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As Yom Kippur approaches this weekend, I extend my warmest wishes to our residents who observe this solemn day of reflection and atonement. May this sacred time bring you inner peace, forgiveness, and renewed sense of purpose. In unity, let us support one another on this meaningful journey for spiritual growth. May you have a meaningful fast.
This summer, we saw many dead and diseased trees in our beloved parks removed based off a city-wide tree inventory that was conducted in 2014. My team and I were very upset to see these trees gone and immediately began conversations with the City Manager and Parks/Recreation/Marine on replanting efforts. I am happy to report that the process for replanting has started! This week, new trees were planted with PRM budget money in partnership with the workforce development program the Long Beach Conservation Corps. This past week, Somerset Park, Cherry Park, and Heartwell Park received new trees and planting for trees at Wardlow Park will begin next week. We anticipate more tree plantings in the coming year with the $1M allocated in the FY '24 budget, as well as federal tree grant money from the inflation reduction act and possible community support. Stay tuned for future community tree plantings! Below are some photos showing tree planting efforts at Somerset, Cherry, and Heartwell Parks! "One Generation Plants the Trees, and Another Gets the Shade" - Chinese Proverb
This weekend is going to be a fun and busy one throughout the city! On Saturday, experience the beauty of Long Beach's urban habitats at the 5th Annual Rancho Walk, see the flyer below. Tomorrow, the city will be offering a free shredding service for your confidential documents and safe disposal of household hazardous waste and e-waste. This is a great opportunity to declutter responsibly and protect our environment. Lastly, please consider donating essential items to help those experiencing homelessness. Tomorrow, Saturday 9/23, the city will be having its seventh donation drive thru. Your contributions of blankets, warm clothing, hygiene products, and other essential items can make a significant difference in someone's life - let's lend a helping hand to those in need. See below for more details.
Finally, I'd like to remind everyone that the Council will not be meeting next Tuesday as it is the last Tuesday of the month. Our next Council Meeting will be Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 5pm; 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. Be sure to follow my social media @CWMeganKerr and stay connected!
Let's get to work,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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Upcoming Events &
Community Meetings
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Long Beach Police Department
News & Events
New East Division Commander
LBPD has announced that Commander Mike Pennino will serve as the new Commander for the East Division. Commander Pennino has over 28 years of service, and most recently served as the Special Investigations Division Commander and has served in a variety of assignments including Burglary Detail, Auto Theft Detail, Investigations Bureau Office, Drug Investigations Section and the Information Technology Section. We are lucky to have him in the East Division, which serves the East side of CD5. Click here for more information.
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Calling all faith-based churches and religious organizations
LBPD is calling all faith-based churches and organization tp participate in the National Faith & Blue (Weekend) hosted on October 6-9, 2023. How to Participate, a Step-by-Step Guide:
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Homelessness Emergency Declaration
Donation Drive Thru Event Saturday, September 23
On Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Long Beach will host its seventh donation drive thru to collect essential items to distribute to people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach. The event will take place at the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) Main Facilities Center, located at 2525 Grand Ave. Donations received during the event will be distributed at the Multi-Service Center (MSC) to people experiencing homelessness and will also be available to local partner organizations to distribute.
The City is currently seeking clothing, as well as the following items, for contribution:
- Hygiene kits or house-warming gift kits from the Multi-Service Center Amazon Wish List.
- Backpacks filled with needed items such as hand warmers, flashlights, battery packs, batteries (especially D batteries), emergency blankets and charging cables.
- Pet care kits with things like pet food, treats, collars, leashes, pet toys or collapsible pet bowls.
- S, M, L, XL or XXL sweatpants, shirts, socks and men’s and women’s underwear, beanies, scarves, caps, hoodies, towels or blankets. Gently used items are appreciated, too.
- Welcome home kits with some of the suggested items above and a special hand-written motivating message to go in the kit.
- Food items like canned food (and small, manual can openers), bottled drinks like juices or water, and snacks such as granola bars or power bars, instant oatmeal and instant soup.
- While gift cards will not be accepted at the drive thru event, they can be donated at the MSC. To schedule a drop-off time, people can call 562.570.4586.
Learn more here...
Long Beach Increases Homeless Service Outreach with Deployment of Second Mobile Access Center and Additional Service Locations
Long Beach has launched its second Mobile Access Center (MAC) as of Monday, Sept. 18. The deployment of the second MAC will double the number of service areas throughout Long Beach, from eight to 16. The MAC significantly lowers barriers to providing case management services and other resources for people experiencing homelessness.
The schedule below reflects the new schedule, inclusive of both MAC vehicles.
MAC vehicles will be stationed at the following locations from 9 a.m. to noon:
- Mondays
- MacArthur Park (1321 E. Anaheim St.) near the basketball courts
- Orizaba Park (1435 Orizaba Ave.) parking spots located along Orizaba Avenue
- Tuesdays
- Christian Outreach in Action (515 E. 3rd St.), parked on Linden Avenue
- Scherer Park (4600 Long Beach Blvd.), parked on the east side of the park in the parking lot off Atlantic Avenue near the Long Beach Police Department North Division Station
- Wednesdays
- In the area of Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) and Lincoln Park, parked on Ocean Boulevard
- In the area of the South Street and Cherry Avenue intersection, parked near the northeast corner of the intersection off South Street
- Thursdays
- Drake/Chavez Soccer Fields (903-999 Fairbanks Ave.); the van will be parked facing Los Angeles River near the parking lot located on De Forest Avenue just south of the soccer fields
- Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), Atlantic Avenue side of the park
- Fridays
- Alamitos Beach Parking Lot near the south end of the parking lot, at Shoreline Drive and Beach Access Road
- Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.), parked near the corner of Cherry Avenue and East 1st Street
MAC vehicles will also be stationed from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the locations below:
- Mondays
- Traffic Circle, in the area of Ximeno Avenue and East Atherton Street. Van will be parked on Ximeno Avenue
- In the area of Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) and Lincoln Park, parked on Ocean Boulevard
- Tuesdays
- Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), Atlantic Avenue side of the park
- Granada Beach Parking Lot (5100 E. Ocean Blvd.), parked near Roycroft Avenue and Ocean Boulevard
- Wednesdays
- 6th Street and Long Beach Boulevard, on 6th Street between Long Beach Boulevard and Elm Avenue
- Heartwell Park (5801 Parkcrest St.), parked in the parking lot of East Carson Street between Woodruff Avenue and North Bellflower Boulevard
Information detailing the city's homelessness response efforts is now available on the Homelessness Digital Dashboard.
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Health Department Now Administering COVID-19 Vaccine to Uninsured and Underinsured Only
Effective immediately, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine only to people who are un- or underinsured. The City is adjusting its vaccine operations to align with the CDC's Bridge Access Program.
The Health Department will administer this vaccine free of charge to individuals ages 12 and older, effective immediately. Vaccines for children 6 months and older will be available beginning Wednesday, Sept. 27.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach Reduces Speed Limits on 92 Miles of City Streets
The City recently launched a phased implementation of reducing speed limits on 92 miles of city streets as part of the citywide effort to improve roadway safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. This action represents important progress toward the City’s Vision Zero goals, as outlined in the Safe Streets Long Beach Action Plan.
Residents can access a full map of the implemented and upcoming changes and more information about what to expect at longbeach.gov/speedlimits.
LEARN MORE...
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Assistant City Manager Linda F. Tatum Announces Retirement from City of Long Beach
The City of Long Beach announced today the upcoming retirement of Assistant City Manager Linda F. Tatum. She has served as Assistant City Manager since June 2020 and previously served as Director of the City’s Development Services Department. Ms. Tatum’s career in the planning field was spent mostly in the public sector, serving in the Cities of Inglewood, Culver City and Santa Ana before joining the City of Long Beach in 2015.
Ms. Tatum will serve until November 2023. The City’s Human Resources Department will conduct a recruitment to permanently fill the position, which is anticipated to be concluded before the end of the year.
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City Announces Departure of Health and Human Services Department Director Kelly Colopy
The City has announced the upcoming departure of Kelly Colopy, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department). Ms. Colopy, who has served as the Health Department Director since 2013, has been appointed Director for the Department of Human Services for Salt Lake County, Utah.
Ms. Colopy’s last day with the City is Oct. 27, 2023. Since joining the City, Colopy has had dual residencies in both Long Beach and Salt Lake City. She will be returning full time to the Salt Lake area once she begins her new role.
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City Launches Innovative Business Insights Tool to Support Long Beach Small Businesses
Long Beach continues to expand its business resources with the launch of its Business Insights Tool, a new, free online resource for local small businesses. The City invites local small business owners, entrepreneurs and community members to participate in the Business Insights Tool workshop, taking place Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.
The Business Insights tool, now available for entrepreneurs and businesses can be found at longbeach.gov/businessinsights.
LEARN MORE...
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Long Beach to Host Environmental Awareness Events
In celebration of the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability (Office) and adoption of the Long Beach Climate Action Plan (LB CAP), the City will recognize two days of environmental awareness and unified action. The City is inviting the community to participate in Zero Emissions Day on Thursday, Sept. 21, and California Clean Air Day on Wednesday, Oct. 4...
On Wed., Oct. 4, the City is partnering with the Conservation Corps of LB to plant trees along Harbor Avenue to improve air quality along the I-710 corridor. Residents are encouraged to apply & schedule a tree planting in their neighborhoods by visiting: https://www.longbeach.gov/sustainability/programs/tree-planting/.
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Community Invited to Attend LGBTQ+ Cultural District Visioning Process Evening Workshop September 25
The Long Beach Development Services Department has received community feedback and developed concepts for a vision and feasibility plan for the new LGBTQ+ Cultural District. Residents and local stakeholders are invited to attend an evening community workshop to learn more and give feedback on improvements that they would like to see along the corridor.
The community is encouraged to learn more and share feedback by attending the in-person workshop scheduled for Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the community center located at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Those interested in attending are requested to RSVP online.
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Long Beach Public Library Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop
The Long Beach Public Library will recognize the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop culture with a series of celebratory events this September and October. The Hip Hop Celebration: 50th Anniversary Series commemorates the influential history of Hip Hop, both in Long Beach and worldwide. The program series will commence with a kickoff celebration event taking place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Recreation Park (4900 E. 7th St.) bandshell, followed by a five-week workshop series for tweens and teens.
For more information about this and other events, visit lbpl.org or call 562.570.7500.
LEARN MORE...
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Upcoming
City Council Agenda
Tues. October 3, 2023, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
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