LBReport.com

01/02/2022

Hello everyone,

As we mark four weeks since Bill Pearls' passing, the Pearl Family would like to thank you for the love, donations, and emotional support you have provided to us during this unprecedented time of mourning and sorrow. With your generosity and the power of this community, we surpassed our 20,000-dollar goal for our GoFundMe. Words cannot describe how grateful we are for these donations as we move forward. The Pearl family will be forever thankful from the bottom of our hearts.

Additionally, we would like to provide an update regarding the future of LBREPORT.COM. At this point, the Pearl family is ready to begin rebuilding LBREPORT.COM as a beacon of integrity, transparency, and truth in the city of Long Beach. We will provide more information regarding this in the upcoming days and weeks or as Bill Pearl would likely say, "Stay tuned!".

Sincerely,

Sharon, Max, David, and Chaya Pearl

10/01/2022

Bill Pearl's funeral ceremony

10/01/2022

Good evening,

Once again, the Pearl family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love, support, and donations that has been sent our way. The Pearl family is forever grateful for everything.

Additionally, it is clear that Bill Pearl has touched the hearts of not only our family but many across Long Beach and Southern California. Unfortunately, with the state of the pandemic, it is not feasible for everyone to attend the funeral. However, with communication between Bill Lovelace and the Pearl family, we are going to try and stream the ceremony from the LBREPORT.com page. The stream should take place before noon tomorrow (Monday, January 10th) and should run roughly one hour. We will keep you updated regarding this matter.

The Pearl family hopes to see you in the stream tomorrow.

06/01/2022

Hello all,

First and foremost, thank you for all the support and donations through this tough time. This has been a huge loss not just for the Pearl family, but for the entire community. It has warmed our hearts to see comments about Bill as we go through this grieving process. The Pearl family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts.

Second, we've started to see that the date and location of Bill's funeral has been circulated throughout social media. This is something we particularly didn't want to happen as we wanted this to remain private for health and safety reasons. With this, if you have not been contacted DIRECTLY by the Pearl family, we kindly ask if you do not show up to Bills' funeral.

However, it is clear that the influence Bill Pearl had on this community and Southern California is tremendous. The Pearl family will hold an event to publicly celebrate the life of Bill Pearl and the legacy he has created for this community. More information regarding this event will be posted in here in the upcoming weeks and months as we continue to get everything in order.

Thank you all once again for your love and support. Stay tuned.

-The Pearl Family

05/01/2022

To all LongBeachReport.com long-time readers and supporters,

The last month and a half has been overwhelming due to Bill Pearls' valiant ongoing battle with metastatic esophageal cancer. On November 29th, he was admitted to UCLA Santa Monica for treatment for complications from his devastating cancer. Throughout this time, he was provided world class treatment and our family visited throughout time he was admitted. On January 3rd, 2022, Bill Pearl returned home to be with his family to spend however much longer he had. However, I regret to inform all long-time readers that Bill Pearl had passed away at 5:05 PM January 4th, 2022, surrounded by his family after a long and hard-fought battle for the past two and a half years.

Bill Pearl became enamored with radio while recovering from the measles in his West Hollywood home as a teenager. Unbeknownst to him, this would spark a long and successful career in radio (KYMS, KYIZ, KLAC/KMET, KKDJ (now known as KIIS FM), KIQQ, KHJ, KRLA, KMPC, and KABC) all across Southern California and eventually in journalism. In his early years in journalism, he wrote multiple OP-EDs that were published in prestigious newspapers including the Wall Street Journal. Eventually, Bill Pearl was introduced to a computer and the internet and in August of 2000, LBREPORT.com was born. (Not long after becoming a father of triplets, Max, David, and Chaya). LBREPORT.com was founded on the idea to keep politicians accountable and also keeping other local media outlets on their toes. LBREPORT.com was one of the first internet newspapers (possibly in the nation) and people notoriously laughed and blew off this crazy idea Bill Pearl had. People wanted to hold newspapers in their hands. Bill relentlessly forged ahead into the dark and did not care if he left a trail of angry politicians behind him. Bill believed that "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations." -George Orwell.

With this pain that we are feeling at the moment, I hope that people are able to respect our families’ privacy during this tough time while we grieve our loss. Below is a GoFundMe link to help with costs of a funeral and other expenses. While donations are never required, they are deeply appreciated by the Pearl family to help us through this tough time.

In terms of the future of LBREPORT.com, the Pearl family promised Bill Pearl that we will continue to publish at LBREPORT.com in his memory. We strongly feel that Bill Pearls’ legacy and fight should live on. So, stay tuned will we grieve and figure out the next generation of LBREPORT.com.

Bills’ widow, Sharon Katchen-Pearl and his children Max, Chaya, and David, all thank you for your support for the past 21 years and the future.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-pearl-family-with-bill-pearls-funeral?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

26/11/2021

Coastal Enviro Group Sues To Stop John Morris' July 3 "Big Bang" Fireworks, Alleges Toxic Fallout Into Alamitos Bay And Ocean, Says He Needs Permit But Acknowledges Gov't Bodies Failed To Pursue Issues Before It Filed Suit. https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/morrissuit.htm

LBReport.com provides Long Beach news, community information, opinion and advertising for Long Beach, California.

22/11/2021

Amnesia File: How LB's CD6 Could Have Had A Major Community Center w/ Athletic Amenities Incl. Pools -- But Only Got A Running Track + Soccer Fields (Now Named For Dee Andrews). https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/andrewschit.htm

LBReport.com provides Long Beach news, community information, opinion and advertising for Long Beach, California.

19/11/2021

FURTHER UPDATE: City Atty Says New Council Districts Take Effect Immediately Subject To 30 Day Legal Challenge Period. Redistricting Comm'n votes 13-0 to approve THIS final election district map that will impact LB elections for the next ten years.

https://www.lbreport.com/21pix/redist/mapfinal.jpg

Details and link to high res (street level) map in our coverage here: https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/mapfinal.htm .

19/11/2021

Quick summary: Redistricting Comm'n votes 13-0 to approve "Map 1" (below) It will impact LB elections for the next ten years.
https://www.lbreport.com/21pix/redist/mapfinal.jpg

Commissioners refuse to make changes sought by coalition of Latino groups who prior to meeting submitted attorney letter alleging Map 1 would violate federal Voting Rights Act.

Former CD5 Councilwoman Schipske (an attorney) tells LBREPORT.com her current work precludes her from filing suit challenging reconfigured CD5.

Chops CD 5 longtime ELB district, attaches it to Cal Hts/part of Bixby Knolls; incumbent Mungo says she's considering moving to Cal Hts (where she says she owns a home) to seek reelection in 2022; other CD 5 candidates may surface in newly configured district.

Stretches CD 4 (Supernaw) northward taking El Dorado Park and nearby neighborhoods

Unites Wrigley and Los Cerritos but splits part of Bixby Knolls

Gives downtown interests two Council reps (CD 1 for western Port + CD2 for entertainment district plus QM) but puts CD1 incumbent Zendejas in same district as CD2 incumbent Allen; if Allen runs in 2022 cycle, she would face Zendejas and challenger Lee Charley, likely a high money race that would proceed to a runoff between top two

Splits Bluff Park angering neighborhoods along CD 2/CD 3

Splits NW NLB neighborhoods from CD 9

Deails to follow

19/11/2021

https://longbeach.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=84&event_id=3617

Live and Recorded Public meetings of Long Beach Independent Redistricting Commission - Special Meeting for City of Long Beach

18/11/2021

FLASH: In a midday Nov. 18 release, a coalition of Latinx organization (Long Beach Coalition of Latino Organizations/LBCLO) [groups unidentified in the release but Tonia Reyes Uranga, not a signer to LBCLO's lawyer's letter, listed several in a brief phone conversation with us] has indicated it has hired a lawyer and is prepared to litigate the Redistricting Commission's potential adoption of either of two maps being considered tonight (Nov. 18) unless the Commission considers its "solution" to avert what the group says would be the "loss of Latino representation in the historic Latino District."

The release doesn't disclose LBCLO's proposed "solution" (which may or may not collide with the interests of some other group.)

In its release, LBCLO group cites a 1970 redistricting that created CD1 with a majority Latino population which led to the election of its first Latina, Jenny Oropeza, followed [after representation by at least two non-Latinos, Evan Braude and Bonnie Lowenthal] by Robert Garcia (2009), Lena Gonzalez (2014) and now Mary Zendejas (2019).

"[A]lthough Latinos make up more than 43.3% of the city’s population, and is the fastest growing ethnic group in the city of Long
Beach, Latinos have lost population numbers in what is described as the historic 'Latino District,' the group's release says.

Meanwhile across town, a challenge may be brewing to the two maps being considered tonight, both of which stretch ELB's historically ELB CD 5 westward to connect to physically separated areas west of the Airport (Cal Hts and part of Bixby Knolls.)

Under a 2018 City Charter amendment (ostensibly to minimize or prevent political influence in drawing district lines), the Commission is legally required to respect communities of interest and geographically contiguous areas. The sole legal remedy in the City Charter amendment to challenge an ultimately adopted map is a court legal proceeding (petition for writ of mandate.)

In a social network dispatch, former CD 5 Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske (an attorney) has also raised the issue of whether the westward stretched CD5 violates a state redistricting law.

The LBCLO litigation may also be made under the federal Voting Rights Act.

At tonight's meeting, the Redistricting Commission can adopt either of the two maps and advance one as is OR tweak/amend one the two maps and advance it for subsequent Commission adoption OR consider adopting an entirely new map if it schedules a special meeting in roughly eight days to do so.

Developing.

18/11/2021

when it's independent. LBREPORT.com has no ties to development or business interests that may seek approval from Long Beach elected or appointed officials. No one in our ownership or operational structure has accepted a Mayor/Council appointed position or has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. We value your readership...and welcome your support. .https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=CbWi_eHwiUOR62z6uE1FA4Z1mkgUg5Rp7Zn1xzNqf9_EmMjYxTXH4xihDPQHd0NoH5j8EzfBVt3geov1

18/11/2021

Here's What City Hall Redistricting Comm'n Could Do Tonight That Could Impact LB Elections For Next Ten Years. https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/redistnov18pre.htm

LBReport.com provides Long Beach news, community information, opinion and advertising for Long Beach, California.

16/11/2021

New: Queen Mary Fallout: City Auditor Blames Poorly Written City Lease, Poor City Mgm't Oversight And Poor Paperwork By Ship's Lessee/Operator/Subcontractors For Questionable City Payments; Doesn't Mention Mayor Garcia Praising Transaction Or Council Vote (Price Dissenting) That Approved Enabling Lease

https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/qmaud.htm

16/11/2021

You won't see annoying pop-ups on LBBREPORT.com pages seeking government subsidies. In our view, government subsidized news media would be inimical to independent journalism. They invite a quiet incestuous relationship with the politicians who dispense the benefits. LBREPORT.com has no ties to development or business interests that may seek approval from Long Beach elected or appointed officials. No one in our ownership or operational structure has accepted a Mayor/Council appointed position or has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. We value your readership.

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14/11/2021

Further.

We are heart broken over the sudden loss of Police Officer Chris Zamora from an apparent su***de. Chris had a very distinguished career, and was especially noted for his work within the Gang Detail. We continue to recognize that su***de is a crisis within our profession. Help is available 24/7 for those who are suffering. You are not alone and it is ok to seek help when you are hurting.

14/11/2021

Terrible.

We are heartbroken over the passing of one of our officers, who was found deceased from an apparent su***de on Saturday Afternoon. Please keep our officers' family, friends, and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve during this very difficult time.

14/11/2021

CD5 Incumbent Mungo Signals She May Move Into Cal Hts In Redrawn CD5 To Seek Third Council Term. https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/mungmove.htm

LBReport.com provides Long Beach news, community information, opinion and advertising for Long Beach, California.

14/11/2021

New: CalTech's Board of Trustees Voted To Remove Nobel Prize Winning Physicist Robert Millikan's Name From Its Campus Buildings, Assets and Honors Citing His Role In 20th Century Eugenics Movement. Should LBUSD's Board of Education Take Similar Or Other Actions Re ELB's Millikan High?

https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/millikan1.htm

13/11/2021

Follow-up to this morning's officer involved shooting on LCD near Woodruff.

🚨 News Release: Officer Involved Shooting - Los Coyotes Diagonal and Woodruff Avenue

Read More ⤵️
https://www.longbeach.gov/police/press-releases/officer-involved-shooting--los-coyotes-diagonal-and-woodruff-avenue/

The pictured weapon was recovered at the scene.

12/11/2021

***UPDATE. Officer involved shooting area on LCD. LBPD release text:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=195693016081231&id=100069216009869

12/11/2021

Long Beach Had Two Shootings Within Roughly 12 Hours, 8th/Chestnut (Nov. 11, CD 1/Zendejas) And Anaheim/Alamitos (CD 6/Saro); Police Find Casings And Evidence of Shootings But No Victim(s) Hit https://lbreport.com/news/nov21/shtsnov1110.htm…

11/11/2021

Quick summary, details to follow. In an action that will affect Long Beach elections for the next ten years, on Nov. 10 LB's non-elected Redistricting Commission advanced two maps, one of which it will impose as the final Long Beach Council district map at the Commission's Nov. 18 meeting.

On Nov. 10, the Commission, without dissenting votes, advanced its November 3 map with amendments, plus a second map. The two maps are similar in major respects but with some neighborhood impacting differences. The Commission's webcast offered a screen shot (below) comparing the two maps side by side (Nov. 3 map left, Nov. 10 second map right) but with poor resolution. We'll add clearer maps when they become available.

https://www.lbreport.com/21pix/redist/111021comp.jpg

Both maps attach ELB's CD 5 to areas west of Long Beach Airport in Cal Hts and part of Bixby Knolls. At the Nov. 10 Commission meeting, Eastside Voice president/-founder Corliss Lee was the only podium speaker to support keeping CD 5 basically intact and opposed extending CD 5 to physically disconnected areas west of LB Airport that now span nearly the entire city.

Both maps expand CD 4 northward to take large parts of what had been CD 5 including El Dorado Park South neighborhoods. Reform Coalition Exec. Dir. Ian Patton and former CD 8 Councilwoman Rae Gabelich supported the Nov. 3 map despite its decimating ELB portions of CD 5.

Under a 2018 City Charter amendment (ostensibly to minimize or prevent political influence in drawing district lines), the Commission is legally required to respect communities of interest and geographically contiguous areas. Some have questioned whether stretching CD 5 to connect physically separated areas west of the Airport violates that principle. The sole legal remedy in the City Charter amendment to challenge the ultimately adopted map is a court challenge (seeking an injunction.)

The Commission is legally prohibited from considering the residences of any elected official or other individual in drawing district lines, but redistricting is ultimately about elections and political power and the Commission's actions will have immediate political consequences.

The Commission's two maps both eliminate CD 5 incumbent Stacy Mungo and previously declared challengers Gerrie Schipske and Michelle Dobson from the 2022 election cycle (unless they move their residences.) New CD 5 candidates are expected to surface in the coming weeks from within the newly drawn 5th district.

CD 4 incumbent Daryl Supernaw now takes El Dorado Park areas and El Dorado South neighborhoods. He doesn't face re-election until 2024.

The Nov. 10 map re-connects part, but not all, of Bixby Knolls, tweaking part of Commission's Nov. 3 advanced map. The Nov. 10 maps puts highly affluent Virginia County Club and Los Cerritos areas into CD 8 which stretches "north of the RR tracks" into NLB.

Downtown hospitality and Port interests got what they wanted: two representatives for their interests with the two districts split at Pacific Ave. CD 1 (previously a working class area north of downtown disproportionately impacted by shootings) was expanded to include the western part of the Port. The move will effectively assist CD1 incumbent Mary Zendejas who will now have access to potential campaign contributions from Port-related interests as she seeks re-election in 2022. CD 2 was stretched to cover the eastern part of the port (including Queen Mary) and downtown entertainment areas. CD's 2 incumbent Cindy Allen doesn't face re-election until 2024, when she would have to relocate her LB residence to part of newly drawn CD2.

Both maps prioritize reuniting Wrigley, which was split in a bitter 2011 Council-engineered gerrymandering. A decade later, reuniting Wrigley strengthens the political base of CD 7 incumbent Roberto Uranga who faces re-election in 2022. (Reform-minded challenger Carlos Ovalle is among Uranga's early challengers.) The focus on Wrigley and WLB was supported by Councilman Uranga's wife, former CD 7 Councilwoman Tonia Uranga and by the Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance (WANA). At the Nov. 10 Commission, meeting, the Wrigley Ass'n submitted a letter seeking to have CD7's eastern border extended past Pacific Ave. to LB Blvd.) (The new maps now draw the CD 6/7 border at Pacific Ave.)

The Commission spent considerable time hearing passionate public testimony pro and con over splitting portions of Bluff Heights/Bluff Park/Carroll Park areas between CD 2 and CD 3. A final decision won't come until Nov. 18.

A map advanced by a group fronted by one-term (2016-2020) Council censured former CD 2 Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce, that would have restored Ms. Allen's LB residence to a newly drawn CD 2 (dubbed Map 2.2.) was supported by multiple speakers who said they worked in LB's hospitality industry. It would also have quietly erased the residence of CD 5 community advocate Corliss Lee from CD 5. The Commission didn't discuss Map 2.2.

Western North Long Beach neighborhoods (including Coolidge Triangle) objected to being split in both maps into CD 8 separating them from eastern NLB areas in CD 9.

10/11/2021

Guest Op-Ed: Say Goodbye to the 5th District If You Live in the Ranchos, Plaza, Eldorado Park Estates, Imperial Estates, El Dorado Park South: GerrieMandering at Its Finest
By Gerrie Schipske *
* Ms. Schipske, RND/JD, was CD5's Councilmember 2006-2014

https://www.lbreport.com/21ops/schipske/edschip.htm

10/11/2021

Last Minute Redistricting Map Proposed By Political Interests Would Cut Add'l Eastside Area Out Of CD 5, Remove Eastside Voice Leader Corliss From CD 5 (Along With Previously Removed CD 5 Incumbent Mungo and Challengers Schipske and Dobson), Shifts Add'l Eastside Populated Area Into CD 4. https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/redist3.htm

LBReport.com provides Long Beach news, community information, opinion and advertising for Long Beach, California.

09/11/2021

Man Is Shot/Wounded 5000 block Garford St. (Apt. Area East of Traffic Circle CD 4/Supernaw). https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/245garford.htm

09/11/2021

Action Editorial: Tell Council To Restore Public's Right To Speak At Council Meetings By Telephone/Computer. https://www.lbreport.com/21edit/edspeakact.htm

08/11/2021

Podcast / New / Opinion: https://www.lbreport.com/podcasts/110721.mp3 Don't Blame John Molina For Milking Taxpayers On Community Hospital

08/11/2021

Four Shootings Within Roughly Six Hours (Nov 6-7) Including Two Victims Hit Area PCH/Pacific. https://lbreport.com/news/nov21/245pch.htm…

05/11/2021

City Hall Scrambles To Quash Public Discussion of Community Hospital Operator's Plan To Close Its ER And Shift Away From Acute Medical Services To Promoting "Mental and Physical Health" With "Behavioral Health And Wellness Services" And Other "Medical and Social Programs" https://www.lbreport.com/news/nov21/comhosp.htm