The Signal

Eat local and shop local

- Bill Miranda Bill Miranda is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at bmiranda@santa-clarita. com.

Supporting local businesses and restaurant­s in Santa Clarita is a wonderful way to help our community during these unpreceden­ted times. I’m amazed by the efforts taken by our residents to ensure local businesses and restaurant­s are supported and able to continue serving our city. Our community continues to show resilience when faced with adversity.

Now, more than ever, it is important to shop and eat local.

When you step foot inside a local establishm­ent, you are supporting not only the business owners and staff but also your neighbors, friends and acquaintan­ces. Local businesses provide jobs to college students, retirees and veterans. Stop by a local coffee shop and spark conversati­on with the owner, learn about who they are and how they started their business. Experience firsthand what makes the local businesses and restaurant­s in Santa Clarita so special.

Santa Clarita is filled with a variety of shopping and dining opportunit­ies, sure to pique the interest of any resident. Take a trip to Old Town Newhall, where bakeries, boutiques and eateries fill every corner. These unique businesses are what make Santa Clarita such an amazing community to live in. With your support, local businesses can continue to thrive and provide opportunit­y for new businesses to set up shop.

Don’t forget to check out the more than 200 businesses that have signed up for the Santa Clarita Safer Business Commitment, which encourages local businesses and restaurant­s to commit to following safety guidelines and best practices, as issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. By making the commitment, businesses agree to adhere to providing COVID-19 awareness training for employees, ensuring employees stay home when feeling ill, usage of face coverings, conducting temperatur­e checks on employees, offering a contactles­s payment option when possible, increased sanitation and cleaning procedures and much more. These businesses and restaurant­s are committed to ensuring a safe environmen­t for employees, customers and the community. Explore through the list of Santa Clarita Safer Businesses at VisitSanta­Clarita.com/ SaferBusin­essCommitm­ent/List.

Throughout uncertaint­y, businesses and restaurant­s continue to show adaptabili­ty to serve residents. For residents who prefer a contactles­s way to shop and eat local, many businesses offer delivery and curbside pickup. Don’t forget to check out their websites to shop online or purchase gift cards to show your support.

There are countless ways to support local businesses and restaurant­s. Business owners and staff continue to go above and beyond to provide a safe and clean environmen­t for all residents. As COVID-19 restrictio­ns ease, please remember to continue to wear a face covering and maintain a distance of 6 feet from people who are not in your household.

I admire the hard work and dedication business owners and staff continue to show throughout this time to ensure all residents feel safe when indoor shopping or outdoor dining. Let’s continue to support our local business and please remember to treat others with kindness at all times. The next time you need to run out to do a little shopping or are looking for a new restaurant, seek out a local business and see what they have to offer. I’ll see you around town!

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