Harvey Milk 1978. Photo from Wikipedia

Mayor Bob Foster and Vice Mayor Robert Garcia invite the public to the grand opening of the Harvey Milk Promenade Park and dedication of Equality Plaza, at 3rd Street and The Promenade, on Tuesday, May 21, at 11:00 am.

“The Harvey Milk Promenade Park is an example of how a small, well designed open space can transform its surroundings and provide a profound purpose, “ said Mayor Bob Foster. “The park also serves as a place where visitors can learn about Harvey Milk and our very own Long Beach leaders who battled incredible odds for the rights of the LGBT community.”

Read the rest of Public Invited to the Harvey Milk Promenade Park Grand Opening Celebration May 21

Long Beach art lovers and residents will gather at Bixby Park Bandshell to benefit historic Bixby Park’s Second Annual “Art in the Park” (formerly Art Under Umbrellas) exhibition and fundraiser on Saturday, June 22, 2013. The exhibition will feature artworks by local artists in a colorful and whimsical setting. Guests will enjoy poetry reading by local performance artists as well as live music performed by Second Wind. Picnic box lunches will be available at Olives Gourmet Grocer, Paradise Piano Bar & Restaurant, Café Ambrosia and Park Pantry for $10 per box. A portion of the proceeds from box lunches will be donated to the park.

“It is such a thrill to bring Art in the Park back again this year,” said organizer Nancy O’Neill. “Bixby Park has been an important part of our community and in bringing people together. This event is crucial to the revitalization of the park.”

Art work on display will be sold to the public. Artists will donate a portion of their proceeds to Friends of Bixby Park for the Parcel 1 Renovation Project.

Friends of Bixby Park has partnered with Olives Gourmet Grocer, Café Ambrosia, Paradise Piano Bar & Restaurant and Park Pantry to offer attendees picnic meals for $10 and under. Each restaurant will donate $2 from every picnic meal to Friends of Bixby Park’s Parcel 1 Renovation Project. To order a picnic meal, please call: Park Pantry the Original- 2104 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 562.434.0451; Café Ambrosia- 1923 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA, 562. 432.1098; Paradise Piano Bar & Restaurant- 1800 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 562. 590. 8773; Olives Gourmet Grocer- 3510 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 562.439.7758 or 5000 E 2nd Street, Long Beach, CA 562.343.5580.

The Second Annual “Art in the Park” is June 22, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bixby Park located on the corner of 1st and Junipero Streets between Broadway Ave. and Ocean Ave in Long Beach. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.friendsofbixbypark.org.

ABOUT US
Bixby Park Preservation’s mission is to preserve the historic integrity of Bixby Park, while providing the necessary restorations and beautification to make the park a desirable place for residents and visitors. Bixby Park Preservation is partnered with Long Beach Neighborhood Foundation, a non-profit entity that provides support for local youth and neighborhoods. For more information please visit www.friendsofbixbypark.org.

Long Beach Transit’s popular water taxis, AquaLink, AquaLink Express and AquaBus, are back on the water from May 18 through September 29, 2013. AquaBus service is $1 one way and connects customers to popular downtown attractions like The Queen Mary, Hotel Maya, Aquarium of the Pacific, Pine Avenue Circle and Shoreline Village. AquaLink service is $5 one way and connects The Queen Mary and Aquarium visitors to eastside ocean-front destinations like the Belmont Pier and Alamitos Bay Landing. AquaLink Express directly links the Aquarium and Alamitos Bay Landing.

Read the rest of Water Taxis Return to Service Saturday Through September

The City of Long Beach, Southern California Edison (SCE) and City Light & Power (CLP) are participating in a pilot project to help determine the feasibility of replacing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lights.

“The City of Long Beach is pleased to partner with SCE in this pilot project, because we’re always looking for ways to be more financially and environmentally efficient, and use technology to improve services to the community,” Mayor Bob Foster said.

Read the rest of Long Beach Partners For Energy Efficient Street Light Project

Officers from the Long Beach Police Department’s DUI Enforcement Team, assisted by police officers from the Avoid the 100 DUI Task Force, will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the Department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign. DUI Saturation Patrols will deploy on Saturday May 18th, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests. “This is a ‘Zero Tolerance’ crackdown, so Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!” said Sergeant Doug Bender.

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Though its roots are in classical music, the Camerata Singers have added more contemporary choral works, jazz, Broadway and popular tunes in recent years.

The Long Beach Camerata Singers will close their 2012-2013 concert season on June 8, 2013 with the annual and increasingly popular Broadway-themed benefit performance Camerata Goes Broadway!   The entertaining show, directed by Robert Istad, features delightful chorus numbers and solos from best-loved musicals of the past and present, with this year’s acts dedicated to musical theatre’s great and classic composers: Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Cole Porter.  

Read the rest of Camerata Singers Go to Broadway in Closing Benefit Concert

Bully-Free Zone will bring people together in Long Beach to promote awareness and unity.

Autism in Long Beach, along with Councilman Steven Neal of the Ninth District and ASK Long Beach, hosts the “Bully Free Zone 3” picnic in Houghton Park’s Skate Park on June 2, 2013 from 12pm to 5pm. The purpose of the Bully Free Zone (BFZ) is to raise awareness and promote unity.

The statistics are alarming. Nearly 200,000 children miss school each day because of fear of being attacked or due to intimidation. What is more, about 10% of those students who drop out of school do so because of bullying. AILB agrees that it is time to declare our schools and communities to be a Bully Free Zone. BFZ is a chance for all families of all abilities to interact and have fun. 

Read the rest of Third Annual Picnic Creates Bully-Free Zone in Houghton Park

The Transit Mall Station will be renamed Downtown Long Beach Station.

Councilmember Suja Lowenthal (Second District) announced the results of a one month survey of residents and businesses to name the Blue Line station on 1st Street between Pine Avenue and Pacific Avenue in Downtown Long Beach.

“An overwhelming number of those taking the survey selected ‘Downtown Long Beach Station’ to replace the current name of ‘Transit Mall’ Station, which will give visitors and tourists a better sense of place for the terminus,” said Lowenthal. “Hopefully, it will encourage more tourists from LA to hop on the Blue Line for an evening in our beautiful downtown.” 

Read the rest of It’s Official: The Transit Mall Station has a New Name

Councilmembers Al Austin and Steven Neal invite residents to the quarterly meeting of the North Long Beach Community Assembly on Saturday, May 18, 2013. The meeting will take place at Glad Tidings Church.

City Prosecutor Doug Haubert will be the special guest, to discuss public safety efforts his office has undertaken in North Long Beach and throughout the City. Councilmembers Austin and Neal will also provide updates on projects in the Eighth and Ninth Council Districts. There will also be public safety and neighborhood updates.

Read the rest of Residents Invited to North Long Beach Community Assembly, Saturday

Long Beach residents and visitors will discover the history of one of Long Beach’s oldest and most beloved B&B’s at The Beachrunners’ Inn Centennial Celebration on Saturday, June 22, 2013, from noon – 2 pm. Guests will be treated to light appetizers and refreshments as well as a historic home presentation by noted Long Beach historian Maureen Neely (Long Beach Heritage/HouStories), and remarks by Bluff Park Neighborhood Association President John Thomas and Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal. The event will feature a free raffle, including a one- and two nights’ stay and other exciting prizes. The Beachrunners’ Inn is located at 231 Kennebec in Long Beach. For more information, please visit The Beachrunners’ Inn online at www.beachrunnersinn.com or call 562-856-0202.

Read the rest of The Beachrunners’ Inn to Host Centennial Celebration June 22

Cheer Los Angeles (Cheer LA) performing during Long Beach Pride Parade 2012.

The spirited men and women of Cheer Los Angeles (Cheer LA) are honored to bring their unique brand of charitable cheerleading for community causes to the 30th Annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday, May 19, 2013, helping launch the squad’s summer LGBT pride tour to raise funds for HIV/AIDS organizations and other charities!

Read the rest of Cheer LA’s Performance at 30th Annual LB Pride Parade Will Also Raise Funds for St. Mary Medical Center CARE Program

The City of Long Beach will begin work this week on a pavement rehabilitation project along 10th Street between Redondo and Ximeno avenues.

“This project is yet another example of how Long Beach is investing in its infrastructure, which helps Long Beach’s businesses and residents in the long run,” Mayor Bob Foster said.

Read the rest of 6 weeks of Improvements on 10th Street Beginning; Old Asphalt to be Recycled

Police seek to identify and locate these fraud suspects.

The Long Beach Police Department has identified two suspects already in-custody that are connected to a fraud ring that targeted a local big box chain store, and are asking for the public’s help in identifying three additional suspects.

The two suspects currently in custody are identified as 43-year-old Ayesha Wilson of Long Beach, and 34-year-old Nanette Macon of Adelanto, and are responsible for 39 identity theft incidents committed at Sam’s Club, located at 7480 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, as far back as 2009. Suspect Wilson was arrested on February 24, 2013, by the Beverly Hills Police Department on unrelated charges, and Suspect Macon was arrested on April 22, 2013, by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, also on unrelated charges.

Read the rest of Police Seek to Identify and Locate Suspects Connected to Fraud Crimes

Chris Tucker

Known for his rapid-fire wisecracks, comedian and actor Chris Tucker brings his stand-up comedy act to the Terrace Theater this Friday, May 17th, 2013, at 8PM. This event is an AEG Live production.

Tucker is best known for playing the role of Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series, where he starred along-side with action actor, Jackie Chan. He became a frequent stand up performer on Def Comedy Jam in the 1990s, where he was noted for doing exceptionally “clean”, non-vulgar stand-up comedy routines. Tucker came to prominence in the 1995 film Friday alongside Ice Cube, and then appeared in Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element before beginning work on the highly commercially successful Rush Hour films.

Read the rest of Chris Tucker Brings His Humor to The Terrace Theater, Friday

The Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association will be celebrating its monthly family-friendly bike ride’s first anniversary on Sunday, May 19, 2013 starting and finishing at Georgie’s Place. Kids of all ages (and kids at heart) are invited to come ride on Sunday. The idea of “Kidical Mass” (a play on the national bicycle movement of Critical Mass) has been to further promote Bixby Knolls as a bike-friendly business district and to bring the community together for a fun activity.

The ride will be led by Tony Cruz (U.S. Olympian, and Long Beach’s Bike Ambassador), Mayor Bob Foster, 8th District Councilmember Al Austin, and members of the Long Beach Police Department. Tony Cruz will provide bike safety instruction before leading the group on a ride around Bixby Knolls neighborhood then returning to Georgie’s Place.

Read the rest of Kidical Mass Bixby Knolls Celebrates 1st Anniversary May 19

Photo Courtesy of the Port of Long Beach.

The Port of Long Beach earned “best seaport in North America” honors at the 2013 Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards recently hosted in Beijing by the Cargonews Asia shipping trade publication.

It’s the 16th win in the past 18 years for Long Beach. The award recognizes the best ports as judged by importers, exporters, and logistics and supply chain professionals.

Read the rest of Port of Long Beach Named Best Seaport in North America

MemorialCare Health System hospitals, including Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills and San Clemente, were honored with an “A” Hospital Safety ScoreSM by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and large purchasers of health benefits. All MemorialCare hospitals upheld the excellent rankings they received during Leapfrog evaluations conducted in 2012.

Read the rest of The Leapfrog Group Honors MemorialCare Health System Hospitals as Among Safest in U.S.

On June 2, 2013 from 12pm to 5pm, Autism in Long Beach, along with Councilman Steven Neal of the Ninth District and ASK Long Beach, hosts the “Bully Free Zone 3” picnic in Houghton Park’s Skate Park in Long Beach. The purpose of the Bully Free Zone (BFZ) is to raise awareness and promote unity.

The statistics are alarming. Nearly 200,000 children miss school each day because of fear of being attacked or due to intimidation. What is more, about 10% of those students who drop out of school do so because of bullying. AILB agrees that it is time to declare our schools and communities to be a Bully Free Zone. BFZ is a chance for all families of all abilities to interact and have fun. “I want this event to encourage kids in the community to come out, have fun, and work side-by-side to end bullying,” says Jane Tipton, founder and CEO of Autism in Long Beach. She also wants to give families with special needs children a place to play without fear.

Read the rest of Autism in Long Beach and Others Host Bully Free Zone 3 Picnic, June 2

Residents are invited to join 7th District Councilmember James Johnson, the Long Beach Police Department and the Long Beach Fire Department for a Public Safety Summit, Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at Silverado Park.

Guest Speakers for the event are:

Fire Chief Mike DuRee

Police Chief Jim McDonnell

Last year, violent crime was the lowest in 40 years and we exceeded national fire response standards.  At the Public Safety Summit we will discuss how we can make our communities as safe as possible.  There will be presentations on:

Read the rest of Councilmember James Johnson to Host Public Safety Summit, Wednesday, May 29

May is National Bike Month, and many activities and special events continue taking place in Long Beach this month.

The following is a list of events celebrating National Bike Month in Long Beach. An updated listing of events will be posted throughout the month at BikeLongBeach.org.

May 13-17 – Bike To Work Week. Metro and Bike Long Beach are teaming up to promote this annual campaign encouraging employees to ride mass transit and take their bicycles to work.

Read the rest of Long Beach Continues to Celebrate Bike Month Throughout May With Weekly Bike Friendly Activities

The Long Beach Police Department, once again, is alerting residents about recent reports of persons falsely representing themselves as utility workers, as a ruse to commit burglary.

In this scam, the phony “employees” work as a team to distract the occupant and burglarize the home. Typically, the suspects set their sights on the senior community. Victims of this type of crime are encouraged to call Long Beach Police Dispatch at 9-1-1 or (562) 435-6711, to file a report.

Read the rest of Police Offer Tips to Avoid Becoming Victim of Burglaries Committed by Fake Utility Workers; Seek Victims of Crime

On Friday, May 3rd, the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride & The Center Long Beach hosted the 3rd Annual Evening with Mayor Bob Foster in Celebration of the 30th Annual Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival. At the event, Long Beach Mayor, Bob Foster recognized the founders of Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride by presenting them with the key to the City. The founders are Marilyn Barlow, Bob Crow, and Judith Doyle.

The “Key to the City” is bestowed upon distinguished persons and honored guests of the City of Long Beach. The practice of presenting a key to an individual may be traced back to medieval times, when admission into a city was hampered by many legal restrictions, as well as by walls and locked gates. The key symbolized free entry. In Long Beach, the act of giving the Key of the City is symbolic, since the city has no gates to unlock.

The presentation honors outstanding civic contributions of the recipients. “The founders have gone against enormous oppositions, homophobia, and sacrifice but it did not deter these three leaders. It is with great honor that I recognize the achievements of these extraordinary trail blazers,” said Mayor Bob Foster. “These core individuals are true pioneers that have paved the way for younger generations and it is because of them that we can be proud of the diversity and inclusiveness of our community.”

In 1983 the founders of Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride (LBLGP) Marilyn Barlow, Bob Crow, and Judith Doyle set out on a quest to make a political stand for equality and change. For the Gay community of Long Beach their mission was to break the shackles of oppression of homophobia in the community and the general population. “It is a true tribute to be recognized by Mayor Foster. After all the trails and tribulations, this is a great honor and it shows that our City is on the forefront of equality”, said Founder Bob Crow.

St. Mary Medical Center New Rehabilitation Medical Director Ann T. Vasile, MD

St. Mary Medical Center announced Monday that it has selected Ann T. Vasile, MD as Medical Director of Rehabilitation overseeing both inpatient and outpatient services. Dr. Vasile is a partner with Rehabilitation Associates Medical Group in Long Beach.

Dr. Vasile is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has specialty board certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine. “Dr. Vasile has over 20 years of experience in her field and she is highly regarded by her patients,” said St. Mary Chief of Staff Dr. Jyoti Datta. “We welcome Dr. Vasile and her team (Diemha Hoang, MD, Audrey Huang, MD, and Venus Ramos, MD), and we look forward to enhancing our inpatient acute rehabilitation, physical, recreational, occupational, hand therapy, and speech/language pathology programs with her expertise and guidance.”

St. Mary Medical Center is also home to an Advanced Primary Stroke Center that provides comprehensive rehabilitation for stroke patients. Other diagnoses treated in the continuum include brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple trauma, orthopedic disabilities and amputations. For more information about Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Services call 562–491–9825. For Outpatient Rehabilitation Services, please call 562–491–9785.

About St. Mary Medical Center

Founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in 1923, St. Mary Medical Center, a member of Dignity Health, offers a full continuum of primary and secondary acute care services to the Greater Long Beach community. With more than 600 physicians, over 1,400 employees and 389 private rooms, St. Mary is committed to providing a unique balance of leading edge technology, while ensuring dignity and compassionate care of body, mind and spirit to the community it serves. For more information, please visit us at www.stmarymedicalcenter.org .

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services invites residents to celebrate asthma awareness month by participating in the third annual Asthma Resource Fair on Saturday, May 18, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave.

This free family friendly event will feature valuable information on asthma prevention and control, including free health screenings by doctors, allergists and respiratory therapists, educational materials and connections to vital resources and support services. There will be mobile clinics, drawings, door prizes and healthy snacks for all attendees. The Greener Good Farmers Market will be open during the fair.

The fair is sponsored by the Long Beach Asthma Resource Collaborative, which consists of several community agencies and departments dedicated to improving the health of Long Beach residents through better asthma prevention and control: Long Beach Health Department; The Children’s Clinic; St. Mary Medical Center; Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach; and the Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma.

For information on transportation assistance, call 562.570.4168. For more information about the event, visit www.longbeach.gov/health or call 562.427.4249 or 562.933.4756.

The Long Beach Police Department’s Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Saturday, May 11, 2013 between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. in the Department’s North Division area.

The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment.  Officers will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily.  When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.  Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

In 2011, nearly 10,000 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or higher. In California, this deadly crime led to 774 deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver. “Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 14 lives and resulted in 305 injury crashes harming 417 of our friends and neighbors,” said Sergeant Aaron Alu.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.  Based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence.  Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

“DUI Checkpoints have been an essential part of the phenomenal reduction in DUI deaths that we witnessed since 2006 in California,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety.  “But since the tragedy of DUI accounts for nearly one third of traffic fatalities, Long Beach needs the high visibility enforcement and public awareness that checkpoints provide.”

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to Long Beach Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies.  If you see a Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.