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Student loans debt rose 25% in '09

Many college students are carrying more than a heavy class load this fall. For the first time ever, total student loan debt exceeds total credit card debt in this country, with almost $850 billion outstanding, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and FastWeb.com, Web sites that provide information about student aid and scholarships. U.S. consumers owe about $826.5 billion in revolving credit, including credit card debt. Oddly, some students don't even know how much they owe -- or to whom. "I'm scared to know," said Carla George, 20, of Detroit, a junior majoring in biology at Wayne State University. She knows her mother, at one point, borrowed about $10,000 through a federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students. The PLUS loan lets parents borrow for costs not covered by a financial aid package. George estimates that she has taken out at least $10,000 in other loans. "I think it's a whole bunch more," she said. A college diploma and a good job are supposed to be the payoff for years of hard work in school. But for thousands of today's students, there's going to be a payback, too -- as those loans come due after graduation. Some college students are failing financially long before they get a diploma -- or a grown-up paycheck. "Students are far worse off today with student loan debt," said Alan Collinge, who runs a Web site called StudentLoanJustice.org, where students discuss their troubles with college loans. With tuition far outpacing inflation for the past 20 years, student borrowing has continued to grow -- a whopping 25% last year. Some students who are borrowing never expected to, but their parents have lost jobs or suffered other financial setbacks in the recession. Dramatic drops in home values also have made it far tougher for some parents to cover college costs by simply taking out a home equity loan. Elizabeth Hoel, 25, expects to graduate from nursing school at Wayne State University in December with $65,000 in loans awaiting repayment. Hoel has no idea how much money she'll need each month for payments -- but said she thinks she'll be able to manage if she can land a nursing job at about $55,000 a year. "I feel like I've gotten really good living on a budget," said Hoel, who is from Eagan, Minn. But she also knows that because of the loans, she won't be able to increase her standard of living for a while. Across the country, student loan debt is approaching $850 billion and recently surpassed credit card debt. You can see the number growing at www.finaid.org/studentdebtclock. Know your obligation For many college grads, that monthly student loan payment is turning into quite a scary number. Kate Baker, 30, pays $600 a month -- and has watched less-encumbered friends her age buy houses, travel and generally enjoy more disposable income. Baker doesn't regret borrowing huge sums to major in government and urban studies at Smith College, a private liberal arts school for women in New England. She's convinced that her Smith degree has given her an edge and could be the main reason she has been employed for the past 10 years -- even if, she jokes, she's also going to be in poverty until she's 50. "As you look longer term, it's scary that my retirement account is basically nonexistent," said Baker, who makes about $50,000 a year as a development director for Wayne State University Press, and another $5,000 as mayor pro tem for the City of Ferndale. What can you do to hold down your debt so you're not digging out of it for years after graduation? Get a handle now on "the number" -- what you will need each month for loan payments. If, for example, you have $30,000 in student loans, your could be paying about $350 a month for 10 years -- if they're Stafford Loans at a current unsubsidized rate of 6.8% and have 1% in fees. Including interest, you'd be paying off nearly $42,000. To swing this without hitting the lottery, you're going to need a job that pays far more than the minimum wage. One estimate, according to a calculator at www.Finaid.org, is an annual salary of $42,000, assuming you use 10% of your monthly gross for loan payments. If you start out making $25,000 a year or less, get ready to move back into Mom and Dad's basement to make those loan payments. Candy Wright, group manager credit counseling for GreenPath in Farmington Hills, said many young grads are having a hard time lately finding a job that can pay enough to cover their loans. She warns them to be realistic about borrowing. A visit to your college career office can provide a look at estimated salaries in your chosen field and region of the country. Other things to know * You can hold down your costs. Evan Rutkofske, 20, who lives with his parents in Grosse Pointe Woods, took some classes at Macomb Community College last year and was able to transfer 30 credit hours to Wayne this year. He saved a few thousand dollars. Community college can offer a chance to save $4,000 or $5,000 up front in the first year of college compared with the cost of a bigger university. Depending on where you go and how many classes transfer, the savings could be greater. Rutkofske, a junior who wants to be an accountant, said he ended up taking some courses at Macomb because he initially had a harder time his freshman year at Wayne -- and needed a community college to get prepared. "I wasn't ready for it. I wasted $3,200 of my parents' money," he said. "You can put any workload on me now -- and I'm good to go." * Keep track of your borrowing. Reyna Gobel, 33, said she misplaced information on one of 16 student loans that she took out as an undergraduate and ended up defaulting on one. Some graduates may not discover that they've got a rogue loan until they are turned down for a mortgage or a car loan -- or a collection agency starts calling. Gobel also learned that one bad loan means you can't get additional federal student aid for grad school. "Know what you owe," said Gobel, who lives outside of Dallas and is the author of "Graduation Debt: How to Manage Your Student Loans and Live Your Life." (CliffNotes, Wiley Publishing). A form for keeping track of student loans can be found at http://www.finaid.org/loans/studentloanchecklist.phtml. You also can access all your federal student loan information on the National Student Loan Data System Web site at www.nslds.ed.gov. * If you can, pay now Sallie Mae came up with a new twist on this idea by launching a product called the Smart Option Student Loan that requires that borrowers make at least a fixed payment of $25 a month while in college. The idea is to keep balances from growing higher each month. "It's less than a dollar a day," said Charles Rocha, senior vice president for student lending for Sallie Mae. On a $10,000 loan, it's possible to save about $6,275 in interest -- or about one-third of interest charges -- over 10 years. Student borrowers also should exhaust all options for federal loans before considering private loan programs, such as the Smart Option product. Contact SUSAN TOMPOR: 313-222-8876 or stompor@freepress.com

Obituaries: Sept. 9

Veryle "Kitch" L. Kitchenmaster, age 62, of Lakewood, passed away unexpectedly at home on August 29, 2010. He was born on July 28, 1948 in Soperton, Wis. the son of the late Irwin and Eldrie (Morey) Kitchenmaster. Kitch was in the U.S. Army and was a Vietnam Era Veteran, who served in Panama. He married Margaret "Vikki" Gilligan and helped raise twin stepsons Mark and Mike Gilligan. Kitch drove semi as an owner/operator leasing his truck to Novak Trucking and later to Bruce Trucking; he retired in 2007 because he became insulin dependent. He was an avid snowmobiler, 4-wheeler, camper and car aficionado. Kitch loved to play pranks and was an integral part of many, many lives. He will be sadly missed. Survived by sisters, Beulah Gilligan, Eagan, Minn., Zetta Haley Bangert, Silver Cliff, Zelma Rosenbaum, Silver Cliff, brother, Dennis (Carol) Kitchenmaster, Silver Cliff. Further survived by in-laws, Joe Gilligan of Madison, Sharon Kitchenmaster and Mike Rosenbaum of Silver Cliff, 19 nieces and nephews; their children and grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents Irwin and Eldrie; sister, Idella Gilligan and brother, Delsey Kitchenmaster. Visitation was on Wednesday, Sept. 1 from 4-8:00 p.m. and again on Thursday, Sept. 2 from 10-11:00 a.m. at the Weber-Hill Funeral Home, Wabeno. Funeral Service followed on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. with Pastors Wendy and Dennis Mannering. Interment was in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Wabeno. Military Honors were provided by the American Legion Sylvan Post #44, Wabeno. Weber-Hill Funeral Home, Wabeno assisted the family with the arrangements. Online condolences at www.weberhillfuneralhome.com Lucy K. Henrichs, 95, Lena, left Sharpe Care Ltd. September 1, 2010 to be with her loving husband for their anniversary on September 7th. They were married at St. Charles Catholic Church, Lena in 1931. She was born to the late Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Margaret Ann (Kubs) Kugel November 2, 1914. Lucy was a devoted Catholic. She enjoyed spending time up north at their cabin in Long Lake. She also enjoyed sewing, baking, and gardening. Lucy is survived by five children, Constance (Marvin) Castonia, Little Suamico; Robert (Sharon) Henrichs, Florida; Wayne (Judy) Henrichs, Tennessee; Richard (special friend Paulette) Henrichs, Klondike; Jeff (June) Henrichs, Tennessee; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, George, her son, Clyde, two sisters, Emily Bernard and Agnes Lisle and three brothers, Tony, Charles and George Kugel. No Services were held. Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home, Lena is assisting the family. John A. Boswell, 86, Peshtigo, formerly of Oconto Falls, died Sunday afternoon, August 29, 2010 at Rennes Health Center in Peshtigo. He was born June 21, 1924 in Manitowoc to Edwin and Agnes (Smith) Boswell. The family lived in Manitowoc before moving to the Marinette-Menominee area where John graduated from Marinette High School with the class of 1942. Following graduation, he entered the U.S. Army where he served in the second wave of action during the Invasion of Normandy in WW II. On May 3, 1947 he married June Riebe in Manitowoc. The couple lived in Manitowoc for a short time before moving to the Marinette-Menominee area where John was an automobile salesman. In 1965, the family moved to Oconto Falls where they lived until 1982 at which time John and June moved to Arizona for health reasons. They returned to Fitchburg in 1994 to live near family. Following June's death in 2000, John moved north to live in Peshtigo. While living in Oconto Falls he was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church. John was also a member of the VFW and the Blind Veteran's Association. Survivors include three children, Kathy (Dan) Johnson, Madison; John II (Lynne) Boswell, Milwaukee; Dell Boswell, Arizona; two daughters-in-law, Sandra Boswell, Green Bay; Christine Boswell, Waukesha; 15 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife June on October 25, 2000, three sons, Michael on August 4, 1996, Robert "Bob" on June 26, 2000 and David on February 17, 2003, one brother, Wesley and one sister, Caroline. Friends called at Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls (920-848-2222 or visit: www.jonesfuneral.com) from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 3, 2010. Visitation continued after 9:30 a.m. Saturday, September 4, 2010 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Oconto Falls until the time of service. Mass of Christian Burial was held 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church with the Rev. Fr. Joel A. Sember officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Nancy J. (DeBauche) Wendricks, 73, Mountain, Wis. passed away early Tuesday morning, August 31, 2010 at a local hospital. Born on April 14, 1937 in Green Bay, she is the daughter of the late Woodrow and Lorraine (Krouse) Vieaux. Nancy is a graduate of Green Bay East High School, Class of 1955. She married Kenneth DeBauche on October 27, 1956 and he preceded her in death on January 19, 1960. She later married Lawrence Wendricks on December 9, 1967. Nancy will be remembered for her enjoyment of the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and camping with her relatives. She was talented at various arts and crafts. Nancy was a resourceful person because of all her life experience which enabled her to meet life's challenges and there were many. She is sadly missed by her four children, their spouses, and grandchildren, Steven and Jean DeBauche of Suamico and their children, Kenneth (Caroline), Brad and Brent; Susan and Robert Simons of Green Bay and their son, Todd (Tina) Erieau and one great-grandson, Logan; Scott Wendricks of San Francisco, Calif.; Larry and Tricia Wendricks, Jr. of Bellevue and their children, Ashley and Nathon. Further survived by her former husband, Larry Wendricks, Sr. of Green Bay. Also preceded in death by one brother, Thomas L. Vieaux; her fiancé and life companion, David K. Bishop. In keeping with Nancy's wishes, private family services were held. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, a memorial fund has been established in Nancy's name. MALCORE (East) Funeral Home is assisting the family. Visit www.malcorefuneralhome.com to send online condolences to the family. Nancy's family extends a special thank you to the caring staffs of Bornemann Nursing Home, fourth floor at Bellin Hospital, and her dear friend, Debbie. When tomorrow starts without me please try to understand that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand and said my place was ready in heaven far above and that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love. I'll love you forever and for always.

FASHION: Slow Food ideal + fashion = Brooklyn

See this story at BrooklynPaper.com.

By Michèle De Meglio

The Brooklyn Paper

A team of Brooklyn designers wants to change the way you shop.

Textile Arts Center on Carroll Street in Park Slope is teaming up with nearly a dozen eco-friendly apparel and jewelry designers to host a Fashion’s Night Out event on Sept. 10. The event is dubbed “Celebrating ‘Slow,’ ” which is a move away from the way major apparel companies, such as H&M and Old Navy, create their clothes.

“These local designers are working in ways that are sustainable,” said Owyn Ruck, cofounder of Textile Arts Center. “It’s called ‘slow fashion’ because it’s all handmade, made locally, and if they have laborers, they’re all getting paid a fair wage. It’s the opposite of fast fashion, where all these companies outsource their work out of the country.”

The designers’ creations, which include bohemian accessories from Odette and cotton and linen clothes from Wiksten, will be sold at the event. Ruck says shoppers will discover garments that are much more exciting than the pieces in department stores.

“Places like H&M bring trends to the average person,” Ruck said. “But these smaller Brooklyn designers are more creative in their designs and quality because they’re doing it all by hand.”

In keeping with the event’s eco-friendly theme, Textile Arts Center will host a sustainable fashion workshop, during which participants will create a personal Fashion Manifesto, promising to forgo big chain stores in favor of “slow fashion” designers.

Following that, fashion industry experts, including Rogan designer Caroline Priebe and Greta Eagan, founder of www.fashionmegreen.com, will host a panel discussion about the importance of eco-friendly pieces.

And stores throughout the city will stay open late on Sept 10. to greet customers and host special events, including panels and live music.

Fashion’s Night Out: Celebrating “Slow” at Textile Arts Center [505 Carroll St. between Third and Fourth avenues in Park Slope, (718) 369-0222], Sept. 10 at 6 pm. Suggested donation is $10. For info, visit www.textileartscenter.com.

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A New Season

I’ve had the privilege of working at Gardens of Eagan (an organic vegetable farm) this summer as well during the summers of 2007 and 2008. We are approaching Labor Day, which I consider to be the high water mark of the growing season. The weather is hot and humid, sometimes oppressive. All manner of bugs are thick [...]

New rock release by The Chris Eagan Project

Beatles Guitar Tracks – My Way by The Chris Eagan Project 2010 (32 tracks, 1:01:25) rock

Eagan

Eagan was acting a usher for his aunt's second marriage and I asked him to help me setup and pose while I checked my lighting settings. There is nothing like a great image from a pre-shoot test to...

Putnam blotter: Mother/daughter forgery, drunk, unlicensed drivers, more

Police agencies in Putnam County released information on these recent arrests: Route 6: William Gerbe III, 21, of Yorktown was charged Aug. 26 around 5:20 p.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, being an unlicensed driver and another unspecified violation after a traffic stop by Officer Brian Shay. Gerbe is due in Town Court on Sept. 28. Police headquarters: Joseph Witherspoon, 21, of Mohegan Lake was arrested on a warrant Aug. 28 around 8 p.m. and charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor. Detective Michael Russo and Officer Michael Bodo responded to FDR Park in Yorktown to take Witherspoon into custody after New York State Park Police picked him up, learned of the Carmel warrant and notified Carmel police. Witherspoon is due in Town Court on Sept. 27. Route 6: Samantha Lipton, 26, of Irvington was charged Aug. 29 around 11:55 p.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, plus traffic and vehicle violations after Officer Jeffrey Eagan pulled her over. She is due in Town Court on Sept. 27. Stoneleigh Avenue: Laura Plastini, 57, of North Drive, Carmel, was charged Aug. 27 around 9 p.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor. She was ordered to appear in Town Court on Sept. 14. Deputy Timothy Keith made the arrest. Route 6: Virginia A. Esposito, 36, of, Ludingtonville Road, Kent, was charged Aug. 27 around 5 p.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor. She was ordered to appear in Town Court on Sept. 20. Deputy Timothy Keith made the arrest. Putnam County Probation: Probation Director Gene J. Funicelli released information on three recent arrests by county probation officers. Tammy Fecteau, 51, of Wurtsboro, N.Y., was charged Aug. 2 with probation violation. She is serving five years of probation for a felony drunken-driving conviction. Probation Officers Debra Giordonello and Dianne Norris made the arrest with assistance from state police. Lukas Klescht, 28, of Kent was charged with probation violation on Aug. 5 on a five-year probation sentence for felony driving while ability impaired by drugs. Senior Officer John Mulreany and Officer Michele Perrini made the arrest with assistance from Kent police and Putnam deputies. Chhoeun Mann, 27, of Danbury, Conn., was charged with probation violation on Aug. 10. He was serving five years of probation for a felony DWI conviction earlier this year. Supervisor John Osterhout and Senior Officer Richard McCauley made the arrest Route 301: Brian Zwarych, 50, of Cole Shears Court, Kent, was charged Aug, 29 at 12:01 a.m. with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child under 16 in the car, a felony. Zwarych was driving with his 15-year-old daughter, who was turned over to an adult family member. Putnam County Child Protective Services was notified. Deputy Randel Hill made the arrest. Mill Street: Charles E. Hann, 35, of Hampton Road, Carmel, was charged Aug, 23 around 2:20 a.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, after a traffic stop by Putnam Deputy Edward Kennedy. Burglary arrest: Patrick Vasi, Jr., 20, of Bullet Hole Road, Patterson, was charged Aug. 26 with second-degree burglary, a felony, petty larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree menacing, misdemeanors, after he entered an unidentified Putnam Valley residence and stole a dog, then committed additional crimes in Patterson. The victim confronted Vasi at his Patterson home, where Vasi took the victim's car key and refused to return it, then took the victim's cell phone and damaged it. Deputy Shaun Menton handled the initial complaint and Investigator Thomas Corless made the arrest. Vasi was sent to the county jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond and has appearances pending in Putnam Valley and Patterson town courts. Route 6: Nelson Pacheco, 28, of Waterbury, Conn., was charged Aug, 29 around 1:15 p.m. with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, after a traffic stop by Deputy William Meyer. Pacheco is due in Town Court on Sept. 9. Route 6: Deon McCoy, 46, of First Street, Norwalk, Conn., was charged Aug. 28 around 2:45 a.m. with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, after a traffic stop by Deputy Thomas Lee. Curiosity Lane: Luis E. Gonzalez, Jr., 21, of 18 Curiosity Lane, Southeast, was charged Aug. 31 around 2 p.m. with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, after he damaged some of his grandmother's property during an argument. Deputy Shaun Menton made the arrest. Forgery charges: A 22-year-old Pawling woman and her 59-year-old mother face a host of charges related to the alleged theft of a checkbook from a Southeast resident and the subsequent theft of funds from the checking account through the cashing of forged checks, police said. The investigation was conducted by sheriff's investigators from Putnam and Dutchess counties. The investigation began July 19 when the Southeast resident reported the stolen checkbook. An alert teller at a Putnam County Savings Bank in Pawling became suspicious after noticing that four checks had been cashed on the account in large amounts totalling more than $3,600 on four consecutive days. The teller then notified the customer, who contacted police. An investigation developed Kristin Zeller, 22, and her mother, Pamela Phillips-Zeller, 59, both of Old State Route 22, Wingdale, as suspects, police said. On Aug. 9, Putnam investigators stopped Kristin Zeller on Old Route 6 in Carmel and initially charged her with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor. Once in custody, Zeller was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony, two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, petty larceny and attempted petty larceny, misdemeanors. On Aug. 13, Dutchess investigators charged Zeller with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, felonies, and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. On Aug. 19, Dutchess investigators charged Phillips-Zeller with second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

9/1/10-9/2/10(recap)-9/3/10

Hola!….Ok so I know I have not written at all since July. I am sorry I have been super busy. Mostly because tennis just started which consists of 3-4 hour practices.I also have been busy because school starts on Tuesday eeeeep !  Anyway here is a recap of 9/1/10: So basically all that happend was I went to [...]

"Serve & Be Served" - Volunteer @ Feed My Starving Children

Did you know that the world has more than 850 million hungry people? That is equivalent the entire population of the United States, multiplied by almost 3. Help us fight hunger by packing meals at the Eagan location of Feed My Starving Children on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 4:30pm. Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) [...]