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The Latest: Northern Idaho residents warned to expect flood

By The Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Latest on flooding in Idaho (all times local):

2:40 p.m.

Officials say an ice jam that was blocking the Weiser River and causing flooding near the Idaho-Oregon border has broken up, allowing the floodwaters to begin to recede.

A flash flood damaged several homes and forced residents to flee to the tops of their cars and roofs to escape the icy waters Friday morning. Emergency workers used a large front-end loader to rescue four adults and five children, along with several horses and other animals, from one property outside of the southwestern Idaho town of Weiser.

Washington County Disaster Services spokesman Steve Penner said two people were still trapped inside their homes by the flood. One man appeared to be unharmed and told officials he didn’t want to be rescued. Emergency workers have been unable to make contact with the other man for the last few hours and were unsure of his status on Friday afternoon.

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12 p.m.

Authorities are warning residents in the northern Idaho towns of St. Joseph and St. Maries to expect flooding when an ice jam on the St. Joe River breaks free.

The National Weather Service issued the flood warning for residents near the river in Shoshone County Friday morning. The ice jam has already caused flooding in the upstream town of Calder.

Flood stage is at 13 feet, and by Friday morning the water was at nearly 16½ feet. The flood warning remains in effect until Sunday evening.

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11:15 a.m.

Authorities in eastern Idaho say a Wyoming man was killed in an avalanche Thursday while snowmobiling in the McCoy Creek area.

Sgt. Bryan Lovell with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s office said 35-year-old Josh Roth of Alpine, Wyoming, died in the avalanche.

Roth was snowmobiling with a friend when the slide occurred. His companion was able to locate him using an avalanche beacon and dig him out from under two or three feet of snow, but Roth died from injuries obtained in the slide.

Officials say the avalanche danger is high throughout eastern Idaho, the West Central mountains and surrounding areas as high winds, warmer temperatures and rainfall have destabilized the snow pack. The higher temperatures and rainfall have also led to widespread flooding in lower parts of the state.

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10:40 a.m.

Authorities in southwestern Idaho’s Washington County say several people have been rescued from the top of a vehicle outside their home after they were trapped by rising floodwaters.

Steve Domby, the county’s disaster services coordinator, said Friday that emergency workers used a loader to reach the family, including two young children, at a home near Weiser. The car was surrounded by water and large chunks of floating ice, but the family was able to climb into the loader bucket and be transported to safety.

Domby said rescue efforts were still underway for one man trapped in the same area. He said the man appears to be unharmed but is trapped on the roof of his home, and fire crews and other emergency workers were trying to determine a way to reach him safely.

Weiser is one of several parts of Idaho to face flooding when large amounts of accumulated snow began to rapidly melt as temperatures rose Thursday.

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7:32 a.m.

Warm winter weather is threatening to flood most of Idaho, with southern Idaho already under water.

Warm weather is melting historic snowfall, particularly in the Magic Valley, where a canal was partially breached overnight Thursday, flooding an area near Castleford and Buhl. Several families have been displaced.

Districts in Filer, Buhl and Minidoka County closed schools in the middle of the day Thursday due to the floods. A car that got past a police barricade in Twin Falls County was swept away by violent floodwaters. Roads have been swept away by the rushing water in the area, though no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.

Elsewhere in the state authorities are warning about floods. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Weiser area, Moscow, Pullman and Bonner County.

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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