Many parents are strapped financially

Youth are worth whatever cost necessary to ensure their health and safety at all times. I believe that is why many Colfax families choose to pay ridiculous rental rates and commute to surrounding cities for work. Some parents commute up to 150 miles a day for the sense of security of living in a small town. This truly is expensive with the rising cost of gas and basic survival. Let us really empathize with our kindred spirits of all economical ranges. Parents are strapped, having to work two, and some three, jobs just to make it through the week. I am sure we can utilize a more cost-effective program that will accommodate our community needs. For example, we could get our R.O.P. students involved or Sierra College students. We could offer them units or credits instead of salaries.I have proposed to implement Colfax Elementary School's Retention Interven-tion Class and A.S.A.P. programs after school at a Colfax Elementary Feb. 6 site council meeting as an option for parents with children on site at Colfax Elementary.This could also possibly help with financials and student scores to assist in our nation's No Child Left Behind campaign. The A.S.A.P. and Retention Intervention Class are federally mandated programs de-signed for program improvements to lift academic scores. Enrollment was low at first because of transportation issues; now with the K-5 on site at Colfax Elementary, we could implement this class as part of the three-hour after-school program.As for our teens at the community center, I honestly must advocate for them; it is not necessary to have more than one staff with them because they take care of themselves and more or less want a place to let loose and relax with each other after eight hours of structure.I encourage all parents to voice their concerns and ideas to Colfax Youth Center Director Leslie Bussinger at 346-2313 or Colfax Elementary Principal Jon Ray at 346-2202. Shelene Mulford,ColfaxExplore the many shops in the downtown areaThis letter is in response to the Feb. 1 letter to the editor from Tina Martinez who wrote about Colfax needing a bookstore. Colfax has many stores to buy new or used books; they just don't say bookstore over the door. In a small town like ours, most of the businesses are multifunctional, since they could not survive providing just one service or product. We used to have a bookstore that was also a coffee house. Now we have coffee houses that are also bookstores. The Friends of the Colfax Library has used book shelves at Camp 20 Coffee House and Buzz Thru Joe's. They also sell books at the library and the Farmers' Market.The Hospice Thrift Store, The Wish List, Dawn's Antiques and Weird also have used books. Many Feathers and Sierra Market have new books. There is also the Education Center in the Fruit Exchange Building and Live Oak Chil-dren's store in Applegate. I apologize if I've missed anyone, but one just needs to explore the many shops in town to find what you are looking for. She also was looking for art supplies. These can be found at the Funny Pharm scrapbook store, Sierra Mar-ket and the Puzzle People. Guitar strings may be at Rainbow Music Co. in the Fruit Exchange Building. As you know, I try to encourage shopping local and supporting our local economy when possible. A little exploring and you will be surprised what you find in Colfax. Teri Murch,Colfax