It was a joyous, yellow-letter day in Laguna on Tuesday.
More than 50 residents and city employees came together at City Hall to formally recognize the city’s reemergence from COVID-19 restrictions and celebrate their post-pandemic lives.
Mayor Pro Tem Sue Kempf and longtime resident Denny Freidenrich welcomed friends and neighbors, many of whom hadn’t seen each other in the last 16 months, for a community photograph.
Freidenrich asked for a moment of silence to remember the 600,000 Americans who have died after contracting COVID, more than 62,000 of whom were Californians. Of those, 5,099 people were from Orange County as of Tuesday. He praised his neighbors for remaining calm during the unprecedented health crisis, despite the trauma everyone was experiencing.
For her part, Kempf thanked her city council colleagues, city staffers, and first responders for keeping Laguna Beach residents safe during the pandemic.
Photo by Sharon Evans
Residents and city employees wear yellow to celebrate
“The decision to close the beaches was painful for everyone, but it saved lives,” Kempf said, adding she’s optimistic that employers who either let staff go or shuttered their businesses will bounce back soon.
Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom rolling back restrictions on most businesses, state health officials reminded people Tuesday that COVID-19 still is present and deadly, especially for the elderly, immune-compromised, and the unvaccinated.
Among those participating in Laguna’s community photo were Fire Chief Mike Garcia, Interim Police Chief Jeff Calvert, Capt. Jason Kravetz, Lt. Jim Cota, Diane and Cort Kloke, Laguna Food Pantry executive director Anne Belyea, Dave Rubel representing the Chamber of Commerce, Betsy Jenkins, KX FM development director Jayne Herring, LagunaTunes Community Chorus president Patti Jo Kiraly, philanthropists Barbara and Greg MacGillivray, Mayor Bob Whalen, City Manager Shohreh Dupuis, City Clerk Ann Marie McKay, City Treasurer Laura Parisi, Laguna Beach Seniors executive director Nadia Babayi, Scott Ferguson, columnist Billy Fried, Arts Commissioners Pat Kollenda, Karen Wood, and Michael Ervin, Don Romero and Lori Rosenberg, Carrie Reynolds, Lisa Mansour and her daughter Tessa, Ann Larson, Russell Singer, Joan Gladstone, Don and Sally Anne Sheridan, and Third Street Writers member Cecile Sarruf.
So...am I picking up a Denny for Mayor of Laguna Beach vibe here?