‘The Business of Bees’
Mystery behind this drawing
Sculptor explores the environment and other social issues - B1
Was the artist Diego Rivera? Columnist looks at the clues - B2
Our 166th Year
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MON DAY, J U LY 5, 2 021
SB County celebrates Fourth The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation honors service members in Fourth of July celebration By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Fourth of July festivities returned to Santa Barbara Sunday as locals and visitors craned their necks skyward to see fireworks bursting over Stearns Wharf. Lompoc held its “4th of July Spectacular” at dusk as well. Food and games accompanied the pyrotechnic display at Ryon Memorial Park. Parades strode through Montecito and Solvang, with some of the region’s snazziest cars on display. But the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation held a humbling celebration, placing emphasis on those who have served the country. The foundation typically holds a parade but was not able to drive through downtown this year. Instead, it opted to meet at the Santa Barbara Cemetery like its Memorial Day and Veterans Day events — both of which have been delayed during the pandemic. The foundation hasn’t held an in-person event since November 2019. “The other part that we weren’t able to do on May 31 is to honor all those veterans that are buried behind me. So I would like a little bit of thought for that because we couldn’t be here,” John Blankenship, the founding director of the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation and former Naval lieutenant, said during welcoming remarks. Retired Navy Reserve Captain Charlie Plumb and former resident of Santa Barbara received a standing ovation before and after he spoke. Capt. Plumb spent over 2100 days as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, Vietnam. He attributes his survival to faith. “We survived … because we had faith. Faith in our country, faith in our flag, faith in ourselves, faith in our God. But it wasn’t always easy, that’s for sure, but we kept that patriotism alive,” he said. He told a story about his cellmate Mike Christian, whose mind dwelled on the American Please see FOURTH on A4
Fireworks light up the night sky above Santa Barbara on Sunday in celebration of the Fourth of July. For more Independence Day photos, see pages A3 and A4.
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
US Navy veterans stand up to be recognized for their service during the Gold Coast Pipe Band’s playing of the “Service Medley” during a celebration by the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation at the Santa Barbara Cemetery on Sunday.
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