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Welcome to March!
Since our February newsletter, I have attended the following:
24 Council or Council related committee meetings;
12 constituent meetings; and
5 community/non profit meetings or events
In addition, my office has been busy drafting agenda items for upcoming council meetings. On March 7th, I am introducing an item to explore the feasibility of enacting an ordinance that prohibits people from standing or soliciting on medians in busy traffic corridors. This type of behavior presents major public safety challenges for both drivers and those standing on the medians. The behavior is especially concerning on busy corridors near 2nd and PCH and 7th/PCH/Bellflower (the Iron Triangle). You can read the item here and if you are interested in being heard on this topic, please join us at the upcoming council meeting. Additionally, we have introduced an item to assess the impacts of allowing handicapped drivers to park in city owned lots without having to feed the meter. That policy would be consistent with the state requirement that allows free handicapped parking in the public right of way. You may read the entire item by clicking here.
 March also marks the beginning of Spring. On March 21st, I will be hosting the annual Norooz celebration at City Hall. Norooz is the Persian New Year and literally means "new day," which is appropriate for the spirit of Spring. We will also be celebrating this time of year with our annual "Spring into Summer" event on March 26th. There is more information about both events below.
Finally, on March 18th at 10 a.m. we will be doing the official ribbon cutting for the Sport Court at Marina Vista Park. This project was part of the first ever Youth Participatory Budgeting Project in the nation. It was voted on by over 700 middle school and high school students in the 3rd District. My favorite part of this project is the involvement of (one of) Luke Johnson, who served as a member of our youth committee. Luke was a student at Wilson High School and passed away last year after battling Leukemia. Luke's brother Spencer will be cutting the ribbon, along with the rest of the youth committee members. After this community meeting, we hope to start the process of naming this sport court and recreation area after Luke. I always think of Luke when I pass this park and the memory makes me smile because he and his family taught me a lot about grace, compassion and perspective during their challenging time. Please join us as we honor them and the youth who worked hard to bring this enhancement to their local park.
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter. I look forward to seeing you around town real soon.
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3RD DISTRICT COMMUNITY EVENTS
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Grand Opening Ceremony for the Marina Vista Sports Court
and Community Meeting
Mayor Robert Garcia, Councilwoman Price and the Departments of Parks, Recreation and Marine and Public Works invite the community to attend the grand opening ceremony for the new Sports Court at Marina Vista Park, located at 5355 Eliot Street. The ceremony will be held on
Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
The sports court, installed for younger children, includes a softer and quieter than blacktop surface, a ten-foot basketball pole with a backboard and hoop, and a foursquare overlay painted on the court surface.
The project was part of the Third District Council office participatory budgeting process. Local youth were asked to create a list of potential projects that would benefit children in the area. The cost of the sports court was $110,000, which came from non-recurring funds provided by the office of Councilwoman Suzie Price.
The new Sports Court has not been named; however, the Councilwoman is looking to name the court after Luke Johnson, a 15 year old participatory youth member who lost his battle with Leukemia last year. She wants this sport court to be a lasting memory of laughter and joy for all young children who play on this court.
We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event.
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CD3 Walks The Walk
California's Tsunami Preparedness Week
Save the date! Join us in kicking off California's Tsunami Preparedness Week with a community tsunami evacuation walk on
Saturday, March 25th at 8:00 AM
. Along the route, we will talk with local earthquake and tsunami experts from Long Beach Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications and the Southern California Earthquake Center. This is an excellent opportunity to strengthen our community's level of preparedness, while getting in some great exercise and mingling with fellow neighbors. Midway through our walk we will stop for coffee and donuts at a place along the route.
Details:
Date: Saturday | March 25th, 2017
Time: 8:00 AM
Route: TBA
Key Tsunami Facts, Long Beach
- The California Geological Survey's inundation maps also detail local and distant tsunami sources and where we can expect run-up in Long Beach
- California's Tsunami Preparedness Week is this March 27-31
- Long Beach has been impacted by several historic tsunamis:
- The Port of Long Beach has done an exhaustive study of local and distant tsunami sources impacting Long Beach.
Please stay tuned for route information to be announced next week.
- By Lisa West
3rd District, Business Relations Liaison
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Persian New Year Celebration - Norooz
In addition to celebrating the first day of spring,
Tuesday, March 21, 2017 rings in the Persian New Year or Norooz Celebration. Councilwoman Suzie Price is excited to host the City of Long Beach's 3rd Annual Persian New Year Celebration at City Hall at 4 PM, and you are all invited.
Approximately 300 million people worldwide celebrate Norooz, with traditions and events that may include folk dance performances, special concerts and tree planting ceremonies. This celebration promotes peace and solidarity, and also focuses reconciliation and neighborliness, which contributes to cultural diversity and friendship among people in different communities. I personally see it as a transition from winter into spring because it coincides with the Spring Equinox.
Councilwoman Price's reception will take place on the lobby level of City Hall and will feature a Haft-Seen table, floral arrangements, and symbolic Persian sweets, followed by a presentation during the City Council meeting at 5 PM. Please join us for this very special event in celebration of "The New Day."
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Photo of Mayor Garcia and Minoo Maasoumi at the 2016 Norooz Celebration
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- By Lisa West
3rd District, Business Relations Liaison
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Spring Into Summer Concert Event
When: Sunday, March 26, 2017
Where: Marine Stadium Park
Mark your calendars! Our
3rd Annual Spring into Summer Concert Event will take place in March this year! We are praying for clear skies and warm temps. This
free,
family-friendly event on
Sunday, March 26th
will be a great opportunity to enjoy our community while The Dustbowl Revival performs. Food trucks and a bounce house will round out the afternoon. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for this fun event!
Bounce House For the Kids - Food Trucks 4:30 to 7:30 PM - Concert 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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3rd District Neighborhood and Association Meetings
Belmont Heights Community Association
2nd Wednesday of each month
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Belmont Heights United Methodist Church
Belmont Shore Residents Association
2nd Thursday of each month
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Bay Shore Library
Friends of Belmont Shore
First Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm
St. Bartholomew Meeting Hall - 5100 E. Broadway at Granada Ave.
NW Belmont Park Community Watch
Approximately every 3 months as determined
Third District Field Office
Peninsula Beach Preservation Group
Do you have a community or
neighborhood meeting that you
would like to add to the 3rd
District calendar? Email:
[email protected]
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On the March 7th Agenda for the City Council Meeting, the Councilwoman will be bringing an item that comes as a direct result of ongoing concerns about public safety at major intersections with large traffic volumes. We hope the result of this item will ultimately yield a new ordinance that restricts public median access in large, high volume intersections in order to improve safety. We see people walking or standing in medians often times seeking to engage in transactions with drivers. but, this concern goes well beyond just solicitation and includes the need for greater pedestrian safety at locations that create pressing dangers.
 With safety as the specific focus; solicitation, loitering, walking, or standing in medians is dangerous, and this danger is only heightened in heavily trafficked, multi-lane intersections when medians are not designed, intended, or safe for pedestrian access. People in medians presents an especially dangerous situation for themselves, as well as the drivers who must direct their attention away from the roadway and often slow, stop, and rapidly change lanes to avoid a person in the median.
As the city continues to seek greater improvements to pedestrian and traffic safety, additional focus is being placed on finding ways to reduce the danger presented by pedestrian access to medians at intersections with high traffic volume or histories of frequent traffic collisions.
- By Jack Cunningham
3rd District, Chief of Staff
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Proposed Peninsula Road Diet Community Meeting
For many years residents in the Peninsula have been concerned by the speed of traffic that moves through their neighborhood. Several years ago they had been planning to move forward with speed tables in an effort to reduce speeds but this idea was not supported by the city because it would require emergency vehicles to slow down as well causing an increase in their response times for responding to 9-1-1 or other emergency calls.
So, in order to help address the concerns of the community around speeding our office asked the Traffic Engineering Department to evaluate this area and provide any recommendations on measures that could be applied to reduce traffic speeds. In recent months greater focus has been placed on engineering safety into our city streets and roadways. Engineering related solutions have been proven to be more successful in increasing safety and reducing traffic speeds than either increased police enforcement or community outreach and education. The Traffic Engineering Department came back with a suggestion that is being successfully applied in many areas throughout the city, including most recently, Broadway and Ocean Blvd., of a road diet.
A road diet simply involves repainting a roadway to reduce the number of traffic lanes in each direction. This serves to make the roadway feel more like the local neighborhood street it is rather than a large major thoroughfare. This approach would seek to change the character of the street to something more similar to what we see in residential streets with low traffic volumes that only need one lane to adequately move traffic.
Additionally, the road diet reduces traffic speeds by no longer allowing for a car to zigzag around a slower moving car in front of them. Instead they all travel the same speed. This is also an added safety improvement because it creates greater sight distance for cars exiting parallel parking and side streets by pushing the traffic lane closer to the median so that there is greater distance to see prior to entering the traffic lane.
 Several months ago this idea was presented to the public at the PBPG meeting, and now we are holding a community meeting to ask for community input on this proposed project.
The community meeting will be held March 23rd at 6:00 PM at Fire Station #14 , 5200 E. Eliot Street next to Marina Vista Park. Please attend to learn more about this proposed project.
- By Jack Cunningham
3rd District, Chief of Staff
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Filing Police Reports Online
The public now has the ability to file police reports online for specific types of crimes that have occurred in the City of Long Beach, through
Coplogic, an innovative web-based program.
"We believe Coplogic will be a valuable tool for the community and will assist with the Police Department's continued efforts toward 21st Century Policing, which helps communities and law enforcement agencies across the country strengthen trust, improve collaboration, and work together to reduce crime," said Mayor Robert Garcia.
Victims of particular property crimes will have the ability to file a report for free from any computer or mobile device equipped with Internet service; h
owever, the user must have an email address.
"We are excited to join other law enforcement agencies around the nation in offering this service to the public," said Police Chief Robert Luna. "This technology will enable the community to file reports at their convenience
while freeing up police resources to focus on the community's needs and increase the Police Department's overall efficiency."
The types of police reports that can be filed online include:
- non-injury hit and run traffic collisions (parked vehicles with no witnesses)
- lost property
- vandalism/graffiti
- Annoying and harassing phone calls
- thefts and attempt thefts
Crimes with suspect information, involving firearms, or theft of medication, passports, and license plate registration tags are not eligible for online reporting.
To file a report, access Coplogic by visiting the Long Beach Police Department's website at:
www.longbeach.gov/police and clicking on the Coplogic icon, or through the recently updated
free "GO LBPD" mobile app available for download at the Apple App Store and at the Google Play Marketplace.
Non-English speaking individuals needing to file a police report for the above crimes can still contact the LBPD's Business Desk at
562.570.7260.
Once users file a report, they can request a copy at www.longbeach.gov/police by completing a "Request a Police Report" form (a copy fee may apply).
Those without Internet access have the option of filing a report from any City of Long Beach neighborhood library, which are all equipped with computers and Internet service. Additionally, a computer designated for online report filing is available in the lobby of Long Beach Police Headquarters, 400 W. Broadway.
More than 300 law enforcement agencies throughout the nation, including 125 in California, are currently using Coplogic technology.
- By LBPD Media Relations
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LBPD receives Grant
The Long Beach Police Department has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program of special enforcement and public awareness efforts to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries.
The Long Beach Police Department will use the funding as part of the city's ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education.
"This funding, through our valuable partnership with OTS, will play a vital role in enhancing our efforts to increase the safety of our roads," stated Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. "We will continue our mission to raise awareness of traffic related concerns, which cause collisions that are often preventable, through both educational and enforcement measures."
After falling to a ten year low in 2010, the number of persons killed has climbed nearly 17% across the state with 3,176 killed in 2015 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Particularly alarming is the six year rise in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, along with the growing dangers of distracting technologies, and the emergence of drug-impaired driving as a major problem. This grant funding will provide opportunities to combat these and other devastating problems such as drunk driving, speeding and crashes at intersections.
"Years of research tell us that enforcement and education work best jointly to combat unsafe driving," said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. "This grant brings both tactics together, with the Office of Traffic Safety and the Long Beach Police Department working in concert to help keep the streets and highways safe across Long Beach and the state."
Activities that the grant will fund include:
* Educational presentations
* DUI checkpoints
* DUI saturation patrols
* Bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement
* Motorcycle safety enforcement
* Distracted driving enforcement
* Seat belt and child safety seat enforcement
* Speed, red light, and stop sign enforcement
* Compilation of DUI "Hot Sheets," identifying worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders
* Specialized DUI and drugged driving training such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), and Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE)
Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Long Beach Police Department |
Measure A
The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to restore Paramedic Rescue 12 and to reinstate the Police Academy, using Public Safety funding from Measure A.
The restorations will be effective March 1, and will cost:
- $1.5 million for the remainder of the Fiscal Year.
- $2.5 million annually starting in Fiscal Year 2018 ($1.1 million for Paramedic Rescue 12; $1.4 million for Police Academy staffing).
"I'm proud that Measure A revenue is being spent exactly on what we told voters we would spend the funds on,
public safety and infrastruc
ture
," said Mayor Robert Garcia. "Measure A is working to keep our City safe."
The restorations approved Tuesday
will add six firefighter and nine police officer positions, for a total of 37 public safety positions restored through Measure A since Long Beach voters approved the temporary sales tax in June 2016 to support public safety and infrastructure.
"With these restorations, we will have lower paramedic response times across the entire city, and a paramedic stationed at Fire Station 12 to serve North Long Beach, fully capable of advanced life support," said Vice Mayor Rex Richardson, who introduced the item for City Council approval. Councilmembers Lena Gonzalez, Stacy Mungo and Roberto Uranga co-sponsored the item, which was approved by the entire City Council.
Previous public safety restorations funded by Measure A included:
- Restoration of Fire Engine 8
- Re-establishment of Police South Division (both of which had been identified as citywide public safety funding priorities by the Fire and Police Departments).
- These restorations costed $3.8 million annually ($2.3 million for Fire Engine 8; $1.5 million for the Police South Division).
The Measure A Year One Investment Plan also includes $3.2 million to maintain Police and Fire services in Fiscal Year 2017.
- By City of Long Beach
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Bluff Park Historic Lamppost Project
A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT OF
BLUFF PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Draw & Color for History:
Join us for an afternoon of drawing and coloring under the guidance of prominent local artists. The event, entitled "Lampposts, Lighthouse & Lines where ART and LIGHT intersect", will take place atop Parkers' Lighthouse in the scenic Queensview Room on
Saturday, March 25th, from 1:00 to 3:30 PM.
Guests of the event will be treated to appetizers and beverages while seated intimately at tables where they will be mentored in the concepts of sketching, drawing and coloring. At the end of the afternoon, participants will take home a piece of artwork of their creation. This fun event for adults and kids alike will be the perfect opportunity for everyone to discover the inner artist and, at the same time, benefit the Bluff Park Historic Lamppost Project.
Reserve your spot now to draw and color! Tickets start at $65 for adults and $35 for children under 12 years old. Sponsorships are also available.
According to Jeff Mallin, Committee Co-chair of the Project, event fundraising has played an integral role in the capital solicitation efforts so far. "The 5 events we held in 2016 were great fun and contributed significantly in reaching our goal of $130,000 for funding the demonstration phase of our community's nonprofit historic preservation project," says Mallin.
"As a result of fundraising efforts and the generosity of many, including support of
Third District Councilwoman Suzie Price and Mayor Robert Garcia, we anticipate within the next several months to be breaking ground on installation of 10 replica ornamental lampposts on Paloma Avenue between Ocean and Broadway. This will spark excitement for the future phases."
 Sponsors for the event include the Port of Long Beach, DeLong Family Charitable Foundation, L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, and Parkers' Lighthouse. Dozens of silent auction items have been donated by local businesses and are be sure to be appealing.
Ticket and Sponsorship Information is available at
Tickets or call 562-433-4434
or email
Meet the artists by visiting
Artist.
- By Jeff Mallin and Marco Pizzo, Project Co-Chairs
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Some of you may have noticed recent changes at the proposed site for the Belmont Pool Project. Last week, the City installed a Story Pole to indicate the proposed height of the new pool. A Story Pole has two flags, one to indicate the height of the old pool, and the other to indicate the height of the new pool. There is also a fence around the project and a sign to explain the reasoning for the Story Pole. The Story Pole is temporary and has to be displayed for 14 days prior to the Planning Commission meeting.
Although a funding gap still exists on this project, there have been several developments with the Belmont Pool Project and our office knows how important it is to keep our residents in the loop. On
March 2 at 5:00 pm the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Belmont Pool Project was presented to
the Planning Commission at City Hall. The EIR outlines the environmental impacts of the project in great detail, and certification of that document and the planning and zoning approvals for the pool is an important step in the process.
The Planning Commission will choose whether to certify the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and approve the
entitlements for the project.
After the Planning Commission phase, assuming the plan is not appealed to the City Council, the pool will be sent to the Coastal Commission in mid to late 2017 for review and potential approval. If approved by the the Coastal Commission, the Pool will have the required permits, at which point the final design details and construction documents will be finalized. During that time, the City will identify a plan to close the funding gap.
3rd District, District Office Director
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The City of Long Beach Business Portal
Are you trying to start a business in Long Beach or own an existing business? The city has recently launched a "one stop information site" to help you get your business off the ground. The Long Beach Business Portal makes it easier for you to navigate the process. With interactive areas within the folders of Plan, Launch and Grow, you can create a business plan, perform a zone check and even fill out tax forms and obtain funding, amongst many other options. The Long Beach Business Portal can be accessed at
www.bizport.longbeach.gov
. You can
submit a request for counseling services from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at
Los Angeles Regional SBDC
.
Additionally, the Small Business Development Center serves the greater Long Beach area. The SBDC Day is the first national, collective celebration of the success and impact American's Small Business Development Centers have across the nation in economic development and small business communities. The first America's SBDC Day will take place on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
Small businesses, partners, and advocates are invited to help spread the word about SBDC Day.
Participants can share how their local SBDC has created a difference in their life, business, and/or community using the hashtag, #SBDCDay.
#SBDCDay will bring a variety of unique, live and, virtual celebrations around the country to raise the visibility of America's SBDC and its clients. This special day will also be celebrated through public relations initiates, campaigns, and online and in person events.
We encourage you to check out these great resources. The City of Long Beach would also love to hear your feedback. You can email me at
[email protected]
with any comments or questions.
For more information on the SBDC or to read their official article,
click here
.
- By Lisa West
3rd District, Business Relations Liaison
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City Council Updates
City Council Meetings are held every Tuesday evening, with the exception of the last Tuesday of the month when council is "dark." Meetings are held in City Hall - Council Chambers (333 W. Ocean Blvd.) at approximately 5pm. Times do change, so please check with our office or website for exact times. City Council meetings are open to the public and we encourage your attendance, especially if there is an important topic up for discussion.
Charter (channel 3) and FIOS Verizon (channel 21) subscribers can view the City Council Meetings on their televisions or you can live stream the video through LBTV.com,
View City Council Meeting.
Agenda items change on a weekly basis so please check the city website for the most current agenda. The City Clerk is required to post the City Council Agenda the Monday, a week prior, to the Tuesday of City Council Meeting.
View agenda items
Important agenda items coming this month are as follows...
March 7 - Safe Medians and Public Safety Committee Meeting at 3:30pm
March 14 - Parking in Coastal Communities
March 21
March 28 - No Council Meeting
- By Antonella Schaub
3rd District, Communications Director
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WHY DON'T THEY PUT IN MORE STOP SIGNS?
A stop sign is one of our most valuable and effective control devices when used at the right place and under the right conditions.
It is intended to help drivers and pedestrians at an intersection decide who has the right-of-way.
One common misuse of stop signs is to arbitrarily interrupt through traffic, either by causing it to stop, or by causing such an inconvenience as to force the traffic to use other routes. Where stop signs are installed as "nuisances" or "speed breakers", there is a high incidence of intentional violation. In those locations where vehicles do stop, the speed reduction is effective only in the immediate vicinity of the stop sign, and frequently speeds are actually higher between intersections. For these reasons, it should not be used as a speed control device.
Well-developed, national and state recognized guidelines help to indicate when such controls become necessary. These guidelines take into consideration, among other things, the probability of vehicles arriving at an intersection at the same time, the length of time traffic must wait to enter, traffic delays, and the availability of safe crossing opportunities.
Speed
An unwarranted STOP sign installation reduces speed only immediately adjacent to the sign. In most cases, drivers accelerate as soon as possible, to a speed faster than they drove before STOP signs were installed. They do this apparently to make up for time lost at the STOP sign. STOP signs are not effective for speed control.
Through-Traffic Volumes
In almost all cases, through-traffic volumes stay the same after the installation of unwarranted STOP signs. Occasionally the street experiences a slight volume decrease. However, after a few months, the volume of through-traffic at the test sites where an initial decrease did occur was back to original levels or in some cases it was even higher. STOP signs do not necessarily reduce volume.
Local Neighborhood Traffic Volumes
Local neighborhood traffic generally finds the path of least resistance. If there are alternative routes to get from Point A to Point B and if these alternate routes have fewer traffic controls, local drivers will take them. In many cases, this significantly increases the traffic volume on other local streets - thus relocating the problem. In the very few cases where they have, the problem merely shifted to another location - often times from a collector to a purely local street. STOP signs generally do not reduce volumes on a street. Information collected by the Institute of Transportation Engineers
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Compliance
Drivers tend to ignore unwarranted traffic controls or obstacles that
, in their view, are unnecessary. If they are frequently required to stop for STOP signs and rarely see any traffic on the opposing street, they may become impatient and tend to disregard STOP signs that have no obvious need.
Accidents
Unwarranted STOP signs do not reduce accidents and may increase the potential for accidents. There is not enough documentation to determine if there is an actual increase in accidents on local low volume streets, but experience of some cities shows that where unwarranted signs used to stop a high volume street for a local street, cause the accidents to increase drastically.
Vehicle Operating Costs
Unwanted STOP signs increase vehicle fuel consumption. The unwanted STOP signs require additional stop/start maneuvers costing the motorists a substantial amount of money, wear and tear, and causing excessive gasoline consumption. This is especially noteworthy in light of the present fuel situation. Wear and tear on vehicles also increases. It should be noted that no detailed mechanical evaluations have been made but obviously increased stopping and starting would increase wear on tires, brakes, transmission, and engine.
Environmental
Although not specifically documented, it is logical to assume that unwanted STOP signs increase stop/start actions and therefore increase exhaust fumes and associated hydrocarbons.
Noise
Noise pollution increases due to stops and accelerations and the associated engine noises and brakes. Noise tests at the STOP signs and at mid-block locations showed that stop/start and acceleration resulting from the four-way STOP installations increased the noise levels over the "before" conditions.
Effectiveness
Even the minimal initial compliance and through-traffic diversion wear off over time because the unwarranted signs are not associated with a perceived need by motorist. Moat drivers are reasonable and prudent with no intentions of maliciously violating traffic regulations; however, when an unreasonable restriction is imposed, it results in flagrant violations. In such cases, the stop sign can create false sense of security in a pedestrian and an attitude of contempt in a motorist. These two attitudes can and often do conflict with tragic results.
-City of Long Beach, Public Works Department
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Wilson High School CD3 Sweatshirt Fund
For the past year, Council District 4 (CD4) office decided to step up and create a program in order to fill a needed void at our local Wilson High School. While school uniforms were supplied at no cost to students in need, there was no
provision for the popular school logo sweatshirts. Over the past year, CD4 has donated non-taxpayer funds to
support the ongoing need. We loved their idea so much that District 3 will now be supp
orting the cause. If you'd like to make a tax deductible donation, any dollar amount would be greatly appreciated. Sweatshirts run about $40 each. Please make your check out to "Wilson PTSA", and you
can write "CD3 Sweatshirt Fund" in the memo line.
Mail your donation to: Council District 3, 333 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802 or Wilson High School ATTN: CD3 Sweatshirt Fund, 4400 E. 10th St., Long Beach, CA 90804.
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TEDxYouth@AlamitosBay
When: March 25, 2017 from
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Where: Golden Sails Hotel in the Crystal Ballroom 6285 Pacific Coast Hwy
What is TEDx ???
TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks include videos and live speakers combined to spark a deeper discussion and connection for individuals.
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to ideas worth spreading, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or fewer) delivered by today's leading thinkers and doers.
Our speakers are carefully curated for not only their ideas worth spreading, but who they are as people.
TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from thousand
s of volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; the annual million-dollar TED Prize, which funds exceptional individuals with a "wish," or idea, to create change in the world; TEDx, which provides licenses to thousands of individuals and groups who host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
Check out TEDxYouthAlamitosBay on:
Twitter
- By Loyalty Traster-Lee
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Storm Safety Tips
- If you see a downed power line, do not approach it and never try to remove it or touch it. The line may be energized. Call SCE at 1-800-611-1911 or 911 immediately.
- Wet yards with puddles on cement or grass can carry electricity. If a line is down in your yard, remain indoors and call 911 immediately.
- Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line.
- Make sure you have battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they're fresh. Use flashlights for lighting durin
 g a power outage. Do not use candles because they pose a fire hazard.
- If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliance
s directly into it, using heavy-duty extension cords. Connecti
- ng generators directly to household circuits creates "backfeed," which is dangerous to repair crews.
- When power is out, traffic signals may be out so approach those intersections as four-way stops.
- Customers may report outages at 800-611-1911, online at www.sce.com/outage or through the SCE Outages app. SCE has information on its website and on Facebook and Twitter.
--By SCE,
Local Public Affairs
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Mills Act Offers Financial Incentives
For Preservation of Historic Properties
The City of Long Beach is now accepting applications for the third year of its reinstated Mills Act Property Tax Abatement Program (Mills Act), an economic incentive program for historic properties. The public is invited to attend two important events to learn about how to qualify and apply for tax benefits, while also preserving the City's designated landmarks.
- Pre-Application Workshop, Saturday, February 25, 2017, 10:30 am (lead by Jenny Oropeza) @ the Community Center at Cesar Chavez Park, 401 Golden Avenue.
- Application Workshop, Sa
 turday, March 4, 2017, 10:30 am (lead by Dana)@ the Neighborhood Library Meeting Room, 3680 Atlantic Avenue.
"Long Beach is committed to preserving its rich heritage and maintaining the unique properties that reflect the character and diversity of our City," said Mayor Robert Garcia. "The Mills Act helps to further protect these historic sites, while providing qualified property owners with substantial savings each year."
On January 6, 2015, the City Council approved revisions to the Mills Act to provide more opportunities for eligible historic property owners. The Mills Act is a State program that is administered and implemented by local governments, and offers economic incentives to qualifying owners of historic or designated landmark sites upon agreement to rehabilitate, restore, and protect their property.
- Under the Mills Act contracts, private owners receive tax benefits in exchange for proper maintenance and preservation of the historical and architectural character of the property for an initial 10-year term. The Mills Act is especially beneficial for recent buyers of historic sites, or owners who may have recently had a property transfer or tax re-assessment.
The Pre-Application Workshop will provide an overview of the Mills Act and eligibility requirements. The event will also include a review of the process for preparing an application and calculating individual property tax savings. The Application Workshop will provide more specific information geared toward those interested in proceeding with the application process.
All potential applicants or their representative must attend the Pre-Application Workshop. Mills Act applications are processed once a year, during the application period.
The deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 17, 2017.
Last year, 15 Mills Act contracts were awarded for historic properties within the City of Long Beach, representing a mix of single-family homes, commercial properties, and mixed-use apartments and condominium buildings.
There are currently 58 properties with Mills Act contracts in Long Beach.
For questions regarding the Mills Act, please call
562.570.6437 or e-mail
[email protected].
- By The City of Long Beach
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Handicapped Parking
If you are a handicapped driver you likely a
lready know that the state of California does not require you to feed parking meters when parking in the public right of way (public street throughout the state). However, this ability is not afforded in City-owned parking lots. On March 14th the Councilwoman is bringing an agenda item to Council asking City staff to assess the impacts and possibilities of making this state-wide policy apply to certain kinds of Long Beach owned parking lots.
- By Jack Cunningham
3rd District, Chief of Staff
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Other Events in Long Beach
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MADD:
Make a Difference Day
Belmont Heights Make a Difference Day is on Sunday, March 26th from 11:30-3:30pm.
Belmont Heights Make a Difference Day will be held at any of the following locations:
Temple Israel Long Beach, Belmont Heights United Methodist Church, the Belmont Heights Community Association, 3rd District Councilwoman Suzie Price, and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.
There will be over 20 different volunteer projects in and around Belmont Heights where you can make a difference. There will be something for all ages and abilities.
Believe in the work of Make a Difference Day? Please consider making a donation which goes directly to our community service projects.
Click here
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Here is a general schedule for the afternoon:
11:30 a.m. - Registration Opens, Pizza lunch available at Temple Israel
12:00 p.m. - Kick-off event at Temple Israel
12:30 p.m. - Depart for service projects
3:30 p.m. - Complete Service Projects
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