Bits 'n' Pieces

Daily Nonstop Service to Baltimore by Southwest

A new flight out of Long Beach Airport (LGB) offers daily nonstop service to Baltimore Washington International (BWI), marking a major milestone as Southwest Airlines expands its overnight flight offerings nationwide. The route, which is the air carrier’s first red eye offered at LGB, strengthens LGB’s connectivity to the Eastern U.S.

As of June 5, passengers can fly Southwest nonstop to Baltimore on a flight that departs at 8:45 p.m. and arrives the next day at BWI at 5 a.m. local time. The return flight departs BWI at 1:20 p.m. local time and arrives at LGB at 3:45 p.m. Passengers can book this exact itinerary until August 5, when Southwest plans to modify its departure and arrival times for the fall and winter seasons. The LGB-BWI flight is scheduled to switch to a seasonal service in 2026.

“We pride ourselves in offering the easiest and most convenient travel experience in the country,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. LGB provides service from Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines. LGB’s carriers offer nonstop flights to 22 airports nationwide, including Hawaii, with one-stop service to nearly 400 cities around the world.

Hospital Contributes to Landmark Leukemia Study

The Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital was involved in a pivotal Children’s Oncology Group study that has reshaped the standard of care for children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that adding blinatumomab (BLINCYTO) to chemotherapy significantly improves survival rates in children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Findings from the Children’s Oncology Group’s Phase III AALL1731 trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, reveal that children receiving blinatumomab with chemotherapy had a three-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of 96%, compared to 87.9% for those receiving chemotherapy alone. This marks a significant advancement in pediatric leukemia treatment, with a 61% reduction in the risk of relapse, secondary malignancy, or remission-related death.

The success of the AALL1731 has reshaped treatment protocols world-wide, offering families new hope for improved survival rates and quality of life.

As research continues to advance, the integration of targeted immunotherapies like blinatumomab is transforming pediatric leukemia care. It builds upon the progress of traditional chemotherapy to further enhance outcomes for young patients.

Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital remains dedicated to involvement in pediatric cancer research, actively contributing to studies that shape the future of treatment. As a proud member of the Children’s Oncology Group, the hospital is committed to improving survival rates and outcomes for children facing cancer.

City’s Civil Service Merges with Human Resources

The City of Long Beach announced the merger of the Civil Service Department with the Human Resources (HR) Department to form one unified hiring department following the voter approved passing of charter amendment Measure JB in November 2024. This merge, which officially went into effect on May 6, streamlines and modernizes the city’s hiring processes to create a more efficient, community-centered and responsible city government that is committed to merit-based hiring practices to attract, retain and develop high quality and diverse talent and in turn continue to improve the quality of public services to the community it serves.

The new singular and restructured HR Department will manage all employee recruitment and hiring processes, implement local preferences in the classified service and achieve a goal of hiring most positions within 90 business days. Additionally, as part of Measure JB, an independent Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission was established. This new commission, which will be in effect beginning July 1, will adjudicate classified employee disciplinary appeals and resolve complaints regarding the Civil Service rules. More information about this commission will be announced by the city at a later date.

“Long Beach is growing and evolving and our workforce systems need to keep pace,” said City Manager Tom Modica. “This merge is a forward-thinking approach to public service – one that is responsive, efficient and built to attract the best talent and continue meeting the needs of our community. By removing barriers and reducing bureaucracy, we are ensuring every employee – present and future – has the tools and support they need to thrive.”

As part of this merger, the city also established a new Talent Management Bureau within the HR Department to include both classified and unclassified positions and further streamline and strengthen its recruitment efforts. The majority of transferred employees and resources were strategically placed in the Talent Management Bureau to enhance collaboration and better serve departments’ hiring needs. All former Civil Service employees employed at the time of the merger remain employed in the city and were offered jobs either in Human Resources or other departments, as agreed to during the implementation plan.

The city employs over 6,100 full and part-time personnel in 23 departments and offices. The city’s Human Resources Department has made significant strides in modernizing and centralizing its processes by streamlining workflows and enhancing service delivery across the organization. These reform efforts have transformed how the department supports the city’s workforce by creating a more efficient and effective operational framework.

Port Awards $355,000 in Student Scholarships

The Port of Long Beach recently presented $355,000 in scholarships to 190 local high school and college students interested in studying and training in port-related fields including engineering, environmental science, maritime law and technical trades.

The scholarships were announced at the port’s annual Celebrating Education event, which brings together students, educators, policy makers and business leaders to highlight the Port’s education outreach programs and recognize the accomplishments of students involved.

“One reason I look forward to this event each year is it is a vibrant demonstration of what the Port of Long Beach is doing to develop the industry’s future workforce,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal. “Showing local young people the possibilities of working in international trade and supporting their education makes both our port and community stronger.”

“Trade is a pillar of economic vitality in our country and that’s even more true in Southern California,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “With 691,000 jobs here connected to the port’s operations, or 1 out of 17, it’s important to introduce young people and continuing students to careers in the maritime industry. We are committed to not only investing but expanding our educational outreach so the port and community continue to thrive.”

Since 1993 through this year, the port has awarded more than $2.2 million in scholarships to students pursuing careers in international trade and goods movement. This year’s scholarships went to students from local high schools, Long Beach City College, Cal State Long Beach and Orange Coast College.

In a continuing expansion of its support for education outreach and workforce development, the Port also announced new educational partnerships.

At the high school level, the port is starting its third high school pathway program in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, called the BEACH Pathway at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Launching this fall, the four-year program will welcome 125 students into a curriculum supporting the port’s zero emissions, Energy Resilient Operations, or ZEERO Program. Adopted in 2023, the ZEERO program seeks to advance efforts by the commercial maritime and goods movement industry to fight climate change.

For more information about the port’s education outreach programs, go to www.polb.com/education.

Long Beach to Stage 7 Events for Paralympics

Seven Paralympic sporting events are confirmed to take place in Long Beach for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games, according to the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28). The City of Long Beach, a 2028 Venue City, will also stage 11 sporting events for the 2028 Olympic Games.

LA28’s announcement includes confirmation of seven Paralympic sporting events to take place in Long Beach including:

• Para Climbing
• Para Swimming
• Shooting Para Sport
• Sitting Volleyball
• Blind Football
• Para Rowing
• Para Canoe-Sprint

The 2028 Games will mark the Paralympic debut of Para Climbing, set to take place in the Convention Center Lot alongside Para Swimming, which will be held at the adjacent temporary outdoor aquatics center. Both events are framed by Long Beach’s iconic shoreline, bringing energy and a striking natural backdrop to these action-packed competitions. Within the Convention Center, Shooting Para Sport will take place in a purpose-built, temporary indoor range where spectators can witness the ultimate test of accuracy and control. Adjacent to the Convention Center, the Long Beach Arena will stage Sitting Volleyball.

Just down the Long Beach coastline at Alamitos Beach, Blind Football will take place in the temporary arena where Olympic Beach Volleyball will be held, following the successful model of Olympic-Paralympic venue sharing from previous Games to maximize the use of the temporary arena. Also announced are Para Rowing and Para Canoe-Sprint events being held at Long Beach’s Marine Stadium.

Long Beach continues to lead the venue cities for the 2028 Games, staging the most sporting events outside of the host City of Los Angeles. The addition of these Paralympic sporting events, taking place at already established competition zones for the Olympic Games, is a testament to the city’s commitment and preparedness. Utilizing already established competition zones will not only enhance the overall experience for both athletes and spectators but will also keep additional expenses and impact lower while bringing in more visitors, economic activity and revenue to Long Beach.

With these additions, Long Beach is now confirmed to stage 18 sporting events across seven venues citywide for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Olympic sporting events already confirmed are:

• Beach Volleyball at Alamitos Beach
• Coastal Rowing along the Waterfront
• Sport Climbing at the Convention Center Lot
• Target Shooting at the Convention Center
• Handball at Long Beach’s Arena
• Canoe-Sprint at Marine Stadium
• Rowing at Marine Stadium
• Sailing in the waters along Belmont Shore
• Marathon Swimming along the Waterfront
• Artistic Swimming at the Convention Center
• Water Polo at the Convention Center Lot

Long Beach’s involvement in the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games will not only raise the city’s international profile as a world-renowned destination for business, tourism and special events, but it will also generate significant economic activity for the city and enhance the livability of Long Beach residents and visitors for generations to come. 

The city is committed to its involvement in and preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games as an official Venue City. In January 2025, the city unveiled its dedicated 2028 Games webpage and introduced its Strategic Roadmap that will serve as a blueprint for Long Beach’s planning and implementation of its roles and responsibilities for the LA28 Games.

More information about Long Beach’s commitment to the LA28 Games is available at longbeach.gov/2028Games.

2025 Youth Poet Laureate

Ezequiel Correa has been named the 2025 Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) of Long Beach, a prestigious recognition honoring his literary talent, community engagement and dedication to advancing equity through the arts. Correa was celebrated during a live ceremony held on May 17 at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, where four Poet Ambassadors were also selected: Adele Odetta, Maddox Harris, Eden Gonzalez and Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh.

Correa brings a legacy of leadership to the role, having worked alongside last year’s cohort of Poet Ambassadors to spearhead initiatives focused on strengthening Long Beach’s municipal arts capacity. Under the mentorship of poet Nancy Woo and in partnership with Long Beach Forward, a leading local social justice organization, Correa helped guide programming that centered equity, community empowerment and transformative change.

As Youth Poet Laureate, Correa will serve a one-year term and receive a $1,500 scholarship. He will represent Long Beach’s youth at public events, lead creative workshops and collaborate with city departments and cultural organizations to promote literary engagement and civic participation.

Joining Correa, 2025 Poet Ambassadors Adele Odetta, Maddox Harris, Eden Gonzalez and Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh will each receive a $500 scholarship and serve as cultural representatives and creative leaders as part of the YPL Cohort. Through spring 2026, the cohort will engage local youth in literary arts programming, receive ongoing mentorship and work together on community-centered projects. This initiative seeks to nurture meaningful relationships with organizations and individuals throughout the city, culminating in a citywide literary celebration.