Weekly Updates | April 11, 2025 | | |
Happy Friday, District 5! Tomorrow, April 12th, marks the beginning of Passover—I hope those who celebrate find their homes and Seder tables filled with songs, stories, and love! As we continue into April, don’t forget that this month is Earth Month! See below for more information on how to celebrate, as well as updates from Long Beach Utilities, Public Works, the Port, and more.
At Council on Tuesday, I brought forth Item 18, a request for a report on the feasibility of streamlining our event permitting processes for small businesses, especially within local Business Improvement Districts or Associations (BIDs or BIAs). The intent for the report is to identify ways to improve what can currently be a difficult, lengthy process and to support local businesses in planning and executing events that activate business corridors, increase foot traffic, and boost our local economy. Review the item details or watch the discussion from Tuesday’s meeting to learn more.
The Grand Prix is back in Long Beach for its 50th Anniversary this weekend! See below for more information including traffic impacts, the Walk of Fame inductees, and more!
If you’re planning to spend time in CD5 this weekend, there’s no shortage of family-friendly events and some great ways to kick off spring break! LBUSD's spring recess starts as of today, April 11th, and students will return to school on April 21st. As for this weekend, tomorrow, April 12th, you can start bright and early with the Bixby Highland Clean Team at their monthly neighborhood cleanup, meeting at 8:30am at Bixby Knolls Christian Church. Later that morning, those feeling creative have two artistic options: at 10am, Rancho Los Cerritos is hosting their next Artist Workshop, where local artist Hely Omar Gonzales will provide an “Introduction to Painting from Reference”; and at 11am, the BKBIA has partnered with Able Arts Work for a “Maker’s Jam” craft session, where you can join neighbors in making music-themed crafts, or bring your own project to work on. On Saturday afternoon, those looking to support local businesses can head over to the shops at Parkview Village from 11am – 3pm for their monthly Second Saturdays Block Party, with an “Easter Bunny Hop & Shop” theme. From 11am - 7pm, you can also visit the Hangar Lawn at LBX for a “National Pet Day Celebration” pop-up market, or head back on Sunday, April 13th, for more springtime fun at LBX’s “Bunny Bash” from 12 – 5pm.
Looking ahead, I encourage you to save the following dates! On Saturday April 19th, join my team and the Bixby Strollers for an “offsite” stroll starting and ending at our CD5 Field Office at Wardlow Park. Then on Thursday, April 24th, I hope to see you at my next CD5 Community Meeting, with guest speakers from the Community Development and Fire departments to discuss “Community Development & Local Safety.” Lastly, you can join in the City Nature Challenge at Willow Springs Park on Saturday, April 26th to celebrate Earth Month in one of our city’s most natural spaces! See the flyers below for more information on these and even more upcoming events and activities.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 5pm in the City Hall Chambers. The full agenda as well as a list of items of interest will be included in a future 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.
Working together,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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District 5 Office
CD5 Community Meeting | April 24th at 6pm
Join us at the next CD5 Community Meeting! On Thursday, April 24th at 6:00pm, visit the Wardlow Park Community Center (3457 Stanbridge Ave) to hear from Community Development staff on the wide range of work in their department, as well as from members of the LBFD for tips on emergency preparedness. This is a great opportunity to learn more about CD5 and the City of Long Beach! To help us prepare seating, please RSVP here or by scanning the flyer's QR code.
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Long Beach Police Department
East Division Coffee with a Cop | April 24th at 11am
Join our LBPD East Division officers for Coffee with a Cop on Thursday, April 24th! From 11:00am – 12:00pm, stop by Cassidy's Corner Cafe (5900 East Spring St) to have a conversation, ask questions, and voice your concerns to local police officers in your area.
More information can be found here.
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Grand Prix of Long Beach
50th Anniversary of Grand Prix in Long Beach!
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is back for its 50th Anniversary! This event draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Long Beach every year, for world class racing all weekend long. This year’s historic event features special inductees into the Motorsports Walk of Fame: 6-time NTT Indycar Series Champion and defending Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner, Scott Dixon; President & CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, Jim Michaelin; and former Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill. Learn more about the honorees and their contributions to the world of motorsports in the City’s press release.
Activities have already begun as of Thursday, but you can review the whole 2025 schedule for more information on the weekend’s festivities. If you plan to head downtown, be sure to check the circuit map as well as the expected traffic impacts outlined in the City’s recent press release to plan your routes and avoid road closures. Visit gplb.com for tickets, news, resources, and more!
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Long Beach Airport
F/A-18 Military Operations at LGB | April 10th - 13th
Four F/A-18 Military aircraft will conduct operations at LGB from Thursday afternoon (4/10) to Sunday morning (4/13). Two aircraft were scheduled to depart this morning (Friday, 4/11) while the other two are planned to conduct flyovers as part of the Grand Prix on Sunday. Dates and times are approximate and subject to change.
F/A-18 aircraft are noticeably louder than other aircraft and are easily heard in neighborhoods near LGB. Military aircraft are exempt from noise regulations; however, the military has consistently demonstrated a desire to assist LGB in being a good neighbor and will follow standard noise abatement arrival and departure procedures, including modified arrival and departure flight profiles and minimum use of afterburners. For more information, contact the LGB Noise Office at lgbnoise@longbeach.gov or (562) 570 2635.
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Public Works
Work on Wardlow from Stevely to Norwalk
Public Works has informed us that transportation safety and maintenance work is planned to begin towards the end of April or early May on Wardlow Rd between Stevely & Norwalk (on the border between CD4 & CD5). This improvement, part of the Elevate 28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, will include upgraded Class IV bikeways, rehabilitation and reconstruction of pavement, curbs, gutters, curb ramps, sidewalks, and more, to improve road conditions, visibility, accessibility, and safety for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users alike. Expect traffic impacts at the intersections of Wardlow at Stevely, Claremore, Lama, N. El Dorado, and Norwalk, in addition to El Dorado Park points of entry/exit. At least one travel lane in each direction will be open during construction. The work is expected to take three or four months, with anticipated completion by mid-August, pending inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. For more information, contact Public Works at David.Lew@longbeach.gov or 562-570-5262.
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Long Beach Utilities
Work on Orange/Carson & Orange/San Antonio
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The Long Beach Utilities Department (LBUD) is scheduled to conduct underground utility construction at the intersections of Orange & San Antonio and Orange & Carson, to replace large valve equipment which will help improve the flow of water for distribution and to improve the Utilities’ underground pipeline infrastructure. The work on both of these intersections is expected to begin the week of April 21st and expected to end in late August 2025, barring inclement weather or other unforeseen complications.
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Traffic in all directions (North/Southbound on Orange, East/Westbound on Carson, and East/Westbound on San Antonio) at each of these intersections will be reduced to one-single lane. Please plan your routes accordingly, and keep an eye out for posted Detour and No Parking signs. LBUD does not anticipate any interruptions in water service during this construction.
For more information, visit lbutilities.org or contact the primary project manager, Matthew Cruz at 562-570-2332.
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Work Near Spring/Bellflower
As part of Long Beach Utilities’ ongoing maintenance and replacement program, construction has been scheduled to renew portions of the buried natural gas piping system in the area of Spring & Bellflower. The system upgrades are anticipated to begin around the week of April 21st, and will continue for approximately 2 months. Project locations will include the intersection of Spring St & Charlemagne Ave, and the alley north of Spring St, between Montair Ave & Bellflower Blvd. Keep an eye out for posted no parking signs in the area. For additional information, please contact the LBU Manager of Gas Construction, Paul DeYoung at (562) 570 2074.
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Upcoming FY26 Budget Workshops
The Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners will host a series of community budget workshops as they prepare for Fiscal Year ’26 (FY26). The workshops will include discussion on proposed water, sewer, and gas rates for FY26, as utility rates are established annually to fund infrastructure, maintenance, and operation services to the greater Long Beach community.
Long Beach rate-payers are invited to share your input at 3 public workshops:
Long Beach Utilities Administration Building
(1800 E Wardlow Rd) at 9am
Thursday, May 1 | Thursday, May 15 | Thursday, June 12
The department budget, inclusive of rates, is expected to be adopted by the Board of Utilities Commissioners at the final public workshop on Thursday, June 12. Members of the public are encouraged to attend; comments can also be submitted via email to commission@lbutilities.org. Learn more about these meetings and the proposed FY26 Utilities Budget at lbutilities.org/budget.
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Port of Long Beach
Free Harbor Tours Summer 2025 | May Registration Opens April 14
Beginning in May, the Port of Long Beach will once again host free harbor tours, offering the public a chance to experience the sights and sounds of the nation’s largest seaport complex. Join one of the 90-minute narrated excursions to learn about how the Port impacts you and the local economy, as well as the Port’s last 20 years of leading green, while getting close to some of the biggest ships in the world and catching views of amazing machinery and local wildlife.
Register online anytime from 8am – 8pm on Monday, April 14, for the opportunity to receive a free harbor tour in May. *Note: the Port uses an online lottery sign-up system for reservations. Reservations will open on the second Monday of the month from 8am – 8pm for tours the following month. A random drawing will select participants for each tour and within seven business days, you will receive confirmation of your reservation or notification that you’re on a waiting list.
Tours this year will be held May through September, and generally are scheduled four times a month, twice on Saturday mornings and twice on Wednesday evenings. Visit polb.com/porttours for more information (including answers to FAQs) and to make reservations on April 14th! Please note that this is a similar tour to our Summer CD5 Harbor Tour, however is not the same. Information on a CD5-specific Harbor Tour will be forthcoming this summer.
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Long Beach Public Library
National Library Month 2025
Celebrate National Library Month with Long Beach Public Libraries! With reading challenges, digital resources, community programs, and more, there’s something for everyone at the library. Head out to your local branch for access to all that LBPL has to offer! CD5 Branches:
o Bach Neighborhood Library – 4055 N Bellflower Blvd, 90808
o Dana Neighborhood Library – 3680 Atlantic Ave, 90807
All April long, visit any one of the 12 LBPL locations to receive a stamp passport card and LBPL lanyard, and receive a unique button for every branch that you visit. Participants who receive all 12 stamps by Wednesday, April 30th, will be entered into an opportunity drawing!
Additionally, check out last Tuesday’s Council Meeting for a presentation on our Long Beach Public Libraries in honor of National Library Week & Month!
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Office of Sustainability
Earth Month Calendar
The City of Long Beach is celebrating Earth Month this April by hosting a series of fun, free, and family-friendly events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities for residents throughout the month. Festivities will highlight a rand of sustainable topics such as supporting local wildlife, reducing waste, and stewarding community spaces. Check out the new Earth Month Calendar to find local cleanups, workshops, and activities near you, and save the dates for such events as the upcoming City Nature Challenge at Willow Springs Park on Saturday, April 26th from 9am – 12pm. Explore trails, help identify wildlife, and take part in fun activities that celebrate Long Beach’s native habitat at District 5’s recently dedicated park! Review the recent press release or visit lbcity.info/lbem to learn more.
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Long Beach Police Department
Eyes Forward, Hands on the Wheel: Focused Driving Saves Lives
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month! In efforts to prevent distracted driving and save lives on our roads, the Long Beach Police Department is reminding all drivers to stay focused, keep their eyes forward, and keep their hands on the wheel. Whether checking a phone, eating, or adjusting the radio, distractions can have devastating consequences. In 2022, 148 people were killed in distracted driving traffic crashes in California; and the numbers are likely underreported as law enforcement officers may not always be able to tell that distraction was a factor in a crash.
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Throughout the month, LBPD officers will be actively looking for drivers who are in violation of the state’s hand-free cellphone law. Follow these simple steps stay focused and protect everyone on the road:
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Put Your Phone Away: Silence notifications and store your phone where you can’t reach it while driving.
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Plan Ahead: Set your GPS, adjust mirrors, and finish any tasks before you start driving.
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Keep Both Hands on the Wheel & Eyes on the Road: Avoid eating, grooming, or adjusting controls while driving.
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Be a Role Model: Show your passengers, especially young drivers, that focused driving is the norm.
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Speak Up: If you’re a passenger and see the driver distracted, kindly remind them to stay focused.
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Pull Over If Necessary: If something urgent comes up, stop in a safe place before responding.
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American Red Cross
Blood Drives in District 5! May 16 & May 30
In partnership with the American Red Cross, Councilwoman Kerr will be sponsoring two Blood Drives in CD5 this May! Donating your blood can help support patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment, and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries. Check out this short video to learn more about how your blood can have a significant impact. Additionally, maintaining diversity in the blood supply is essential! Some blood types are quite rare and are likeliest to be found among people with shared ancestral origins. Join us to make a difference for those in need!
Learn more about your eligibility to donate, then visit this site to sign up for one of our May blood drives today!
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Friday, May 16 | 9am – 3pm
Expo Arts Center – Main Room
4321 Atlantic Ave
Friday, May 30 | 9am – 3pm
Wardlow Park Community Center – Social Hall
3457 Stanbridge Ave
| | | | | Upcoming Meetings & Events | | | El Dorado East Regional Park Offers Tips for Visitors on Easter Sunday, April 20 | | | Long Beach Seeks Community Input on City’s First Universal Playground at El Dorado Park West | | | Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine to Celebrate Older American’s Month During May | | |
Memos to the Mayor & Council
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Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. April 15, 2025, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
FULL AGENDA
Item 1 Recommendation to suspend Council rule contained in Municipal Code Section 2.03.020 (B) relating to the meeting schedule of the City Council in order to cancel the City Council meetings on July 1st, July 8th, and July 15th. (Item Details)
Item 21 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending and restating Chapter 16.43 related to Airport Noise Compatibility, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Item Details)
Item 22 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending Chapter 10 at Section 10.12.020.A and Section 10.38.020 related to the pilot program for electric scooters on the beach path, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (Item Details)
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