Bits 'n' Pieces

2 Years Free College This Fall Plus CTE Programs

There is no better time to enroll at Long Beach City College. Long Beach City College will see two landmark changes this upcoming Fall Semester: tuition-free education for two years to all qualified Long Beach Unified School District students, and seven new and revised Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. Both will occur at the start of fall of 2019.

With the implementation of AB 19, California residents are now able to receive one year free at California community colleges if they enroll full-time. All LBUSD students who graduated in June 2019 are automatically eligible for the second year tuition-free if they attend LBCC’s Fall Semester which starts in August 2019. The LBCC Foundation provides the second tuition-free year.

The new and revised CTE programs are: Advanced Manufacturing Technology; Advanced Transportation Technology; Automotive Technology; Construction Technology; Electrical Technology; Engineering Technology; and Welding Technology. Many of these programs offer certificates that could be achieved within an academic year or less. Several of these programs also offer an associate degree.

LBCC’s Fall Semester courses taking place August 26 through Dec. 14, with short-term classes running in between.

In addition to the new and revised CTE programs, LBCC offers students affordable classes taught by experienced instructors that can be taken as transferrable units to a university or for personal enrichment. Performing Arts, Visual Media Arts, Culinary Arts, English, Science and Math are a small sample of classes with seats still available. Online classes are also available.

Members of the public who are not currently enrolled at LBCC can apply now online at www.LBCC.edu and click on “Get Started.” Payment is due at the time of registration.

Free Recreation Programs in LB Parks Started

With longer summer days and kids on school break, Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) offers ten weeks of free recreation programs planned for youth and families.

“Summer Fun Days” engages children ages five to 12 in supervised fun, including sports, games, arts and crafts and special events. This is a free drop-in program with no custodial child care. The program will run Monday through Friday, from June 17 to August 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Daily program schedules are available at http://bit.ly/summerfundays.

“Be S.A.F.E.” (Summer Activities in a Friendly Environment) is a program that supports neighborhoods by extending free supervision hours at designated parks during the evening and employing neighborhood youth. Be S.A.F.E. offers arts and crafts, outdoor games, sports, science activities, computer labs and more. By keeping selected parks activated in the evening hours, residents have many options for recreation and spending time together. The program will be offered Monday through Friday, from June 17 through August 23, 5-8 p.m.

Free Be S.A.F.E. movie showings also will take place at Long Beach parks this summer, made possible by sponsorship from the Port of Long Beach. Movies that will be screened include “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Mary Poppins Returns” and more. A complete listing is available at: http://bit.ly/BeSAFE2019.

In addition to the Be S.A.F.E. movie showings, Signal Hill Petroleum, in cooperation with Partners of Parks, will sponsor the popular “Movies in the Park.” The series attracts thousands of people every summer. This year’s season runs from June 17 through August 21, and movies begin at dusk. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, picnic style dinner, and family and friends. A list of this year’s movies is available at http://bit.ly/MoviesinthePark2019.

Library Launches Annual Summer Reading Program

The Long Beach Public Library will launch its annual citywide Summer Reading Program with a kickoff event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, at the Ruth Bach Neighborhood Library (4055 Bellflower Blvd.). This year’s theme is “It’s Showtime at Your Library,” which celebrates the whimsy, magic and excitement to be discovered by reading a book. The kickoff event will include games, prizes, special performances and an opportunity to register for the Summer Reading Program.

“The benefits of summer reading are clear. Young people experience learning losses when they don’t engage in educational activities during the summer. Our libraries are part of the solution,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “Students who participate in summer reading programs read more confidently and score higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those who don’t participate.”

The Summer Reading Program is for readers of all ages and takes place from June 15 to August 10, 2019. There are programs for readers of every age. Children are asked to read (or be read to) five days per week and complete two activities from their Summer Reading folder to earn a prize and the chance for a Grand Prize at the end of summer. Teens receive a list of performing arts-themed books along with materials to use to keep track of their reading. Reading three books earns them a prize and entry into a grand prize at the end of summer. Adults receive a “Summer Reading Program” with challenges on every page to read books about a specific performing art, along with a reading list. Reading three books earns them a prize and a chance to win a Grand Prize at the end of summer.

“To succeed in school and life, children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills,” said Glenda Williams, Director of Library Services. “Long Beach Public Library’s Summer Reading Program reminds everyone that reading is for fun, as well as for learning.”

Residents can visit any neighborhood Long Beach Public Library to register. Each library location hosts a series of special events. This year’s events include performances by Pacific Animal Productions, an interactive and educational animal show, and Nathalia, a family-friendly bilingual musical performer.

The annual Summer Reading Program is supported by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library Helen Fuller Cultural Carrousel. More information can be found at all neighborhood Long Beach Public Library locations, as well as the library’s website, www.lbpl.org.

Summer Food Program

For the 40th year in a row, the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) will offer the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for children and youth. SFSP continues the free lunch programs offered during the school year by Long Beach Unified School District.

PRM will coordinate the SFSP for children and youth, Monday through Friday, from June 17 through August 16. There will be no service on Thursday, July 4. Free meals will be available to all attending children and youth who are between one and 18 years old. Infant meals will not be served. A list of locations and hours where meals will be provided is on the PRM website.

The USDA began SFSP to fill the nutrition gap for children from low-income areas. When coupled with a physical and/or academic activity, serving sites also provide children with a safe and supervised learning environment.

Helping Children & Families in Grief

Adolescents’ grief is often overlooked and not dealt with. Parents don’t always listen to their children with an open mind, and schools have limited time. But this doesn’t mean no one cares – Pathways’ Changes program and volunteers can be the difference for grieving children and teens. Bereavement facilitators Clovia Hunt and Joseph Johnson help groups of children cope with death by creating supportive families.

The Pathways Changes program is a seven-week program with weekly meetings that last for an hour and a half. The program introduces seven topics that facilitate the grieving process. During those weeks, Clovia and Joseph, also known as Ms. Clovia and Mr. Jo, keep love and family at the forefront of it all.

Clovia and Joseph agree that it’s emotional hearing stories of death by suicide, gun violence and/or natural causes. The kids are able to express their grief at their own pace; they are never forced to talk about it but are always encouraged. “We just sit back, humble ourselves and allow for them to muster up the courage to talk and share with us – what it is that they feel compelled to share with their respective group,” says Joseph.

Clovia and Joseph use icebreakers to encourage the kids to open up. It could be a question, like “What is your favorite song?” or picking an item from a basket then explaining why it reminds them of their loved one who died. Clovia and Joseph agree that they receive knowledge and wisdom from the kids every time they meet with a group. “All children need love, says Clovia, “and someone who will listen to them free from judgment.”

If you would like to know more about the Pathways CHANGES program or how to become a bereavement volunteer, please contact Tammie Ottenad, program manager, at tammie@pathwayshospice.org or call Pathways at (562) 531-3031.

Guidry Named LGB Director

Long Beach City Manager Patrick H. West named Cynthia Guidry as the city’s director of the Long Beach Airport (LGB). Guidry brings 26 years of local government experience in various leadership positions including 14 years in airport management.

For the past five years, Guidry has served as the deputy executive director for the City of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the governing body for LAX and Van Nuys Airports. There, she oversaw more than 400 employees in the LAWA Planning and Development Group. She also has managed employees in the LAWA Planning, Environmental, Engineering and Facility Management Divisions. Previously, she held positions as chief of planning and civil engineer at LAWA and she began her engineering career in the Department of Public Works for City of Los Angeles.

Guidry has a background in civil engineering and project management. At LAWA, she led efforts developing new policy and procedures for LAWA’s Capital Improvement Program and managed multi-billion-dollar capital improvement projects. She also has been responsible for construction safety, logistics, inspections and Quality Assurance programs.

Guidry holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Irvine, and an MBA from Pepperdine University, and she is a licensed Professional Engineer.

Guidry is replacing Jess Romo, who retired in February 2019. Claudia Lewis, LGB’s manager of finance and administration, who had been interim director, will return to her role overseeing public affairs, government relations, finance, accounting, revenue development, audit, risk management and personnel/human resources for the airport.

Guidry’s appointment will be effective July 29.

New Bayshore Lifeguard Station Unveiled

The City of Long Beach celebrated the grand opening of the new Bayshore Lifeguard Station. Located at 5415 E. Ocean Blvd., is the first pre-fabricated lifeguard station in Long Beach, which provided a savings on both construction time and cost. The station will offer improved public safety to the Bayshore area and surrounding beach locations.

In addition to the Lifeguard Station, the Wibit aquatic playground has returned with three new extensions, including a climbing tower, a trampoline and a tilt and spinner.

Construction of the 524-square-foot, prefabricated building was a combined effort between the city’s Public Works Department, Exbon Development Inc. and the Public Restroom Company. The new building replaced a wooden structure that had extensive damage. The upgraded facility includes storage space, changing rooms and showers for safety personnel, along with an area to provide first aid to the public.

Oversight Committee Seeks New Member

The Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC), which oversees District bond projects, is seeking a new member to represent a Bona-Fide Taxpayers’ Association. Applications are being accepted now through July 8.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and reside within the LBCCD boundary, which includes the cities of Long Beach, Signal Hill, Lakewood and Avalon. Applicants also need to be current members of a Bona-Fide Taxpayers’ Association, which is any current and active organization that advocates for taxpayers. This would include any community or neighborhood association, business improvement district, city commission, or any other city-sponsored group that is active within the District boundaries.

The LBCCD Board of Trustees will be asked to approve the new member at its July meeting. The term of service for the new appointee is retroactive to July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021. The COC has two mandatory meetings each year and may schedule others as needed. The next COC meeting date is Monday, August 12, 2019.

The COC oversees both Measure E, a $440 million bond measure approved by the voters in 2008, and Measure LB, an $850 million bond measure approved by the voters in 2016. Funds are used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of LBCCD facilities, or the acquisition or lease of real property for use by the District.

Complete information about the bond measures, the COC, and the application form can be found online at https://www.lbcc.edu/citizens-oversight-committee. Community members can call (562) 938-4540 with questions, including inquiries if your group qualifies as a bona-fide taxpayers’ association.

3-Year Sentence for Hidden Restroom Camera

A man charged with invasion of privacy was sentenced to three  years in County Jail for secretly video recording others in the bathroom where he worked.

Roberto Rojas, 29, of Bell Gardens, was charged by the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office for hiding a video camera inside a cardboard box in the bathroom at the warehouse where he worked in Long Beach. Rojas secretly recorded his co-workers while they used the toilet and were in various states of undress.

The sentence was approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lori R. Behar, who called Rojas’ actions “really heinous.” In addition to three years in County Jail, Rojas was placed on five years of probation, and ordered to attend one year of sexual compulsion counseling, perform 240 hours of labor, forfeit the camera used to commit the crimes, stay at least 100 yards from each victim and the workplace, and to submit to searches by law enforcement. If he violates his probation he could be sentenced to an additional two years in County Jail.

The victims gave impact statements to the judge calling the crime “disturbing” and “deceptive.” One victim said, “I feel a tremendous sense of embarrassment and a sense of deception when I found out that a person who I believed to be a ‘friend’ was capable of installing a camera in the restrooms abusing our privacy.”

Homeless Population in LB Decreases

The 2019 Biennial Homeless Count (Count) findings reveal that Long Beach identified 1,894 people experiencing homelessness in 2019, compared with 1,863 in 2017 – a difference of 31 individuals. While this demonstrates a slight increase of two percent, it remains 40 percent below 2011 numbers.

The 2 percent increase in the total number of persons experiencing homelessness is attributed to those living on the streets, which are almost exclusively adults. Despite this small increase in the street count, there was an 8 percent reduction in chronically homeless persons – from 686 in 2017 to 632 in 2019. More than 2,150 people have been permanently housed since 2017.

Addressing the issue of homelessness continues to be a leading priority for the city. Long Beach has taken a multipronged approach, working across departments to provide wrap- around services for people experiencing homelessness as well as vulnerable populations. An Interdepartmental Team, which includes representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Police and Fire Departments, Public Works, the City Attorney’s office, the Library and Parks, Recreation and Marine, meets monthly to share knowledge and discuss the city’s integrated approach to homelessness. Long Beach is also one of only three cities in Los Angeles County to operate its own Continuum of Care, a local planning body funded by HUD that coordinates and funds housing and services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness.

On the ground, the Multi-Service Center is the central hub for serving people who are at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. It averages about 13,000 client visits every year. The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) has been helping people connect with services via the specially trained officers in its Quality of Life Unit since 2007, and in 2016, the Long Beach Fire Department’s Homeless Education and Response Team (HEART) was established to provide emergency medical services to people experiencing homelessness.

In January of 2019, the city announced that a new year-round shelter will be established in North Long Beach. The city has also worked with partners to build more affordable housing in Long Beach: The Spark at Midtown, featuring 95 units of affordable housing, broke ground on March 20, 2019; Vistas del Puerto, a 48-unit affordable housing development, broke ground on March 27, 2019; and Las Ventanas, which breaks ground on Thursday, June 6, will provide 102 affordable apartment units.

The 2019 Count reveals that 52 percent of people surveyed during the count reported being homeless for the first time, compared to 43 percent in 2017. In an effort to prevent future incidents of homelessness wherever possible, last year the city launched Everyone Home Long Beach, a highly coordinated, multi-organizational approach to ending homelessness.

Designed to build on the city’s comprehensive homeless assistance and affordable housing efforts already underway, Everyone Home Long Beach looks at innovative approaches to provide new pathways into homes and prevent residents from falling into homelessness. Everyone Home Long Beach is guided by a series of goals and recommendations brought forth in December 2018 by a task force of local leaders.