Family and friends show support for Lompoc Prison inmates at rally
and last updated 2021-02-22 02:03:49-05
Family, friends and community members are letting Lompoc Federal Prison inmates know they are loved. Love Your Inmate, a local coalition that provides support for inmates and their families, held a rally at Ryon Park in Lompoc which is near prison grounds.
Representatives from Congressman Salud Carbajal s office, the Lompoc Prison Task Force and local clergy spoke at the event.
Inmate supporters said they hope to bring attention to what they call an inadequate response of the Covid-19 outbreak at the prison. We want to let [prisoners and their families] know that they re not forgotten. They don t have much of a voice, so it s really important for those of us who do to use that voice to make sure that their concerns are addressed, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Santa Barbara representative Tanya Hyde said.
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As 2020 comes to a close, the Sun looks back at some of last year s big stories
By SUN STAFF
Turns out, so much happened in 2020 that we really don’t have space to cover it all. As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic is the big story, with social and political tensions taking a close second. Although California also had a record fire season in 2020, Santa Barbara County thankfully didn’t. Santa Maria made the national news for a violent incident after the election between Trump advocates and the opposition, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District gave out more failing grades than it did the previous school year, and the wine industry battled over a proposed business improvement district that was ultimately withdrawn. Plus, we are still reeling in the uncertainty of the pandemic in its effects on the health care and education systems, the economy, everyday normalcy, and those whom COVID-19 infected. Who knows what 2021 will bring, but I think we’re all looking
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By Malea Martin
A new COVID-19 outbreak at the Lompoc Penitentiary though currently much smaller than the one that peaked in May and infected hundreds has family members and inmate advocates concerned about the current situation.
ASKING FOR ANSWERS
Family members of inmates at the Lompoc prison gathered in protest in late April when the first COVID-19 outbreak was beginning to ramp up.
FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF LOMPOC PRISON RALLY ORGANIZERS
As of Dec. 15, the Bureau of Prisons reported that 25 inmates and one staff member had tested positive for the virus, nearly doubling from the 13 reported the previous day.