By Mayor Cameron Smyth
Our hard work has paid off in the fight against novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in our community’s journey back to normalcy. As we adjust to our new normal, I encourage our residents to continue supporting one another in any way possible. One approach for showing your support is by shopping locally at one of Santa Clarita’s many businesses that have been drastically impacted COVID-19. With more and more businesses safely reopening, the time is now to shop locally in our community.
When you shop at a local business or dine at a local restaurant, you support Santa Clarita in countless ways. First and foremost, you are supporting local employees and owners, many of who are our neighbors. These essential workers have been hit with financial hardship, many being furloughed during the closures, and are still battling uncertainty of whether their place of employment will be able to keep their doors open. In response to this, let’s do our best to shop locally and ease the burdens that these establishments and their employees are facing.
When you shop local the dollars you spend enhance our City’s local economy and helps to improve the facilities and features that we all love. Furthermore, aren’t we lucky to have such a diverse set of business and restaurant options in Santa Clarita? You can help maintain the uniqueness of our community by taking the time to support our local establishments. This is just a glimpse at the many ways shopping locally helps our City, but please note that the common factor is you.
Although it is exciting to see so many of our great businesses reopening, I must also acknowledge the lingering worries for some in regards to dining-in at a restaurant, utilizing hospital services, visiting in-person with a professional service and more. Please understand that reopening does not mean the end of safety protocols for you and employees. Businesses are still asked to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for health, safety and cleaning protocols. Additionally, I have witnessed many local business employees taking precautions by wearing face coverings and gloves when necessary. Whether you are for or against face coverings, I am thankful to the hard workers in our local businesses wearing them to protect themselves and others.
We have slowed the rate of infection with COVID-19, and we have not overwhelmed our healthcare professionals at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. With that in mind, and strong safety measures in place, let’s continue to utilize hospital services, visit favorite local restaurants, shop at local retail establishments, and do all that we can to protect and support businesses in Santa Clarita. It has been a tough few months for our City and nation, with so many individuals losing their jobs or being furloughed as a result. Shop local now to help our amazing businesses get back to normal and thrive within our resilient community.
Mayor Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at [email protected]. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.
