Women's History Month & Weekly Update | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! March is officially here, which means it’s time to celebrate Women’s History Month! This national recognition commemorates, honors, and celebrates the role and contributions of influential women throughout American history.
Long Beach is the proud home to a number of notable women who have made their mark on our city and beyond, such as tennis great and gender equality activist, Billie Jean King; Long Beach’s first Black female Councilmember, twice-voted Vice Mayor, and lifelong public servant, Doris Topsy-Elvord; and Long Beach’s first woman Mayor, as well as the first Asian-American female Mayor in any major US city, Eunice Sato who served from 1980 to 1982; to name a few. There are several opportunities to celebrate this weekend, but first a brief note of business.
This Saturday, March 2nd at 11am, the Public Works Department is hosting a community meeting at the El Dorado Park West Community Center to provide an overview and updates on the Studebaker Road Complete Streets Project. See our Public Works section below for more details. All interested residents are encouraged to attend the free meeting, but don’t forget to register in advance. Speaking of improvements, we want to thank Congressman Robert Garcia and his wonderful team for helping resolve the concerns around the USPS in the Long Beach Spring Annex. See our before and after photos below!
To help celebrate and recognize great women of the past and present, you can stroll through Bixby Knolls for First Fridays tonight from 6:30pm to 9:30pm to enjoy food, music, and art, including the opening night of the African American Culture Society’s newest exhibit, “Female Inventors, Innovators & Change Makers.” Then on Saturday, March 2nd, you can head to LBX for a Women Maker’s Market from 12pm – 5pm to show your support for more than 30 local female vendors and small business owners. On Sunday, March 3rd, you can keep the celebration going with Bel Canto Books’ discussion with author Mona Gable on her book Searching for Savanna at KUBO LB at 4pm. Then next week, you can join in LBCC’s Women’s History Kickoff Celebration on Wednesday, March 6th from 12pm – 2pm, for food, a student choir performance, and keynote speakers on the topic of “Women and Work.” Click the links above or see the flyer below for more information on these great events.
More to do this Saturday, March 2nd, includes starting the morning with some spring cleaning, by recycling an old mattress for free or bringing documents to the free shred event at LBCC. Then, you can spend some time at Rancho Los Cerritos for their next Artist Workshop, where you can learn from photographer Tanya Flores Hodgson while on a “Photo Scavenger Hunt.” Lastly, you can head over to the Helen Borges Theater for the Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s opening night of The Wizard of Oz performed as a live radio show. See the flyers below for more details.
As you plan for next week, there are a number of different ways to engage with your community! On Tuesday, March 5th, the Queen Mary is hosting a Community Day from 3pm to 7pm, with music, dancing, games, and more. The event is free, and parking is discounted, but RSVP is required! On Saturday, March 9th, you can give back by picking up trash with the Bixby Highland Clean Streets Team, or by giving blood at a Blood Drive at Camp Fire Long Beach. Then, you can support your local businesses at the Norse Village Market from 10am – 2pm or Parkview Village’s Second Saturdays “Easter Bunny Hop & Shop” from 11am – 3pm, both on Saturday, March 9th. Lastly, mark your calendars for “Almost St. Patrick’s Day” in Bixby Knolls on Sunday, March 10th, a free event with deals at participating bars and restaurants. See below for information about these and even more events in the coming weeks.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that Election Day is Tuesday, March 5th, and as such there will be no Council meeting that day. Exercise your rights by casting your votes! See below for information on in-person voting locations and vote-by-mail ballot drop boxes within CD5. The next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, March 12th at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. A list of items of interest will be provided in a future 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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Public Works Department
News & Events
Repainting Curbs & Crosswalks on Atlantic Ave
This week and next, the Public Works Department will be repainting curbs and crosswalks up and down Atlantic, a much-needed refresh! They expect the work continue over the following 90 days, but note, any inclement weather may cause delays. Please be aware, this work may impact traffic and/or parking; take note of any posted signs and work zones. Stay tuned for updates!
Community Meeting: Studebaker Rd Improvements
The City of Long Beach is hosting an in-person community meeting to provide an overview of the Studebaker Road Complete Streets Project. The meeting will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 11 am to 1 pm at the El Dorado Park West Community Center (2800 Studebaker Rd.).
The project will implement major street improvements along the approximate 5-mile corridor between 2nd Street and Carson Street. Improvements include multi-modal enhancements such as upgraded traffic signals, fiber optic communication, pavement resurfacing and repair, ADA compliant paths of travel, protected intersection treatments, curb-protected bikeways, street beautification and new landscaping elements.
For more information about the project, visit the project webpage at longbeach.gov/studebakerccsp or email contactLBPW@longbeach.gov with the subject line “Studebaker Corridor Project."
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Long Beach Sustainability
News & Updates
Tree Planting on Atlantic Ave
Thanks to Long Beach's Office of Sustainability, in partnership with our friends at the Conservation Corps of Long Beach, Atlantic Ave will be getting new trees to fill the empty tree wells along the business corridor. The types of trees include Evergreen Pear, Pink Trumpet, and Crape Myrtle. This project will improve the visual appeal of the street, and may help contribute to calming traffic while encouraging safer driving. The Conservation Corps plans to begin planting on Monday, March 4th. Please be aware, this work may impact traffic and/or parking; take note of any posted signs and work zones. Stay tuned for updates!
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City of Long Beach
News & Updates
Ballot Drop Boxes & In-Person Voting Centers
Election Day is almost here! All registered voters in LA County, which includes Long Beach, have been mailed a Vote by Mail ballot. Ballots may be returned by mail (no postage required), in person at any Vote Center in LA County, or at any Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Box.
In-person voting locations are open 10am - 7pm today through March 4th, and on March 5th, will be open from 7am - 8pm. Click here to find a list of in-person voting centers throughout Long Beach. Below are three located within CD5:
There are over 400 participating locations in LA County with 24-hour drop boxes, including 17 in Long Beach. Below are the two located within CD5:
Vote by Mail Drop Boxes are open and will remain open until 8:00pm on Election Day, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. All voters may track their ballots here. More information, including a current list of all LA County 24-hour Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Boxes, or to check registration information or request a ballot in a different language, is available at lavote.gov.
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Long Beach Police Department
News & Events
Etch & Catch Event - March 9th
Protect your vehicle against possible theft! Stop by the Long Beach Health Department (2525 Grand Ave) for a free event hosted by the Long Beach Police Department to etch your license plate number onto your catalytic converter to help police track and recover your converter in the event it is stolen.
The event is free, but limited to 240 participants so be sure to RSVP! For questions, contact LBPDMediaRelations@longbeach.gov.
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Parks, Recreation & Marine
News & Updates
Somerset Park Landscaping Improvements
The Parks, Recreation & Marine Department's Grounds Maintenance Team has scheduled a planting project to take place this weekend through early next week (weather permitting) at Somerset Park on the west side of the Park. This project will improve the landscaping, increasing the visual appeal of the park. Please be aware, this work may impact traffic and/or parking; take note of any posted signs and work zones. Stay tuned for updates!
Spring 2024 RecConnect Classes for All Ages
Registration opened February 5th for Parks, Recreation & Marine's Recreation Connection classes offered from March through May 2024.
Classes will be offered for ages preschool to 50 years and older, and include a variety of physical, intellectual, and fun interests. From cooking to dance classes to sports leagues and more, there's something for everyone! Click here to view the class catalog or visit lbparks.org to learn more.
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Long Beach Utilities
News & Updates
Rehabilitation of Well Commission 14 - Heartwell Park
This week, a contractor for the Long Beach Utilities Dept began working to rehabilitate Well Commission 14, an existing municipal drinking water well, located on the south side of Heartwell Park (near the intersection of Parkcrest St and Gondar Ave).
The work, which will include piping and electrical improvements, is expected to begin on February 28, 2024, and expected to end in December 2025. The schedule is subject to delay due to inclement weather or other unforeseen complications. Working hours will be from 7am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Adjustments to working hours may be made as necessary to perform the work or as required by permit conditions.
Please use caution when driving in the construction area and obey all construction signs, including any temporary “No Parking” signs. For questions regarding this project, please call (562) 570 2325.
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Port of Long Beach
News & Updates
Engineering Fair & Other Job Opportunities at the Port
The Port of Long Beach will host an “Engineering Open House” for engineering professionals and students to find out more about staff career positions offered at the nation’s second-busiest port on Saturday, March 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Opportunities exist in the Port’s Program Management, Construction Management, Design and Project Controls engineering divisions. Guests at the Engineering Open House will be able to speak with Port engineers and human resources professionals about joining the POLB team. Opportunities will be available to apply for certain positions at the event.
The Open House will be held at the Port of Long Beach Administration building, 415 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 90802 in the Long Beach Civic Center. Attendees must RSVP here.
The Port is hiring more than just engineers! Click here to learn more about other types of job opportunities with the Port of Long Beach.
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
at Cal State Long Beach
Spring Session - Classes for Residents Aged 50+
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University, Long Beach is announcing its Spring Session — registration starts on March 11th and classes begin April 2nd.
Click here to view The SUN, their catalog for the upcoming Spring Session. It contains class descriptions and schedule along with registration instructions. Members have access to over 80 classes, including 20 new offerings as well as eight free programs. Classes will be held on campus at Long Beach State, at several community satellite locations, and online with Zoom.
Join hundreds of other members of the community, aged 50 and over, already enjoying the benefits of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute! More information can be obtained by checking their website www.csulb.edu/olli or by calling the OLLI office at (562) 985 8237.
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Long Beach Recycles
News & Updates
Become a Recycling Ambassador
If you are a Long Beach resident 18 years or older, apply to join our Compost and Recycling Ambassador Program! Registration for the program opened on 2/12/24. Offered at no cost, you’ll learn about waste reduction, recycling, and composting through lectures and hands-on experiences over the course of 8 weeks.
The Spring session begins 03/21 from 9 am-12 pm and meets weekly every Thursday for 8 weeks, until 5/1. The course takes place in-person at the Environmental Services Bureau located at 2929 E Willow St. Long Beach, CA 90806.
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City of Long Beach Continues Offering Charitable Giving Opportunities to Support People Experiencing Homelessness
The Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) will host a donation drive thru on Saturday, March 9, 2024, to collect essential items to distribute to people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach. The drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Health Department’s Main Facilities Center (2525 Grand Ave.).
Donation drop off bins also remain available at a variety of locations citywide and are a quick and easy way to donate essential physical items that can make an impact on someone’s daily life. Bins are located at all open Long Beach Public Library locations during regular business hours, as well as at the locations linked below.
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Alison King Appointed Director of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services
City Manager Tom Modica has announced the appointment of Alison King as the Director for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), effective immediately.
Ms. King brings to the position over five years of experience as a public health administrator and over 20 years of human services experience. Ms. King has served as Acting Director for the Health Department since October 2023.
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Residents Enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program Encouraged to Review Internet Bill as Program Funding Nears Completion
The City of Long Beach is a leader in driving efforts toward closing the digital divide. One of the City's critical strategies in bridging the digital divide is connecting residents with vital resources and programs, like the U.S. Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides qualifying low-income households across the nation with a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service, among other discounts.
Program funding is expected to end this spring and, without supplemental funding from the federal government, nearly 50,000 Long Beach households will soon lose their discount. To inform and prepare impacted residents of the potential changes to their internet plans, the City’s Technology and Innovation Department (TID) is encouraging enrolled households to take these outlined steps...
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City Launches Sidewalk to Success Program to Support Business Development
Through the Long Beach Recovery Act, the City is funding a sidewalk vending support program, “Sidewalk to Success,” to help ease the financial burden for small businesses in the first year of the City’s recently approved Sidewalk Vending Ordinance which went into effect February 26th.
A second phase of the program is being developed that will provide up to 40 free food vending carts to sidewalk vendors who apply and meet eligibility requirements. Details on eligibility and how to apply will be shared later this summer once established.
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City to Host, Fund 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade
The City of Long Beach will serve as the official host and funder for the 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade. This news comes following the Feb. 13 mid-year budget review by the Long Beach City Council, which approved $80,000 in one-time funds from the City’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget to fund this year’s Long Beach Pride Parade.
This one-time action ensures the longstanding and cherished event continues for 2024 while Long Beach Pride, the nonprofit that traditionally produces the parade, restructures its organization.
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. March 12, 2024, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
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