Bits 'n' Pieces

Major Economic Progress

Mayor Rex Richardson hosted the Grow Long Beach presentation where he highlighted the progress made over the past year for the Grow Long Beach initiative, the City of Long Beach’s plan to build a thriving and sustainable local economy by focusing on five key growth sectors, as well as a look toward the future as Long Beach continues to attract new investments and interest from business looking to grow.

Mayor Richardson noted that over the next two years, Long Beach can anticipate more than 1,000 new high paying engineering, tech and advanced manufacturing jobs, steadily growing the local industry workforce. Companies are also investing in Long Beach for the long term, selecting local sites for new headquarters and expansions for existing facilities.

The presentation also shared a major announcement from Ford Motor Company. Ranked No. 17 in the Fortune 500, Ford Motor Company is launching a new, 250,000-square-foot research and development facility in Long Beach that will focus on creating a cost-effective consumer electric vehicle for production.

As a boost to Long Beach’s growing music and special events scene, Mayor Richardson shared that the completion of the city’s first-ever outdoor amphitheater is anticipated for summer 2025. The amphitheater will hold upwards of 12,000 seats and attract major bands, artists and acts from around the world and thousands of visitors to the downtown waterfront.

The Grow Long Beach presentation also highlighted advancements in other industry sectors. The Port of Long Beach is seeing record levels of federal investments to support clean energy, including a $1.57 billion investment and adding 1,100 new union labor construction jobs. Additional updates on increases in the local affordable housing production; decrease in homelessness for the first time in seven years; ongoing investments in arts, culture and tourism; and the city’s role as the largest venue city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games were also shared.

The entire Grow Long Beach presentation will be available to view online at longbeach.gov.

Proposition 218 Hearing

The Long Beach Utilities Commission will host a Proposition 218 public hearing on Aug. 19. At this hearing, the board will receive all public testimony and any protests to the proposed 11 percent rate increase on water rates and a proposed eight percent increase on sewer rates. These rate increases were discussed by the Board of Utilities Commissioners at three public budget workshops held May 2, May 16, and June 6, and adopted June 6.

In November 1996, California voters approved Proposition 218 which includes a requirement for a public hearing prior to the adoption of proposed rate increases for water or sewer services. Pursuant to Proposition 218, Long Beach Utilities will be hosting a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, at the Long Beach Utilities Administration Building at 1800 East Wardlow Road.

All utility account owners and members of the public may attend the public hearing. At the close of the public hearing, the board may adopt new water and sewer rate increases, as proposed, if protests by a majority of water and sewer account holders are not formally submitted. The rates remain subject to a vote by the Long Beach City Council prior to implementation.

If approved by the City Council, the new water and sewer rates become effective on Oct. 1, 2024. The proposed rate increases amount to approximately $9 a month for the average Long Beach residential customer. Gas rates are not subject to Proposition 218.

Long Beach water and sewer account holders may submit a formal Proposition 218 protest via an email to commission@lbutilities.org or in writing by sending a written protest by mail to: Long Beach Board of Utilities Commissioners, Attn: Executive Assistant to the Board, 1800 E. Wardlow Road, Long Beach, CA 90807

All protests must be received by the close of the public hearing on Aug. 19. To request language interpretation at the public hearing, please email commission@lbutilities.org by Aug. 5.

For more information on Proposition 218, visit LBUtilities.org/budget.

SMMC Recognized

In celebration of National Pride Month, Dignity Health - St. Mary Medical Center announced it has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).

The HEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. The HEI evaluates and scores on detailed criteria falling under five central pillars: Non-discrimination and Staff Training; Patient Services and Support; Employee Benefits and Policies; Patient and Community Engagement, and Responsible Citizenship.

In the 2024 report, a record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, 384 received the top score of 100, earning the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation. LGBTQ+ patients have historically faced significant and long standing challenges to accessing the care they need, and St. Mary Medical Center is committed to providing welcoming, compassionate care for LGBTQ+ patients and their families. We have a legacy of responding with urgency to the AIDS epidemic, supporting LGBTQ+ causes, expanding services for these patients, and are deeply committed to equity and inclusion in order to provide everyone with a welcoming and safe environment to receive care.

As part of the HEI process, St. Mary Medical Center underwent a comprehensive review of LGBTQ+ care policies and practices within the organization. St. Mary Medical Center updated dozens of policies to support LGBTQ+ health care outcomes, expanded training for staff and clinicians, updated patient forms and IT processes to better capture preferred pronouns and solicit feedback from LGBTQ+ patients, and clarified wording in employee benefits to be explicitly inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees – to name just a few examples. For more information about our commitment to LGBTQ+ care, visit https://www.dignityhealth.org/socal/locations/stmarymedical/services/car...

Gymnastics Team Shines at Nat’l Championships

The Lakewood Family YMCA Gymnastics Team has once again demonstrated their prowess at the YMCA National Gymnastics Championships, clinching the Championship Team Title for the second consecutive year. The event held June 20-24, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, brought together over 2000 top gymnasts from YMCA teams nationwide, celebrating the pinnacle of YMCA gymnastics akin to the Olympics.

Coach Denise Porrazzo expressed her pride in the team’s achievements, emphasizing the values of teamwork and perseverance the YMCA gymnastics program instilled. “This event not only showcased their athletic abilities but also fosters camaraderie and personal growth through sports,” she remarked. “This year’s championship was a testament to the dedication and hard work of our gymnasts.”

Under the guidance of coaches George Cobb, Cherie Rydman, and Denise Porrazzo, the Lakewood gymnasts showcased exceptional talent and sportsmanship competing in juniors and seniors age divisions across vault, bars, beam, and floor events.

Six out of seven Lakewood athletes earned the esteemed title of YMCA All-Americans, receiving special jackets adorned with the prestigious designation, highlighting their dedication and skill:

• Francesca Acosta (Senior Division): 4th on Bars, 4th All-Around (3rd year All-American)
• Kailey (KC) Clark (Senior Division): 1st on Vault, Bars, and Floor, 2nd All-Around (3rd year All-American)
• Cienna Rydman (Junior Division): 5th on Vault, 6th Bars, 7th Beam, 5th Floor, 5th All-Around (2nd year All-American)
• Kaylee Rydman (Junior Division): 6th on Vault, 7th Bars, 4th Beam, 4th Floor, 4th All-Around (1st year All-American)
• Keira Sunahara (Senior Division): 4th on Beam
• Clara Waters (Junior Division): 4th on Bars, 2nd Beam, 3rd All-Around (2nd year All-American)
• A’layah White (Junior Division): 2nd on Vault, Bars, 6th Beam, 1st Floor, 2nd All-Around (2nd year All-American)

The team’s collective score of 111.40 secured their victory, outshining the second-place team from Toledo, Ohio, by a commanding nine points.

Long Beach Water Quality Report Available

The Long Beach Utilities Department released its annual drinking water quality report for testing performed in 2023. Long Beach Utilities is committed to providing customers with clean and safe drinking water that meets or exceeds all drinking water quality regulations, at the most reasonable cost.

The annual drinking water quality report, also known as the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), is a report mandated by the State of California via the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). SDWA is federal law requiring all public water systems to provide water quality information to every customer.

The purpose of the annual CCR is to inform Long Beach customers about the sources and quality of drinking water distributed within the Long Beach Utilities service area, and to outline the process by which water is delivered to every business and home.

Every day, Long Beach Utilities treats 32 million gallons of locally pumped water at the Long Beach Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP). The water is then blended with imported water obtained from Northern California and the Colorado River and distributed to 90,000 households and businesses throughout the city of Long Beach.

The GWTP hosts four laboratories to test water quality, each with a California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation as a Certified Water Quality Laboratory.

The 2023 CCR is now online and available in Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog at LBUtilities.org/waterquality. Customers preferring to receive a hard copy of the CCR, may contact the Long Beach Utilities Laboratory Services Officer at (562) 570-2479.

Historic Terminal Building Reopens at LGB

Long Beach Airport (LGB) will celebrate the reopening of its historic terminal building on July 27, which has been closed for more than a year for extensive renovations. The $17.8 million project, part of the $125 million Phase II – Terminal Area Improvements Program, includes a seismic retrofit and meticulous restoration of the building’s classic 1941 design elements.

The historic terminal building, designed by architects William Horace Austin and Kenneth Smith Wing, was originally scheduled to open on Dec. 8, 1941, however, the attack on Pearl Harbor the day before delayed those plans and the airport eventually formally opened on April 25, 1942. Now, as Long Beach Airport celebrates its 100th anniversary, the reopening of the historic landmark allows the community to celebrate in a way that was not possible in wartime.

LGB is hosting a public open house of the streamline moderne-style building from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees will be among the first to see the historic terminal’s return to its former glory while enjoying history tours, music, children’s activities, giveaways and light refreshments. Three hours of free parking is available in Parking Structure B.

Highlights of the project include: seismic retrofits; the restoration of the iconic west entrance, which has been closed for decades; new west bay windows; preservation of the building’s iconic wall clock and original signage; the uncovering of the full mosaic masterwork by artist Grace Clements; updated restrooms; modernized administrative offices; the conversion of the former ticketing area into space for rental car services; and other improvements.

LA Superior Court to Reduce Staff Positions

The court is launching a Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) for eligible court employees to voluntarily elect to leave court service to enable the court to reduce staff positions in response to significant state budget cuts that will result in an approximate $30.3 million reduction to the court’s operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner and Executive Officer/Clerk of Court David W. Slayton announced.

The FY 2024-25 state budget closed a $46.8 billion budget deficit by broadly reducing ongoing funding for state government operations, including the trial courts, by 7.95 percent. This reduction translated to a $97 million reduction to trial courts statewide. As the largest trial court in the state and the country, the court’s portion of that cut is approximately $30.3 million.

In addition, the court will sustain reductions of $3.9 million in state-funded programs such as the statewide Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act and pre-trial release programs.

Further complicating the court’s financial planning for future budget years is the Legislature’s rejection of Governor Newsom’s proposal to increase the trial court budget reserve cap from 3 percent to 5 percent. The practical effect of this rejection by the Legislature is far less money available to weather future budget cuts without more consequential impacts on staff and services.

Due to the court’s historically prudent financial planning, the court will narrowly avoid layoffs and furloughs in FY 2024-25. However, the court must implement cost saving measures in the current fiscal year to stabilize its budget heading into FY 2025-26, during which further cuts are likely.

In addition to the elimination of existing vacant positions, broad restrictions on non-critical expenses such as travel and certain training for judicial officers and court employees, and the delay or elimination of certain special projects, the VSIP will enable the court to further reduce ongoing operating expenses with salary savings.

While the court and its judicial officers and staff will strive to deliver the best services possible, court users should expect reduced or delayed service because of staffing reductions and other operational cuts. Longer lines at clerk’s office windows as well as delays in call center response time and legal document processing are anticipated.