In brief: Rhino at Oregon Zoo dies at 24

  PORTLAND – Oregon Zoo officials said their 24-year-old eastern black rhino, Pete, has been euthanized due to advanced kidney failure.

Zoo curator Michael Illig was Pete’s original keeper when the rhino arrived at the Portland zoo as a 500-pound juvenile more than 20 years ago. Illig recalls sleeping in the rhino barn and hand-feeding Pete for a few days until he settled into his new home.

Illig said, “Black rhinos can range from very nice to not very nice, and Pete was just one of the best.” At 2,500 pounds, zoo officials said, Pete looked tough but was very sweet-tempered.

Readers asked about treasured books

What we call a “book” today is not so different than 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-read, describe its condition.) Respond by email to mguilfoil@comcast.net.

Summer Camp Guide plans are under way

As winter begins to wind down, The Spokesman-Review is ramping up plans for the annual Summer Camp Guide. We’re now accepting submissions for the print section, which publishes April 28, and the online listing, which can be found at www.spokesman.com all spring and summer.

If you would like your listing to be included at no charge in these sections, please email the info to summercamps@spokesman.com, fax to (509) 622-1163 or mail to The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, Attn: Summer Camps. Please include the name and location of the camp, dates of operation, general theme, any costs, recommended ages, contact information, and any other details our readers might want. Listings received after 5 p.m. on April 2 will be included in the online version but won’t be guaranteed for the print edition.