Bringing you the latest local news highlights to kick off the week of Monday, Jan. 15, 2o24.
LB Public Library to Host Fairs that Support Educational Readiness in Young Children
The Long Beach Public Library is organizing a series of Early Learning Fairs to assist families in enrolling their children in early learning preschool programs. The fairs are divided into four sessions and provide information on registration procedures, workshops on topics like early learning mathematics and social development, and entertainment for families. Families attending all resource tables and a workshop will also receive a Ready for Kindergarten backpack filled with learning supplies.
Here are the dates for the Early Learning Fair sessions:
- Saturday, Jan. 20, at Burnett Neighborhood Library (560 E. Hill St.) from 1 – 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 27, at Bret Harte Neighborhood Library (1595 W. Willow St.) from 2 – 4 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 10, at Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.) from 2 – 4 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 24, at Mark Twain Neighborhood Library (1401 E. Anaheim St.) from 2 – 4 p.m.
Additionally, parents with children aged 0 to 5 are encouraged to continue their learning journey throughout the year by joining Dive Into Learning, LBPL’s early learning program. To sign up, they can visit longbeach.beanstack.org, download the Beanstack tracker app, or visit their local LBPL location. Learn more here.
City Launches Second Application for Guaranteed Income Program
The city has initiated the second application period for the Long Beach Pledge, a guaranteed income pilot program that provides $500 a month for 12 months to low-income households. Eligibility requirements include households with dependent children and gross household income of 100% or less of the federal poverty level for Long Beach residents in specific zip codes. Only one member of each household is eligible to receive benefits, and applicants must provide documentation to verify eligibility. After the application period, participants will be randomly selected from eligible applications, with payments anticipated to begin in spring 2024. Eligible residents can apply at longbeachpledge.org until Jan. 24 at 11:59 p.m.
Application assistance is also available at the following locations:
- Family Learning Center at Billy Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) – Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
- Family Learning Center at Michelle Obama Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.) – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 7 p.m.; Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Family Learning Center at Burnett Neighborhood Library – Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Workplace (4811 Airport Plaza Drive, Suite 120) – Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Future LB (508 W Willow Street) – Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Long Beach Pledge, initially made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, is expanding with $1.2 million in funding to prevent families from becoming homeless. Learn more here.
Long Beach Opens Applications for 2024 Youth Poet Laureate Program
The Long Beach Public Library, in collaboration with the Arts Council for Long Beach and supported by Urban Word NYC, is launching the 2024 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program. The initiative, open to Long Beach residents aged 13 to 18, provides a platform for youth to effect positive change in their communities through activism and art. The application period runs from Jan. 15 to Feb. 29, requiring submission of a YPL application, curriculum vitae reflecting civic and social engagement, and a portfolio of five poems.
Submissions will be judged by local poets, with finalists notified by April 13. The culminating event in May will announce the Youth Poet Laureate and Poet Ambassadors, with scholarships awarded. The YPL Cohort will also receive mentorship, access to resources for community projects, and support from LBPL’s facilities and staff. The program aims to shape Long Beach’s future by fostering personal connections and creating a citywide literary initiative by April 2025.
For detailed information, application guidelines, and templates, interested youth can visit the YPL website or contact Jessica Perez at Jessica.Perez@longbeach.gov. Learn more here.
LB Invites Community Engagement on Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project
The city of Long Beach is hosting a virtual community meeting on Monday, Jan. 29, at 5:30 p.m., to provide updates on the Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement Project. The project aims to safeguard water quality in Alamitos Bay, utilizing fish-friendly pumps separate from power plant cooling operations. As a vital coastal resource for aquatic recreation and future Olympic events, the project is of high priority.
The meeting will cover notable project updates, including the schedule and details about the environmental review process. Community members are invited to join and ask questions at the end of the presentation. Meeting registration is required, and requests for interpretation services should be submitted by Jan. 22, 2024, via contactlbpw@longbeach.gov.
For more information, visit the City of Long Beach’s project webpage: Alamitos Bay Water Quality Enhancement (longbeach.gov)
Long Beach Seeks Partner for Mobile Healthy Food Market Initiative
The city of Long Beach is actively seeking a partner to implement and operate a Mobile Healthy Food Market that will offer access to affordable fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods. This mobile market is designed to travel to areas lacking easy access to supermarkets, providing fresh fruits and vegetables at or below the cost of large retail food stores. The goal of this project is to combat nutrition insecurity, especially among low-income seniors, families, and individual households.
The Mobile Healthy Food Market project requires the selected vendor to procure and/or retrofit an existing vehicle for greater flexibility and a faster startup. The City has released a Request for Proposals, urging qualified organizations to submit proposals through the city’s vendor portal, Long Beach Buys, by 11 a.m. on Feb. 8. Eligibility requirements and submission instructions are available on the Long Beach Buys website, along with an instructional video about the registration process. Learn more here.
