Weekly Update & Upcoming Events | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! We are currently in the midst of Ramadan, the Muslim calendar’s holy month of fasting. Fasting is a form of worship, one of the most important pillars of Islam, and this sacred month is a time for prayer, reflection, and community in the Islamic faith. To all who practice, Ramadan Mubarak!
I also wish to all who celebrate a happy St. Patrick’s Day this Sunday, March 17th. The holiday originally began in Ireland with religious celebrations the figure, St. Patrick, but has since expanded to become a celebration of Irish culture all over the world. Whether you’re sporting a shamrock or patronizing your local pub, I encourage all who celebrate to do so responsibly; have a safe and enjoyable holiday!
At Tuesday’s Council meeting, my colleagues and I approved moving forward with the contract for the construction of the new Fire Station 9 to be located at 4101 Long Beach Blvd. This is exciting news, as our Fire Station 9 crews have been working out of a temporary location since 2020. There is still much to be done before they can return to a permanent home base, but I look forward to the continuation of this project! See below for more information.
Next week, I am bringing forth Item 17, cosigned by Councilwoman Saro, to begin the process of creating a Use Policy and an Impact Report for the Speed Safety System Pilot Program coming to Long Beach. We hear our community’s concerns regarding the safety of our streets, and we look forward to the implementation of such traffic calming measures that will encourage safer driving and ultimately save lives. See below for more information.
Looking for ways to engage with your community? This Saturday, March 16th, you can visit Willow Springs Park for their Monarch Day of Action. Join fellow community members in helping plant native Californian plants that will support the habitat of our growing Monarch butterfly population. See the flyer below for more information. Then next weekend, you can join neighbors in Bixby Knolls for their monthly KIDical Mass Bike Ride, which takes off from behind Pixie Toys at 11am on Sunday, March 24th. New cyclists of all ages are always welcome; just don’t forget your helmet!
Next weekend you can also stop by LBX on Saturday, March 23rd to celebrate “National Puppy Day.” The market will host pup-friendly vendors for you to peruse, all while enjoying food and beverages from the businesses at LBX. If you don’t have your own furry friend, this might be your sign to rescue one! This week, our Animal Care Services (ACS) department announced that their kennels are full. With full kennels, ACS won’t have the open space to continue to help incoming animals in need. You can help support ACS and all the great work they do by helping a dog find a forever home.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, March 19th at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. A list of items of interest can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. I encourage you to attend or watch online.
As always, I am grateful for your continued engagement with me and my office, and I look forward to seeing you out in the community.
The work continues,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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Upcoming Events &
Community Meetings
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Community Development
News & Updates
Upcoming Community Meeting
The Community Development Department, in partnership with our office and the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, is hosting an informational meeting on the proposed new housing at 1131 E Wardlow Rd. on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at the Expo Arts Center (4321 Atlantic Ave) from 5:45pm - 7pm. You and any interested members of the community are invited to attend to learn about affordable housing and high resource areas, as well as details about the proposed housing, including the development process and timeline. The City team and the developer will have presentations prepared. Following, there will be opportunity for community questions. Please reserve your spot at NSB@longbeach.gov or (562) 570 6949.
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Long Beach Airport
News & Updates
Airport Report Update
On December 12, 2023, the City Council requested the Airport return answers to specific questions asked by members of the community regarding the previous report on General Aviation activity. The comprehensive answers to each of those questions can be found here.
Please note: reports such as this one are prepared and reviewed by multiple departments and are made public by the City Manager’s office. Our office receives these at the same time as the public; we did not receive any advance copy. My team and I will be going over the document in detail, and I encourage all interested parties to do the same.
We thank you for your continued engagement with our office on this matter, and we appreciate your patience as addressing these airport-related concerns take time and collaboration with federal and local partners. We will continue to keep you informed as any further updates arise.
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Public Works Department
News & Updates
New Fire Station 9
At Tuesday's Council meeting, my colleagues and I approved, Item 50, to move forward with the construction contract between the City of Long Beach and AMG & Associates for the construction of a new Fire Station 9, to be located at 4101 Long Beach Blvd. The continuation of this project has been a long time coming, as our Fire Station 9 crews have been displaced to a temporary location since 2020. A huge thanks to the Public Works team for their presentation on Tuesday, and for all the hard work already gone into this project thus far. Plans for the new, modern station, funded largely by Measure A, will include vital infrastructure work to the surrounding area, such as improvements to the sidewalks, alleys, and streets. We look forward to the continuation of this project that will ultimately result in increased efficiencies across our entire emergency response system. Click here for the full discussion at Council.
In the coming weeks, we expect updates regarding a detailed construction timeline, a point of contact for community questions and concerns, and plans for communication with the community on project milestones, beginning with demolition of the existing building. Our office will continue to keep you informed of any updates via these newsletters.
Speed Safety Systems
Next Tuesday, March 19th, Councilwoman Saro and I are bringing forth Item 17 to request the City Manager work with Public Works and relevant departments to begin the process in developing a Speed Safety Systems Use Policy, a Speed Safety Systems Impact Report, and a proposal for an automated Speed Safety Pilot Program.
Addressing concerns over speeding and pedestrian safety are of high priority to the City of Long Beach, as we have seen too many fatalities of civilians due to unsafe driving practices. As we continue working towards our goal of Vision Zero using the Safe Streets Action Plan, we are excited for the opportunity allowed us by Assembly Bill 645 to participate in this pilot program. The report will help illuminate the best practices moving forward, targeting areas with high foot traffic along popular business corridors, schools, and residential areas. We look forward to this next step in making our streets safer for all members of our community.
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Long Beach Police Department
News & Updates
East Division Commander's Forum
Save the date! LBPD East Division's Commander Pennino will be hosting a Commander's Forum later this month. He'll be joined by fellow LBPD representatives to discuss community questions and concerns.
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | 5:00 p.m-7:00 p.m.
Soundhouse Church | 1429 Clark Avenue Long Beach, CA 90815
Please reach out to LBPDEast@longbeach.gov with any questions.
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Office of Veterans Support
News & Updates
"Long Beach Honors" Veterans Banners Program
The City of Long Beach is accepting nominations for the first-ever “Long Beach Honors” Veterans Banners Program. As part of the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, $10,000 was allocated for a pilot Veterans Banners Program to be administrated by the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Veterans Support and the Long Beach Veterans Commission.
The community is encouraged to nominate a veteran, living or deceased, who was in Active Duty, Reserve or National Guard to be honored with a light pole banner. Click here for more information regarding nomination criteria and details.
Nominations for the “Long Beach Honors” Veterans Banners Program will be accepted until March 31, 2024, at 11:45 p.m. PST.
Veteran honorees will be selected by a subcommittee comprising members of the Long Beach Veterans Commission in April and the banners will be installed in time for Memorial Day, which falls on May 27, 2024. The nomination form can be found here.
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Community News & Updates
Grace First Presbyterian Church to Open Food Pantry
Beginning on April 7, Grace First Presbyterian Church will open a food pantry that will operate on Saturday mornings on the first Saturday of each month.
In response to the growing need for food assistance in our community, Grace First Presbyterian Church is proud to announce the opening of its new food pantry. Located at 3955 N Studebaker Rd, the pantry aims to provide essential support to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
The food pantry will be open on the first Saturday of every month. Individuals and families in need are encouraged to visit the pantry and access the resources available to them. In addition to providing food assistance, Grace First Presbyterian Church will also offer additional support services and resources to help address the root causes of hunger.
For more information on the food pantry program at Grace First, contact Stan DeWitt at stan.gracefirst@gmail.com or 562-972-3324.
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Port of Long Beach
News & Updates
Job Opportunities at the Port
Looking for a job? The Port of Long Beach is making it easier to find open positions at the Harbor Department with a weekly Job Posting email delivered to your inbox. To receive the weekly Job Postings, go to polb.com/subscribe, enter your email address and choose the Jobs/Careers category.
Jobs at the Harbor Department can also be found at polb.com/jobs, along with jobs in other City of Long Beach departments. The weekly email highlights only open Harbor positions. Applications for our jobs are taken within our online system. Those signing up for the Job Postings email will receive a copy of the email immediately on sign-up and will then receive emails weekly on Sundays at 4 p.m. Pacific. Subscribers can opt out at any time.
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Fair Housing Foundation News & Events
2024 Youth Poster Contest: "A Place to Call Home"
The Fair Housing Foundation is now accepting submissions for their annual Fair Housing Poster Contest, open to students in 4th to 8th grade. Students must create a poster on any size paper with this year’s theme, “Fair Housing: A Place to Call Home,” and submit the entry via email for a chance to win up to $125! See the flyer below or visit fhfca.org for more details.
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Ocean Protection Council News & Events
Request for Community Input to Inform Statewide Plastics Monitoring Strategy & Plan
The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is partnering with the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) to develop a first-of-its kind comprehensive Statewide Plastics Monitoring Strategy & Plan to track the state’s progress and to support future efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
The OPC invites members of the public and community leaders concerned about plastic pollution throughout California’s coastal and statewide regions to share information regarding their plastic pollution priorities and concerns to inform the development of this strategy. You can provide feedback by submitting an online form at SFEI’s website from now until April 3, 2024, or by attending one of the OPC and SFEI’s upcoming virtual public meetings. These statewide and regionally focused public meetings present an overview of the project and gather feedback at the early stages of this project. Click the dates below to register.
- Statewide: March 19, 2024 | 5pm – 7pm
- Statewide: March 20, 2024 |11am – 1pm
- Southern Region: April 3, 2024 | 11am – 1pm
Please visit SFEI’s website for more details about the monitoring plan and community engagement. All questions can be directed to plastics@sfei.org.
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City Marks One-Year Return of the RMS Queen Mary, Shares Updates and Plans for a Positive Future
To commemorate the recent, one-year return of the RMS Queen Mary, the City of Long Beach recently shared a comprehensive update about the ship, including its increasingly positive financial forecast, expanded operations and attractions, upcoming preservation and refurbishment projects, and plans for future development.
The ship welcomed visitors back on board in a limited capacity in December 2022, and celebrated a broader grand reopening in June 2023. Since October 2023, over 118,000 guests have come onboard to enjoy the grandeur of this historic vessel.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach’s Office of Equity and Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Disability to Host Transportation Day
The City of Long Beach’s Office of Equity, in partnership with the Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Disability (CACoD), is hosting Transportation Day on Thursday, March 28, 2024, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.).
Transportation Day will connect residents with disabilities to transportation agencies. Additionally, attendees will be able to sign-up for Access Paratransit and Long Beach Transit Dial-A-Lift and hear the latest updates about accessible transportation options in the greater Long Beach area.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach to Offer Free Youth Recreation Program in Local Parks During School Spring Break April 1-5
The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) will offer its free youth recreation program, Spring Fun Days, at various parks throughout Long Beach during the upcoming school spring break.
Spring Fun Days engage children ages 5 to 12 in fun activities such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and special events. This is a free drop-in program where registered participants may come and go as they please. The program will run Monday through Friday, April 1-5, from noon to 5 p.m. each day at parks throughout Long Beach. Pre-registration is required. Registration forms may be picked up at participating parks beginning Monday, March 18. Call or visit parks for registration times.
LEARN MORE...
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Official City of Long Beach Statement Regarding Oil Spill Off Huntington Beach Coast
The City of Long Beach is aware of the oil spill that occurred off the coast of Huntington Beach on March 8th. The City has been closely monitoring the situation and does not anticipate any impacts to the Long Beach coastline or local waterways. Long Beach beaches are open.
LEARN MORE...
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. March 19, 2024, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
FULL AGENDA
Item 14 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any necessary amendments, with the California State Library to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $206,716 for English as a Second Language Services, for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2026; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the Library Services Department by $206,716, offset by grant revenue. (Item Details)
Item 17 Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the Public Works Department and relevant departments to begin the process in developing a Speed Safety System Use Policy, a Speed Safety System Impact Report, and proposal for an automated Speed Safety System Pilot Program pursuant to AB 645 to City Council within 45 days (Item Details)
Item 20 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute any and all documents, including the Standard Offer, Agreement and Escrow Instructions for the Purchase of Real Estate with Tolentino Properties, LLC, or assignee(s), for the sale of surplus City-owned property at 3917 Long Beach Boulevard, formerly known as Fire Station 9, in the amount of $750,000; and accept Categorical Exemption CE-24-029. (Item Details)
Item 29 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Title 9 in the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 9.33 relating to City Library Rules, and adding Sections 9.33.010, 9.33.020, 9.33.030, all relating to the City Library Rules, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Item Details)
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