Bloglander

HERE

Here's a rundown of how the U.S. government shutdown is affecting Spokane-area services, including services at the Spokane Regional Health District, Fairchild Air Force Base, area national parks and the U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern Washington. (S-R)  

Patients of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Center in Spokane are being advised to receive blood tests after the Washington state Health Department found the center reused syringes and other medicine. (S-R)

A trial is set to begin later this week for the Hayden, Idaho man accused of slapping another passenger's child aboard an airplane. (KREM) 

THERE (and more shutdown news)

President Obama and leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties in both houses are meeting today to discuss terms for ending the government shutdown that started yesterday. (Wa-Post) 

What is known and not known about the shutdown. (CNN) 

Under the U.S. Constitution, members of Congress still receive paychecks, but while federal employees across the country are being furloughed, 66 lawmakers say they plan to donate their salaries to charity until an agreement is reached. (Wa-Post)

Depending on how you view it, one bright spot in this whole shutdown ordeal — gas prices are predicted to drop to all-time lows for the year. (TIME) 

Best-selling military novelist Tom Clancy has died at age 66. (NYT) 

FOR FUN!

New alleged video footage of Bigfoot was released yesterday by a team of researchers involved in "The Sasquatch Genome Project." (KREM/Wire)