Signal Tribune

08/30/2024

🎆 Things to do this weekend | 💰 Money talks: LB Library Services and Community Development discuss 2025 budget overview - https://mailchi.mp/821a228f74a8/fri-aug30newsletter-17330054

08/30/2024

Things to do in and : Fireworks celebration 🎇, Greek festival 🇬🇷, exhibit opening 🖼️ and more!

📖 Read the full list of :

08/30/2024

Labor Day is on Monday, Sept. 2, honoring the contributions of workers in the United States and their benefit to the country.

Many forces in and will accordingly have the day off from work on Monday. This will affect services such as trash and recycling pickup and City operations.

In Signal Hill, waste and recycling curbside collection will be pushed back by one day all week in residential areas. For commercial businesses, these services will be unaffected and performed on the same schedule.

Residents who need to dispose of bulky waste items on Monday can drop them off at the EDCO Recycling and Transfer Center at 2755 California Ave. from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Street sweeping will not occur in Signal Hill on Monday.

The Signal Hill Public Library will be closed on Monday for .

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

Labor Day is on Monday, Sept. 2, honoring the contributions of workers in the United States and their…

08/30/2024

The Community College District (LBCCD) is seeking two residents to join its Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC).

The needs two new members: one Community-at-Large member, and one representative who is an active member of a bona fide taxpayers’ association. The period to apply for a COC membership ends on Sept. 6.

The COC oversees Measure E, a $440 million bond measure approved by the voters in 2008, and Measure LB, an $850 million measure approved by the voters in 2016. Funds are used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of LBCCD facilities or the acquisition or lease of real property for use by the District.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) is seeking two residents to join its Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC).

08/29/2024

Come dressed in your best lederhosen for Port City Tavern’s 2nd Annual Fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 28.

For the celebration, the bar’s parking lot will be decked out in Oktoberfest regalia to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Port City Tavern’s inaugural in 2023 fundraised over $3,000, and this year they hope to more than double that amount with a fundraising goal of $8,000.

The fundraiser will include a variety of Oktoberfest-themed activities and features, including a biergarten, food, live music, games, contests and prizes, including one for “most authentic dress.”

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

Come dressed in your best lederhosen for Port City Tavern’s 2nd Annual Oktoberfest Fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 28.

08/29/2024

As the calendar flips from summer to fall, it means the arrival of several seasonal celebrations. One date to circle is Saturday, Nov. 2, which marks the return of the annual Día de Los Mu***os Parade in : a free celebration of life and remembering those who have passed.

The will be hosted by Grand Parade Día De Los Mu***os Inc. and presented by The City of Long Beach and District One Councilmember Mary Zendejas.

The will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Downtown Long Beach alongside the Arte y Ofrendas at Rainbow Lagoon. More details about the festival will be announced at a later date.

“Día de los Mu***os is a day to reflect on the beloved traditions deeply rooted in generations of family and culture,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “Our parade is set to return this November and we encourage all members of our community to join in the celebration.”

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

November 2 marks the return of the annual Día de Los Mu***os Parade in Long Beach: a celebration of life and remembering departed loved ones.

08/29/2024

🛹 Skate, love and art: Long Beach is about to get Warped | 🌺💀 Long Beach Día de los Mu***os parade returns Nov. 2 - https://mailchi.mp/f5364f1a1436/wed-aug28newsletter-17329858

08/28/2024

This Saturday, Roxanne's will put a cap on summer with a family-friendly smorgasbord of , art, music and those who embody culture.

Inspired by the Vans Warped Tour which embodied the skater and rocker lifestyle, Roxanne’s Skate is Love 2: Warped Beach 2k24 will transform the bar’s patio into a pop-up skate park, live venue and collaborative experience. The event was created for millennials who never got to experience the Vans Warped Tour, those who want to share that experience with their children or friends who simply cherish the blend of alt-rock, skating and creativity.

The blend of skating and punk rock will benefit from a focus on , as Roxanne’s has invited local leaders in the skate and art scenes. Jimmy Torres, director of communications for Roxanne’s, said the goal is to provide the sense of a mini Warped Tour with an element of inspiration for kids who may want to explore this local creative scene.

“As you become an adult, the idea that you can really do whatever and be whoever you want, it rings so true. We’re going to be able to show all these kids, show everybody that you can do whatever you want and have a happy life,” Torres said. “These are all just people who love what they do and they have fun doing it and they’re doing it within the community.”

✍️: Samantha Diaz
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

This Saturday, Roxanne’s will put a cap on summer with a family-friendly smorgasbord of skating, art, music and…

08/28/2024

Long Beach is moving along with its Sidewalk to Success program and is accepting for up to 40 free food carts for eligible .

Carts will be issued to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Vendors can apply online.

The Sidewalk to Success program is part of the City’s updated sidewalk and street vendor laws. The program is meant to help vendors achieve compliance while easing some of the financial burden of the requirements.

Other program initiatives include covering the costs of business license and health permit fees and providing reimbursements for the first year of insurance costs. To date, only 14 vendors have received such financial support, according to a statement from the City of .

Each type of cart has a different price point, and the program will end once funds to purchase carts are exhausted. The actual number of carts purchased and distributed to vendors will depend on the type of carts purchased and program participation. The City has allotted $429,500 for cart purchases through the Long Beach Recovery Act.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Karla M. Enriquez

📖 Read the full story:

Long Beach is moving along with its Sidewalk to Success program and is accepting applications for up to 40 free food carts.

08/27/2024

A nonverbal 29-year-old Black man has been in since Aug. 22, and the police continue to ask for the public’s help to find him.

Davontay M. Clark was last seen around 8:30 p.m. Thursday leaving his residence in the 1700 block of Long Beach Boulevard, near the Pacific Coast Highway Metro Station, according to the Long Beach Police Department ( ).

Clark was believed to be on foot, with no access to a car or cell phone, and does not have a tracking device. He is also nonverbal.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Courtesy of LBPD

📖 Read the full story:

Davontay M. Clark was last seen around 8:30 p.m. Thursday leaving his residence in the 1700 block of Long Beach Boulevard.

08/27/2024

The is invited to step into the stream of natural, local history as the City of hosts the 6th Annual Ranchos Walk on Saturday, Sept. 14.

This annual urban hike experience takes residents along the trail that links Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos. The 9.4-mile scenic route connects the highest points across Long Beach and Signal Hill, including Reservoir Hill, Longview Point at Willow Springs Park, and Hilltop Park in .

Those who don’t want to the full 9.4-mile route can explore the shorter 3.5-mile and 6-mile route options. This year’s Ranchos Walk will highlight local water facts through the educational theme, “Step into the Stream of History.”

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Courtesy of Rancho Los Cerritos

📖 Read the full story:

Step into the stream of natural, local history as the City of Long Beach hosts the 6th Annual Ranchos Walk on Saturday, Sept. 14.

08/26/2024

🧘 Things to do this week | 🚔 Weekend shooting claims life in North Long Beach, continuing troubling trend - https://mailchi.mp/9c4696554251/mon-aug26newsletter-17329638

08/26/2024

The City of is planning to apply for a federal grant, and will include from the public in its application. Residents are asked to take an online about electric vehicle charging stations by Aug. 28.

The City is applying for the Charging and Fueling Discretionary Program from the Department of Transportation. The minimum amount given to chosen recipients through the grant is $1 million.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The City of Signal Hill is planning to apply for a federal grant, and will include feedback from the public in its application.

08/26/2024

A man was fatally shot early Sunday, Aug. 18 morning in North .

Personnel with the Long Beach Fire Department ( ) found 43-year-old Ali Jabbar Phannix at the 600 block of E South Street with gunshot wounds to his upper body and declared him deceased at the scene.

Homicide detectives from the Long Beach Police Department ( ) were called to the scene to investigate.

That same night, police responded to a report of another shooting in North Long Beach, in which an unoccupied vehicle had been struck by gunfire in the 5800 block of Lime Avenue.

The day before Phannix was killed, a man reported to police that his car had been struck by gunfire while he was driving in North Long Beach. The suspect or suspects fled before officers arrived at the scene.

Residents who keep up with the local news may remember numerous recent cases of shootings in North Long Beach. A 16-year-old boy was killed and his relative was injured earlier this month. A gunman fired at two other men during an argument over a car in June. A mass shooting in May injured seven people. In April, a father was killed while standing outside his home.

The shootings that make it into the news are only a sliver of the gun violence that occurs in the 90805 zip code. According to data obtained from the LBPD through a public records request, 1,665 people have been victims of shootings in North Long Beach from January 2007 to April 2024.

The 90805 zip code represents the largest number of victims in any zip code in Long Beach during this period in time. It is one of the City’s largest zip codes, encompassing 7.4 square miles of land, and has the third most victims per capita.

✍️: Kristen Farrah Naeem
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

A man was fatally shot early Sunday, Aug. 18 morning in North Long Beach. Personnel with the Long…

08/24/2024

A youth-focused is celebrating its 50th birthday by doubling down on what they say is most needed: resources to combat teen depression and anxiety.

For the Child has served Long Beach children, teens and families since 1974 by providing child abuse treatments and trauma-informed mental health care for children and teens through counseling and therapy. On July 18, the nonprofit broke ground on its latest effort to specifically provide more and better care for teens: the 2,299-square-foot John Gogian Teen and Family Center, as an extension to its Bixby Knolls location.

The new center will provide For the Child’s (FTC) teen patients with their own entrance and waiting room, two rooms for group therapy and workshops as well as five teen-centered counseling offices. In an effort to reach more teens, FTC will also be hiring five additional therapists, bringing their counseling staff to a total of 25.

For the Child Executive Director Michele Winterstein said the nonprofit had been noticing a rising trend of teens in need of their services, but that need “skyrocketed” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The trends were already happening; the isolation of being disconnected from social support,” Winterstein said. “After COVID we saw a tremendous increase in suicidal [teen] patients.”

✍️: Samantha Diaz
📸: Courtesy of For the Child

📖 Read the full story:

The teen counseling center will allow For the Child to serve an additional 105 teens with either weekly or twice-weekly therapy sessions.

08/24/2024

🏘️ Things to do this weekend | 🏛️ Long Beach will clear encampments, but enforcement won’t be enough to address homelessness - https://mailchi.mp/5f28cd99d18f/fri-aug23newsletter-17329502

08/24/2024

The City of plans to crack down on , and may begin citing and arresting homeless people to do so. But it remains clear that a drastic increase in resources is needed to properly tackle the epidemic.

This change in local enforcement follows the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which decided that local municipalities could penalize people for sleeping and camping in public, even if there was no space available for them in shelters.

Following this ruling, Governor Gavin Newsom released an executive order requiring state agencies and encouraging local governments to make progress on clearing encampments.

According to the City’s Aug. 12 memo, Long Beach will “generally” issue misdemeanor citations for those camping in public areas only after the City’s Interdepartmental Homelessness Team offers them and multiple times.

One of the city’s encampments is located outside St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, a safe haven that offers the unhoused meals, showers and clothing. Reverend Antonio Gallardo told the Signal Tribune that while the city’s memo sounds promising, he’s skeptical about how the encampment clean-ups will happen due to his past experiences with some city workers.

“One day, I saw the city workers cleaning the encampments, the trash, and I approached them, and I asked them if they were offering resources[…], and they said, ‘No, we don’t offer resources, we came here to clean,’” Gallardo told the Signal Tribune. “And then after that, you know, two police officers that were present, they started telling me generalizations about the unhoused that most of the public make, like they said there are plenty of shelters, […] these people are on drugs, are lazy, right? So that, to me, is not what the City promised.”

✍️: Kristen Farrah Naeem
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The City of Long Beach plans to crack down on encampments, and may begin citing and arresting homeless people to do so.

08/23/2024

Things to do in and : Sprawling music festival 🎶, local farm tours 🚜, housing workshops 🏠 and more!

Friday 8/23:

Outer Limits Open House: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Residents can learn about Long Beach’s tattoo history at this open house and tour at Outer Limits Tattoo and Museum (22 S Chestnut Place). Attendees can also learn about owner Kari Barba’s efforts to create a national tattoo museum in Long Beach. Free.

Concert in the Park: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The City of Long Beach is hosting its last summer concert in the park with ‘80s tribute band POPGUN ReRun at El Dorado Park West (2760 Studebaker Road). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. Free.

Gallery Opening: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Loiter Galleries (425 The Promenade) will host an opening reception for this exhibit on “Earth Art” that explores building sustainable communities and our environmental impact. An artist talk will take place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the closing ceremony is Sunday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free.

Movie in the Park: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public is invited to an outdoor screening of the animated movie “Elemental” at Stearns Park (4520 E 23rd St.). Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic food. The movie will begin at dusk. Free.

📖 Read the full list of events:

Just because kids are heading back to school, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on these fun and (mostly) free events in Long Beach.

08/23/2024

Downtown (DTLB) Alliance and District One Councilmember Mary Zendejas will host a two week-long summer series on Pine Avenue between Broadway and Third Street.

Residents can enjoy fitness classes, roller skating, live music and more with five free activities that encourage car-free fun during “Summer on Pine.”

“Our goal with this street closure is to reimagine urban spaces as dynamic places where the community can come together, celebrate, and thrive,” said Austin Metoyer, President and CEO of the DTLB Alliance in a public statement. “These events not only foster a sense of belonging and unity but also contribute to the economic vitality and cultural richness of our city. We’re excited to see Pine Avenue filled with life and energy.”

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Courtesy of Downtown Long Beach Alliance

📖 Read the full story:

Downtown Long Beach Alliance and District 1 Councilmember Mary Zendejas will host a two week-long summer event series on Pine Avenue.

08/23/2024

The Police Department ( ) will hold a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and driver’s license checkpoint Friday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The checkpoint will be held in LBPD’s south division, the area of Anaheim Street to Harbor Scenic Drive and the Los Angeles River to Cherry Avenue. According to a press release from the police department, checkpoints are determined based on data showing impaired driving-related crashes.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Lieutenant Jose Flores said in a public statement. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) will hold a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and driver’s license checkpoint Friday night.

08/22/2024

🎵 Long Beach looks for a company to build amphitheater near Queen Mary | ✒️ Fear City Tattoo to host fundraiser for Tattoo Heritage Project - https://mailchi.mp/f6f65eb9ca16/wed-aug21newsletter-17329098

08/22/2024

This weekend, Fear City Tattoo will host a for the Tattoo Heritage Project, a nonprofit with the mission of establishing the first national art in .

Nestor Zelaya, owner of Fear City Tattoo, has partnered with Happy Sundays and several local tattoo artists who will create old-school original tattoo artwork for $100 to $300 to raise proceeds for the future Tattoo Heritage Museum.

“When I first heard about the Tattoo Heritage Project, I could immediately recognize the importance of such a movement, not only as a tattooer but as a long time Long Beach resident,” Zelaya said in a public statement. “Tattooing is important culturally throughout the world and yet it still holds such a strong stigma in society. The only way to overcome that is through education.”

Happy Sundays is a free two-day , created by Scott Montoya and Julia Kugel-Montoya, that takes place annually in the city’s Zaferia neighborhood. The festivities will include live music from dozens of bands and South by Southwest-esque programming that includes aerospace panels, comedy shows and now a tattooing pop-up.

The Tattoo Heritage Project was founded by tattoo artists Charlie Cartwright, a.k.a. Good Time Charlie, and Outer Limits Tattoo & Museum owner Kari Barba. Since its foundation, events have been held locally and across the country in tattoo-rich cities such as San Antonio and Tucson, to fundraise and bring further attention to the Project’s efforts.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Samantha Diaz

📖 Read the full story:

Fear City Tattoo will host a fundraiser for the Tattoo Heritage Project, a nonprofit hoping to create the first national tattoo art museum.

08/21/2024

Just over four months after a jury deadlocked in his murder trial, a former Long Beach Unified School District ( ) safety officer pleaded no contest Tuesday to voluntary for an 18-year-old woman’s shooting death about a block from a high school.

Eddie Gonzalez, 54, is due back in a courtroom for sentencing Oct. 8, when he is facing either three years or six years in state prison under a plea agreement, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

He remains free on bail pending his sentencing.

After about two days of deliberations in April, the jury’s foreperson told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Richard Goul that the panel was split 7-5 — with the majority favoring convicting Gonzalez of second-degree murder. The other five opted for voluntary manslaughter and an acquittal on the more serious offense of second-degree murder for the Sept. 27, 2021, shooting of Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez about a block from Millikan High School in Long Beach.

Rodriguez was fatally shot as she sat in the front passenger seat of an Infiniti being driven by her boyfriend in a parking lot near the intersection of Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue in Long Beach.

The shooting was captured on video that was widely aired on local media.

✍️: City News Service
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

Just over four months after a jury deadlocked in his murder trial, a former Long Beach Unified School…

08/21/2024

The is invited to test their strength and teamwork skills at the annual at the Airport this Saturday.

Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) and Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) are hosting this event where residents can try to drag a 124,000 pound jet across 12 feet. The team who does this the quickest will be etched in the Plane Pull history books, and all proceeds for the event will go towards helping local athletes training with SOSC.

The Plane Pull began in 2010 and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to “help empower people with intellectual disabilities to live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives,” according to a public statement from SOSC. This year’s fundraising goal is $275,000 and the event has already raised $149,284.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Courtesy of the Special Olympics Southern California

📖 Read the full story:

The community is invited to test their strength and teamwork skills at the annual Plane Pull at the Long Beach Airport this Saturday.

08/19/2024

The City of has initiated the search for a company to manage and operate a temporary , which will be built near the on the Downtown waterfront.

The Economic Development Department released a request for proposals (RFP) on August 5, inviting qualified firms to submit their bids.

“Long Beach is elevating its status as a premier entertainment and tourist destination in Southern California,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a public statement. “The new Long Beach Bowl will be an iconic music venue on our beautiful waterfront that will highlight the spirit and culture of our community and will bring people together for concerts and festivals, further enhancing our landscape and stimulating our local economy.”

The amphitheater, a state-of-the-art venue, will cover approximately five to six acres along Queens Highway, positioned between the Queen Mary and Harry Bridges Memorial Park. Designed to hold up to 12,000 people, the will host a wide range of live , featuring major international and local .

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The City of Long Beach has initiated the search for a company to manage and operate a temporary amphitheater built near the Queen Mary.

08/19/2024

Local and their owners can hop over to Bun Chia Burrow in to receive a wellness check and a low-cost on Aug. 31.

Bun Chia Burrow is a pet boarding, bonding and mobile grooming facility that caters to rabbits and other small in Long Beach, Los Angeles and Orange County. This year will mark the second annual vaccine hosted by the business to protect Long Beach bunnies against the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV-2).

The RHDV-2 virus is fatal for rabbits, and has been spreading through the United States since 2020, according to RHDV-2 vaccine manufacturer Medgen. Bun Chia Burrow has reported six rabbit deaths due to the virus in the last year.

The Aug. 31 clinic will offer wellness exams for $15 and a RHDV-2 vaccine for $35, which Bun Chia Burrow states is only to cover the cost of the vaccine. Rabbits can receive their first-time vaccine or booster updates for the virus.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Courtesy of Pexels.com

📖 Read the full story:

Local rabbits and their owners can hop over to Bun Chia Burrow in Long Beach to receive a wellness check and a low-cost vaccine on Aug. 31.

08/17/2024

Things to do in and : Antique market 🕰️, writing workshop ✍️, group run 🏃‍♂️ and more!

📖 Read the full list of events:

We’ve gathered a list of events to help families and friends soak up Long Beach's concerts, movies and summer-centric outdoor gatherings.

08/16/2024

✍️ Things to do this weekend | 🛝 Free after-school programs return to parks across Long Beach - https://mailchi.mp/eaebcb3694ba/fri-aug16newsletter-17329038

08/16/2024

The City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine is set to provide after-school for children ages 5 to 12 this fall. These programs will run weekdays from Aug. 26 to Dec. 20, offering a range of at various parks across the city.

The program is designed as a free drop-in service, meaning participants can come and go freely. Children who attend will receive homework help and be able to participate in entertaining and educational activities. Parents are required to register their children for the program, and can do so at their preferred park during the program’s designated hours of operation.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

These programs will run weekdays from Aug. 26 to Dec. 20, offering a range of activities at various parks across the city.

08/16/2024

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is asking residents for input on the relocation plans for the Long Beach Senior Center. Residents can contribute to the conversation through an online and at a meeting on Sept. 12.

The Center will be moving to 125 Elm Ave., with the new facility taking up the ground floor of the existing building. The new Long Beach Senior Center will have services such as social and recreation programs, health-focused activities, meals and nutrition, plus community and cultural support initiatives.

The address is the site of a former Southern California Edison service center, approved for purchase by Long Beach City Council in Oct. 2022 for $21 million. The renovation plans for the five-story building included a new senior center, crime analysis lab and office space for city workers.

At the Sept. 12 community , PRM staff will lead a presentation about the project and residents in attendance can directly give their to department staff and the project consultant.

✍️: Staff Report
📸: Richard H. Grant

📖 Read the full story:

The Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is asking residents for input on the relocation for the Long Beach Senior Center.