Bits 'n' Pieces

Fall Class Registration Open

Register now for new fall recreation classes offered by Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine. More than 400 classes in art, music, nature, fitness, special interest subjects; adult sports leagues and aquatics programs will be offered starting in September. These programs provide opportunities for exercise and recreation, social interaction and learning, and growth and relaxation for ages pre-school to adults 50+.

Preschoolers can learn to create healthy snacks in Lil Sprouts Cooking Class. They can learn to express themselves with sign language and Spanish language immersion classes. Other fall offerings include music, dance, gymnastics soccer, tee ball and preschool reading and math.

Youth classes include cooking, baking funk dance, hip hop dance musical theater reading and math development, and music. Young athletes can hone their skills in basketball, ice skating, gymnastics, ice hockey, martial arts, volleyball, skateboarding and soccer.

Teens can prepare to get their driver’s license, write a winning college essay, jam on the guitar and stay active in a variety of sports classes.

There are several great new art classes for adults being offered this fall. Learn to draw the human figure from draped models in Portraiture and Figure Drawing. The Sketching and Journaling class will develop sketching and watercolor techniques to apply to art journals such as collage, plein-air, transfer, and postcard sized drawing and painting.

For watercolorists seeking to branch out, Watercolor Magic will teach marbling, salt wash, transfer printing and wax resist will make your watercolors truly stand out. You may also want to “Transform Your Photo into a Beautiful Painting.” The instructor will demonstrate how a painting is developed in oil, primarily, but also in watercolor or pastel.

Looking for a fun new fitness routine? The new Adult Hip Hop class is fast paced and teaches street style dance and funky hip hop routines.

Adults 50+ have many options through LBPRM to stay fit including dance, Yoga and Zumba New this fall is Lower Back and Hip Workshop that focuses on simple and safe stretches (asanas) to relieve stress and muscle fatigue.

Visit www.lbparks.org to see the digital version of the “Recreation Connection” or pick one up at your local park or library.

Household Hazardous Waste Program Expands

Long Beach residents now have more opportunities to dispose of hazardous and electronic waste with the addition of collection days at the Environmental Collection Center located at 2755 California Ave. Signal Hill. Beginning Saturday, Aug. 26, the collection center will increase its collection days to the fourth Saturdays of each month, operating from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents can dispose of household hazardous waste such as: motor oil, cleaners, fertilizers, paint, and batteries, as well as electronic waste and used tires for free.

“Expanding the collection center makes it easier for residents to manage the types of waste that cannot go into household trash due to environmental and human health risks,” said Diko Melkonian, manager of the Public Works Environmental Services Bureau. “This helps keep our neighborhoods, waterways and beaches cleaner and safer for all who live, work, play and do business in Long Beach.”

Prior to the opening of the collection center, the city held household hazardous waste drop-off events twice a year. In 2013, the collection center opened to make safe disposal more available for residents through household hazardous waste drop-off events that occurred every second Saturday of each month.

In 2016, over 7,200 residents dropped off 712,000 pounds of hazardous waste and electronics, a 54% increase over its first year. Although the collection center will be closed the fourth Saturday in November and December, the new schedule will add ten more waste drop-off events annually.

Items accepted at the second and fourth Saturday events include:

• Cleaners, bleach, drain openers, floor and furniture polish, aerosols
• Paint, thinners, solvents, furniture strippers
• Household batteries, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, mercury-containing devices
• Garden pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers, pool chemicals
• Used motor oil and filters, automotive fluids, car batteries
• Home-generated medicines and sharps
• Electronic waste, such as computers, televisions and cell phones
• Used tires (nine tires maximum per person)

The center does not accept business-generated waste, ammunition, explosives, biological waste, or bulky items such as furniture, refrigerators or washing machines.

City of Long Beach Labor Day Holiday Closures

Libraries

All Long Beach Public Libraries will be closed Saturday, Sept. 2, for the observance of Labor Day. Bay Shore, Burnett, El Dorado and Michelle Obama Neighborhood Libraries will be closed on Sunday, Sept. 3. All Libraries are closed on Mondays, per their normal schedule and will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Street Sweeping

There will be no scheduled street sweeping or enforcement of street sweeping violations on Monday, Sept. 4. Street sweeping will resume its regular schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Parking Enforcement

Read your parking meter: Parking meters will be enforced on Monday, Sept. 4 unless the meter states “Exempt on Holidays”. The days and hours of enforcement are displayed inside the meters.

Refuse/Recycling

Trash and Recycling will be collected as scheduled on Monday, Sept. 4.

Towing and Lien Sales

The Towing Operations & Vehicle Storage Facility that is located at 3111 E. Willow Street between Temple Avenue and Redondo Avenue will be open for business as usual on Monday, Sept. 4. More information can be found online.

City Offices and Services

City of Long Beach offices and services will adhere to the following schedule on Monday, Sept. 4. City Hall re-opens on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Closed on Monday, Sept. 4

• Animal Care Services and spcaLA
• Career Transition Center
• Center for Working Families
• City Hall
• Citizen Police Complaint Commission
• Code Enforcement services
• El Dorado Nature Center
• Fire Headquarters, Support Services, Fire Prevention, & Operations, including Marine Safety Administration
• Gas Services [Emergencies: (562) 570-2140]
• Health Department and Health facilities
• Housing Authority
• Libraries
• Marina offices
• Neighborhood Resource Center
• Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Center
• Park offices and community park facilities
• Police administration
• Street Sweeping
• Summer Food Program
• Swimming pools
• Water Department (Emergencies: 562.570.2390)

Open on Monday, Sept. 4

• El Dorado Regional Park
• Fire Stations and Lifeguard Stations
• Main Police Station Front Desk
• Marina offices
• Refuse and Recycling Collection
• Towing and Lien Sales

1^st Employee Becomes GM

Courtyard Marriott Long Beach Airport announced the appointment of Kenya Bannister as general manager of the 159-room hotel. Bannister was the first employee on the hotel’s opening team in March 2013 and originally served as the hotel’s director of sales. In her new role as general manager, Bannister manages the hotel’s day-to-day operations and a team of 51 employees.

Bannister brings over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry to the Courtyard Marriott Long Beach Airport team and Kokua Hospitality, LLC, the hotel’s San Francisco-based independent management company.

She officially joined Kokua Hospitality in October 2015 when the company assumed management of the hotel and represents just one of many female leaders within Kokua’s executive team and portfolio of hotels. Prior to her tenure at the property, Bannister served in positions ranging from front desk clerk and to director of sales and marketing across various hotel brands.

Her time spent at hotels such as the Belamar Hotel Manhattan Beach, DoubleTree by Hilton LAX/El Segundo, and Residence Inn Orange armed Bannister with experience in diverse hotel sectors, including limited service, select service, full service and boutique hotels.

Bannister is a Long Beach, California native and studied communications at Long Beach City College. A role model for her team, Bannister holds the community close to her heart and regularly volunteers at the Long Beach Rescue Mission, WomenShelter of Long Beach, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She is an activist in the local tourism community and serves on the local convention and visitor’s bureau board of directors.

To learn more about the Courtyard Marriott Long Beach Airport or to make reservations, please visit CourtyardLB.com. More information on Kokua Hospitality and its portfolio of hotels can be found at www.kokuahospitality.com.