Positively Negative

I was not able to be in my office this week – though I was able to still diligently work (from home). I have been exposed to COVID.

Thankfully I found out on Sunday and was able to go to the office when no one was there to pick up my computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse. I wiped everything down afterward with Lysol wipes to ensure that, if I turned out to be positive, I didn’t contaminate any surfaces.

Thankfully, as of Wednesday, I tested negative.

But to share my thoughts on the subject, as the number of cases continues to rise in LA County I have little doubt that just about all of us are going to be exposed to COVID. I mean, as of Tuesday, County of Los Angeles Public Health reported 3,310 new positive cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths attributed to the infectious disease. Avoiding being exposed as we return to a more “normal” existence seems nearly impossible to me. However, being exposed doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll “get” it.

My exposure did cost me more than the need of having to work from home: this week saw several graduations throughout the foothills, including at Crescenta Valley High School, Clark Magnet High School and Rosemont Middle School. While Mary O’Keefe was already assigned to the Rosemont and CV graduations, I was going to head over to Clark. My exposure put the brakes on that outing. Thankfully, Ruth Sowby stepped in to shoot some super photos and give us an overview of the commencement exercises held on that campus.    

Congratulations to all those who graduated or promoted!

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I hope during this week you were able to acknowledge the efforts of some of our local citizens by recognizing Flag Day and Flag Week. If you remember Grace Chase’s letter in the June 9 issue, she shared that her dad Vito Cannella (old timers like me remember Vito) and local citizens Bill Bailey, Don Carpenter, Congressman H. Allen Smith and the Crescenta Cañada Rotary Club petitioned for National Flag Week. Their love for our country and gratitude to those who defended it were the reasons for asking for this recognition. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law National Flag Week and, since then, each year a proclamation was issued from the White House regarding National Flag Week.

This year was no different. To read this year’s proclamation, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p9ezvd2.

And take a minute to remember those Montrose people who worked hard to make National Flag Week a reality.