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A group of Lewis Wood- peckers has been spotted on the Shasta View trail at the Red Bluff Recreation Area. Shasta College instruc- tor Ben Hughes says the birds could winter here, but didn't know how long they would stay in the area. To find the birds, first identified by Scott Isaacson, take the trail as if you were going to Ben's pond. There is a memo- rial bench just as you go through the fence. Follow the trail to the next bench, which has no back, about 100 yards in. Watch for several fairly large — a bit smaller than a flicker — dark birds dart- ing between an oak tree on the left side of the trail just before you get to the bench and trees and on both sides of the trail just beyond the bench. The birds were observed catching insects and carry- ing acorns that they were stashing in a hole in the trunk of tree, which could mean they are setting up temporary quarters here for the winter. BIRDWATCHING Lewis Woodpeckers spotted at recreation area There was a time that I didn't have much of an opinion on paying for college with student loans. That was be- fore the advent of email and thou- sands of messages all with a simi- lar subject line: Help. I'm drowning in student loan debt. That was before I learned that 85 percent of all college graduates do not end up working in their major. That was before I heard from Jim P., who took all the student loans he could get to pay for college and law school. He assumed he'd land a big-bucks cushy job and pay back $200,000 re- ally fast. The fifth time he failed the bar exam he gave up on being a lawyer. But the debt goes on. That was before I met Peter K., who became a chiropractor on borrowed funds. Guess what? He couldn't stand the profes- sion. Now he's teaching high school math. Too bad teachers don't make enough money to service $160,000 in student debt. But the debt goes on. That was before I heard from the cou- ple in Nebraska who be- tween them have $60,000 in student loans. They were going to be teach- ers. Then the baby came along and the teaching position didn't. It's all they can do to keep food on the table now that the family has grown to five. They've exhausted all their deferment and forbearance options. Their monthly payment is twice the house pay- ment. The stress has all but blown that family apart. But the debt goes on ... and so could I, but I think you get the point. Here's the problem with student loans: Life doesn't always turn out the way we plan. Stuff happens; minds change; life takes unexpected turns. But student debt goes on and on and on. It's not as if student loans and big credit card balances are mandatory graduation requirements. You don't have to borrow your way through college. It is possible to graduate debt-free, but it does take a lot of work. And you'll have to buck a financial system that encourages students to take the easy way out by diving into a lifetime of debt. The secret to graduat- ing debt-free is to use ev- ery strategy imaginable to get the price as low as possible so you can pay as you go. Take AP classes. Take all the advanced place- ment classes you can in high school to help knock down college tu- ition costs. Plan it right and you can enter college as a debt-free soph- omore with one year paid in full. Community col- leges. There are excel- lent two-year colleges in every area of the coun- try. Lower-division pre- requisite courses can be taken at the commu- nity college level at cheap tuition rates, and then transferred to the college or university of choice for the third and fourth years. That means two more years to save up for the more expensive fin- ish. State colleges and uni- versities. Most four-year state schools offer an ex- cellent affordable educa- tion. Our older son grad- uated from a prestigious California State Univer- sity. He lived at home and graduated debt free. Work for the school. Many colleges give dis- counted or free tuition to employees' family mem- bers. There are lots of non-teaching jobs on a big campus. Grants. A grant is a flat-out gift, and there is no requirement to repay. The most common is the Pell Grant, money from the federal government to assist low-income un- dergraduates. Learn more at www.finaid.com. Work-study programs. Under a federal program, work-study provides on- campus jobs for students. There is no requirement to repay the money even if the student does not graduate. Military. An excellent education is often a ben- efit for students willing to enlist. For example, the military will put you through medical school if you enter as an officer and agree to stay for a period of time upon com- pleting your residency. Apply for scholar- ships. All kinds of schol- arships go un-awarded every year. Many are not based on need but rather ability, even ethnic heri- tage. But don't get suck- ered into paying a ser- vice $800 or more to do what you can do your- self: search. As a general rule of thumb, if a schol- arship or a scholarship- search service asks you for money upfront, it's probably a scam. MaryHuntisthefounder of www.DebtProofLiving. com, a personal finance member website. You can email her at mary@eve- rydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheap- skate, P.O. Box 2099, Cy- press, CA 90630. EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Graduate debt-free Mary Hunt PLEASERECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thankyou! Conservation biolo- gist and climate change researcher Guy McPher- son will present his lec- ture, "Climate Crisis, Are We There Yet?," at Califor- nia State University, Chico, 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, in Colusa Hall, Room 100B, and includes a discussion. McPherson is profes- sor emeritus of natural re- sources and the environ- ment at the University of Arizona, where he taught for 20 years. His scholarly work has focused on the conservation of biological diversity. The author of 10 books and more than 100 articles, he also hosts a ra- dio show and blog called "Nature Bats Last." He lives in an off-grid, straw-bale house, where he puts into practice his interest in sus- tainable living. His presentation will ex- plore ways that modern life is creating rapid changes to climate and habitat and the effects those changes will have on both humans and other species. McPherson will also par- ticipate in a climate change debate with Chico mete- orologist Anthony Watts 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 100th Monkey Café and Books in Chico. The campus event is hosted by CSU, Chico's In- stitute for Sustainable De- velopment, which annually coordinates the nation's largest student-run sustain- ability conference. Learn more about CSU, Chico's sustainability practices at http://www.csuchico.edu/ sustainablefuture/. LECTURE Climate change researcher to speak tonight COURTESYPHOTOBYBENHUGHES A Lewis Woodpecker spotted from the Shasta View trail at the Red Bluff Recreation Area. Today RED BLUFF Childbirth Class: 6:30- 8:30p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, Co- lumba Room, 529-8026 Cribbage Club: 6p.m., Cozy Diner, 259S. Main St., 527- 6402 Fun Senior Aerobics: 8-9 a.m., $1, Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. 527- 8177 Healthier Living with Chronic Conditions: 5:30- 8p.m., St. Elizabeth Com- munity Hospital, Columba Room, 1-888-628-1948 PAL Kickboxing: 6p.m., 1450Schwab St., 529-8716 or 200-3950 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Pinochle for Seniors: 12:30-3:30p.m., 1500S. Jackson St., free, 527-8177 Red Bluff Derby Girls open tryouts and practice: 6:30 p.m., Tyler Jelly building, Tehama District Fairgrounds Red Bluff Rotary: noon, Elks Lodge Take Off Pounds Sensi- bly - TOPS: 10a.m., First United Methodist Church, 525David Ave., 824-0556 or 529-1414 Tehama County Board of Supervisors: 10a.m., board chamber, 727Oak St. Tehama County Tea Party Patriots: 6p.m., Grange Hall, 20794Walnut St. WWE self defense train- ing for women: 5:30-7 p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C CORNING Corning Alcoholics Anony- mous: noon and 7p.m., 783Solano St., behind the church Dance with Juana: noon to 1p.m., Family Resource Cen- ter, 1488South St., 824- 7670ESL, 9a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Parkinson's Support Group: 2p.m., Corning Health District, 175Solano St. Pay It Forward: 1p.m., Edward Jones, Solano and Sixth streets, 824-4290 Soccer training: 4-6p.m., except for holidays and rain, Woodson School Soccer Field, 150N. Toomes. LOS MOLINOS School Readiness Play Group: 10-11:30a.m., up to 5 years, free, First Steps Family Resource Center, 7700Stanford Ave., 384- 7833 Wednesday RED BLUFF Al-Anon: noon, Presbyte- rian Church, Jefferson and Hickory Alcohol, Anger and Abuse Group: Call for group time and location, 528-0226 Community Dance: 7-10 p.m., Westside Grange, 20794Walnut St. Emblem club dinner: 5:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 355Gilm- ore Road Nurturing Parenting Dads Program: 10a.m. to noon, 1860Walnut St. #D, Shasta Room, call Keith at 527- 8491, ext. 3012 Nurturing Skills for Teen Parents: 9-10a.m., 1900 Walnut St., 527-8491, ext. 3012 PAL Martial Arts Women's Self Defense: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, 840-0345 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Red Bluff Kiwanis: noon, Elks Lodge Red Bluff Derby Girls open tryouts and practice: 6:30 p.m., Tyler Jelly building at Tehama District Fairgrounds Team Kid: 5:30p.m., First Southern Baptist Church, 585Kimball Road, 527- 5083 TeenScreen Mental Health Appointments: 10a.m. to 2p.m., free by appoint- ment, Youth Empowerment Services, 1900Walnut St., 527-8491, Ext. 3012 Tehama AIDS Consortium: 5p.m. committee meeting, 5:30p.m. public meeting, St. Elizabeth Home Health Care: 1425Vista Way, 527- 6824 Tehama County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board Meeting: 6p.m., 1850Wal- nut St., Ste. G, 527-7893 Tehama County Educa- tion Foundation: 7:30a.m., Department of Education, 1135Lincoln St. Tehama County Library story time: 9:30a.m., 645 Madison St. 527-0604 Tehama County Peace Officers Association: 5:30 p.m., M&M Ranch House Tehama County Technical Advisory Committee: 9 a.m., Board of Supervisors Chambers Tehama Shooters Asso- ciation: 6:30p.m., Red Bluff Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. 527-8727 Waterlabor Class: 6:30- 8:30p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital Colum- ba Room, 888-628-1948 Weight Watchers meet- ing: 9a.m., Hampton Inn, 1-800-651-6000 Widowed Persons Break- fast: 8a.m., call 384-2471 for location Y-FI Middle and High School Youth Group: 6:30- 8p.m., North Valley Baptist Church, 345David Ave., 527-0543 CORNING Corning Rotary: noon, Rolling Hills Casino: Timbers Steak House, 2655Barham Ave., corningrotary.org School Readiness Play Group: 10-11:30a.m., up to 5years, free, Family Re- source Center, 1480South St., 824-4111 Spanish Adult Education: 5p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Strategies for Success: Life Skill classes, 1:30p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 VFW Charity Bingo: 6p.m., Corning Veterans Memorial Hall, 1620Solano St. LOS MOLINOS Bible Study: 1p.m., Sherwood Manor, 7975 Sherwood Blvd. All wel- come., Pastor Clyde Brant, 347-1330. 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