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Sheriff: DCF was warned about Spirit in 2013 case

By WTOP Staff

BELL, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s child welfare agency was warned in 2013 that a man should be kept away from the daughter and six grandchildren that he later killed, Alachua County’s sheriff told a newspaper.

Last year, three of the six children killed were interviewed by a child protection team that warned Florida’s Department of Children and Families that Don Spirit should have no contact with his grandchildren, Sheriff Sadie Darnell told The Gainesville Sun (http://bit.ly/1tbr0I9).

On Sept. 18, Spirit shot 28-year-old Sarah Spirit, and her six children: Kaleb Kuhlmann, 11; Kylie Kuhlmann, 9; Johnathon Kuhlmann, 8; Destiny Stewart, 5; Brandon Stewart, 4; and Alanna Stewart, who was born in June, in Bell before killing himself.

Darnell says DCF was warned during the 2013 child abuse investigation by a University of Florida child protection team.

“And DCF was advised (for the children) not to have contact with the grandfather,” Darnell said.

State officials refused to confirm to the newspaper that they interviewed the children, citing confidentiality laws.

The child protection team responded after Spirit’s ex-wife, Christine Jeffers, called authorities in an attempt to protect her grandchildren, telling a deputy that Don Spirit suffered from bipolar disorder.

At the time of the shooting, Don Spirit was well-known to local authorities: He had a previous felony conviction related to the accidental shooting of his son during a hunting trip. In 2008, Sarah Spirit had filed a police report claiming he hit her while she was pregnant.

In the Alachua County sheriff’s report of the 2013 child abuse interview, Sarah Spirit told a deputy she had seen guns in her father’s possession. As a former felon, he was not legally allowed to have firearms.

It is unclear what, if anything, DCF did in response to the warning.

Still, two weeks before the killings, the state’s child abuse hotline was called by someone who reported that adults were doing drugs in front of the kids, according to documents released by DCF.

DCF spokeswoman Alexis Lambert refused to comment on the 2013 case, saying DCF will comment after an investigation into the agency’s history with the Spirit family is complete.

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Information from: The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com

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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