LBPD Public Information Sgt. Dave Marander says that at about noon, LBPD Patrol Officers responded to assist LBFD regarding a deceased female adult found at Seaside Park. "This will be an L.A. County Coroner's case and at this time there does not appear to be any signs of foul-play," Sgt. Marander said.

The L.A. County Coroner's office told LBREPORT.com on Saturday night that the woman's identity hasn't been released at this point pending notification of family.

Longtime neighborhood resident Linda Palacios told LBREPORT.com that the woman was recognizable to people in the neighborhood and believes she was a white woman in her 40s who used to walk up and down the area.

Ms. Palacios said that after authorities removed several homeless encampments from along the L.A. river a few months ago [which locals believe takes place annually leading up to the Long Beach Grand Prix], a number of homeless persons came into the 14th St. Park area. She said they have been seen drinking, smoking and having sex in 14th St. and Seaside Parks...and said the City has let this continue into nighttime and overnight hours when all parks are supposed to be closed.

"As residents, we're not supposed to be in the parks at night but the City is letting the homeless remain," Ms. Palacios said. "Why are they allowed to sleep in the parks when they're closed and the public isn't allowed to be there? If that's not allowed in Drake Park or El Dorado Park, why is it allowed here?" she asked rhetorically. Ms. Palacios told LBREPORT.com that although gang activity has abated in the immediate area of the park, other previous problems are returning.

Meanwhile, Annie Greenfeld Wisner, posted a bluntly worded July 13 dispatch on Facebook (text below) stating that the 1st district Council office and LBPD had been made aware of the conditions which at this point continue unabated. Ms. Greenfeld Wisner was among the founding members of Better Balance for Long Beach, a grassroots group founded in 2004 by community advocates citywide, which began holding monthly community events on the street median (now officially called 14th St. Park) to show their solidarity with neighborhood residents and publicly pressure city officials into dealing with chronic illegal and activities in the park including smoking dope, drinking, defecating and various anti-social behaviors including public sex.

It worked...and under then-Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, the street median was cleaned up and received various amenities. In 2006, Neighborhoods USA (a national group) recognized BBLB as the best multi-neighborhood group in the country for its work at 14th Street Park. [BBLB was honored a second time in 2011 for its annual Christmas Store: Shopping with Dignity project.] Ms. Lowenthal was elected to Sacramento in Nov. 2008 and was succeeded by Robert Garcia, a former aide to Councilman Frank Colonna who previously led LB's Young Republicans; after Colonna's unsuccessful 2006 Mayoral run, Garcia changed his affiliation from Republican to Democrat, moved into the 1st Council district and was elected in a multi-candidate special election with less than a majority vote.

Under Garcia's incumbency, City Hall spent considerable public sums at 14th St. Park, including replacing a temporary skatepark with a permanent one (unveiled entering Garcia's 2010 re-election cycle) costing roughly $620,000 in federal taxpayer money. City officials initially planned to use federal "stimulus" funds until the Obama administration asked that it not do so after a Republican Senator listed the expense among his most dubious uses of federal "stimulus" funds nationwide. (City Hall responded by spending federal CDBG ["block grant"] money instead.) Meanwhile, using L.A. County funds provided through Supervisor Don Knabe, basketball courts.

Ms. Greenfeld-Wisner, who has since relocated from Long Beach but holds the neighborhoods she worked to improve close to her heart, wrote the following on Facebook on July 13:

We have, for the past month, been in touch via email and via phone with the first district office and with LBPD west division regarding illicit and other horrific activities of the homeless invading both of these neighborhood parks. Less than a month ago, we were promised that more attention would be given to these areas. We have had no updates or communications since then, nor have we seen any increase in police activity. This is one of the highest crime areas in Long Beach. The park has trash in and round it and there are shopping carts, etc with the belongings of the homeless in both these parks and in the "Kid Zone" areas.

This morning the dead body of a woman was found at Seaside Park by the community. After speaking with Linda Palacios, she confirmed that there were no additional resources given to this area. It is very disconcerting to see this park going backwards after all the work that BBLB and Washington Neighborhood has done since 2004! We're talking tens of thousands of volunteer hours since then to date.

This is a forgotten neighborhood and is ignored by the city of Long Beach. Since Bonnie Lowenthal no one has listened or paid attention to this neighborhood. We at BBLB are very protective of this neighborhood. If we need to start sitting vigil like we used to, we will! We are in the process of determining when our next BBQ and vigil will be and we will post it. Please expect updates soon and join us in our plight!

On June 16-17, the PressTelegram ran a story headlined "14th Street Park: a turnaround success" (bylined by Greg Mellen) which acknowledged that "not all the news has been positive" (citing a 2007 murder in 14th St. Park) but said "more and more the bright outshines the bleak." Ten days later, the PT reported that Parks & Rec staff had held a meeting, attended at its outset by Vice Mayor Garcia, seeking public input on how to develop a remaining undeveloped part of the median. The PT reported that Garcia indicated no funds are currently available for the project but said he would be seeking them.