Police: Man fed up with barking kills neighbor dog

By WTOP Staff
September 16, 2014 | 6:20 PM

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state man fed up with barking fatally shot his neighbors’ dog in front of them. But the corgi apparently wasn’t the one barking, authorities said.

Now David William Latham, 55, faces charges of felony animal cruelty, among others. His attorney, Adrian Madrone, said his client feels terrible, The Bellingham Herald reported (http://is.gd/PvKtNu).

“I know Mr. Latham feels terrible about this situation,” Madrone said. “This is a very serious case that he’s going to be taking very seriously moving forward.”

According to authorities, Loyce Andrews and her husband, Cary Chunyk, had just finished feeding their two dogs, Molly and Kirby, when Latham walked across the street to their backyard fence, aimed over the fence and shot Molly in front of Chunyk, who had lingered in the yard to enjoy a nice summer evening.

Chunyk ran after Latham and shouted: “You just shot my dog!”

But Andrews’ husband backed off, she said, when Latham stopped to brandish the rifle at him. Meanwhile Molly, a 13-month-old corgi, bled to death on the lawn for the next half-hour.

“He was very cooperative with officers,” Lt. Bob Vander Yacht said. “I don’t know what caused him to snap. But something made him go over the edge, beyond reason.”

Other neighbors heard a large dog barking and whining wildly, at a home next door to where Molly had been shot, for two more hours after the shooting.

“He said to the cops, ‘Oh my God, I shot the wrong dog,'” Andrews said. “As if there’s a right dog.”

Latham has no criminal history. He worked as a loan officer and an assistant vice president at Banner Bank until October 2009. He also served as president of the Bellingham Association of Credit Management, according to a Bellingham Business Journal article. In court Monday, his attorney said he still works in banking.

Bail for Latham was set at $20,000.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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
July 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM

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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