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Washington’s Top News — Wednesday, August 27, 2014

By WTOP Staff

Here’s a look at some of the day’s top stories from WTOP:

American woman abducted by extremists in Syria

U.S. officials say the same extremist group that killed American journalist James Foley is holding an American woman hostage.

A family representative says the 26-year-old woman was doing humanitarian aid work in Syria when she was abducted by the group Islamic State. She’s not being identified out of fear for her safety.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials say an American man has been killed while fighting for extremists in Syria, mostly likely for the Islamic State. The man is identified as Douglas McAuthur McCain.

Crist wins Florida Democratic primary for governor

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is continuing his political comeback, only this time, he’s a Democrat, not a Republican.

Democratic voters in today’s primary have selected Crist as their nominee to challenge Republican Gov. Rick Scott. Crist easily defeated former state Sen. Nan Rich.

Gaza cease-fire holds as sides weigh gains

An open-ended cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip seems to be holding.

The cease-fire went into effect Tuesday night local time. Israeli media are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had deliberately not put the cease-fire issue to a vote in his security Cabinet because of opposition from ministers who wanted to continue the fighting.

Authorities: Los Angeles-area man is serial killer

Authorities in Los Angeles believe that a man in custody randomly shot seven people over five days, killing four of them.

Right now, 34-year-old Alexander Hernandez is charged with one count of capital murder, two counts of attempted murder and animal cruelty, for allegedly shooting two dogs.

Mother of newborn baby found in trash arrested

A newborn baby is in extremely critical condition after her 24-year-old mother left her in a neighbor’s trash can.

The child was heard by a woman in suburban Salt Lake City who thought she heard a kitten meowing. The mother is being questioned. Police and health officials say the child could have been dropped off at a hospital without consequences.

Could we be looking at a Nats-Orioles World Series?

The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles are cruising at the top of their respective divisions, and sports editor Noah Frank says the numbers show they’ll both almost certainly make the playoffs. But will they make it through the playoffs and turn the World Series into a Battle of the Beltways? Don’t bet the rent money, Frank says. On WTOP’s Sports page, he goes deep into the statistics and shows that while anything can happen in baseball, especially the playoffs, each team has some serious hills to climb to get through the postseason.

Working the waffle iron in weird but tasty ways

When you compare the size and weight of your waffle iron with how (in)frequently you use it, it’s probably the least-efficient tool in your kitchen. But one writer decided to see what his iron could really do. The result was a popular blog on his culinary adventures and a book with 53 recipes explaining how to cook everything from French toast to meatballs to quesadillas and more.

On WTOP’s Living page, Rachel Nania talks with Daniel Shumski and finds out why the waffle iron gets a bad rap and how there’s no reason to use it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Filet mignon? You better believe it.

Reading tablets: How good are they? Do you need one?

Regular e-readers are great, but they can’t do anything but display books. Lately companies have released several reading-centric tablets that do more than a regular Kindle or Nook. But are they really worth it? On WTOP’s Tech page, an expert breaks down the offerings and explains whether they’re worth it.

Power tools and manicures: A different kind of ladies night

A happy hour at a hardware store? A happy hour for women at a hardware store? It’s pretty rare, but a Petworth shop held just such an event recently, drawing women to bike clinics, power-tool tutorials, manicures and massages. Reaching out to women doesn’t mean dumbing something down, one attendee said, and the woman who owns the store couldn’t agree more. Read all about serious empowerment on WTOP’s Tech page.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.

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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