In brief: Holiday will affect services

Today is Presidents Day. The holiday will affect these services:

• Federal, state and most local government offices are closed. City of Spokane offices are open, but metered parking in the city is free.

• All courts and post offices and most banks are closed.

• All Spokane County Library District facilities are closed, as are those in Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai County. Spokane Public Library branches are on their normal schedule.

• Liquor stores are open in Washington and Idaho.

• Spokane Transit District bus routes are on the holiday-Sunday schedule.

• Garbage and recycling service is not affected in Spokane and Kootenai counties.

Diver vanishes off West Seattle

SEATTLE – A diver missing off West Seattle is presumed dead.

Seattle Fire spokesman Kyle Moore said the man was out with two other divers and a dive instructor Sunday morning in about 100 feet of water. One of the other divers reported that he appeared to panic and rose too quickly toward the surface. When she rose to the surface, there was no sign of him.

Seattle police and fire dive teams and a Coast Guard helicopter searched for the man.

Moore said the water was unusually clear, with about 25 feet of visibility, but there still was no sign of him. Moore said the man was about 28 and had previously been on 50 dives.

Help us compile favorite book list

 What we call a book today is not so different from what Gutenberg published on the first printing press almost 600 years ago. But are books as a form of communication and entertainment approaching the end of their shelf life, to be replaced by digital versions?

   We’ll examine that question March 4. In the meantime, we need your help.

   Tell us which book is your all-time favorite and why. (If it’s very old or well-used, describe its condition.) Respond by email to mguilfoil@comcast.net.