Presidents Day affects services

Today is Presidents Day. As a result, many government offices and services will have the day off.

Most banks will be closed. There will be no mail delivery, and federal and state offices will be closed. Spokane County offices and most county court offices will be closed. The Municipal Court clerk and probation offices will be open to answer telephone calls.

Spokane County libraries will be closed, while the Spokane library Shadle and South Hill branches will be open. Spokane Valley City Hall will be closed.

Spokane City Hall will be open, as will the Riverfront Park attractions. The Carrousel, however, is closed for maintenance through Feb. 27. Parking at metered spaces in downtown Spokane is free for the day. Garbage and recycling pickup will not be affected.

In Kootenai County, city and county offices will be closed. State liquor stores, however, will be open, and garbage service for rural and city residents will not be affected by the holiday.

Lewiston

Man suspected of killing wife

Lewiston police on Saturday arrested a man on suspicion of killing his wife in a domestic dispute.

Charlene M. Mabie, 48, was found dead Saturday morning inside the couple’s Lewiston home. A police news release said authorities came to the home in response to a report of a fatality. Mabie’s body was found inside.

Her husband, Gary W. Mallory II, 38, is being held in Nez Perce County Jail on a first-degree murder charge.

An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday at the Spokane County medical examiner’s office to determine cause of death, the release said.

Mallory will be arraigned Tuesday in Nez Perce County Magistrate Court.

Kellogg

Skier dies after running into tree

A 32-year-old Yakima skier died Saturday at Silver Mountain in Kellogg after losing control and hitting a tree, authorities said.

The name of the skier was not released Sunday.

According to resort officials, the man was skiing on one run toward the No. 2 ski lift when he went off a groomed trail and struck a tree.

The accident happened shortly after 10 a.m., said John Williams, the resort’s director of marketing.

The man was taken to Shoshone Medical Center, Williams said.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to police reports.

Spokane

E-waste drop-off beats predictions

Washington state’s first month of free drop-off of electronic waste has exceeded expectations, program director John Friedrick said.

About 240 sites statewide are participating; in the first 30 days those collectors amassed 3 million pounds of recyclables dropped off by residents and small businesses.

That volume is about 25 percent higher than anticipated, Friedrick said.

Spokane’s largest participant in the program, Goodwill Industries, already has shipped 53 tons of old computers, TVs and monitors, said Clark Brekke, the nonprofit’s CEO.

Under the law, companies that manufacture electronic components and computers will pay for the cost of collecting and shipping the e-waste to processors. Their cost in the program will be determined by their share of all electronics sold in the state, Friedrick said.

Coeur d’Alene

Firm backs building sports complex

A consulting firm says a multimillion-dollar sports complex in Coeur d’Alene could fill a niche in the regional market for mid-size events.

Conventions, Sports and Leisure, International recently presented the Coeur d’Alene Sports Complex Committee its preliminary findings on the feasibility of building a sports complex in the city.

The report says the facility could bring in about $10 million annually to the city and would support nearly 400 jobs.

Sandpoint

Council relaxes parking ordinance

The Sandpoint City Council has voted to allow downtown businesses to choose how many off-street parking spaces they maintain.

The previous ordinance required businesses to maintain a certain number, depending on the size of the business.

The new ordinance allows businesses not to maintain any parking spaces if they choose.

Councilman John Reuter said the new ordinance approved last week will give business owners more flexibility while creating a vibrant downtown.

Councilwoman Helen Newton voted against the ordinance because she said it will make parking difficult and drive away potential customers.