OCTOBER 2020
COVID Vaccines Q&A with Paul Offit M.D., Pediatrician and Scientist
I recently diagnosed myself with “medical information overload.” I know that self-diagnosis is not a smart thing to do, but my cytokines storm every time I hear things in the news like “take hydroxychloroquine” or “inject a disinfectant” to prevent COVID-19. To calm myself, I first turned off the T.V. and then turned to Medscape, an excellent free resource for medical updates and opinions. I was most interested in learning more about the current status of COVID-19 vaccines. Having worked in R&D for pharma, I knew from past experience that it takes time to bring a vaccine to market.
Violinist Jordan Busa Serenades Long Beach’s Neighborhoods

Two months after COVID-19 hit, violinist Jordan Busa needed to come up with a solution. With zero gigs on the horizon and no end to the pandemic in sight, he posted on his neighborhood Facebook group to gauge interest in a donation-based outdoor concert, where he’d bring the music to
your home.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

Conversations about racism are engaging people throughout the country, and these conversations provide an opportunity for people to share their views and relate personal stories. However, there has not always been a framework or context of how to discuss racism from both a historical perspective and with an eye to the future.
Reverend Dale Whitney

Reverend Dale Whitney has lived and worked in the Bluff Heights neighborhood for nearly 50 years. After graduating from a Presbyterian seminary and being ordained in Santa Barbara in 1970, Dale moved to Long Beach in late 1971. He took the position of interim pastor at the Geneva Presbyterian Church, built in 1914 at the corner of 3rd and Molino.
Bluff Height's Own
Bed and Breakfast

Family-owned and operated Beachrunners’ Inn sits inconspicuously at the corner of Broadway and Kennebec. You may have passed it hundreds of times and not realized the restored 1913-built Craftsman house is a bed and breakfast. The pale green house with the warm brown trim welcomes guests from around the country and around the world into its five guest rooms.
PART TWO OF FOUR
Did Ryan Really See a Dinosaur in His Backyard? Part 2

Ryan went to school the next day and even though he was a really good student, he found it hard to concentrate. Ryan kept thinking about his new friend, the baby T-Rex. Would the T-Rex be in the ravine when he got home from school? Would his mom and dad finally see the baby dinosaur? Could this just be a dream or could a real dinosaur live in Boulder, Colorado? You can see why Ryan could not concentrate at school. Ryan decided not to tell anyone about the dinosaur until he got home to see what was happening. Maybe it was just a dream!

When Ryan got home, he ran outside and could not see anything except…a bit of scat. Do you know what scat is? Well, scat is what animals leave behind when they have to go to the bathroom but do not have a bathroom like humans do. Ryan thought about why he could not find the baby dinosaur and decided that it was probably afraid to come out until the sun started to go down. So Ryan went into the house, got a snack, and then did his homework. Remember, I said Ryan was a good student!
Let's Decorate the Trees

by Sheryl Edwards

Hello neighbors!

What a challenging time to have children! We spend most of our time at home thinking of ways to entertain ourselves. But after a while, we just have to get out and go somewhere. Last week, our family piled in the car to go look at Halloween decorations at Home Depot. We didn’t need anything or buy anything…we just went on a field trip, like one might go to a museum or arboretum. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

That little adventure gave me an idea for this month’s activity: let’s decorate the trees on our parkways for Halloween! Do just a little or go all out. Either way, it’s a novel experience that we can share as a community from a safe distance. Then, throughout the month of October, we can walk, ride, or drive around our neighborhood to look at the unique Halloween trees!

So get out those ladders (or come by and borrow mine) and get the whole family involved to create some neighborhood fun (and maybe even a little friendly competition)! 

Happy decorating!
Live 80s Music with Knyght Ryder Every Friday at Gaslamp  
On their MASSIVE VIDEO WALL in SURROUND SOUND
The band performs live inside on stage, and you are outside at your own table enjoying the band on the big screen with great food and cocktails! Make your dinner reservations now by calling
(562) 596-4718 and purchase tickets at GASLAMPTIX.COM. 

Fresh Produce at Local Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets and farm stands are great places to browse, sample, and buy fresh produce and handmade products. Visit the market at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Avenue) every Tuesday starting at 3:00 p.m. and every Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. Find more details HERE.


Let's keep saying thank you to our healthcare and other front-line workers
by making some joyous noise at 8:00 pm every night.
STAY INFORMED ON CITY AND DISTRICT NEWS

District 2 - Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce (562) 570-2222

District 3 - Councilwoman Suzie Price (562) 570-6300