year, $41 million contract that included an option after one year, there was speculation he would one day test free agency again. The contract made Cleveland fans nervous, but they can now relax.

“I don’t plan on going nowhere,” James said. “I don’t have the energy to do it again.”

James, who returned to Northeast Ohio after four seasons with the Heat, was welcomed back with a homecoming event fit for a King.

Fans waited in line for six hours for a prime seat for the event on the University of Akron campus, not far from where the 29-year-old James bounced his first basketball.

There were tributes during the two-hour ceremony, highlighted by recording artist Skylar Grey signing her hit “I’m Coming Home,” a song that became the unofficial theme of his return to Cleveland.

“It’s almost like she knew I was coming home before I knew I was coming home,” he said.

James was back and the city that helped raise him welcomed him with open arms. The welcome-home party coincided with James’ annual “I Promise” campaign for area children sponsored by his family foundation.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said James, joined at his news conference by several kids. “I’m not gonna sit up here and say it’s not. To know you can do things for people, give them hope, give them inspiration. It means a lot to me. I understand I’m a role model. I understand to these kids I’m more than a role model. I’m a superhero to them. I’m a father to them. I’m a brother to them, whatever the case they want me to be on that particular day.”

Although he was playing for the Heat, James said his heart was always home and he realized it was time to return.

“It just hit me,” he said. “Sometimes you just have a feeling. You realize what’s going on and what’s happening. It just hit me.”

During a 15-minute interview session — his first since announcing his return to Ohio — James touched on a number of subjects, including new Cleveland coach David Blatt, the possible addition of All-Star forward Kevin Love, who is expected to join the Cavs in a trade from Minnesota later this month, and winning Cleveland’s first championship since 1964 .

James won an Olympic gold medal with Love at the London Games in 2012 and he’s eager to be his teammate again.

“I’m going to be very excited to have him,” James said. “I don’t really care about the 26 (points) and 12 (rebounds). I care about the basketball IQ. His basketball IQ is very, very high. I had an opportunity to spend 32 days with him on the 2012 Olympic team. It’s funny. I always told Kevin Love, ‘You’re very good, man.’ He always thought I was blowing smoke.

“I always told him he was going to be a reason why we won the gold medal, and he played a huge role for us. So I’m looking forward to it. He’s a great piece.”

As for Blatt, the former Maccabi Tel Aviv coach hired by Cleveland in June, James did some research on his offense and likes what he’s seen.

“I watched all his clips form him coaching Maccabi and I kind of broke them down to see how I fit and obviously I can fit in every position on the floor,” he said.

James is looking forward to playing with Love and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, neither of whom have played in an NBA playoff game. James knows what it takes to win a title, and he’s going to have to lead the way for a team lacking postseason experience.

“I’m going to have to teach, lead and inspire those guys,” he said. “But my No. 1 goal is to win the championship here. I think it would be the greatest achievement in my life as far as on the court. Hopefully it will happen. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Fans arrived before 11 a.m. to get a prime seat to see James.

“I might cry when I see him,” said Rodneka Price, who drove seven hours from Muncie, Indiana.

Melissa Rumner and her son, Nick, were first in a long line which wrapped around the stadium on the University of Akron’s campus.

“We had to be here to welcome him back,” Rumner said as 10-year-old Nick stood by wearing one of the white No. 23 jerseys James popularized during his seven seasons with the Cavs. “We’re so happy to have him back.”

Nick was confident James would return to Cleveland.

“I knew he was coming back,” said the red-head, who was counting down the minutes before the gates opened.

Price packed up a car of six people and drove to Ohio for the first time so she could help welcome back the four-time league MVP. She said James’ poignant essay that he was returning home to try and end Cleveland’s 50-year championship drought touched her.

“It all makes sense,” she said, wearing a “Return Of The King” T-shirt. “He made a promise and he’s going to stick to it.”

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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