City of Long Beach

Tips for a Safe Thanksgiving

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, many city services and facilities will be closed on either or both Thursday, Nov. 28th and Friday, Nov. 29th. Refuse and recycling will be collected per their normal schedules, however street sweeping and associated parking enforcement is cancelled and will resume normal scheduling on Monday.

The holiday season is a time for festive fun and grateful gatherings with family and friends. The City of Long Beach is offering the following tips to ensure a safe, healthy and hazard-free Thanksgiving holiday for all.

While you're gearing up for holiday plans, keep in mind the following reminders to ensure a safe, healthy, and hazard-free Thanksgiving for all!

• Fire Safety is Key - The rate of accidental residential fires increases every year during the holiday season, with home cooking fires being a common culprit on Thanksgiving. Limit your risks by never leaving cooking unattended, keeping children away from hot appliances, liquids, and foods, using battery-operated candles for décor, and making sure your smoke alarms are in working order!
  
• Food Prep Matters - When cooking a turkey, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that improper handling or undercooking the bird can spoil the holiday by leading to food poisoning and illness. Check out these guidelines to help!
  
• Stay Healthy - Make sure you're up to do date on flu and COVID vaccines, wash your hands frequently, consider testing for COVID before traveling, and stay home if you're feeling ill.
  
• Travel Safely - As the holiday season approaches, it is especially important to note the importance of not driving while impaired or distracted. The Long Beach Police Department is committed to keeping our community safe and will increase its police presence throughout the city to help deter drivers from distracted driving and driving under the influence. Do your part to keep the streets safe by designating a sober driver, using taxis or rideshare apps, planning trips in advance to avoid cellphone use while driving, and maintaining strict awareness of your surroundings whether your a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorist.
  
• In Case of Emergency - Report suspicious or illegal activity to the Long Beach Police Department. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1. For non-emergencies, you can dial the non-emergency phone tree at 562.435.6711.
  

Learn more about these tips in the recent press release. Thank you for doing your part to ensure a safe and happy Thanksgiving for all of Long Beach!

Long Beach Recycles

Tips for a Low-Waste Holiday Season

‘Tis the season of celebrations, with plenty of chances to reduce food waste together! Follow these tips to reduce food waste during your holiday celebrations:

• Share leftovers with guests and neighbors! Have your guests bring their own containers to take home leftovers.
  
• Store produce to last! Print a produce storage guide for your kitchen or visit the LB Recycles website for tips on how to store produce. Proper produce storage can help save you money and trips to the grocery store!
  
• Plan menus and make a shopping list! A little planning goes a long way. Take inventory of what you have at home before each shopping trip. 
  
• Donate excess food to a local organization! Have food to spare? Share with your community and donate to a local organization in need. Visit the LB Recycles website for a list of LB organizations that accept donated food.

Long Beach Utilities

F.O.G. Belongs in the Trash

Whether you’re cooking this week or for any other upcoming holidays, Long Beach Utilities reminds us to avoid inviting F.O.G. to the party!

What's F.O.G. you might ask? F.O.G. stands for Fats, Oils, and Grease, and they can be found in cooking/frying oil, butter, dairy milk, sauces, dressings, and dips.

While you may need them to cook up your delicious holiday meal, they belong in the organics bin after the party. F.O.G. hardens as it cools and can clog up your plumbing system and create blockages in the City's sewer system leading to sewer back-ups and overflow. Instead, please let F.O.G. cool down and safely dispose of it in your organics bin. Your neighbors and Long Beach Utilities will be grateful!To learn more, visit lbutilities.org/healthysewer

Small Business Saturday

Shop Small & Support Local Business on Saturday, Nov. 29

Saturday, Nov. 29th is Small Business Saturday! Occurring between “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” Small Business Saturday is a nationwide initiative to promote and celebrate small businesses, and encourage community members to shop locally and support the small businesses that are vital part of our city’s culture and economy. In addition to discovering local gems and supporting neighbors, there are plenty of reasons to shop locally year round:

• Shopping locally reduces your environmental impact.
• Local businesses are more likely to reinvest in their communities.
  
• For every $100 spent at a local business, $68 will stay in the community.
  
• Small businesses increase local competition and innovation. 
  
• Small businesses account for over 60% of all new jobs. 

Long Beach Airport

LGB Ready for Thanksgiving Travel Rush

With Thanksgiving around the corner, LGB is prepared to welcome an elevated number of travelers and is encouraging passengers to plan ahead for a smooth, stress-free journey. To help passengers travel with ease this Thanksgiving, LGB recommends the following tips:

• Arrive 90 minutes early, especially for morning flights, to allow adequate time to pass through security.
  
• For drivers picking up passengers, please wait in one of two free Cell Phone Waiting Lots, located on the northwest and southwest corners of Lakewood Blvd and E Donald Douglas Dr., until your passenger calls to let you know they are ready on the curb. Circling around Douglas Dr or waiting at the curb increases congestion for everyone.
  
• Parking is available in Structures A and B and may be reserved in advance at lgb.org/parking. Valet service is conveniently located at 4137 Donald Douglas Dr., just north of the Historic Terminal.
  
• Check your airline’s baggage rules and verify flight schedules in advance.
  
• Packing properly can facilitate the screening process. Visit the TSA’s What Can I Bring? website for details.
  
• Travelers with pets and service animals should note the location of the relief area north of the Historic Terminal and check their airline’s policies for traveling with animals in advance. 
  

Learn more in the recent press release. Wishing you safe travels this holiday season!

Food Assistance Resources

There continue to be impacts for those affected by a loss of CalFresh benefits during the past federal government shutdown and the City of Long Beach remains committed to keeping the community informed and sharing available resources to those in need. Residents in need of immediate food assistance are encouraged to explore the resources listed below. Those who are able may wish to support local food banks to help neighbors in this time of need.

South Coast Air Quality Management District

Electric Lawn & GArden Programs

Interested in Rebates and Vouchers for Commercial and Residential Zero-Emission Lawn Equipment?

South Coast AQMD has two programs that help clean the air through the replacement of gasoline-powered residential lawn mowers and commercial lawn and garden equipment available to all eligible participants who work or reside within the South Coast AQMD's four-county jurisdiction:

The Residential Electric Lawn & Garden Rebate Program is available for eligible residents to receive a maximum of 3 rebates of up to $250 each with the purchases of cordless, battery-electric lawn & garden equipment. Eligible equipment are lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chain saws. An operable, gasoline powered equivalent equipment must be scrapped in order to be eligible for the rebate.

Long Beach Public Library

GetSetUp - Online Classes for 55+

Seniors looking for new opportunities to master a new skill, explore a hobby, make new friends, and safely connect with a community of peers should sign up to GetSetUp this holiday season! The Long Beach Public Library partners with GetSetUp to offer free virtual classes for adults ages 55 and older. Hundreds of live classes are available, taught by other seniors and hosted on GetSetUp’s safe video-learning platform. Live phone and chat support are available to assist learners during or outside of classes. Thanks to a global GetSetUp community, classes are available nearly 24/7 and in various languages. There’s something for everyone!

No matter what you celebrate, you can join the many classes and special holiday sessions throughout this winter, with topics ranging from holiday craft projects to “crowd-winning recipes,” to tips on staying healthy, or avoiding holiday scams, and so much more. Learn more on LBPL’s info page! 

Port of Long Beach

Shoemaker Bridge Ramps Demolition Meeting | Dec. 2

The Port of Long Beach will host a public outreach kickoff meeting in December to inform the public and solicit feedback about a planned project next year that will demolish the ramps connecting Shoemaker Bridge to the North Harbor area. These plans are part of the construction of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, which will help to accommodate the expected growth of cargo volume, while taking trucks off the road and improving the environment.

The meeting will be held from 8:30 – 10:30am on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Port of Long Beach Maintenance Facility (725 Harbor Plaza, 90802). RSVP at polb.com/shoemaker. Learn more in the Port’s recent news release.

Fair Housing Foundation

Free Monthly Virtual Landlord/Tenant Clinic in Long Beach

The Fair Housing Foundation invites you to our free monthly virtual Landlord/ Tenant Walk-in Clinics in Long Beach!

Meet one-on-one with a Housing Counselor for a FREE 20-minute session to discuss any rental housing issue including:

• Landlord/Tenant Disputes
• Lease Agreements
• Illegal Housing Discrimination
• Repairs & Evictions
• Security Deposits
• Disability: Accommodations & Modification Requests
• Rent Increases, Occupancy Issues and much more! 

These workshops are held the second Thursday of every month from 9:00am-10:00am via Microsoft Teams. The next upcoming Clinic is December 11, 2025, and note registration is mandatory. For more information please call the assistance hotline at 1-800-446-3247, register here, or contact Martha Torres at mtorres@fhfca.org to register.

CalKIDS

Available Scholarship Funds for Constituents

Did you know that approximately 40,000 Long Beach children have CalKIDS scholarship money waiting for them? CalKIDS is a children's development account program administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, an agency of the State of California. The program provides children born in California and eligible public-school students with a CalKIDS Scholarship worth up to $1,500 for college or career training! There are two eligible groups for the program, each with unique award amounts. All children born in California on or after July 1, 2022 can claim a CalKIDS Scholarship; and low-income public-school students enrolled in grades 1-12 during the 2021-2022 academic year, and second graders in subsequent academic years, may be eligible. Scholarships are automatically created for eligible children and students. However, parents or students must claim their CalKIDS Scholarship to access the funds. Claiming a scholarship is quick and easy. Visit CalKIDS.org or review this Fast Facts flyer to learn more and get started!

Immigration Resources - Know Your Rights

With the US Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity occurring throughout our region, it’s increasingly important for everyone, including our immigrant communities, to know their rights and have access to resources. While immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, we understand that the current actions are continuing to escalate tensions and can undermine trust within our neighborhoods. All residents of Southern California and Long Beach deserve to live in peace and with a sense of security, regardless of their background.

I and the City of Long Beach remain committed to upholding the dignity and rights of every person. As evidenced by our Council-supported Long Beach Values Act, we remain committed to work alongside community organizations to ensure that all who call Long Beach home feel safe, supported, and valued.

For more information on the Long Beach Values act, visit: longbeach.gov/valuesact. For information and resources on a local community organization who is doing supportive work in Long Beach, visit orale.org. Additionally, The LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs regularly holds “Know Your Rights” Workshops that you can join; review their full calendar and learn more at oia.lacounty.gov.