Our 164th Year
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Christmas in May Carpinteria diners step out for Sunday brunch
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTO
Carpinteria High School graduates celebrate at their commencement. This year, seniors will have a drive-in ceremony.
School prepares for drive-in graduation Carpinteria High School has special plans By PAUL GONZALEZ NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
A family strolls past the Corktree Cellars Wine Bar & Bistro Sunday on Linden Avenue in Carpinteria, where businesses have reopened for dine-in service.
By PAUL GONZALEZ NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Carpinteria took a step towards normalcy on Sunday morning by turning out to support their favorite breakfast and brunch spots. The crowds at Carpinteria State Beach were smaller than usual for Memorial Day weekend, and beachgoers appeared to maintain social distance between groups. However, visitors came from everywhere from Los Angeles to Utah. The Worker Bee Cafe is located at 973 Linden Ave., just a short walk from the water. Owner Rick Mancilla’s business was open for its Sunday dine-in breakfast at 7:30 a.m. for the first time since Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a mandatory stay home order on March 19. State officials allowed Santa Barbara County restaurants to reopen dine-in service on Thursday. Leland Keel of Los Angeles was the first diner in the restaurant, but several more trickled in as he sat at his table with a coffee and his journal. “I write a lot in my journal and so the experience of eating in one’s car and writing in a journal in one’s car versus being able to sit at a table is sort of a return to civilization. It’s cautiously optimistic,” Mr. Keel said. He works at an outpatient community
COURTESY PHOTO
A crowd goes to Santa Claus Beach, where beachgoers seem to maintain social distancing between groups.
mental health facility and said that he had been working throughout the coronavirus outbreak. “It’s delightful to come up here — I’m from LA. I’ve heard signs of things opening a little bit. I wasn’t expecting to do anything
Mary Beth Radley cleans items at her Homestead Antiques & Trading Co. store on Linden Avenue.
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Carpinteria High School seniors won’t get the graduation ceremony they expected when the school year started. Graduates and their families will drive, not walk, across the high school finish line. Principal Gerardo Cornejo said graduation will be held at 6 p.m. June 11 in the high school parking lot, 4810 Foothill Road. “Normally, students get to walk across the stage when they graduate,” Mr. Cornejo said. “That’s of course not possible due to the social distancing guidelines. “We are going to call the name of the graduate, but instead of the graduate walking across the stage, it will be their family in their family car. We designated
a part of the parking lot to look as if it was a stage. They will be marching across the parking lot stage.” Graduates and their families will remain in their car during the entire ceremony. When each graduate’s name is called, they will drive along a specified route in the parking lot as their friends and classmates cheer them on. The school will upload the ceremony to YouTube at 8 p.m. June 11. Mr. Cornejo said the virtual graduation is important because it allows the community to celebrate with the graduates. “It’s also a community recognition,” he said. “The community has invested resources, energy, donations and support ever since all of our students have been Please see graduation on A2
but get a takeout order, but when they offered me a table, it was like Christmas,” Mr. Keel said. Mr. Mancilla said he had been able to rehire two employees he laid off during the state’s mandatory dining room closure. “It’s been busy and good. We were never shut down; we were always doing takeout. Relative to the economy and everything, we’ve done well. We’re hanging in there. We’ve got the doors open, and we haven’t had to shutter them so I’m happy about that. Yes, it could be better, but I’m not complaining,” Mr. Mancilla said. He added that he is grateful to welcome his regular customers and new visitors back into the dining room. “They’re ecstatic, they are so happy. People like to come in here and yap with me. I’m a yapper. They’re just happy to be here,” Mr. Mancilla said. He added that he is working to bring more staff back into the business, but income is lower than usual for this time of year. “When we were doing takeout,
we had a skeleton crew. I have to be careful with my budgeting, the funds aren’t what they used to be,” Mr. Mancilla said. Right now, his business is 50% dine-in and 50% takeout. “It’s wonderful … Everyone wanted to get out, but we have to be careful with how we open up,” Mr. Mancilla said. Nearby at Jack’s Bistro & Famous Bagels, 5050 Carpinteria Ave., #2047, families enjoyed their brunch on patio tables outside the restaurant. Ruby and William Young took their children out for a relaxing brunch before they set out for a bike ride, then a hike later Sunday afternoon. “We’ve been coming here as long as it’s been open, pretty much. It’s lovely, and the kids need it,” Mrs. Young said. Mr. Young added that it felt liberating to have the freedom to go outside and enjoy a meal with his family. “To be able to do what we’re supposed to do. To have freedom Please see carp on A2
Paul Hood was praised for his work as executive director of the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission.
Paul Hood remembered Accolades accrue for LAFCO leader By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
“A decent good person.” “A guy with incredible credentials.” “A walking encyclopedia when it came to LAFCO.” “A source of great inspiration for LAFCO staff and commissioners statewide.” These are only a few of the accolades the family of Paul Hood received when friends and colleagues learned of his untimely death at the age of 71 on May 11, several weeks after the nonsmoker had been diagnosed with lung cancer. For seven years, from 2013
until he died, he was executive director of the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission. Roger Aceves, Goleta City Council member, recalled being on the commission when Mr. Hood was persuaded to end his retirement to take the position. “The guy came with such incredible credentials . . . He created some big shoes to fill.” Added Etta Waterfield, Santa Maria City Council member, “He was a walking encyclopedia when he came to LAFCO.” Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagino, who serves on LAFCO, said, “This job can sometimes Please see HOOD on A2
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LOTTERY
Comics................. A6 Local................. A 2-8 Obituaries............. A8
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 7-27-35-43-45 Meganumber: 15
Sunday’s DAILY 4: 9-9-8-2
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 8-10-20-44-46 Meganumber: 18
Sunday’s FANTASY 5: 13-17-19-23-26
Sunday’s DAILY DERBY: 06-07-10 Time: 1:43.82
Saturday’s POWERBALL: 2-8-18-21-23 Meganumber: 16
Soduku................. A5 Weather................ A8
Sunday’s DAILY 3: 3-3-6 / Midday 4-5-1