It’s MLK Day; CT Transportation Panel Recommends Taxes; Giant Panda Cub’s National Zoo Debut; Cool New Amazon Service

Things you need to know on January 18.

Thanks to MetroNews Source for the following.

• Government offices, libraries and courts are closed today in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr Day. There's no mail delivery and most schools are closed. Admission to America's national parks is free today and also no charge to enter any of the National Park Service's parks, monuments, and historic sites.

• The Connecticut Transportation panel says the price tag for Governor Malloy's 30-year renovation projects comes to 100-billion dollars. The panel is recommending a half-penny hike on state sales tax plus an electronic toll averaging ten-cents per mile. WTNH.com

• The Smithsonian National Zoo's newest giant panda cub is a big hit with the public. Four-month-old Bei Bei made his debut Saturday. Good news though - we don't have to go to Washington to see any of the pandas. Just click on the National Zoo's online panda cam for live looks at what they're up to.

• Want a book read to you? Amazon is offering a new, free service that will read your Kindle books to you. Amazon Echo has a service called Kindle Books by Alexa that will read any book in your Kindle e-book library.