Cybersecurity & Infrastructure News & Events

CISA and FEMA Create "Shields Ready"

Cybersecurity is an ever-present concern these days, and it’s important to know how to stay safe while so much of our lives are online. It’s also important to be prepared in the face of emergencies, especially when it comes to maintaining infrastructure and connectivity. With those needs in mind, our federal partners, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), have come together with a new initiative: Shields Ready. The Shields Ready initiative is about making resilience during incidents a reality by taking action before incidents occur. CISA and FEMA stand ready to help America prepare for and adapt to changing risk conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from potential disruptions, regardless of the cause.

It was an honor to have CISA Director Jen Easterly and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in Long Beach earlier this week to announce the new initiative. I was proud represent our city, along with the Port of Long Beach and others, as we move forward with our local and federal partners on a journey towards more resilient people, organizations, and communities. 

Long Beach Airport News

Efforts to Expedite Transition to Unleaded Aviation Fuel

Phasing out the use of leaded aviation fuel is a high priority concern for me and my team, as I know it is for many of you. That is why, for the upcoming City Council meeting, I have submitted Item 50 along with my co-sponsors Vice Mayor Allen and Councilman Uranga. This item is a recommendation to request our City Manager to direct staff in writing a letter urging our Congressional Leaders, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to move expeditiously in phasing out leaded aviation fuel, particularly at Long Beach Airport, in the name of public health, recent EPA findings, and as part of the City’s legislative agenda. The item also requests that the City Manager and relevant departments present the October 31 memorandum on General Aviation Operations at Long Beach Airport to the City Council in December. This way, we can all move forward with a clear understanding of the details of the report.

We feel strongly, as many of you do, that there is no time to lose when it comes to protecting the community of the dangers associated with the use of leaded fuel, and with this letter, we aim to ignite a sense of urgency in our federal partners.

In the meantime, the City of Long Beach will continue to support the transition in the ways we are able. At the upcoming Council meeting, we will also be discussing Item 60, a proposal to implement a Supplemental Type Certificate reimbursement incentive at Long Beach Airport to facilitate the transition from leaded to unleaded aviation fuel. A program such as this will hopefully encourage the increased use of the unleaded fuel available in Long Beach, as we await federal regulations.

Long Beach Police Department

News & Events

Save the Date: Coffee with a Commander

Meet your District 5 North Division Police Commander! Save the date to meet and get to know your North Division Commander over a cup of coffee. Not sure which Division you're in? A map of the LBPD Divisions can be found here.

North Division: Commander Paul Gallo

Monday November 13th, 5pm

SteelCraft Long Beach | 3768 Long Beach Blvd

Coffee with a Commander: East Division Recap

On Wednesday morning, we gathered with community members at the Local Grind to get to know LBPD East Division Commander Mike Pennino. He was joined by Patrol Resource Officer Brandon Murphy and Neighborhood Service Specialist Diane Scarritt, both of whom are vital to helping the East Division run smoothly. It was a great turnout, and thank you to all who attended the event. In case you missed it, here is some helpful information we discussed:

• If you see something, say something!
• For nonemergency calls and reports, you can call (562) 435 6711 or email LBPDEast@longbeach.gov
• Homelessness is not a crime, but reports of encampments and quality of life concerns can be directed to the LBPD's Quality of Life Officers at LBPDQOL@longbeach.gov
• To report general or consistent traffic violations around a certain area, feel free to contact LBPDEast@longbeach.gov or district5@longbeach.gov – It helps if you can identify a window of time as "peak hours" for these concerns, to help schedule specific patrols
• Want to get involved?
• Become a Senior Police Partner
• Apply to serve on the Police Oversight Commission (see below)
• Get involved in the Neighborhood Watch
• Keep communication lines open and invite East Division Officers to your next meeting
• Want to organize a Watch in your neighborhood but don't know how? Email LBPDEast@longbeach.gov and they will be happy to help!
• Stay connected!
• Follow LBPD on Instagram, Facebook, and X for updates and alerts
• Check longbeach.gov/police/ for crime updates from The Blotter or for tips on crime prevention
• Sign up for other District Newsletters to learn what's going on all over the City (found on each district's respective longbeach.gov pages)

Apply To Serve on the Long Beach Police Oversight Commission

Long Beach is leading the way with the creation of a new Police Oversight Commission, and the Mayor is calling for the best and brightest from all across Long Beach to serve! In 2022, voters adopted Measure E to create this body as a replacement for the former Citizen’s Police Complaint Commission. This commission has broader oversight powers and will work closely with the Director of Police Oversight, the City Manager, the Long Beach Police Department Chief, the Mayor, and the City Council.

Applications for this 7-person Commission are now open until December 6th. The application is open to all Long Beach residents who can meet the responsibilities of the Commission. Further details on the requirements and application process can be found online here.

Questions? Please contact readytoserve@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570-6801. 

Upcoming Job & Career Fairs!

Parks, Recreation & Marine Job Fairs to Showcase Recreation Leader Employment Opportunities

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) has planned a series of job fairs to share information on current and upcoming job openings for part-time, non-career positions. Job seekers interested in learning more about these employment opportunities are encouraged to attend.

PRM Community Recreation Services Bureau staff will provide information on a wide range of recreation programs that are currently hiring or will start hiring in the near future. Folks are encouraged to come by and meet supervisors and current staff and learn what a day in the life of a Long Beach Recreation Leader is like. Participants are encouraged to view more information about the current open positions and are welcome to apply on the Job Opportunities webpage at LBParks.org. For additional information about the PRM Job Fair visit LBParks.org, or call 562.570.3150.

• Two Information Only Job Fairs will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McBride Park (1550 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.) and Tuesday, Dec. 5 at El Dorado Park West (2800 N. Studebaker Rd.) from 6 to 8 p.m., where participants can learn about current and upcoming employment opportunities.

• A third job fair will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at the Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.) where, in addition to the informational component, attendees can apply to currently open positions and may have the opportunity to participate in interviews onsite. The job fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with interviews beginning at 10 a.m.

LEARN MORE...

Save the Date:

District 5 Aquarium Day

Free Entry to Aquarium of the Pacific at District 5 Aquarium Day!

Save the date for District 5’s Aquarium Day! The Aquarium of the Pacific is allowing free entry for District 5 residents on Wednesday, November 29th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. We will have a limited number of entries available, and a limit of 6 entries per household, so keep an eye out in future newsletters for the registration link as the date approaches. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Long Beach Public Works

News & Events

Parkway Tree Trimming in Grid 8

The trimming of Grid 8 is expected to take 3 to 3 and a half months. As trimming commences, the team will have a Certified Arborist onsite every day to oversee the process. Please keep in mind that the trees Citywide are trimmed in accordance with the criteria set by the International Society of Arboriculture, the National Arborist Association, and the American National Standards Institute.

The trimming will be performed in the following order:

• Section 1: Area bounded by Woodruff Ave, N Studebaker Rd, Spring St, Wardlow Rd
• Section 2: Area bounded by Woodruff Ave to N Studebaker Rd, E Carson St to Wardlow Rd
• Section 3: Area bounded by N Studebaker Rd to Stevely Ave, E Carson St to E Spring St
• Not included: Area bounded by Woodruff Ave, Conquista Ave, Parkcrest St, E Conant St- territory is Los Angeles County

Please note, the trims may look different for each tree species. For example, the Ficus trees will be trimmed with a "Crown Reduction" cut, a more intensive trim that reduces the area of the crown by about 20%. As the Ficus trees are sturdy enough to withstand the more substantial cut, this is done to keep the trees in good shape until the next tree-trimming cycle, and reduce the need for costly out-of-cycle trimming.

If you have any question or concerns regarding tree trimming in Council District 5, please call (562) 570-2722, see the Public Works webpage on trees, or reach out to my office with any questions.

Fall Is Here - Friendly Reminder

Fall is here which means falling leaves are plentiful! Our Public Works team reminds us to please avoid piling leaves and other debris in the street, alley, or gutter. Street sweepers have difficulty removing large piles and are unable to pick up palm fronds and big piles of pine needles. For large piles of debris you can always contact Public Works’ Clean Team on their webpage or submit a request via GoLongBeach. 

Homelessness Emergency Declaration

Long Beach Tiny Home Shelter Program Update

In 2022, the City of Long Beach was awarded a grant towards the purchase, construction, and operation of 33 modular shelter units at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center, to support the City’s goals of ending our homelessness crisis. However, due to unforeseen challenges over the course of development, it was determined that the Multi-Service Center was not a viable location for this project. Since then, City Staff have been working tirelessly to identify a suitable replacement location. As of the City Manager’s update yesterday, the City Team has identified the vacant commercial lot on the southeast corner of E Spring St and California Ave as the final proposed location for the Long Beach Tiny Homes.

This location has been identified as the best available location for several reasons, including its current underutilized state, its proximity to public transportation and other affordable resources, and its minimal impact on the existing surrounding community. To learn more about the reasons this site was chosen, and the proposed tiny homes complex itself, view the City Manager’s Update on Tiny Homes here. 

Long Beach Seeks Volunteers for 2024 Homeless Point in Time Count

The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is seeking 300 community volunteers to help conduct the 2024 Point in Time Count, its street count of people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, which will take place on Jan. 25, 2024.

We invite you to join us for a hands-on opportunity to hear directly from people experiencing homelessness and partner in improving the services and solutions we offer. Volunteer registration is now available and will remain open until the available volunteer slots are filled. Click here to register!

LEARN MORE...

City Increases Homeless Service Outreach with Mobile Access Centers 

The MAC significantly lowers barriers to providing case management services and other resources for people experiencing homelessness. The schedule below reflects the current schedule, inclusive of both MAC vehicles.

South Coast Air Quality

Management District (AQMD)

Check Before You Burn: A Message from South Coast AQMD

November marks the start of the South Coast AQMD’s annual Check Before You Burn season. From November through the end of February, residents are asked to check whether a No-Burn Day has been declared before burning wood fireplaces to limit emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

A No-Burn day is a 24-hour ban on wood-burning in residential fireplaces, stoves or outdoor fire pits in the South Coast Air Basin. South Coast AQMD forecasters call for residential No-Burn Days when PM2.5 is expected to reach Unhealthy levels due to air emissions and stagnant weather conditions.

Click here to learn more and to access public resources for daily forecast information.