Hello Long Beach! Here are some local news highlights to kick off the week of March 26, 2023.
City council rejects ban on targeted protests at individuals’ homes
Last Tuesday, City Council rejected a ban that would have criminalized protests within 300 feet of a targeted individual’s home. The council had initially made a request for the ban back in 2021 after a series of demonstrations were held in front of council members’ neighborhoods. The drafted ordinance had stated that violators of the ban would have faced a misdemeanor charge, punishable by a $1000 fine, six months jail time, or both. Last week, however, city council members who had originally supported the ban and new members who have come on board after 2021 expressed that they did not want it to go into effect. The Democratic Socialists of America’s Long Beach chapter even sent 1,400 letters to the City Council regarding the ban, asking them not to go through with it. The City of Long Beach has decided not to enforce the ban, but other cities do have laws in effect that punish residential picketing, such as Los Angeles and San Jose. Read more here (subscription to the Press-Telegram required to read full article).
Registration for youth summer programs begins April 8
Beginning June 20 through August 25, the city will offer summer day camps and summer aquatic camps for youth ages 5 to 12. Summer Park Camps will run on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those who need extended care for their child/children. The cost of these programs is $100 weekly for regular hours and $125 weekly for extended hours per child. Parents can also choose to enroll their children in one of two aquatic day camps. The Belmont Junior Beach Camp is intended for children ages 5 to 7 and will offer games, crafts, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming lessons. The second option, Campers at Bayshore Beach Camp, is intended for children ages 8 to 12 and will offer the same activities with the addition of marine biology lessons. The weekly cost for both camps is $165. The weekly cost for extended hours for the Belmont Junior Beach Camp is $193, and $221 for Campers at Bayshore Beach Camp. Registration for these summer programs begins Saturday, April 8 on the Long Beach website. To learn more about the summer programs, click here.
LB community invited to learn about and provide input on the Fiscal Year 2024 Action Plan
The city of Long Beach invites community members to attend two meetings in April that will discuss the Fiscal Year 2024 Action Plan. The meetings will specifically address programs and services for people living in poverty, and inform the public about how funds will be used to create more affordable housing, neighborhood improvements, youth programs, and more. These programs will be funded by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants, which will provide $8.8 million to these projects beginning Oct. 1, 2023. The first meeting will occur virtually Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those interested in attending the zoom meeting can RSVP here. The second meeting will take place Wednesday, April 19 at 4 p.m. in-person at the Long Beach City Hall, located at 411 W. Ocean Blvd (2nd floor). The community is encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the city’s efforts to improve disadvantaged neighborhoods and individuals in Long Beach. Learn more here.
City of Long Beach extends Winter Shelter operations until April 30
The Long Beach Winter Shelter, which was originally scheduled to run until March 31, will extend its operations through the end of April. In response to ongoing rain and cold temperatures, the shelter (located at Community Hospital in East Long Beach) will continue to provide extended food, safety, and connections to resources and services for people experiencing homelessness. The city amended a lease agreement with MWN Community Hospital LLC so that the location could remain open for an extra month. The Winter Shelter operates 24 hours a day, making daily pick-ups at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center (MSC) in the evening to the shelter and dropping individuals back of at MSC in the mornings. The City of Long Beach is currently searching for more locations so that it can continue to provide homelessness services after April 30. Learn more here.
City to inform the community about tsunami safety during Tsunami Awareness Week
From March 27 through March 31, the city of Long Beach will be hosting events and activities to inform the community about Tsunami preparedness. Although tsunamis are not a frequent hazard in the city, residents are encouraged to learn about these natural disasters, seeing as Long Beach is located on the Pacific Rim. The Aquarium of the Pacific will host a free Tsunami Awareness Panel Discussion event Monday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. The event will cover how to detect tsunami warning signs and ways that residents and businesses can protect themselves. You can register here for the event. You can also sign up for Alert Long Beach to receive emergency notifications from the city. Residents living in the inundation/flood zone who sign up for emergency notifications will receive tsunami test notifications during the week. Learn more here.
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