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Florida ‘speed trap’ town disbands police force

By WTOP Staff

JASON DEAREN
Associated Press

WALDO, Fla. (AP) — The tiny town of Waldo in north Florida has such a notorious reputation as a speed trap that AAA erected billboards to warn drivers about it, but all that may be about to change.

On Tuesday, weeks after the police chief and interim chief resigned due to state investigations into ticket quotas, mishandling of evidence and other issues, Waldo’s City Council disbanded its police force.

While the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office is now in charge of policing the town of 1,000, and AAA says it will consider removing its billboards, some citizens worry that the speeding problem will worsen and criminals will feel they have carte blanche.

“I think it’s nuts,” Waldo resident Kim Andrews said about the disbanded police force. He owns Andrews Knife and Muzzleloading, a weapon collector’s shop just off the highway.

“It’s rare that I ever wear this on my side,” Andrews said, motioning to a pistol holstered on his hip. “Now I’ll wear it every day.”

Officials in the town between Jacksonville and Gainesville never hid the fact that citations paid for the small police force, arguing that the speeding problem was a real public safety hazard. For years motorists cruising through the 2-square-mile town have passed the AAA’s warning signs.

Trouble with Waldo’s police department started in August, when Chief Mike Szabo was suspended amid a Florida Department of Law Enforcement probe into his alleged recording of conversations with fellow officers.

A couple of weeks later the town’s interim chief, Cpl. Kenneth Smith, was also suspended after five of the department’s officers told the City Council that he was mishandling evidence, taking city property for personal use and imposing a strict ticket quota.

Smith and Szabo later resigned, and the department crumbled.

Waldo really does have a speeding problem, officials and residents insist. They say cars and trucks regularly blow through town on U.S. 301 and Highway 24, endangering residents and school children.

Alachua County sheriff’s Lt. Steve Maynard has been helping patrol Waldo since the department’s problems began in September. He understands the concerns about losing the town’s police force, but he said call response times and safety will not be compromised.

“We are reconfiguring our (assignments) so that rapid response times will be ensured,” Maynard said.

On Thursday green and white sheriff’s vehicles buzzed around town, while the city’s black and white patrol cars sat in front of the empty police department downtown.

AAA said it is still paying for billboards outside Waldo, and also nearby Lawtey. They are the only towns that AAA has singled out nationwide as speed traps.

With the police force disbanded, AAA said it will consider whether to remove the signs and take Waldo off its list — but only if it means traffic tickets are being given for safety reasons, and not revenue generation.

“We would certainly strongly consider not renewing the billboards on either side of Waldo when the outdoor advertising contracts come up for renewal,” said AAA spokesman Kevin Bakewell.

About half of the town’s roughly $1 million budget comes from citations, according to its budget. This helped pay for the police force. Portions of revenue from citations written by sheriff’s deputies will still go to Waldo’s coffers, Maynard said, but it’s unclear how the city’s budgeting will be affected in the future.

Waldo’s City Manager Kim Worley refused to be interviewed for this article, and a Tallahassee-based spokesman, Ron Sachs, hired to handle public affairs for the city did not return an email seeking comment.

While the details are hashed out, some Waldo residents worry drivers will feel free to speed through town.

“I hate to lose the police department, just for general safety levels,” Harold Coday, 80, said outside Waldo’s post office. “And the officers were good guys, they were just doing their job writing tickets. They had good intentions.”

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Follow Jason Dearen on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen

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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