Weekly Update & Weekend Events | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! We have a weekend full of celebrations upon us, from Long Beach Pride to the return of the Cal Heights Home & Garden Tour as they gear up for the neighborhood’s 100th Anniversary, to KIDical Mass celebrating 12 years of monthly neighborhood bike rides—all happening on Sunday, May 19th! My office is proud to be sponsoring the tour, and I have enjoyed participating in many past monthly rides. We hope you’ll join to congratulate and celebrate these great community events and their notable milestones—follow the links above or see the flyers below for tickets and other details. We look forward to continuing these neighborhood traditions for years to come!
This past Tuesday, we kicked off LGBTQ+ Pride Week in Long Beach by raising the Progress Pride Flag at City Hall’s Civic Center Plaza. This ceremony is a symbol of our city’s dedication to making all people feel seen, cared for, and welcomed regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. With this very public gesture, we are affirming that Long Beach is a place where everyone can feel safe and comfortable to be their authentic self. I look forward to continuing to celebrate the incredible diversity that makes our city so special with this weekend’s Pride Festival and Sunday’s Parade, which steps off at 10am from Ocean Blvd & Lindero Ave. Hope to see you there!
In addition to the above-mentioned celebrations, within CD5 this weekend, you can support local creative vendors and participate in family-friendly activities at LBX on Saturday, May 18th as they celebrate “Farm Animals Day.” This week’s popup market will even feature pony rides and a petting zoo! Then, you can continue your celebration of AAPI Heritage Month by attending an author talk at KUBO LB on Saturday evening, to hear from OiYan A. Poon as she discusses her book, Asian American Is Not a Color. See the flyers below for more information.
As May continues, so does citywide Spring Cleaning! Help keep our streets clean by volunteering with a clean-up event, here in CD5 or throughout the city. See the flyers below for a schedule of existing clean teams in our district. If you need to do some spring cleaning at home as well, you can dispose of old documents at a free shred event tomorrow, May 18th! Learn more in the flyers below.
Looking ahead, save the date for an upcoming public informational webinar on June 25th, hosted by the FAA in partnership with LGB and several aviation industry partners. See below for more details.
A reminder to all small-business owners: the deadline to apply for the Level Up LB: Extreme Business Makeover and Grant Program is Tuesday, May 21st. Follow the link for more details and learn how to apply today!
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, May 21st at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. A list of items of interest can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. 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.
The work continues,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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Upcoming Events &
Community Meetings
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Federal Aviation Administration
News & Updates
June 25th | Public Informational Webinar
On May 14, 2024, we received notice that the FAA and Long Beach Airport (LGB) will cohost a public informational webinar on Tuesday, June 25th from 5pm - 7pm. Representatives from various FAA lines of business, LGB staff, members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and the Long Beach Airport Association (LBAA) will all be in attendance. Topics of discussion will include:
- FAA's management of Southern California's complex airspace;
- Historic and current general aviation operations at LGB;
- Runway usage at LGB;
- Flight school operations;
- LGB Noise Ordinance; and
- Status of unleaded avgas and its usage at LGB and nationwide.
This webinar is part of the LGB's implementation of Recommendation Three, to Increase Community Outreach and GA Educational Materials, as recommended in the report published on October 31, 2023 and the updated report released on March 15, 2024. In addition, regarding Recommendation Two—to Review Increasing the Noise Ordinance Violation Fee Structure—the City Attorney's Office has submitted a request to the FAA for a legal opinion on a proposal to increase the fines for violations of the LGB Noise Ordinance.
No pre-registration is required to attend the upcoming webinar. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions via a chat feature. Final details and instructions for joining the webinar will be provided in advance of the event.
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Long Beach Airport
News & Updates
May 17th Runway Closure
Starting on Friday, May 17, 2024, Long Beach Airport's primary runway, Runway 12/30, will be closed from 10:00 p.m. until the following morning, Saturday May 18, 2024, at 6:15 a.m. due to maintenance on the Runway. During this time, Runway 08L/26R will be in use. Nighttime operations will resume on Runway 12/30 on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
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Long Beach Pride
News & Updates
Long Beach Pride Parade & Festival 2024
The City of Long Beach is thrilled to host the vibrant 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Parade, a spectacular event celebrating diversity and unity within the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s theme, “The Rhythm of the Rainbow,” invites participants from all walks of life to contribute to the colorful expressions of pride and resilience.
Led by an esteemed lineup of grand marshals, the 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade will feature over 130 participating organizations, businesses and stakeholder groups showcasing a variety of vibrant and engaging floats and displays. The parade will commence at Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue at 10am, then travel along iconic stretches of Ocean Boulevard to Alamitos Avenue in Downtown.
To celebrate all weekend long, be sure to grab tickets for the two-day festival, held at the beautiful Marina Green, where you can soak up the sun and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. Get ready for a weekend filled with live music, delicious food, and fabulous entertainment. Whether you identify as LGBTQ+ or simply love to support equality, this festival is for everyone! Don't miss out on the chance to show your pride and be a part of this incredible celebration. Learn more at longbeachpride.com.
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City of Long Beach
News & Updates
Upcoming Memorial Day Celebrations
Memorial Day is coming up! Mark your calendars for two free events to honor the countless men and women who have given their lives in service of our country. At 5:30pm on Sunday, May 26th, join the Office of Veterans Support in “Honoring Our Heroes: A Sunset Ceremony” at Shoreline Aquatic Park. Then on Monday, May 27th at 10am, join neighbors at CD5’s own Forest Lawn for their annual Memorial Day Celebration.
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Health & Human Services
News & Updates
Local Tuberculosis Outbreak, Risk to Population at Large Remains Low
On May 2, 2024, City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis declared a local public health emergency to strengthen the City’s preparedness and ability to respond to a localized tuberculosis (TB) outbreak. This declaration was ratified by the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday, May 7.
The outbreak is currently isolated to a distinct population and the risk to the general public is low. The population at risk in this outbreak has significant barriers to care including homelessness and housing insecurity, mental illness, substance use and serious medical comorbidities.
To learn more about TB, visit the Health Department's webpage, where you can find answers to questions about TB Basics, Long Beach's TB Control Program, and TB Laws and Regulations.
If you think you might have TB, it's crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible for testing. Need a routine TB test? Visit our Immunization Clinic. For questions, call the Public Health Information Line at (562) 570-7907.
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City of Long Beach
News & Updates
Long Beach Looking for "Best & Brightest" to Serve on City Commissions
Mayor Rex Richardson and City Council leaders are putting out the call for the “Best and Brightest” from across the city to apply to serve on a City Commission. The Mayor will be doing another round of appointments this summer and we are looking for residents with a passion to get involved and make a difference for their communities. The Mayor and Council offices are working to make sure that residents from all parts of Long Beach are considered in order that the Commissions best reflect the communities they serve.
Commission (# of Vacancies):
- Advisory Commission on Aging (2)
- Airport Advisory Commission (1)
- Board of Examiners, Appeals, and Condemnation (1)
- Board of Health & Human Services (2)
- Commission On Youth & Families (1)
- Cultural Heritage Commission (1)
- Equity & Human Relations Commission (1)
- Police Oversight Commission (1)
- Climate Resilient & Sustainable City Commission (1)
- Technology & Innovation Commission (1)
- Transaction & Use Tax Citizens' Advisory Commission (1)
Apply here! Note, some commissioner vacancies have a specific Council District requirement. There are currently no District 5-specific appointments, however those listed above are “at large” positions that can be filled by a resident from any part of the city. For more information on each commission, visit the Commissions, Boards, and Committees information page or contact the Mayor’s office at readytoserve@longbeach.gov.
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Go Active LB
News & Updates
Celebrate Bike Month 2024!
Join us this May for Bike Month 2024 and explore various events planned to promote biking in Long Beach. Every year, communities across the United States celebrate Bike Month as an opportunity to showcase the benefits of bicycling and to encourage more people to incorporate bicycling into their daily lives. Both the City and communities in Long Beach are hosting biking related events throughout the month of May. Attend any event below or show us how you ride your way by taking the Bike Month Challenge this year for a chance to get a commemorative Bike Month May 2024 embroidered patch or vinyl sticker! If you don’t have your own bike, the Long Beach Bike Share program has bicycles to rent out throughout the City.
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Rancho Los Cerritos
News & Updates
Summer Day Camp Registration Open
Rancho Los Cerritos is excited to offer educational and immersive day camps for elementary- and middle-school-aged students this summer! The goal for each camp session is to create an engaging, safe, and fun environment for local children to learn about the history of RLC and Long Beach. We offer four week-long sessions, each with a different theme. The hours for all camps are 10am-3pm and the cost is $275/week. Membership discounts and need-based scholarships are available.
Time-Travelers Camp (ages 6-10): July 8-12
Nature Camp (ages 6-10): July 15-19
Vaquero Camp (ages 6-10): July 22-26
Unplugged Camp (ages 11-13): July 29-August 2
The Rancho’s summer camps are also a wonderful volunteer opportunity for local high school students. Teen counselors provide an engaging and fun camp experience for campers, while honing their own leadership and teamwork skills. We will be hosting two info sessions for teens on Tuesday, June 18 that cover all summer volunteer opportunities for high schoolers, including summer camp.
Learn more about summer camps on RLC’s website: www.RanchoLosCerritos.org/Camp
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Long Beach Officials Conduct Flag Raising Ceremony for LGBTQ+ Progress Pride Flag
City of Long Beach leadership conducted a flag raising ceremony for the Progress Pride flag, which took place in the Civic Center Plaza in Downtown with attendance from over 120 City staff and community members. The Progress Pride flag will stand alongside the American flag, California State flag and City seal flag now through June 30 in recognition of Long Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Week and throughout Pride Month.
In June 2023, the Long Beach City Council adopted a resolution recognizing the week of Long Beach’s annual Pride Festival and Pride Parade, taking place this year over the weekend of May 18-19, as Long Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Week and directing to annually raise the LGBTQ+ Progress Pride Flag at Long Beach Civic Center Plaza and light City assets during that time. The resolution additionally recognizes May 22 annually as “Harvey Milk Day” in honor of his birthday and recognizes the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The recommendation to adopt a resolution was brought forward by Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr and approved by the City Council.
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Long Beach Health Department Launches New Dashboard Featuring Community Crisis Response Data
The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has launched a new data dashboard for the Community Crisis Response (CCR) team, a five-person team that responds to a subset of calls-for-service to provide mental health support, health education and resource navigation for community members in need. The dashboard, which will be updated bi-weekly, hosts information about the amount, types and outcomes of the calls for service the CCR is dispatched to and will serve as a platform for providing interactive and timely information to the public.
The CCR Data Dashboard offers a comprehensive look at calls for service that the team has responded to since its launch in July 2023. The dashboard is comprised of data collected from the City’s Emergency Communication Center, Long Beach Police Department and from CCR’s data portal. The dashboard will allow users to view data related to call types, response times, demographics of those who receive services from the team, and call outcomes.
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Long Beach City Council Approves Games Agreement for 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games
During the May 14, 2024, meeting, the Long Beach City Council approved with a 7 to 0 vote the Games Agreement with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28). As a Venue City, Long Beach will support the delivery of events during the LA28 Games and will host several sporting events in areas throughout the city. Long Beach is the second Venue City to finalize its Games Agreement with LA28. The LA28 Games are scheduled to take place July 14, 2028, through Aug. 27, 2028.
The City of Los Angeles is the Host City for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games with select competitions and events located in other Southern California Venue Cities. As the Venue City set to host the largest number of events other than the City of Los Angeles, Long Beach will play a pivotal role during the LA28 Games. The Games Agreement serves to establish governing principles and commitments for the City’s participation as a Venue City while also providing a critical framework for how the City and LA28 will work together to coordinate and deliver a successful LA28 Games.
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City to Conduct Outreach Events in May in Recognition of Building Safety Month
The City of Long Beach Community Development Department is recognizing International Building Safety Month in May with outreach events to meet and talk with students and educators at local college and high school campuses. In addition, the Department will have posts about building safety on Facebook, X and Instagram during the month. Community members are encouraged to follow along to learn more about building safety.
Building Safety Month, featuring this year’s theme, Mission Possible, is sponsored by the International Code Council and is celebrated in May to raise awareness about building safety codes that set requirements for structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. The Department is sending engineering and technical staff, primarily from its Building and Safety Bureau, to meet and talk with students at Long Beach City College and three Long Beach Unified School District specialized high schools.
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City of Long Beach Announces Homelessness Strategic Plan Update Initiative
The City of Long Beach announced today its Homelessness Strategic Plan Update Initiative, a major milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to address homelessness and housing insecurity in Long Beach. As part of the initiative, a five-year strategic plan, with an expected release in November 2024, will be developed to address the root causes of homelessness in Long Beach, improve the City’s service system assisting people out of homelessness, and further prevent people from falling into homelessness. Residents, business owners and stakeholders are invited to participate and get involved in the strategic planning process.
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. May 21, 2024, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Item 5 Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a Second Amendment to Agreement No. 36293, with the firm Keesal, Young & Logan, PC, to continue representation of the City in the matter entitled Christopher Stuart, et al. vs. City of Long Beach, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 21STCV21452. (Item Details)
Item 9 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and all necessary amendments including term extensions, with the Department of Homeland Security to receive and expend grant funding for the 2022 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, in an amount not to exceed $327,742, for a period ending October 7, 2024; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications (DPEC) by $189,105 offset by federal grant funds of $136,105 and a $53,000 transfer from the Water and Sewer Fund Groups in the Long Beach Utilities Department as a City cost match. (Item Details)
Item 13 Recommendation to adopt specifications No. RFP HE-23-328 and award a contract to Taxi Productions, Inc., of Inglewood, CA, for providing the Black Infant Health Public Awareness Campaign commercials, podcasts, and digital advertisements for commercial broadcasting services engaging the Black community, in a total annual amount not to exceed $75,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (Item Details)
Item 15 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute any and all documents necessary for an Other Transaction Agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, for the continued participation in the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program at the Long Beach Airport. (Item Details)
Item 18 Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing, and adopt resolution amending the Master Fee and Charges Schedule. (Item Details)
Item 19 Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft resolution officially recognizing every May as Preservation Month in the City of Long Beach. (Item Details)
Item 22 Recommendation to approve the Fiscal Year 2024 second departmental and fund budget appropriation adjustments in accordance with existing City Council policy. (Item Details)
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