100 TREES A DAY

 A special neighborhood tree planting event recently took place on Oct. 20 for the city’s new “I Dig Long Beach – 10,000 Trees by 2022” project. The event honored Fire Capt. Otis Reid, the first African American hired by the Long Beach Fire Department in 1962, and featured the planting of 100 trees in one day along grass parkways in the neighborhood bounded by Anaheim Street, 10th Street, Cherry Avenue and Orange Avenue. About 175 volunteers from various community groups, including the AOC7 Neighborhood Association, participated in the kick-off of the extended I Dig Long Beach program, made possible by grants from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Port of Long Beach.