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Washington’s Top News — Monday, September 1, 2014

By WTOP Staff

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

Labor Day brings changes to the daily routine

All government offices are closed for the holiday, and there are a lot of changes on the roads this Labor Day as well — check out what you can and can’t do today.

Ferguson police start wearing body cameras

Police in the St. Louis suburb where a white officer shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old have started wearing body cameras.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that officers had the devices on during a protest march Saturday. The march marked the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson.

49er Ray McDonald accused of domestic violence

Just a few days after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced tougher penalties for players accused of domestic violence, San Francisco 49er defensive lineman Ray McDonald was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence on Sunday.

US judge blocks enforcement of new La. abortion law

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Louisiana from enforcing its restrictive new abortion law. District Judge John deGravelles says the law can still take effect Monday, but he says officials cannot penalize the doctors and clinics that sued for breaking it until after a hearing.

The law requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles of their clinics.

Revel starts shutdown Monday after just 2 years

The most spectacular and costly failure in Atlantic City’s 36-year history of casino gambling begins to play out Monday when the $2.4 billion Revel Casino Hotel empties its hotel.

Its casino will close early Tuesday.

Revel is shutting down a little over two years after opening with high hopes of revitalizing Atlantic City’s struggling gambling market.

Germany to help Kurd fighters

The German government is sending some top-flight military equipment to Iraq to help the Kurdish Peshmerga who are fighting Islamic State militants.

Three shipments will be made starting at the end of September. They’ll include high-end rifles, tank-busting weapons and armored vehicles. On Sunday, the U.S. carried out two more airstrikes against IS militants.

What really happened to Tony Soprano?

It’s been seven years since one of the hottest debates in the history of television began: What happened to Tony Soprano in the final scene of the modern classic “The Sopranos”? Was he killed? Or did something else happen?

Series creator David Chase got the whole argument going again last week, when he divulged some important information about Soprano’s fate. And on WTOP’s Entertainment page, film critic Jason Fraley analyzes the whole sequence again, and has his own theories about what happened. See whether his take lines up with yours.

DC United states its case

DC United has picked a good year to have a good year, Noah Frank writes – they’re in the middle of a worst-to-first season that coincides with soccer’s quadrennial World Cup popularity boost and the team’s push for their own home in the Buzzard Point area of the District. On WTOP’s Sports page, Frank breaks down United’s season, and talks with a player and the coach about what their comeback season could mean for soccer in D.C.

What happens to data from your wearables?

A fitness-band company announced last week that they could tell how far from the epicenter last week’s Northern California earthquake was felt by studying the sleep data from their users.

Wait, what?

That kind of use of your information is probably not the kind of thing you thought you signed up for when you took the plunge into wearable tech, but that might be the deal. On WTOP’s Tech page, Gregg Stebben, of Men’s Health, explains what happens to your personal data, what could potentially happen to it, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Are we ready for RoboBee?

Colony Collapse Disorder – the sharp decline in the world’s bee population – threatens a third of the global food supply. There are lots of ways to fight back, and one of them is a tiny robot that could be used to pollinate crops the way real bees do.

Behold the RoboBee. On WTOP’s Living page, Rachel Nania explains how it works, what they could also be used for, and when you can expect to see them in a field near you.

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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