Our 164th Year
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KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
David Segall, left, and John Payne perform Thursday at the A.C. Postel Rose Garden in Santa Barbara.
Concert promotes peace By MITCHELL WHITE NEWS-PRESS staff writer
RAFAEL MALDONADO/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Cabrillo High School graduate Grace Catherine Johnson poses Thursday for a photo with her diploma. The school was among those that held drive-through celebrations for seniors this week.
Honk if you’ve graduated! Lompoc Unified School District holds drive-through celebrations By: GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
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festive frenzy of balloons, brightcolored tents, yard signs covered in glitter, pom-poms, horns honking from cars chalked with names and congratulations, and an enthusiastic, cheery mood without a cloud in the sky, despite the circumstances. These were the scenes Thursday at Lompoc and Cabrillo high schools. Because of the social distancing requirements amid the COVID19 pandemic, the Lompoc Unified School District postponed its 2020
graduation ceremonies. However, to still celebrate the seniors on what would have been their big day, both high schools held drive-through celebrations where each student had the opportunity to cross the stage, get their picture taken and receive their diploma, all while abiding by the social distancing rules. “While we know there may not be the traditional pomp and circumstance, providing the students this opportunity, in some fashion, has been a top priority for us as the year comes to a close,” Superintendent Trevor McDonald said in a press release. Lompoc High School held its drive-through event in the parking
lot, where one graduate per car along with their immediate family members entered on one side and weaved through lines of cars and tents of faculty and staff members. The faculty and staff radiated with pride as they cheered and clapped for the graduates proceeding through the lot. At the end, there were two stages available for graduates to hop out and walk across while their name was announced and their photo was taken in their cap and gown. Masks were worn by everyone besides the seniors walking across the stage. “Faculty, staff and parents all came together to make this the best day that we can for seniors,”
Local concert venues being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t stopped David Segall from spreading his message of peace and healing. The local singer-songwriter took to the A.C. Postel Rose Garden across from the Santa Barbara Mission Thursday night, hosting a free concert and offering peace to the community through music and dance. When his gigs were canceled for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic, the 38-year-old musician accustomed to playing at tasting rooms and restaurants said he relied upon his spirit
to persevere. Just before the lockdown went into effect, he traveled to Oregon to spend time with his father and wound up spending six weeks in a small town, writing music and hosting concerts on Facebook and Instagram. Outdoor shows like Thursday night’s provide him with the chance to connect with his audience, albeit from a safe social distance, to provide positive vibes and share his effusive energy. His exuberant presence in the garden was shining bright despite the May gloom overhead. One of the first songs he played was “Blackbird” by The Beatles, which some have said Paul Please see CONCERT on A2
said Paul Bommersbach, principal of Lompoc High School. “I have a wonderful team to put this on for our graduates.” “It’s not normal, obviously, but it’s the best that we can do under the circumstances,” said Casey Brooks, a social studies and psychology teacher and the cross country and softball coach at Lompoc. “They deserve it. The kids have worked hard. They deserve some sort of celebration.” Bree Jansen, an English and performing arts teacher at Lompoc, snapped candid photos of the graduates as they each experienced their moments Please see graduation on A8 KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
This is how Sambo’s Restaurant appeared Thursday afternoon at 216 Cabrillo Blvd. A spokesman said the restaurant planned to cover up the name, which the black community and its supporters have found offensive.
Sambo’s Restaurant decides to rebrand By PAUL GONZALEZ NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
T Lompoc HIgh School graduate Michael Mendek and his mother Cara pose for a photo with his diploma.
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he black community has long viewed the Sambo’s Restaurant sign as an icon of racism on Cabrillo Boulevard. Restaurant staff confirmed Thursday that the restaurant is rebranding. At its height, more than 1,000 Sambo’s restaurants served up breakfast and 10-cent cups of coffee from the 1950s through the 1970s. Founders Newell Bohnett and Sam Battistone Sr.’s original restaurant at 216 W. Cabrillo Blvd. has been the controversial chain’s only survivor since the 1980s.
During Sunday’s Black Lives Matter protest at the Courthouse Sunken Garden, Akila Ruskamp said that the restaurant’s name is a “slur” and an example of racist undertones in Santa Barbara. “I don’t need y’all to yell Black Lives Matter as you continue to enjoy brunch at Sambo’s,” Ms. Ruskamp said. A Sambo’s spokesman said staff will cover up the sign today as the restaurant works to rebrand. “We’ll be changing our name. I’m not sure to what yet, but we have plans to have the sign covered hopefully by end of day (today). We’re going to do what we can to make this a peaceful transition,” he said. Please see sambo’s on A8
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L O T T E RY R ESU LT S
Comics................. A6 Classified.............. A7 Life.................... A 3-4
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-17-26-36-42 Meganumber: 3
Thursday’s DAILY 4: 7-3-3-5
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 9-20-23-26-29 Meganumber: 8
Thursday’s FANTASY 5: 7-8-22-27-28
Thursday’s DAILY DERBY: 02-05-11 Time: 1:43.12
Wednesday’s POWERBALL: 1-3-26-41-64 Meganumber: 17
Obituaries............. A8 Soduku................. A5 Weather................ A8
Thursday’s DAILY 3: 7-9-0 / Evening 5-8-2