Bits 'n' Pieces

Excellence in Cyber Defense Education at LBCC

Long Beach City College has been named a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency (NSA). LBCC is the third California Community College to receive this designation.

The NSA reviewed LBCC’s cyber security program last spring and determined the college is providing rigorous instruction with the most current cyber security industry trends to students.

LBCC faculty and staff worked diligently over the past six years to build the program. It is one of the most robust cyber security programs in Southern California. Students can learn how to protect desktop computers and networks, configure Windows and Linux servers, and learn about cyber forensics and ethical hacking. Upon completion, students would be eligible for entry level jobs in the IT and cyber security industries.

LBCC offers an Associate of Science in Computer Security and Networking, and a Certificate of Achievement in Computer Security and Networking. Once LBCC students graduate with an associate degree or the Certificate of Achievement, they will receive an additional certificate from the NSA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that indicates graduation from a CAE two-year program, which is required for many new cyber security positions within the government.

For more information on LBCC’s cyber security program, please contact Professor Garrett Whelan at gwhelan@lbcc.edu or (562) 938-3244.

Spring Semester registration for LBCC classes in cyber security, and a variety of other subjects, will begin on Dec. 13, 2018 with classes starting Feb. 6, 2019.

City Donates Recycled Bicycles to Non-Profits

The City of Long Beach, in partnership with the Pedal Movement, donated 62 refurbished bicycles to three local nonprofit groups, LINC Housing, Long Beach Blast and Partners of Parks. The non-profits will further distribute the refurbished bicycles to under served youth and families across Long Beach to encourage healthy recreation, improve mobility and promote reuse and recycling.

In May of this year, the city’s Department of Public Works hosted its second annual Recycle Your Bicycle event. Residents were asked to participate in Long Beach Bike Month by donating unwanted bicycles at any one of five drop-off locations throughout the city: Admiral Kidd Park, Bikestation, El Dorado Park West, Houghton Park and Whaley Park. A total of 98 bicycles were collected. Pedal Movement refurbished the salvageable bicycles for donation to selected non profits and those unfit for reuse were recycled.

“We added 23.5 miles of bicycle lanes last year and intend to add even more in the coming years,” said Craig Beck, director of public works. “Public Works is always looking for ways to encourage mobility in Long Beach and inspire residents to take advantage of the city’s first-class bicycle infrastructure.”

This effort promotes reuse and recycling and continues to encourage bike-friendliness in Long Beach. The public can view the Facebook Live of today’s distribution at http://bit.ly/2RQMoX2.

City Recently Launched The WorkPlace

The City of Long Beach Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network kicked off a new America’s Job Center of California location, Long Beach/Signal Hill WorkPlace, also known in short as The WorkPlace. The launch took place last week at the culmination of a process that began three years ago.

The WorkPlace, located at 4811 Airport Plaza Dr. Ste. 120, Long Beach, provides resources to help job seekers connect to free services and consultation to gain employment. The center is staffed by professionals from both Pacific Gateway and the State’s Employment Development Department (EDD). Main highlights of the space include: a resume bar where customers receive help improving their resumes, a learning lab equipped with computers and technology for job searching, huddle rooms where staff members offer professional advice for success and the inspiration theater where uplifting documentaries and videos are continuously screened.

“We landed in a wonderful space,” said Nick Schultz, Pacific Gateway Executive Director. “We had an opportunity to design a space that is uniquely inspired by the direct commentary and needs of the folks we serve.”

Products and services that The WorkPlace provides consist of:

• Career Development.
• Job Search Assistance.
• Training Scholarships.
• Workshops.
• Job Fairs and Recruitments.
• Online Resources.

Funding for The WorkPlace was provided by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as well as other general funds.

The Streets Joins ‘Shop Small’ Campaign

Holiday shoppers are encouraged to “Shop Small” in Downtown Long Beach over the Thanksgiving weekend. Falling in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, The Streets joins Downtown Long Beach Alliance, DLBA, to promote small businesses with their “Shop Small” campaign on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 2-6 p.m.

Downtown Long Beach’s “Shop Small” Saturday will feature activities to kick off the holiday season right. The Loop at the corner of Ocean Blvd. and Pine Ave., will be activated and transformed into “Loopville.” There will be a variety of happenings including a photo opportunity with The Grinch, entertainment, crafts and themed holiday food and drinks.

Guests can pick up a map and catch the free trolleys, which will stop at various locations in Downtown to shop and dine. There will be a Trolley Stop at The Streets on Pine Avenue between 4th Street and 5th Street along with live music in front of Newbury Lofts.

The Small Business Saturday campaign is a national promotion backed by American Express and allows small businesses the opportunity to participate in the Thanksgiving Shopping weekend, which is one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. The DLBA “Shop Small” promotion leverages that campaign and highlights small businesses at The Streets and in the Downtown in a big way.

Located in the heart of Downtown, The Streets is centered in between Third Street, Sixth Street, Pine Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. For a complete list of the 40 retail, specialty, entertainment and restaurants, please visit http://www.facebook.com/thestreetsdtlb.com.

Long Beach Airport Offers Tips for Holiday Travelers

Long Beach Airport (LGB) is prepared to make the holiday travel season as smooth as possible for travelers, from parking to the gate. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Travelers flying through LGB this week will experience higher than normal passenger traffic as the airport prepares for 44,000 travelers beginning Wednesday and continuing through Sunday.

All passengers are encouraged to arrive at least 90 minutes to two hours before their scheduled departure. Travelers are also urged to check their airline’s baggage rules and to verify flight schedules in advance. The free LGB Airport app is available for Android and Apple devices and provides information on arrivals, departures, parking, shopping, dining and more.

Service dogs and pets are also welcome at Long Beach Airport, with relief areas available to the north and south of the terminal. Travelers are encouraged to check their airline’s policies for traveling with animals in advance.

Tips for smooth travels through LGB this holiday season include:

• Arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes to two hours before departure time to ensure adequate time to get through security.
• Check airline’s baggage rules ahead of time and verify flight schedules.
• Enjoy local restaurants including Boathouse on the Bay, George’s Greek Café, Polly’s Coffee, Sweet Jill’s Bakery and Taco Beach Cantina.
• Keep an eye out for STARS or Simple Therapy and Real Smiles certified therapy dogs that are roaming the concourse for travelers to pet, hug and relax with before takeoff.
• Drivers picking up passengers are suggested to wait at the free Cell Phone Waiting Lot, located at 3401 N. Lakewood Blvd.
• Use the center median located in front of the terminal to access rideshare services such as Lyft, MVN 2, Opoli, Uber and Wingz.
• Self-parking is available in Structure A and B. The hourly rate at all structures is $2 an hour with a maximum of $19 in A and $17 in B.
• Valet parking is available at $24 a day with a complimentary car wash.
• Electric vehicle charging in Structures A and B is available at a rate of $2 an hour.
• Travelers can download the free LGB Airport app, which provides information on arrivals, departures, parking, and shopping.

There are rules and exceptions for traveling with children. Please visit https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children for more information.

The holiday season is a merry one at LGB, with an assortment of decorations and lights throughout the airport to delight visitors, including a Christmas tree, Hanukkah menorah, and Kwanzaa table that will be on display beginning the week of Nov. 26. Travelers are welcome to take photos and share on social media using the hashtag #MerryLGB.

Medical Center Adds Surgical System

MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center is the first health care organization to provide the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in Long Beach. The system can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multi-quadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.

The Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at Long Beach Medical Center has a comprehensive, and highly skilled team of surgeons, nurses and technicians who specialize in minimally invasive surgery, including robotic-assisted surgery. The care team collaborates with the patient to determine the right surgical option for their specific condition. Minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery helps gets patients back to their normal activities faster than traditional, open surgery.

The da Vinci Xi System expands upon core da Vinci System features, including wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion and an ergonomic design. As with all da Vinci Surgical Systems, the surgeon is 100 percent in control of the robotic-assisted da Vinci System, which translates his/her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. The Xi System’s immersive 3D-HD vision system provides surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

Key Features Include:

• A new overhead instrument arm architecture designed to facilitate anatomical access from virtually any position.
• A new endoscope digital architecture that creates a simpler, more compact design with improved vision definition and clarity.
• An ability to attach the endoscope to any arm, providing flexibility for visualizing the surgical site.
• Smaller, thinner arms with newly designed joints that offer a greater range of motion than ever before.
• Longer instrument shafts designed to give surgeons greater operative reach.

The da Vinci Xi System is an expandable technology platform that is designed to accommodate and seamlessly integrate a range of current technologies, as well as future innovations, in areas such as imaging, advanced instruments and anatomical access.

Cannabis Education Program Awarded Grant

For the second year, the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services’ cannabis education program, GreenlightLB, was awarded a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). The $239,000 grant will fund activities designed to reduce drug-impaired driving and traffic related injuries and deaths.

Grant funded activities will include: an awareness campaign, education and intervention around bars, clubs and dispensaries; working with schools on educating college-age students on the consequences of driving while impaired; further promoting substance-impaired driving information and awareness campaign through print and digital media; and developing a train-the-trainer toolkit for community and student leaders.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) “2013-14 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers,” the number of drivers testing positive for cannabis and/or other drugs increased compared to survey data in 2007. The Survey concluded that “one in four drivers tested positive for at least one drug that could potentially affect safe driving skills.” A California study of active drivers showed of the 30 percent of people involved in fatal crashes, 14 percent tested positive for drugs that may impair driving. The most prevalent drug was cannabis, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol (7.3 percent).

GreenlightLB serves those who live, work and play in Long Beach as an unbiased and trusted resource for health and safety information related to cannabis and by ensuring that everyone can make informed decisions about cannabis use.

Little Fish Theatre Announces 2019 Season

Little Fish Theatre has announced nine fully staged productions and four special events, which will comprise the San Pedro artists ensemble’s exceptional 2019 Season.

Pick of the Vine – After months of searching, reading and voting on over eight hundred plays submitted from around the world, the enormously popular short play festival returns for its seventeenth year, running Jan. 9 through Feb. 3

Loves Me/Loves Me Not – A special Valentine’s Day treat of short play readings centered around love, running Feb. 14 and 15 (special event)

The Cemetery Club by Ivan Menchell – A delightfully funny comedy about three Jewish widows who meet routinely over tea to commiserate about their late husbands’ attributes and shortcomings, running Feb. 21 through March 17

The Country House by Donald Margulies – Gathering in their Berkshire home during the Williamstown summer theater season, a family of actors wrestles with fame, art and as always, each other, running April 4 through April 28

Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov – Actress Reneé O’Connor (Xena: Warrior Princess) stars in a reading of a story of thwarted passion and enduring hope, running April 27 (special event)

Dead Accounts by Theresa Rebeck – This comedy tackles the timely issues of corporate greed, small-town values and whether or not your family will always welcome you back, with no questions asked, running May 16 through June 9

Cabaret Night – LFT Company Members sing and act their favorite musical theatre songs in a variety show that is sure to delight, June 2 (special event)

The Nerd by Larry Shue – When Willum’s lifesaver Rick comes to visit, everything that can go wrong does and when he realizes that Rick will overstay his welcome, Willum puts together a plan to rid himself of the wacky GI, running July 3 through July 28

The Lonesome West by Martin McDonagh – Journey to the west of Ireland where McDonagh’s vision of small-town despair, restlessness and plain old boredom inspire behavior of the homicidal sort, running Aug. 22 through Sept. 15

Operation Ajax by Matthew Spangler – Los Angeles Premiere. Actor Farshad Farahat (Argo, 300, House of Cards) stars in the story of the 1953 CIA covert operation to overthrow the Prime Minister of Iran, running Oct. 3 through Oct. 27

Chills & Thrills – A handpicked selection of creepy, weird and freaky short plays that scream Halloween, running Oct. 30 through Nov. 3

Embridge by Kathryn Farren – World Premiere. In Victorian-era England, love cynic Mabel moves to a country estate with her eccentric family and meddling servants, but her doubts about love become tested when a charming man offers to help save her sister from a disastrous arranged marriage, running Nov. 21 through Dec. 15

This unique and unprecedented season is filled with celebrated actor appearances, audience-favorite short play performances, established playwright productions and one world premiere written by LFT company member Kathryn Farren. Playwrights such as Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, Edgar award winner Theresa Rebeck, Obie award winner Larry Shue and Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Martin McDonough will have their work brought to life on Little Fish Theatre’s intimate stage in San Pedro’s Arts District.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.littlefishtheatre.org, by phone at 310-512-6030 or by text 424-226-6030. Popular subscription packages of Anytime Tickets are available now and can be used at any of Little Fish Theatre’s regular season productions, at any time.