Each year as the days get shorter and the weather cools, more people are likely to come down with the flu or a cold. However, another illness is making the rounds now in Whitman County, where at least 18 people — all but one at Washington State University — have been diagnosed with pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough. Because of this, Whitman County Public Health has put out a health alert asking anyone diagnosed with pertussis to isolate while completing a five-day course of antibiotics. Pertussis spreads from person to person through spit droplets, so the health district recommends that anyone who's been in close contact with someone diagnosed with pertussis visit a health care provider. Health officials say that immunization, generally done as a young child via the DTaP vaccine and as an adolescent and adult via the Tdap vaccine, is the best way to prevent infection. It's recommended that adults receive Tdap boosters every 10 years, and if you didn't get a booster as an adolescent, to schedule a single dose now. (COLTON RASANEN)
NEW COPS ON THE BLOCK
In June, after identifying the need for additional police officers, Spokane Valley applied for a U.S. Department of Justice grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Spokane Valley was awarded a $1.25 million grant from COPS to cover the salaries of 10 new officers for three years (about $41,700 per officer, per year). The city will cover their benefits and any additional costs. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office, which is contracted to provide law enforcement services via the Spokane Valley Police Department, submitted the grant application and credited the city for the portion of funds received. "We are grateful for our partnership with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office and our recent discussions with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., that helped the city secure the full $1.25 million grant recently applied for from the COPS Hiring Program," Mayor Pam Haley tells the Inlander. "This grant will help fund the addition of 10 new police officers, a decision strongly supported by the City Council earlier this year, reinforcing our commitment to keeping our community safe and being fiscally responsible." (VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ)
CORE EXERCISE
On Monday, Oct. 14, the city of Spokane initiated its Crisis Outreach, Response and Engagement, or CORE, plan — a 30-day pilot program concentrating city fire and police resources in the downtown core. For the trial period, there will be 26 police officers downtown every 24 hours, which is up from 20 officers previously. The officers are divided between four shifts throughout the day. Two of the six new officers are from the police department's Behavioral Health Unit and plan to work with the fire department's Behavioral Response Unit to appropriately respond to various behavioral and mental health issues. The city's Homeless Outreach Team is also now working with Revive Reentry Services. Revive will send counselors and transitional housing experts into homeless encampments before law enforcement arrives. The goal is to connect people with the services they need before sweeps happen to clear out camps, city Communications Director Erin Hut says. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM) ♦