Before the regular Aug. 15 Orinda City Council meeting got underway, Mayor Inga Miller asked everyone attending the meeting, whether present in the Orinda Library Auditorium or at home in front of their computer screens, to spare a thought for the suffering of the people of Maui. At that point over a hundred people were known to have died, while more than one thousand still remained unaccounted for.
"This is an incredibly sad time," Miller said, "as we listen to the many accounts of all the lives lost in Lahaina, amid what has been the worst wildfire in the last one hundred years in the United States. We don't yet have a full tally of the devastation but as we hear the details of the victims and learn about some of their identities, we know that many more reports will be coming out."
She went on to say that in addition to this being a national tragedy, it's also one that hits Orinda very deeply, knowing how many of the city's residents have made some of their most important memories in Maui, either as tourists or longtime homeowners.
"Our hearts are with everyone there," Miller said, "and I just ask that we all observe a moment of silence before our meeting, in preparation for the distressing news that we will continue to hear as this disaster unfolds and the community of Lahaina continues to grieve."
"This is an incredibly sad time," Miller said, "as we listen to the many accounts of all the lives lost in Lahaina, amid what has been the worst wildfire in the last one hundred years in the United States. We don't yet have a full tally of the devastation but as we hear the details of the victims and learn about some of their identities, we know that many more reports will be coming out."
She went on to say that in addition to this being a national tragedy, it's also one that hits Orinda very deeply, knowing how many of the city's residents have made some of their most important memories in Maui, either as tourists or longtime homeowners.
"Our hearts are with everyone there," Miller said, "and I just ask that we all observe a moment of silence before our meeting, in preparation for the distressing news that we will continue to hear as this disaster unfolds and the community of Lahaina continues to grieve."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA