Vaccine Data Disparity + Two COVID-19 Testing Sites Coming Soon

Good morning, neighbors! It's me again, Sean Peek, your host of the Spokane Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High: 77 Low: 46.

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Here are the top stories in Spokane today:

1. Federal vaccine data from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs is still not included in Washington's state vaccine data. In Spokane County, which is home to Fairchild Air Force Base, federal vaccine data likely counts more local residents who have been vaccinated than the state data from the Department of Health does. The difference between state and federal vaccine counts was separated by 10 percentage points, an incredibly large gap. This disparity is due to an error in the federal vaccine reporting system, which counted a duplicate 35,000 doses administered at Rite Aid stores across the county. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the error last week and plans to update its data dashboard accordingly this week. (The Spokesman-Review)
2. Two mass COVID-19 testing sites could be coming to Spokane. They will be located at Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College, according to state health leaders. This comes as the demand for testing continues to climb with the Delta variant gripping the nation. Last week, the Spokane Regional Health District asked the state for testing help. (KXLY Spokane)
3. A Spokane woman found a hunting knife and precious family letter on a gravel road and is searching for the intended recipient. (KHQ Right Now)
4. A new Spokane coffee shop, Celestial Beans, doubles as a canvas for local artists to showcase their work. (KXLY Spokane)
5. Spokane's Greek Food Festival is back in action for its 85th annual celebration from Thursday, Sept. 23 through Saturday, Sept. 25. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's festival was canceled, but the historic food and culture festival is back in 2021. (Pacific Northwest Inlander)

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Today in Spokane:

• Air Quality and Health: Sensing and Responding to a Changing Climate (7:30 AM)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with a new update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.