Bits 'n' Pieces

Click It or Ticket

As summer kicks off and families hit the road for vacations, the Long Beach Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety are reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket. Aimed at enforcing seat belt use to help keep you and your family safe, the national seat belt campaign takes place now through June 4, concurrent with one of the busiest travel and holiday weekends of the year.

Officers assigned to the traffic section will conduct four nighttime seat belt enforcement operations during the two-week Click It or Ticket mobilization to help lower California’s traffic deaths. In addition to these special patrols, officers on routine patrol will also look for unrestrained drivers and passengers to stop and cite.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half of the 22,441 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2015 were unrestrained.

During nighttime hours, that number soared to 57 percent of those killed. That’s why one focus of the campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will take a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Long Beach, the ticket cost for an adult seat belt violation is $162, with penalties for not restraining a child at $465.

Renaming Library Proposed

Long Beach Councilwoman Stacy Mungo introduced an agenda item on May 23 city council meeting – passing 8-0 – that would begin the process of renaming the El Dorado Library after former Mayor Ernie Kell and his wife, former Councilwoman Jackie Kell. The Kells dedicated their lives to serving Long Beach; Ernie Kell, who passed away in April, spent nearly 40 years in public service.

The proposal put forth by Councilwoman Mungo will begin the process of community outreach to gather public input on renaming a city-owned facility. Long Beach residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on the Kells’ legacy and the community they helped to build over the course of their service to the city of Long Beach. The city has taken up similar measures in the past, for instance, renaming the Terrace Theater after former Mayor Beverly O’Neill.

The proposal will move to the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee for further consideration, and the Library Services Department and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine will be required to conduct further outreach around the renaming of the library. Consideration of final approval would be slated for a council meeting later this year in the Fifth District where neighbors would be able to attend and provide public comment.

Goodwill Urges Donations

With spring cleaning now in motion and summer cleaning time fast approaching, Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County (SOLAC) is urging local residents and businesses to donate their gently used items to their nearest Goodwill donation center. To find a Goodwill donation center in Southern Los Angeles County, visit www.ThinkGood.org.

Goodwill SOLAC is especially in need of material donations due to its current state of its lower than normal inventory of donated goods. Goodwill SOLAC sells donated goods in its 18 retail stores to fund job training and placement programs for local individuals who are in most of need of work – the unemployed, underemployed and working poor.

In fact, 86 cents of every dollar earned at its retail stores goes toward funding the organization’s job programs to help individuals lead economically self-sufficient lives. Yet, with such a low inventory of donated goods, it threatens Goodwill SOLAC’s fiscal ability to continue funding these job programs at its current level.

To make it easier for residents to donate, Goodwill SOLAC also offers a free home pick-up service for those living in Southern Los Angeles County. To arrange a home pick-up, call (562) 435-7741.

Library Recipient of Honor

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced Long Beach Public Library of Long Beach as one of 10 recipients of the 2017 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community. For 23 years, the award has celebrated institutions that respond to societal needs in innovative ways, making a difference for individuals, families, and their communities. The award will be presented at an event in Washington, D.C., this spring.

This honor recognizes the contributions of Long Beach Public Library, including Family Learning Centers, The Studio, Information Center for People with Disabilities, and Special Connect services for families with special needs. Additionally, this award celebrates the significant community partnerships and connections the Long Beach Public Library fosters with collaborators including Long Beach Unified School District, Campaign for Grade Level Reading, Safe Long Beach, Miller Children’s Hospital, and Preschool without Walls.

A community member will join Williams in Washington, D.C., for the spring event to provide a personal account of the power Long Beach Public Library has had in Long Beach.

The recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service have employed powerful programs and services that exceed the expected levels of community outreach, in some cases changing the lives of those who enter their doors. The 10 winners were selected from 30 national finalists announced earlier in March.

Protect from Mosquitoes

As Memorial Day weekend and warm, summer months approach, residents are encouraged to protect themselves by eliminating standing water around their homes and businesses, and by reporting day-biting mosquitoes.

“With increased rainfall this winter and warmer weather approaching, mosquito activity is expected to increase,” said Dr. Anissa Davis, health officer for the Department of Health and Human Services. “Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and Zika virus, and only need small amounts of water to breed.”

To prevent mosquito breeding around the home, residents should:

• Empty any containers filled with water
• Clean and scrub bird baths and pet watering dishes
• Dump water from potted plant saucers.

Residents are urged to report unusual numbers of mosquitoes or day-biting mosquitoes to the city’s Zika Hotline at (562) 570-7907.

Long Beach residents should also protect themselves from mosquito bites inside the home and while traveling to areas where Zika virus is present by:

• Consistently using mosquito repellent when outside
• Wearing long sleeves and pants
• Using air conditioning
• Making sure to install screens on doors and windows
• Ensuring screen doors and windows have no holes in them.

Zika virus can cause severe birth defects. For the reason that Zika virus is spread primarily through mosquito bites and can also be transmitted by both men and women during sex, pregnant women and couples planning to become pregnant should practice extra caution to avoid mosquito bites.

Symptoms of Zika virus infection may include: fever, rash, joint pain, and/or red eyes. Most people who are infected with Zika virus do not experience any symptoms, but they can still be carriers.

While the mosquitoes that carry Zika virus have not yet been identified in Long Beach, they are present in surrounding cities and counties. There have not been any reports of local transmission of Zika virus to date in California.

For more information about mosquitoes, visit: www.longbeach.gov/health, or call the Zika Hotline at (562) 570-7907.

Modernizing Commercial Waste, Recycling

Long Beach City Councilmembers on Tuesday voted unanimously to issue a five-year notice to commercial waste haulers, setting the clock as it studies the best options for modernizing the city’s current commercial waste and recycling system to be cleaner, safer, and more efficient.

The study will explore options to improve the private commercial waste hauling and recycling system in Long Beach, placing an emphasis on limiting inefficient overlapping truck routes, improving environmental, heath, and safety impacts, and combating unnecessary wear and tear on local streets.

The study will include stakeholder engagement, including residents, haulers, apartment owners, shopping center owners, local food waste experts and more. An exclusive franchise system would allow the city to hold waste hauling companies accountable by requiring high safety and environmental standards, efficient routing, quality service, guaranteed access to recycling, and eventually green waste collection.

Night at the Movies Raises More Than $100,000

Hollywood visited the Hyatt Regency Long Beach recently when Night At The Movies II returned on May 12 for an encore of last year’s successful debut event. Would-be movie stars (and real ones) were out in full costume, walking the red carpet, posing for pictures and being interviewed as over two-hundred and fifty guests enjoyed a fun filled evening of glamour, laughter, great food and world class entertainment.

The Night at the Movies II event raised over $100,000 for Community Hospital Long Beach Foundation’s “2nd Century Fund.”

Bobby Herbeck, author of the first “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie, served as the master of ceremonies and was joined by his fellow LA Guys, David Ruprecht (Supermarket Sweeps), Robert Hays (Airplane) and Patrick Wayne (John Wayne’s son) for a voice-over spoof of the Godfather.

Veteran industry vocalist Billy Valentine performed and Oscar telecast(s) veteran Jonathan A. Hughes and his quintet provided all of the evening’s movie music.

Celebrity judges Mari Hooper, Gary DeLong, Dennis McConkey, Justin Rudd, Charlie Parkin and Shirley Wild, adorned in judicial robes and carrying money bags, collected donations (bribes) and decided the evening’s winners.