CCC Crowns Flower Festival King and Queen for 2026

Jose Becerra and Linda Bond were officially crowned the Lompoc Valley Flower Festival King and Queen of the Comprehensive Care Center on Tuesday afternoon.

The duo was chosen from a vote of residents and staff at the CCC – the Lompoc Valley Medical Center skilled nursing and post-acute rehabilitation facility.

The tradition of crowning CCC royalty has been an annual celebration for decades.

On Tuesday, the official Flower Festival Queen Haley Munoz and her court paraded through the hallways of the facility in their magnificent regalia to greet residents before bestowing the honors upon the chosen couple in an Activities Department ceremony.

CCC Activities Director Michele Hunt announced the runners-up as Charles Bothwell and Ron Wittman for King and Diane Rodgers and Debbie Hohenstein for Queen. Each runner-up was presented with flowers by members of the Royal Court.

King Jose and Queen Linda were bestowed with regal capes and crowns by Queen Haley. The CCC royalty then posed for photos and received the congratulations of their fellow residents, family members and staff of the CCC.

The royal duo will be featured riding in a convertible in the 73^rd annual Lompoc Valley Flower Festival parade on Saturday. This year’s theme is “America in Bloom: 250 Years.” The CCC royal court will also participate in the parade, joined by CCC staff.

Jose, 57, has been a resident of the CCC for almost a year and is the father of four daughters. During his career, he fixed baking machines for Birkholm’s Bakery and Cafe in Solvang. At the prompting of his younger sister Sandra, Jose practiced his royal wave.

He said that winning the King title made him “very happy.”

Linda, who spent much of her life in Texas and has been at the CCC since last October, is the mother of five children. She was an artist during her career, specializing in a multitude of mediums.

When her name was announced as the Queen, she gasped and quickly covered her mouth in surprise. Many of the audience members wiped away tears after seeing her joy.

“I don’t feel much like a queen,” Linda said. “I was really excited.”

While she’s never participated in the Lompoc Flower Festival, she said in high school she marched as a drill team member in a parade.

“I’m shocked,” she added. “I’m not used to being chosen, especially for Queen.”

With a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in attendance, Linda added, “My kids and grandkids keep me going. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”

In addition to the official Queen Haley, the Flower Festival Court is: Alexyis “Lexi” Jones; Lorena Febo, sponsored by Lompoc Elks Lodge 2274; Ke’Yarah Martinez, sponsored by the City of Lompoc Employee Development Association and Nicole Urtusuastegui, sponsored by American Legion Post 211. Haley is sponsored by the Lompoc Rotary Club.