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I was pleased with your front-page story on Jan. 11, “Inslee: Light rail is a must.” Jake Thomas reported that Gov. Jay Inslee says light rail will be necessary on any interstate bridge replacement “because Oregon will pay for half of the project and has insisted that it be included.”

The inability of our elected leaders to compromise has led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. I am proud of my work as a federal employee in service to the country I love. Federal workers nationwide are forced to stay at home and wait for the government to reopen, and are no longer able to provide the services on which our fellow Americans rely.

Taryn Singer spends a lot of time feeling thankful.

Every major metropolitan area in the country has a light-rail inter-city transportation system. Portland and some of its neighboring cities have the beginnings of such a system with MAX, but it will never be complete, and we on the north side of the Columbia River will be locked into a perpetual traffic jam unless we join the system.

If Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler feels the shutdown of the federal government needs to end, as stated in her Jan. 6 op-ed, then why did she vote against HR 21 (the bill to reopen cabinet departments) and H.J. Res.1 (the continuing resolution to provide stopgap funding for Homeland Security until Feb. 8, allowing time for negotiations)?

Many years ago, my mother and father salvaged an old two-story farmhouse in an abandoned wheat field near Moses Lake. They used the wood to build a home in Cascade Valley. But one sunny Saturday in September, a horrifying event made them rethink the wisdom of reclaiming that decrepit homestead.
The house was stuck in the middle of an unshorn wheat field, sprinkled with sagebrush and black volcanic rock. Branches of two wiry, leafless trees pierced a cloudless sky. There was nothing else around for miles. The crumbling building had the look of a lonely, tattered child.

Battle Ground — Student Transportation of America’s Cascade Student Transportation Battle Ground conducted a toy drive over the holidays that raised $4,000 worth of gifts.
The money purchased gifts by managing a bake sale within the community, according to a press release. The gifts were delivered to 10 families and 25 children. The gifts included mittens, socks, hats, clothing and other age-appropriate toys for families and CST transports.

Salmon Creek Bridge Chiropractic is offering a new fitness class called Fit Kids for ages 8 through 15.
The class will take place at the clinic at 13800 N.E. 20th Ave., Vancouver, and is designed for general functional fitness, according to a press release. The teacher is trainer Kelsey Walsh. The class includes a posture and functional movement assessment by a doctor with Bridge Chiropractic. Class times are 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.