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(562) 570 5555 | district5@longbeach.gov | |
Weekly Updates & Hispanic Heritage Month | |
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Happy Friday, District 5, and starting on Sunday, Sept. 15th, happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This annual celebration gives everyone an opportunity to recognize the contributions of the Hispanic People and historical figures who throughout history helped in shaping our nation. Find ways to celebrate this recognition all over the city, including with a celebration at the City Hall Civic Center next Tuesday, Sept. 17th from 3pm – 5pm, complete with live music, guest speakers, tacos, and aguas frescas provided by the Latino Employees Association and the Port of Long Beach. Hope to see you there!
This weekend, there are a number of ways to get out and involved with the community! On Saturday, Sept. 14th, you can start your weekend bright and early with the 6th Annual Ranchos Walk from 7am – 2pm. Start from one of three locations along the route from Rancho Los Alamitos to Rancho Los Cerritos and learn about Long Beach history while enjoying the unique urban hike experience. On Saturday the 14th, you can also visit the Parkview Village Shops for their monthly Second Saturdays Block Party, from 11am – 3pm. Or, you can head over to LBX to partake in a Hispanic Heritage Celebration from 12pm – 6pm. Then Sunday, Sept. 15th, grab your helmet and some wheels to join the BKBIA’s monthly KIDical Mass Bike Ride, taking off from behind Pixie Toys at 11am.
Planning for next weekend, save the date for our Fire & Rescue Community Day at Station 19 on Saturday, Sept. 21st, from 10am – 2pm where you can meet your local Firefighters and First Responders while enjoying a day at the Fire Station! That morning, you can also volunteer to help keep our neighborhood’s offramps clean with the 405-Fwy Clean Up from 8am – 11am, hosted in partnership with Senator Gonzalez’s office, Assemblymember Lowenthal’s office, and CalTrans. See below to learn more.
Last Tuesday, Sept. 10th, my colleagues and I unanimously voted to adopt the FY25 Budget, bringing this budget season officially to a close. I commend the Budget Oversight Committee, the Budget team, and our department heads for their hard work and considerations for the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback throughout the budget process through public comment, community meetings, or online avenues. To learn more about what the adopted FY25 Budget entails, see below, review the recent press release, or visit longbeach.gov/budget.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17th 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 Meetings & Events | |
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Banned Books Week
Sept 22 - Sept 28
At next week’s Council meeting, I am proud to be bringing forth Item 23, a request for a resolution to recognize the week of Sept. 22nd to 28th as National Banned Books Week in the City of Long Beach, in alignment with the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library's yearly designation.
This resolution will stand as a symbol of Long Beach’s commitment to the exchange of ideas, the right to access information, and the nurturing of an informed population, and shows our support for the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library and one of their core missions of guarding against censorship.
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Check out the events below to learn more! | | | |
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Studebaker Rd. Complete Streets Project
Website Update - September 2024
The Studebaker Corridor Complete Street project page was updated this week, describing the latest information on the project’s status. The City has received final design documents which are currently under review and pending authorization from CalTrans, which the team anticipates receiving in the next couple of months. In the meantime, the project team is preparing for the bidding process. If successful, this would put the estimated construction start in early 2025. We will continue to keep you informed via these newsletters as we learn more. For more details on the project, visit longbeach.gov/studebakerccsp.
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Parks, Recreation & Marine Department
Heartwell Park Tree Trimming Schedule Update
The tree trimming schedule for Heartwell Park has been updated. Trimming in Heartwell West (between Clark Ave & Bellflower Blvd) began yesterday, Sept. 12th, and trimming in Heartwell East (between Woodruff Ave & Palo Verde Ave) is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 17th. For more information or questions, contact the PRM maintenance’s main line at (562) 570-4895.
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LB Community Investment Company
Funding for Proposed Affordable Housing at 3590 Elm
Next Wednesday, Sept. 18th, the Long Beach Community Investment Company will consider Item 5, a recommendation to approve the selection of Linc Housing Corporation for an award of HOME Investment Partnership Program funds for a proposed affordable housing development to be located at 3590 Elm. Learn more by reviewing the meeting’s agenda or watching next week’s meeting at 4pm.
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Fire Community Day
Sat., Sept. 21 | 10am
On Sept. 21st we are hosting a Fire and Rescue Community Day at Fire Station 19 on Clark Ave. from 10am – 12pm. Come meet and speak to your local Fire Fighters and First Responders as they open their doors for the community to enjoy. The family-friendly event is a great opportunity to learn more about the people protecting our city! RSVP here to help us plan a successful event, complete with free ice cream!
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CalTrans 405N Clean-Up
Volunteers Needed | Sat., Sept. 21 | 8am
To celebrate National Cleanup Day CalTrans, Senator Gonzalez, as well as Assemblymember Lowenthal’s Office, and our office will be hosting a freeway off-ramp clean up on Saturday, Sept. 21st from 8am - 11am.
Join our community leaders in helping clean up our city while giving back to our beloved community. RSVP here to help us plan a successful clean up!
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Make sure to wear closed toed shoes and long pants; items like hard hats and gloves will be provided on site. | | | |
Long Beach Airport
Current Noise Advisory
We received notice from the Long Beach Airport that two F/A-18 aircraft will conduct operations at LGB on Friday (9/13). They are anticipated to arrive Friday evening and depart Sunday (9/15) afternoon. Times are tentative and subject to change.
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F/A-18 aircraft are noticeably louder than other aircraft and are easily heard in neighborhoods near LGB, but note that 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.
Learn more about current noise advisories at longbeach.gov/lgb.
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Long Beach Organics Collection Program
First Phase Rollout Beginning October 14th
Public Works is launching a phased rollout of the Residential Organics Collection Program beginning this October. This program will bring Long Beach in compliance with Senate Bill 1383 which sets a statewide target to reduce organic materials from landfills. Residents located in Phase One service areas will receive a brand-new green cart during the week of October 14th, specifically for collecting yard trimmings and food scraps. Additionally, new blue carts will be issued for recycling, to replace the existing purple carts, which will be collected and recycled. Public Works aims for citywide implementation of these State mandates by the end of 2025.
To prepare, visit longbeach.gov/lbrecycles to learn more about the program, find answers to FAQs, and check the interactive map to see if your address is included in this first phase of the program.
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Long Beach Gives
1 City, 16 Causes, 240+ Nonprofits - Sept. 19
Long Beach Gives returns for its 6th year on Sept. 19th, 2024, uniting the community to support over 240 local nonprofits.
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This annual giving day raises awareness and inspires giving to local organizations that strengthen Long Beach. These nonprofits provide safety net services, care for animals and the environment, promote arts and culture, and so much more.
Get involved by donating, fundraising, or sharing a message of support at www.longbeachgives.org, and follow @LongBeachGives on social media with #LongBeachGives. Let’s celebrate the nonprofits that make our city a better place to live, work, and play!
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Long Beach Early Learning Hub
Back to School Boo$t Scholarships
The Long Beach Early Learning Hub has "Back to School Boo$t" scholarships for families in Long Beach! These scholarships can provide up to $3,600 per child for childcare tuition and are available to families from a range of financial backgrounds.
Visit thehublb.org/financial-resources to learn more and see if you and your family may qualify!
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Health & Human Services Department
Open House for Homeless Strategic Plan Update
The new Office of Homeless Strategy & Partnerships and the Dept of Health & Human Services are working together to develop the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan Update, a five-year plan that will continue the City’s efforts to address homelessness and housing insecurity in Long Beach.
Want to be part of the conversation? Attend the upcoming Open House to learn more about the Update progress, process, and the realities of homelessness in Long Beach, and for the opportunity to voice ideas, concerns, and solutions you may wish to share. Advanced registration is encouraged, but not required.
Homeless Strategic Plan Open House
Thursday, Sept 26, 2024 | 4 – 6pm
Ronald R. Arias Health Equity Center (6335 Myrtle Ave.)
Updated MAC Schedule September 2024
Another way you can support the City’s homelessness efforts is by sharing or dispersing the most up to date MAC schedule.
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The Mobile Access Center (MAC) is a form of street outreach that increases access to services and resources for people experiencing homelessness, including case management, homelessness prevention, connection to mental health services, mail services, connection to housing and more.
Increased awareness of MAC outreach vehicles posted at regular locations could greatly assist a person experiencing homelessness connect with City services and facilities.
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City of Long Beach
Fiscal Year '25 Budget Adoption
On Tuesday, Sept. 10th, we adopted the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. I am grateful for the hard work of our City teams and for the community feedback that came together in the form of this budget that I feel is balanced and reflective of the current needs of our community. As I have noted previously, I especially look forward to the funding allocated towards improving the 10.25 square miles of District 5, including those noted in the Capital Improvement Plan, which directs Measure A dollars and other funding sources towards improvements at Heartwell Park, Pan Am Park, and the Expo Arts Center/African American Cultural Center.
To learn more, you can watch last week's meeting video or review the budget related documents from the agenda, but a few highlights of motions passed during Tuesday's meeting include additional one-time funding allocations to expand Long Beach’s urban canopy, to support infrastructure improvements with priority initiatives identified by each Council District, and to support improvements to the aesthetic and safety of medians throughout the city.
In addition to these, I was happy to see allocations for supporting the outreach and engagement efforts for Veterans Affairs Commission, Business Improvement Districts, and the Citizen’s Advisory Commission on Disabilities, as well as allocations to the Parks, Rec, & Marine Dept for contractual services for homeless encampment and illegal dumping clean-ups, and to Public Works for additional traffic calming strategies throughout the city such as flashing beacons, stop signs, and speed humps. Learn more about these and other motions adopted into the recent press release.
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Long Beach Seeks Volunteers for 40th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, September 21 | | |
Long Beach Launches Backyard Builders Pilot Program
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LB Health Dep. Hosts Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community Health Needs Assessment Presentation and Roundtable | | |
Explore Latin American Culture at LB Public Library’s 6th Annual Vida Latina Series
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City Launches New Neighbor-to-Neighbor Program | | |
Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. September 17, 2024, 5:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Item 1 Recommendation to provide contributions to the Long Beach City College Foundation to support their Hall of Fame; to the Historical Society of LB to support their Annual Cemetery Tour; to the Cal Heights Neighborhood Association to support their Centennial Block Party; to the Friends of Long Beach Animals to support their Annual Gala; and to the California Conference for Equality and Justice to support their Annual Humanitarian Award Event. (Item Details)
Item 23 Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft resolution recognizing September 22-28, 2024, as National Banned Books Week in the City of Long Beach and proclaim every National Banned Books Week as organized by the American Libraries Association - Office for Intellectual Freedom in the City of Long Beach thereafter. (Item Details)
Item 24 Recommendation to request City Council approve a support position on Proposition 36. (Item Details)
Item 25 Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare ordinances to designate the properties located at 82 Rivo Alto Canal, 4210 California Avenue, and 4401 Myrtle Avenue as Long Beach Historic Landmarks; and Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute Mills Act historic property contracts with property owners of 14 historic properties. (Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 9) (Item Details)
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