To the editor: The Youth Empowerment Shelter (Y.E.S. house) was forced to close their doors to the six youth currently staying there on Jan. 25 because they do not have a commercial-grade sprinkler system installed. These youth are at greater risk out on the street than living in a home without a commercial grade sprinkler system. One way you can help them out is by contacting the DHS Shelter Licensing office in Salem 503-373-2195 and telling them the Y.E.S. house is urgently needed — please hasten the process!

To the editor: At the beginning this school year, I was assigned to teach chemistry at The Dalles High School. It could have been a nostalgic return to where I studied chemistry 44 years ago. But I remember the chemistry room to be a difficult place to study because we had to sit at lab tables with half of us facing away from the teacher. Now that I am teaching in the same room, I realize it is also an example of how our school buildings are too old to be considered safe.

To the editor: To the person who complained about the "unkempt graves" at IOOF. Have you visited regularly over the past several years? Have you noticed that things are looking much better? Do you know how big the budget is to run the cemetery, or how much water they have to keep everything green?

To the editor: This is an open letter to our mayor and city council. I would like to see a feasibility study on the cost-benefit of mothballing Wicks Reservoir water treatment plant. I think the savings would be substantial. At present, our town isn’t using more than 6.5 million gallons per day, even during our driest, hottest days. That is why revenue projections aren’t being met, thus the yearly increases in our water rates.