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Tonight: Should Your Councilmember Vote To Pursue $85 Mil Redesigned/Downsized Belmont Beach Pool/Aquatic Center? Aquatics Supporters Say It's Overdue; Opponents Say It Belongs Elsewhere In The City Without Sea Level Rise And Seismic Risks At Less Cost

Tonight: City Mgm't Plans Council Presentation On Its Animal Shelter Less-Than-No-Kill "Compassion Saves" Practices And Possibly Recommend MOU With SPCA-LA; Both Stances Collide With Positions Of No Kill LB And A Number Of LB Animal Advocates
by Juli Mullholland
Special to LBREPORT.com
New: Couple Is Robbed/Injured Exiting Vehicle In Los Cerritos/Virginia Country Club Neighborhood; Suspect Flees Before LBPD Arrives...And Weapon Used Was A BB Gun
New: Freelance Musicians, Writers And Others Fume On Facebook, Charge AB 5 Interferes With Their Ability To Work As Independent Contractors; All LB Dem Senators/Assemblymembers Voted For It; AB 5's Author (SD Dem Assemblywoman) May Offer Tweaks
UPDATE: Gov. Newsom asks state lawmakers to allocate $21 mil in FY21 budget for investigations & enforcement
New: Two 1st Dist. Shootings In First Two Days of MLK Weekend: (1) 7th/Cedar: Man Is Shot Trying To Prevent Two Suspects (One Believed Known To Him) From Allegedly Stealing His Car (2) 1500 block Chestnut: Two People Shot-At (Rounds Miss)
New: Long Beach Mayor/Council Fail To Agendize Voted Position On SB 50 As Amended, Would Mandate Increased Housing Density On Sac'to Approved Terms, Overriding Locally Decided Single Family Home Zoning; City Currently Has No Position On Bill As Amended As It Moves Within Days Of State Senate Vote
LBReport.com


Shootings: LB Has Had 105 Shooting Crime Scenes (Fatal + Non-Fatal + No-Person-Hit) Since May 7, 2019. Click maps below for details on most recent four.
Special Report / In Depth / Amnesia File: Long Beach Had But No Longer Has An LBPD Field Anti-Gang Unit. How'd That Happen?




Jan 1, 2018 to date: Red Xs=homicides; Blue Xs= shootings, person wounded; Brown Xs=shots fired at victim(s), not hit; Purple Xs=shots at occupied residence/vehicle; Green Xs= shots at unoccupied vehicle/residence; Grey Xs=shots fired (no hit, no target identified); Orange X's=non-fatal stabbings; Blue * asterisk=victim hit, police unable to locate crime scene. Map is unofficial.
MORE News
On LBReport.com

LBPD Suspects 2 Yr Old Child Murdered In Willmore City (In Vehicle Or Residence, Area 900 Block Daisy); Seeks Public's Assistance, Asks Witnesses To Come Forward; See LBPD Release Text

LBPD East Division Teamwork: Officers Respond To 4th Dist Shots Fired (Loma/15th), Radio Suspect Vehicle Description To Assisting Officers; They Spot Suspect Vehicle, Seek To Make Traffic Stop; Suspect Flees, Crashes At Anaheim/LB Blvd., Is Arrested And Handgun Recovered
Full Text of Release By Urban Commons (City's Queen Mary Lessee/Operator/Developer Of Adjacent Land) Following Mayor Garcia's State of the City Message
Complete Text As Prepared For Delivery Of Mayor Garcia's 2020 State of the City Message
Former 8th District Councilmembers Rae Gabelich & Jeff Kellogg Endorse Juan Ovalle To Represent 8th District; Former Mayor O'Neill, A Peninsula Resident, Joins Downtown Resident Mayor Garcia In Supporting Third Term For Incumbent Al Austin
In Detail: Governor-Chosen Homeless Task Force Urges State Constitutional Amendment Requiring Cities And State To Fund & Enable Rapid Siting For Homeless-Related Housing Or Face Lawsuits, Possible Court Orders
Two Men Shot/Wounded, 1100 block E. Artesia, LBPD Suspects Site Involved Illegal Gambling
Jan. 14 UPDATE: A few hours after LBREPORT.com reported the story below, LBPD's full year 2019 crime numbers (citywide and by LBPD Divisions) materialized on LBPD's website. LBREPORT.com will provide our analysis of the numbers separately. Perspective: City Issues This Release On Long Beach 2019 Year End Crime Stats; It's Mainly Narrative With Few Numbers And These Omissions
Special Report / In Depth / AUDIO: Long Beach State Senator Lena Gonzalez Votes To Kill SB 640 That Would Have Allowed Intervention To Treat Severely Mentally Ill Homeless

In Depth / Developing: With Sac'to Poised To Decide Within Days, LB City Hall Has No Position On SB 50 As Amended That Could Override Single Family Home Zoning And Require Increased Total Residential Density Citywide
For Your Neighborhood Or Nearby And Statewide: NLB Assemblyman Gipson Co-Authors Bill That Would Erase Public's Right To Raise Neighborhood Impacting CEQA Issues Re Emergency Shelters, Supportive Housing And "Affordable" Housing Projects Proposed In Mixed-Use, Non-Residential Or Infill Sites
LB Animal Shelter Says It Finished Decade With Fewest Dog/Cat Euthanasias & Highest Live Releases Ever...But No Kill Long Beach Says It's Skeptical Of Some Figures And Faults Mayor/Council For Resisting Add'l Changes
LB Mayor Garcia -- Who Backed Kamala (2019) and Hillary (2016) Over Bernie -- Now Backs Biden For President
UPDATE: Garcia's move comes after several other CA Dem pols endorsed Biden
Council Votes 5-4 NOT To Ask City Att'y To Draft Debt-Bond/Property Tax Increase Nov.2020 Ballot Measure, Supports Suzie Price Substitute Motion To Seek Mgm't Report On Currently Available Fed/State Funds; Doesn't Rule Out Future Ballot Measure Not Focused on Property Owners Or At Lesser Cost
AND
Vice Mayor Andrews Notified City Clerk To Remove His Name As Co-Agendizer of Richardson Debt-Bond/Property Tax Increase At Midmorning Monday; His Flip On Item He'd Co-Agendized Assured Its Failure
Eight Councilmembers (Austin Dissenting) Vote To Approve Mayor/Mungo Proposal To Spend Estimated $87,000 More Annually (Gen'l Fund) To Pay All Mayor-Chosen Appointees To City Hall "Advisory" Comm'ns And Double Sums Payable To Charter Comm'ns
As seen LIVE: Council votes to deny appeals, approve development with two conditions added on motion by Price. Details coming. Council Will Hear/Decide Appeals Seeking EIR For Proposed Studebaker/Loynes Business/Industrial Development

Source: Architect rendering attached to city agendized hearing materials
Subsequent development above Councilman Richardson, Joined By Councilmembers Zendejas & Andrews, Seek Property Tax Increase Ballot Measure For "Affordable Housing" And Homeless Facilities; Would Cost Homeowners $100 Annually Per $400k Of Assessor-Assessed Property Valuation; Only Two Other Councilmembers Needed To Advance Jan. 7 Agenda Item Toward Nov. 2020 Ballot When It Would Need 2/3 LB Voter Approval
Follow the Money: See Who Contributed Over $200k Earlier This Year To Support Richardson's Effort
Council Candidate Robert Fox Will Host Victory Party Celebrating Measure M Lawsuit Win By Taxpayers Lejins and Kimball
Subsequent development above Financial Details: Mayor & Mgmt Recommend Mungo Tweak To Proposal To Pay Or Increase Pay To All Mayor-Chosen Commissioners; It Would Increase Annual Cost $188k (All Funds) / $86k (Gen'l Fund) Beyond Current Cost (If Comm'ns Meet At Same Rate As 2018); Council Will Decide Jan 7
Bombshell: Superior Court Rules Measure M (June 2018 Utility Revenue Transfer Enabling Current Level Of Mayor/Council Gen'l Fund Spending) Violates Prop 218
Rejects City Hall's defenses, rules for taxpayers/consumers Lejins/Kimball
Woman is Shot/Wounded In Wrigley District, Area 21st/Locust
Perspective: In A Few Days, City Hall Will Release LB's 2019 Crime Stat Totals. Here's What The Stats Won't Show You And LB's Mayor/Council May Not Tell You
Man Is Shot/Wounded, NW NLB Near Compton
Following U.S. Military Drone-Killing Of Iranian General, President Trump Says US Has Targeted 52 Sites In Iran It Will Hit If Iran Strikes Americans Or American Assets; Iran Military Leader Says It's ID'd 35 U.S. Targets In Mideast Region; LBPD Issues Social Network Statement Saying No Current Connection To LB But Will Continue To Monitor Developing Situation
Perspective / Viewpoints

Opinion: LBREPORT.com's Choice For 2019 "Outrage of the Year" Is Another Story You May Not Have Read Elsewhere And Will Affect LB In 2020 And Beyond
AND
Opinion: Here Are LBREPORT.com's Ten "Runners-Up" For LB's 2019 Outrage of the Year; Do You Have Others?

Viewpoint: Disappointed Supreme Court Declined To Review Boise Opinion, Confident Court Will Have Future Opportunities For Broader Conversation; Clarity Needed With Disparity Between Current Laws And Their Interpretation
by Suzie A. Price
Long Beach City Councilwoman, Third District
Editorial: Long Beach Mayor/Council May Let City Block Your Ability To Hear LBPD Radio Channels; Here's How To Say "No!"
Editorial: Sorry, But Councilman Supernaw's Community Hospital Deal Will Eat Millions That Won't Be Available To Continue Providing Fire Engine 17 Beyond Sept. 2021 AND Could Still Leave LB Without Continuing Eastside Acute Care Hospital AND Could Cause City To Lose Its Community Hospital Property Entirely
Follow-up: Gov. VETOES this bill, see subsequent coverage here. Here's How To Tell Gov. Newsom To Veto Election-Tilting Anti-Taxpayer Anti-Transparency SB 268
Editorial: It's Not Streamlining. It Doesn't Promote Public Participation. It Will Affect Your Ability To Speak And Be Heard When City Council Actions Affect Your Neighborhood And Our City. Here's How To Stop It And Send A Message That The Public's Voices Matter
Perspective: By The Numbers: Here Are LB Taxpayer/Neighborhood-Impacting Public Safety Facts That LB's Mayor/Council Haven't Told You
Editorial: This Happened When A Mentally Ill Vagrant Said He Wanted To Kill A Belmont Shore Business' Manager.
Opinion: LB Dem Partisans Try To Link 1st Dist Council Candidate Morquecho To Trump, While He And Multiple Dems Fail To Link Mayor-Backed Zendejas To Multiple Unpopular Council Actions
Editorial: Our Hearts Are With Candlelight Vigils, But LBREPORT.com Is Done Covering Them. We Urge Action
Editorial: Civics Refresher, Rights And Remedies When LB Council Incumbents Try To Reduce (Not Restore) Your Right To Speak And Be Heard At Council Meetings
Their New City Hall
Editorial: ¡Que barbaridad!







Reference links
  • Council District Map
  • Email Your Councilmember
  • How To Recall a LB Elected Official

    • RecentlyWeeks AgoPast Few Months
    For Second Year In A Row, Some LB Animal Advocates Plan Demonstration Outside Mayor's "State of the City" Event To Voice Displeasure With Persisting Animal Shelter/Adoption Issues
    How Would Candidates Seeking To Become Councilmembers In Districts 2, 6 and 8 Vote On Property Tax Raising/Debt Bond For "Affordable Housing" And Homeless Facilities? Here Are Their Responses (And Some Non-Responses)
    See/Read Extended Salient Portions Of Correspondence Documenting Escalating City Hall Displeasure And Actions Seeking Greater Control Over Information About Queen Mary And Its Maintenance Issues
    In November, QM Inspector's Lawyer Informed Mayor/Council About Management's Stance; LB's Electeds Voiced No Public Objections; In December, Inspector's Contract Terminated
    City Mgm't Refuses Public Record Act Release Of June Queen Mary Inspection Report, Contends Public Interest In Withholding It "Clearly Outweighs" Public Interest In Disclosing It
    Mayor/Council could agendize item directing its release
    Exclusive / Developing: LBFD Internal Report Indicates It Took 8-9 Minutes From Dispatch For LBFD Engine 9 And Rescue 9 To Reach Halloween Night Awaida Family Triple Fatality (Victims Of Alleged DUI Driver) In Los Cerritos; Did Closing Fire Stn 9 Due To Mold And Relocating Engine 9 To LGB and Rescue 9 To WLB Contribute To Length Of Response?
    by Glennis Dolce
    Special to LBREPORT.com
    Includes add'l reporting by publisher Bill Pearl
    Update above     Mayor And Councilwoman Mungo (His Chosen "Budget Oversight Committee" Chair) Agendize Jan. 7 Council Item To Begin Paying Or Increase Pay For Mayor-Chosen Commissioners
    Initial "Placeholder" Agenda Item Doesn't Say How Much It Would Cost Taxpayers (Yet); In November, City Mgm't Said It Would Reach Range Of Six Figure Sums; Council Has Discretion, Including Saying "No"
    UPDATE: LBPD Detectives Investigating Five, And Possibly As Many As Eight, Break-Ins Since Mid-December In Clark/Spring (SE Quadrant) Comm'l Center As Possible Burglaries
    Overnight Hours Store Clerk (Area Atlantic/Market) Attacked By, Injured By, Fights Off And Disarms Alleged Armed Robber, Holds Him Until LBPD Arrives
    Double Shooting, One Victim Dies 2300 block E. 14th St.(At About Raymond Just North of Anaheim St/4th District); [UPDATE] In Add'n To Victim With Non-Life-Threatening Wounds, Three Other Victims Escape Injury
    Amnesia File: Earlier this year, Councilman Supernaw offered rationale for NOT restoring LBPD's field anti-gang unit
    In Recent Weeks, Burglars Broke Into At Least Three ELB Businesses -- Possibly Two Of Them Twice -- In Clark/Spring (SE Quadrant) Comm'l Center

    Second Deluge: LB Hit With Nearly Two Inches Of Rain (Recorded At LGB) Within Six Hours Overnight (Dec. 25-26)
    In Depth: Another 1st District Shooting: Man Is Shot/Wounded (Dec. 22) Area 16th/Linden     		VIDEO: Stunning Videos -- Security Cam + LBPD Officer Body Cam -- Show Shooter Firing At Victims Inside NLB/Artesia Blvd. Bar...And Arriving Patrol Officer Who Hears Gunfire, Spots Shooter Thru An Open Door And Fires Shot That Ends Deadly Terrifying Incident
    AND
    Amnesia File: These Openness Advocates/Media Outlets Supported, While Police Mgm't/Unions/Prosecutors Opposed, New State Law That Let Us And You See NLB Police Shooting Video And Others; See Sac'to Lawmakers Who Voted For And Against
    City Hall Planning Comm'n Recommends January Council Approval Of $85 Mil Mgm't-Downsized Belmont Pool; City Mgm't Says Initial Pushback Begat Better Project; Aquatics/Swim Groups Support; Critics Mount Two-Front Opposition; Fast-Track Feb. Coastal Comm'n Approval Uncertain
    Perspective: Inequity By The Numbers: Thus Far In December 2019 (12/1-12/19), LB's 6th Dist. & 1st Plus 6th Dist. Combined Had More Shootings Per Capita Than Chicago
    Dec. 22-23: L.A. River @ Wardlow Rd. Rose Sharply But Remained Well Below Flood Stage During Relatively Quick Storm...But In Longer Storm, How Might Retaining Current Shoemaker Bridge As Park Alongside New 710-Downtown Bridge Affect River's Capacity And Flood Risk?
    Dec. 22-23 Deluge Clobbered LB With Rainfall Rates, Monday Forecast Includes Possible Thunderstorms With Small Hail, Wet (Various Chances) Thru Xmas Into Thursday
    UPDATED: Rain or Showers (Chances Vary, See Details) Thru Thursday
    Man Is Shot/Wounded Area 7th St./Alamitos (1st Dist.), Comes Less Than 12 Hrs After Shooting In Cambodia Town/MacArthur Park (6th Dist.)
    It's fifth shooting (incl. a homicide) in 1st dist. since Councilwoman Zendejas elected Nov. 5; 6th Dist. has had three shootings since Dec. 1
    Man Is Shot/Wounded In Noon-Hour In Cambodia Town Along Busy E. Anaheim St. In MacArthur Park; It's Third 6th Dist. Shooting Since Dec. 1
    State Sen. Lena Gonzalez Is Effectively Re-Elected; Not Yet Official, But No Candidate(s) -- Dems, Repubs, Indies -- Filed To Challenge Her In 2020, So She's In Sac'to Thru 2024
    Elephant (Lot) In The Room: Coastal Comm'n Staff Wants City To Provide Better Explanation For Rejecting Downtown Pool Site; Also Questions Sufficiency Of City Outreach Prior To Planning Comm'n Hearing
    Man Is Shot/Wounded Sitting In Parked Car, Area 56th St./Linden Ave. (8th Dist.)
    City Att'y Says Revised Belmont Pool Dec. 19 Planning Comm'n Hearing Is "On"...But Several Community Advocates Say Bungled Cancellation Notice And Belated Online Materials Merit Fresh Notice/New Scheduled Hearing
    LBPD Arrests NLB Liquor Store Clerk On Suspicion Of Selling Whiskey To 20-Yr Old Now Charged With DUI Murder/Manslaughter In Deaths Of Los Cerritos Awaida Family (Father, Mother, Child)
    Read And Consider Newly Issued "Administrative Regulations" That Tell LB City's Mgm't-Run Depts What They Can/Can't Say, And What Public Can/Can't Say, On City-Operated Social Network Pages; They Request (But Can't Demand) That LB Elected Officials Also Follow Them On Their Personally-Operated Social Network Pages
    U.S. Supreme Court (Four Of Nine Justices) Refuses Review Of 9th Cir. Boise Opinion, Will Continue To Prevent LB And Cities In CA & Western States From Enforcing Local Laws Prohibiting Sleeping/Camping On Public Property ("Cruel and Unusual Punishment") Unless City Offers Sufficient Housing/Shelter beds For All Homeless/Vagrants w/in City Limits     		In Detail / Extended AUDIO: Parks/Rec Comm'n Recommends $1.4 Million Artificial Turf Soccer Field Along Studebaker Rd. (El Dorado Park West)
    Comm'r Goldberg acknowledges potential for future installation of field lighting

    Developing: Someone Has Taken Initial Steps To Pursue A City Charter Amendment (Pending Petition Aiming For Nov. 2020 Ballot) That Would Require City To Put Aside 3% Of Taxpayers' Gen'l Fund For "Children and Youth Pgms/Services"
    Fourth Shooting (Incl. A Homicide) In 1st Dist. Since Councilwoman Zendejas Elected: Someone Shoots At Woman's Unoccupied Parked Vehicle Overnight, 1700 block Pine Ave.
    Oakland Councilwoman Floats Concept Of Housing Homeless On A Cruise Ship Docked In That City's Port; Oakland Port Brass Moves To Sink Idea...But What About LB?
    These Sac'to Lawmakers (We Name Them) Passed This Bill (Read Full Text) That Will Prevent Your Child's School From Suspending A Disruptive Willfully Defiant Student (Grades 4 through 8)
    Dem Party Activists Snub Garcia-Backed Council Incumbents Austin And Andrews, Endorse Challengers Thrash-Ntuk And Saro; 2nd Dist Dem Party Endorsement (candidates incl. Fox, Allen, Barerra, Lara and others) Comes Saturday; Requires 60% Support Among Dem Party Activists Or No Party Endorsement
    AUDIO / Perspective: These Seven LB Council Incumbents Just Collected $50 Each For 130 Second Meeting As City's "Housing Authority"; Hear It
    See taxpayer sums LB Councilmembers collected in 2019 for their mainly 3-4 minute "Housing Authority" meetings
    2nd/PCH Developer/Operator Drops Its Appeal, Residents/Boat Owners/Enviros Prevail After Planning Comm'n Reduces Site's Electronic Billboards From Four To Two Facing Inward
    Another 1st Council District Shooting: LBPD Arrests Suspect In Midafternoon Gunfire (1500 block Chestnut/Washington Middle School Neighborhood)
    No Council Election In Dist. 4 As No Candidate Challenges Incumbent Supernaw; 6th Dist. Incumbent Andrews Faces Five Challengers; 8th Dist. Austin Faces Two; 2nd Dist. Race Has Roughly Half A Dozen Candidates Now With Possibly More By Weds Deadline
    Two Women Say A Man Known To One Of Them Shot At Them As They Walked In The Area of Magnolia/8th St....And LBPD Believes Both Women Were Also The Victims Of An Earlier No-Person-Hit Shooting In An Alley Near Daisy Ave./3rd St.
    UPDATE: Includes Reaction From City Mgm't; Bounced: Coastal Comm'n Staff Says City's Revised Belmont Aquatic Center Application "Incomplete" As Submitted, Seeks Add'l Info; Effect On City-Desired Timeline Unclear
    Amnesia File / VIDEO / Perspective: City Hall-Enabled "Broadway Block" Development (At LB Blvd.) Breaks Ground; City Officials Shrugged This Plea By Famed Writer Ray Bradbury To Preserve/Cherish LB's Acres of Books, Include It In New Development
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