Dear friends,
I recently spoke with my 96-year-old father. He is a member of "The Greatest Generation" who grew up during the great Depression and then World War II.
Thinking of the life events he's endured is a source of great inspiration for me as I think about the sacrifices we currently are making and must continue to make...
Many of you have been asked to make extreme sacrifices like working on the front lines during a dangerous pandemic, or closing or modifying businesses... directly affecting the livelihoods of those business owners and employees.
These sacrifices are momentus and not to be taken lightly.
On Wednesday, Yolo County was placed on the State's watch list. We anticipated this a week before we were officially put on the list, and proactively took the measures that we knew would be required of us. We simply looked at the numbers and knew time was running out and we needed to act.
This meant that indoor dining and indoor bars were closed before the Fourth of July weekend, hopefully playing a role in curbing exponential spread... we will see as the numbers tell the story in coming weeks.
In the meantime,
there are smaller sacrifices that we can make to help our community and literally save lives. While wearing a mask might feel new and uncomfortable, it's an easy way to make an impact in slowing the spread.
Each time you put on a face covering, please remind yourself that you are saving someone's grandmother or parent, or maybe even someone going through cancer treatments. The small action of putting on a face covering is heroic and patriotic. Following health orders and resisting the temptation to have large gatherings or travel uneccessarily is also herioc and patriotic. Thank you for making them a part of your daily lives.
Moving forward, Yolo County can now issue civil penalties to those who do not follow health orders. This is a crucial action to keep our community healthy, but it's my hope that it isn't necessary.
Before I close, I'd like to remind you that domestic violence is at an all time high.
Here is a document that can help you identify and prevent child abuse. Note: You'll need to scroll about halfway down on that website until you see the heading, "Supporting Safety of Children and Families during COVID-19.
Thank you for your time and attention to that matter as well.
I'll have additional updates next week.
