Your Third Quarter 2025 Issue Is Here

— THIRD QUARTER 2025 —

By Stephen Sutton, President

4th of July Block Party Recap

Bluff Heights recently hosted our annual 4th of July Vista Street Block Party with one of our highest turnouts in recent years! There were more than 13 chili entries and 27 cake entries for the cake walk! Follow @bluffheightsLB for pictures and videos of the many exciting events hosted throughout the day, including two live bands, a watermelon eating contest, the famous cake walk and chili cook-off, water games, face painting, make-your-own fairy gardens, and giveaways of tomato seedlings. We also introduced our wildly popular new neighborhood mascot: Bluffy the squirrel! We love her!

The winners of the chili cook-off were Robert Carie with his veggie variety and Julie Bolton with her meat lovers’ delight! Despite some serious culinary competition, our local resident judges were able to determine category winners for the 2025 Cake Decorating Contest:

· Jordyn for Most Creative

· Sylas for Cake Artist of the Year and

· Zola for Best Presentation

Congratulations to all who entered!

A heartfelt thank you to all of our neighbors who contributed their culinary expertise along with the many volunteers and Vista Street residents who helped make this year such a great success!

This is Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association’s primary annual fundraising event. We are thankful for your participation and contributions, and are especially thankful to our primary sponsors, including the Port of Long Beach and Council Member Cindy Allen. Without their generous financial support, Bluff Heights could not offset the increasing costs incurred for this popular event.

Chat with Rex Richardson

Mayor Rex Richardson visited a packed house at Immanuel Place on Saturday, June 7th to hear Bluff Heights Residents’ feedback while also sharing some of his priorities as Mayor of Long Beach. Residents’ concerns ranged from transportation to pedestrian, bike, and street safety. This is Mayor Rex’s third visit to Immanuel and we’re happy to host him here in the neighborhood to engage with our residents any time!

Neighborhood Engagement

BHNA has some community engagement opportunities coming up later this summer:

· Historic walking tour of Bluff Heights on August 24th at 10 AM in collaboration with Long Beach Heritage's Summer of Architecture (click link for tickets). BHNA President Stephen Sutton will be leading this entertaining tour at 10 AM at Corto Place starting with some early Long Beach and railway history, followed by a 75-minute stroll to highlight our neighborhood’s most common architectural styles. This captivating tour will end with refreshments in the garden of a 1915 Craftsman home on Vista Street, where the homeowner will share more in-depth history on one of our fascinating local treasures.

· In partnership with Alamitos Beach, BHNA will be hosting a Neighborhood Cleanup on Saturday, August 30th starting at 10 AM at Tru Nature Juice Bar at 2225 E. Broadway. Bluff Heights will offer free smoothies/juice to the first 20 volunteers. We’ll also be cleaning up Corto Place, so if you prefer to garden, please bring your Hori Hori and/or weeding tool!

· Our next neighborhood forum on September 10th at 6 PM will focus on disaster preparedness for residents and the launching of our own neighborhood CERT program. This is tentatively scheduled to be hosted at Immanuel Place (subject to change). Please watch your email for more details about this valuable safety training.

Future Projects

Finally, Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association has applied for several Port of Long Beach sponsorships in the May 2025 call period. If approved, this will provide BHNA further financial support for continued Corto Place Improvements, Disaster Preparedness for residents, and historic education with a new Lost Railway Tour along Broadway. Stay tuned for more information and further details.

Do you want to help local neighbors and residents?

BHNA needs your HELP with communications!

BHNA is seeking partnership with a local resident who’s willing to volunteer an hour or two each week to assist the President and Board of Directors with ongoing communications. This volunteer should be competent posting to social media (Instagram and Facebook) and skilled at writing professional communications for special events and quarterly newsletters as well as periodically responding to informational requests on behalf of BHNA.

If interested, please send email directly to: stephensuttonrealtor@gmail.com

THANK YOU!!!

See Something Say Something

By Maria Kootsikas

Go Long Beach is an app that allows Long Beach residents to report issues that require attention such as graffiti, potholes, discarded furniture, inappropriate signage on telephone poles that are too high to pull off, and even burned-out light bulbs in lamp posts. Bluff Heights resident Will and his best bud, Kai, a beautiful Australian shepherd, were out walking one evening when Will noticed a light out on a lamppost by the roundabout on E. Vista Street. To improve visibility and prevent any further crashes into the roundabout, Will reported it through the Go Long Beach app and it was fixed the next day. He underscored the need for continued safety at the roundabout, noting a recent incident where a driver turned over a boulder before hitting a parked car.

Will also reported a car theft in progress on Mariquita and the thief was caught! Thank you, Will, for seeing and saying something.

Each issue we will publish a photograph from our neighborhood. This photo of a spectacular dahlia was taken by Kevin Murphy while walking his dog Yippee through the Bluff Heights neighborhood.

If you have photos that highlight the beauty and uniqueness of our neighborhood, please send them to info@bluffheights.org

You can buy your tickets for the Summer Of Architecture: St. Regis Tour HERE.

Summer Concerts in the Garden

The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at Cal State Long Beach will host weekly concerts in the garden this summer, featuring a diverse lineup of musical talents and genres. Guests are welcome to bring their own blankets or chairs, as well as food and beverages, to enjoy a perfect summer evening in the garden.

Pricing: $10 per person for nonmembers,

$5 for members

Shows are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Concert Schedule

July 18 - Blue Breeze Band (Motown)

July 25 - Think of One Jazz

August 1 - The Pollen Collective (Americana/ Folk)

August 8 - Think of One Jazz

August 15 - Island Hoppin’ (Steel Drum)

August 22 - Think of One Jazz

More information

Long Beach Walls & Art Renzei Festival

The Long Beach Walls & Art Renzei Festival is returning July 20–26, transforming the city into an open-air gallery filled with massive murals, interactive installations, and magical moments!

The festival is part of a 10-year celebration, featuring:

→ A stunning lineup of artists

→ Mural locations across Downtown and beyond

→ A city-wide scavenger hunt with chances to win exclusive festival merch

→ Mural tours, a gallery exhibition and a night market throughout the week

Since 2015, Long Beach has added more than 100 public murals to buildings throughout the city, created by artists participating in the Long Beach Walls festival. Formerly known as POW! WOW! Long Beach, the festival is part of a global network of Worldwide Walls events that aim to enrich communities through art programs.

Find more details HERE

Backyard Bounty

The second Sunday of the month is Backyard Bounty day in Bluff Heights. Share the bounty from your backyard by placing it in front of your house. Take a walk through the neighborhood, get a little exercise, and enjoy the bounty. Find the label HERE.

Sunday, August 10, September 14, and October 12, starting at 9:00 AM

Fresh Produce at Local Farmers Markets

Farmers Markets and farm stands are great places to browse, sample, and buy fresh produce and handmade products. Visit the market at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Avenue) every Tuesday starting at 3:00 PM and every Saturday starting at 9:00 AM

Find more details HERE.

Saving Water Is the Long Beach Way

As we face unprecedented drought across California, we all need to do our part to conserve water. HERE is a flyer from the Long Beach Water Department outlining the new rules. Find more information on water conservation HERE.

Is it Time to Trim your Waste-Line?

It's really simple to trim your "Waste-Line!" All you need to do is collect your e-waste, hazardous waste, and/or old tire waste and bring it to one of three local collection centers under the conditions set by the City of Long Beach on this flyer.

You will feel much lighter now that you took care of those extra notches on your Waste-Line! Doesn't being a loser feel good?

STAY INFORMED ON CITY AND DISTRICT NEWS

District 2 - Councilwoman Cindy Allen

(562) 570-2222

Cindy.Allen@longbeach.gov or district2@longbeach.gov

Connor Lock, Chief of Staff

LBPD Blotter

On March 17 2022, the Long Beach Police Department debuted a new tool for the Long Beach community to access information about police activity and investigations.

To view this new community resource, and other Police Department information, please visit the LBPD Homepage and LBPD News.

Tips to Prevent Patio Furniture Theft

Residential Burglary Prevention Tips Flyer

PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES,

ESPECIALLY OUR SPONSORS

Jeff Anderson

www.andersonreg.com

Anderson Real Estate Group

Keller Williams Pacific Estates

Email: info@AndersonREG.com

Toll Free: 800 784 2616

Office of the Vice Mayor

Phone: (562) 570-2222 | district2@longbeach.gov

Coastal Real Estate Experts

Stephen W. Sutton | stephensuttonrealtor@gmail.com

SUPPORTERS

The Bicycle Stand

Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital

Dr. James Dohn

Flamin Curry

Gallagher's Pub and Grill

Granny's Donuts

Hot Java

Hug Life Ice Cream

La Parolaccia Osteria

Nice Alterations and Tailoring

Park Pantry

TC Raw Eats

Tru Nature Juice Bar

Syndicate Barber Shop

The Wine Crush

Click HERE to inquire about showing support in our newsletter.

YES, I'M A SUPPORTER!

The Bluff Heights Neighborhood and Historic District is a great place to live. Your $10 of support will go a long way toward making your neighborhood even better through our communication outlets, community events, and critical activities!

THANK YOU to all the neighbors who have already donated!

Support the BHNA

BHNA-sponsored events are made possible through grants, sponsorships and generous donations from readers and residents like you. Please consider a donation to your local Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association. We greatly appreciate your support.

Donate HERE