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(562) 570 5555 | district5@longbeach.gov | |
Weekly Updates | Jan. 17, 2025 | |
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Happy Friday, District 5! As fires continue to burn throughout the County, you can stay informed on relevant news and emergency information as it relates to Long Beach at longbeach.gov/emergency, which includes any current health or safety advisories, as well as donation options to help support our neighbors in need. See below for more information, as well as other updates from the Mayor, the Port, Public Works, and more.
This Monday, Jan. 20th, is MLK Day! Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King with the whole city this Saturday, Jan. 18th, in a citywide MLK Parade & Celebration! The 37th annual festivities will begin with the parade kickoff at 10am at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave and Anaheim St., followed by the park celebration from noon to 5pm at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, complete with live entertainment, a kid’s zone, food and merchandise vendors, and more. Then on Monday, Jan. 20th, please remember that it is an observed city holiday, and a number of city services and facilities will be closed, including our CD5 office. If you, too, have the day off, consider joining Leadership Long Beach on their annual MLK Day of Service, during which you can volunteer for a chosen project across the city and spend the day in service of others and for the betterment of our communities.
Looking for more to do in CD5 this weekend? You can spend Saturday morning, Jan. 18th, at Willow Springs Park with the year’s first Willow Walk. Starting at 9:30am, join a guided tour to connect with nature and with neighbors, as you stroll through the unique natural space. Later that afternoon, you can head over to the Hangar at LBX for a New Years Market, complete with free workouts on the lawn, family-friendly activities, and more. See the flyers below for more details and other upcoming events!
As the new year kicks off, so does planning for the city’s next budget cycle, Fiscal Year ’26. You can be part of the process by participating in one of the upcoming Community Budget Meetings, during which community members are asked to share the priorities they want considered in the development of the FY26 Budget. There will be more opportunities for community engagement throughout the year, but I hope you’ll take advantage of this early stage to share your opinions and make your voice heard! Learn more below and at longbeach.gov/FY26.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 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.
Working together,
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Megan Kerr, Councilwoman
Long Beach, District 5
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City of Long Beach
Stay Informed of Emergency Incidents & Weather Events
With the ongoing fires throughout LA County, it’s important to ensure that we are well-connected and can remain informed about serious incidents that affect Long Beach and the surrounding area. Finding the right resources and information during an emergency can be challenging, which is why the City of Long Beach has launched an Emergency Updates page, found at longbeach.gov/emergency. There, you can find all relevant information and updates on the effects of the LA County fires in Long Beach, including any current health or safety advisories, weather updates, donation opportunities, and resources for additional information.
As we continue to experience air-quality issues, keep in mind tips from our City Health Officer as she advises of windblown dust and ash concerns, as well as South Coast AQMD’s tips to protect your health by taking steps before, during, and after wildfires to reduce how much pollution you breathe.
Additionally, If you haven’t done so already, please sign up for Alert Long Beach! In the event of an emergency, severe weather, or any incident that impacts city operations, a text message and/or voice message will be sent to the cell number and/or email address that you specify. Sign up today and stay informed!
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City of Long Beach
Mayor Richardson's 2025 State of the City
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Mayor Rex Richardson gave his 2025 State of the City address, in which he recaps progress on last year’s initiatives and programs, and discusses citywide goals and priorities for the coming year. My team and I were not in attendance at the event but watched the address from home. In case you missed it, a few highlights of note I’d like to point out include -
- Now halfway through this term, Mayor Richardson released his Mid-Term Impact Report, available at longbeach.gov/MTIR2025.
- District 5 found success last year in the aim to expand green spaces throughout the city with the dedication of Willow Springs Park, as well as with federal earmarks secured for improvements and upgrades at Heartwell Park. We look forward to seeing the plans for enhancing these spaces come together throughout this year.
- Mayor Richardson announced plans to relaunch “Inside LB,” an updated platform to share more information in real time about our city directly to residents in an easily digestible way, in an effort to improve citywide communications and transparency.
- In light of the ongoing fires throughout LA County, the Mayor and the City partnered with the California Community Foundation to support wildfire victims and evacuees. Throughout the event, attendees and viewers were encouraged to donate to fire relief efforts at pledge.to/LB2LA-wildfire-relief, which is still open and accepting donations.
Learn more about the 2025 State of the City and watch the full video at longbeach.gov/stateofthecity.
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Port of Long Beach
2025 State of the Port
On Thursday, January 16, 2025, the Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero and staff gave their annual State of the Port address. 2024 was a record year for Port operations, with 9.6 million cargo containers moved with zero disruptions or backlogs, all while making progress on transitioning operations to zero emissions. This month also marks the 20-year anniversary of the adoption of the Green Port Policy, a promise to reduce harmful impacts from port operations and safeguard the health of people living in Long Beach and surrounding communities, to protect wildlife and the natural habitat, and to engage the community to ensure that the Port lives up to these commitments. A range of sustainability initiatives have shown results over the 20 years, with diesel emissions are down 92%, nitrogen oxides by 71%, sulfur oxides by 98% and greenhouse gases by 17% since 2005. The Port looks forward to continuing simultaneously advancing environmental progress and achieving commercial success throughout 2025 and beyond. Learn more and watch the full address at polb.com/stateoftheport.
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Long Beach Police Department
North Division Commander's Forum
On Wednesday, February 5th, join the LBPD North Division Commander’s Forum starting at 6pm at the North Division Substation (4891 Atlantic Ave).
As the first Commander’s Forum of the year, this is a great opportunity to meet North Division’s new leadership, Commander Hughes, and ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know your local officers.
For any questions, please email LBPDNorth@longbeach.gov or call (562) 570 9827.
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Public Works
Orange Ave Community Meeting
Join the Public Works Team at a community Town Hall for updates and information on the Orange Ave Backbone Bikeway project on Thursday, February 13th, from 6 -7pm at the Expo Arts Center. Have your questions answered and comments heard to help inform decision making around the project’s final design.
Visit longbeach.gov/orangeaveproject to learn more.
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Public Works
Storm Season - Street Sweeping Reminders
Street sweeping is conducted weekly by the Department of Public Works to improve the cleanliness, health and safety of the city.
Street sweepers remove debris from our streets and prevent it from entering our storm drains and ocean. This is especially crucial during stormy and windy weather seasons! To learn more, visit lbcity.info/StreetSweeping. In addition, keep in mind the following friendly reminders to ensure street sweepers can do their job as effectively as possible:
- Avoid raking or blowing leaves into the street or gutter: Leaves and lawn clippings are too large for street sweepers to collect. Instead, sweep them up and place them in your refuse bin or consider composting them for a sustainable option.
- Keep gutters and streets clear: By preventing leaves and debris from entering the storm drain system, we can protect our waterways from pollution. Remember, placing leaves or debris in the street, alley or gutter is a violation of federal law.
- Dispose of litter properly: Litter in gutters and alleys contributes to blockages and pollution.
- Keep streets dry on street sweeping days: Wet streets reduce the effectiveness of street sweepers, so try to keep the area in front of your home dry.
- Never pour oil, antifreeze or any other hazardous materials in the street, gutter, alley or on the ground. Residents may call 562.570.2890 for information on proper disposal of these materials.
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Public Works
Studebaker Rd Update
The Studebaker Corridor Complete Street Project implements corridor-wide infrastructure improvements along Studebaker Road, from 2nd St to Carson St. The project seeks to improve the overall mobility, safety, and operational efficiency along the approximate 5-mile corridor.
Currently, the project is undergoing approval efforts with Caltrans for the construction authorization. Public Works management is in continuous discussions with Caltrans to expedite the review. In the meantime, plans and specifications are ready for bidding once the authorization is received.
More information on the project can be found at longbeach.gov/studebakerccsp.
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Long Beach Utilities
Ongoing Capital Improvement Work on Long Beach Blvd & Wardlow Rd
Long Beach Utilities is conducting work along Long Beach Blvd from Wardlow Rd to 36th St, and along Wardlow Rd from Cedar Ave to Long Beach Blvd. This work is part of a Long Beach Utilities Capital Improvement Project, an ongoing maintenance and replacement program to improve Utilities infrastructure along Wardlow Rd and Long Beach Blvd. Per contractual agreement, all excavations are to be returned as close to their original condition as possible after the work is completed. The work is currently anticipated to be completed in June 2025.
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City of Long Beach
Join the Budget Conversation
The City is kicking off the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) Budget development process, which prepares for the fiscal year starting October 2025 through September 2026.
Members of the community are invited to participate in the City’s fiscal year 2026 budget development process by sharing their service priorities at one of the upcoming community budget meetings or by completing the Long Beach Budget Priority Survey.
For more information, visit the FY 26 Budget website: longbeach.gov/FY26.
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Long Beach Community Development Department
Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program
Do you or someone you know own a historic landmark property or live in one of Long Beach’s designated historic districts? If so, you may qualify for the Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program (Mills Act), which offers tax savings in exchange for preserving and maintaining the historical character of your property.
Whether your property is already designated, or you are interested in landmarking it, we encourage you to explore this opportunity. Attend our workshops to learn about the program, eligibility requirements and application process.
Pre-Application Workshop (In-Person and Virtual)
Date: Saturday, January 25, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – noon
Location: Jenny Oropeza Community Center (401 Golden Ave.) or Zoom (link to join will be sent upon registration)
The Mills Act is a state program administered locally, offering property tax reductions to encourage the restoration, rehabilitation, and maintenance of historic properties. This program is especially beneficial to recent property owners planning preservation efforts. Learn more by visiting longbeach.gov/mills-act.
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Little Lion Foundation
Community Cat Project
The Little Lion Foundation is proud to announce their new Community Cat Project, where you can bring stray/community cats to a free spay and neuter clinic. This is part of the Foundation’s trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) Kitten Prevention Program to aid in the mission of eliminating euthanasia of healthy, at risk and/or treatable cats and kittens in public shelters by addressing the source of the problem — the overpopulation of cats and kittens on the streets. Learn more about how you can be part of the solution at littlelionfoundation.org/tnvr.
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Upcoming Meetings & Events | |
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City to Host Free Fixit Clinics for Residents to Repair Broken Household Items | | |
City of Long Beach Continues Activation of Inclement Weather Shelter for People Experiencing Homelessness | | |
City Reassures Residents of its Ability to Respond to Emergencies, Reminds Residents to Prepare Now for Emergencies and Natural Disasters | | |
Long Beach Shares Event Details for 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Celebration | | |
City Facilities and Services Schedule for Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday | | |
Long Beach to Host Community Meeting for Orange Avenue Backbone Bikeway Project | | |
Jaime Gutierrez Appointed Executive Director of Long Beach Workforce Innovation Network | | |
City Health Officer Advises Residents to Avoid Leaf Blowers While LA Region is Impacted by Wildfires | | |
Memos to the Mayor & Council
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To continue to enhance the way we keep neighbors informed of city news and updates, we are now including the recent Memos to the Mayor & Council in our weekly newsletters. These memos will range in topics as various department heads and city teams develop and post reports or updates as needed to inform the Mayor, the Council, and the public. The full list (and all archived memos) can always be found at the City Manager's webpage. | |
Upcoming
City Council Meeting
Tues. January 14, 2025, 3:00pm
411 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Link to Full Agenda
Item 9. Recommendation to adopt resolution approving the Annual Report for October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, for the Bixby Knolls Parking and Business Improvement Area, declaring its intention to levy the annual assessment, and setting the date of hearing for February 18, 2025. (Item Details)
Item 10. Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 35472 with HNTB Corporation, a Delaware corporation, for providing as-needed planning and design engineering services, to extend the term of the contract for a period of three years through February 20, 2028. (Item Details)
Item 11. Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 36661 with Jacobs Project Management Co., of Irvine, CA, for providing construction management services for the Terminal Roadway Improvements Project at the Long Beach Airport. (Item Details)
Item 18. Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 35455 with Convergint Technologies, LLC, a Delaware limited liability corporation, for providing maintenance, repair, support, and improvements to the security system at the Long Beach Airport. (Item Details)
Item 21. Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to submit three grant applications with the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) for $453,000 for the Drake Chavez Connection Project, $4,000,000 for the Willow Springs Trailhead Project, and $4,993,650 for the San Gabriel River Trail West Side Enhancement – Phase 2 Project. (Item Details)
For more details and supportive documents on any agenda item, they can be found at the item number in the full agenda.
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