Community News

Candidate Workshop

The Long Beach City Clerk invites community members interested in running for local office to attend a candidate workshop on Monday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon. The workshop will be offered both in-person at Long Beach City Hall, 411 W. Ocean Blvd., and online via Zoom.

The workshop is open to anyone considering candidacy for the June 2 Primary Nominating Election, including the offices of mayor, city attorney, city auditor, city prosecutor and City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Workshop participants will receive an overview of the election process, including nomination and candidate statement guidelines, campaign regulations, campaign finance, ethics and local election laws.

The workshop also marks the opening of the nomination period, which begins on Feb. 9 and will remain open through 5 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Nomination packets will be available after the workshop for candidates ready to begin the filing process.

The candidate handbook will be available at the conclusion of the workshop and is also available online through the city clerk’s webpage.

The Office of the City Clerk is committed to ensuring fair, transparent and accessible elections. This workshop is designed to support prospective candidates and provide the tools and information needed to participate in the local democratic process.

Pre-registration is not required. If oral language interpretation for non-English speaking persons is desired or if a special accommodation is desired pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please make your request by phone to the Office of the City Clerk at (562) 570-6101 at least 72 business hours prior to the workshop.

Black History Month

The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) announces the return of For the Culture, a celebration honoring Black history, culture and creativity through a month-long series of free, community-centered events. In 2026, the celebration will highlight visual artists and their essential role in shaping cultural storytelling and creative expression.

The celebration will begin with a kickoff event presented in partnership with Forgotten Images and the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach. The free community event will take place from 6-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6 at the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach, 4321 Atlantic Ave. It will feature cultural programming and local vendors showcasing unique, artist-made goods, as well as spotlight creative expression through interactive art experiences.

“‘For the Culture’ reflects our commitment to creating spaces where community members of all ages and backgrounds feel seen, welcomed and inspired,” stated the Department of Library, Arts and Culture Director Cathy De Leon. “By centering Black artists, stories and lived experiences, we celebrate Black history not only as the past, but as a living, creative force that continues to shape our city.”

For the Culture is designed for families and community members of all ages to celebrate Black joy, identity, self-care and artistic expression. Throughout February, LBPL locations across the city will host additional Black History Month programs centered on visual arts and cultural storytelling. Activities will include hands-on workshops, interactive storytimes, trivia, bingo and more. All programs are free and require no registration. Full event details and updates are available on the Long Beach Public Library events calendar.

The month-long celebration will conclude with Jazz in the Library, a special after-hours event presented in partnership with Black Art Distrikt and the Radical Hood Library, taking place on Feb. 27, 2026, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Los Altos Neighborhood Library, 5614 Britton Dr. This intimate closing event will transform the library into a cultural lounge featuring live jazz and poetry for an evening of music, spoken word and reflection.

The Long Beach Public Library is committed to inclusive and impactful cultural programming through collaboration with local cultural leaders and Black-led organizations. Library staff worked closely with Forgotten Images, which led planning for the Feb. 6 event, while LBPL provided resources and support to ensure a meaningful experience for the community.

Black History Month programming at the Long Beach Public Library is made possible through the generous support of the Port of Long Beach and the Long Beach Public Library Foundation.

Cottonwood Honorees

Rancho Los Alamitos announced the honorees for its 2026 Cottonwood Award Luncheon: Mayor Rex Richardson, recipient of the Cottonwood Award, and Harry Saltzgaver, recipient of The Gerald Miller Award for Service. The Cottonwood Award Luncheon recognizes exemplary leadership and steadfast service that strengthen the cultural fabric of Southern California, championing preservation, arts and education, equitable access to cultural resources, and the vitality of civic life.

This year’s honorees reflect the breadth of that mission. As Long Beach’s 29th mayor, Rex Richardson has advanced initiatives that elevate neighborhoods, expand opportunity, and protect the city’s heritage, embodying the Cottonwood Award’s spirit of collaborative, community-centered leadership across the region.

A storyteller, trustee and civic stalwart, Harry Saltzgaver receives The Gerald Miller Award for Service in recognition of a decades-long record of service to Long Beach institutions – including Rancho Los Alamitos, mirroring the award’s namesake, founding board member Jerry Miller, whose legacy is defined by hands-on commitment, integrity and impact.

Together, Richardson and Saltzgaver exemplify the partnership between public service and community stewardship that sustains Rancho Los Alamitos’ work, preserving place, deepening understanding and inviting all people to see themselves in the stories of Southern California.

The Cottonwood Award Luncheon will be on May 21 at the Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch & Gardens.

For tables, tickets and sponsorships, contact Erin Wilson, (562) 431-3541 or erinw@rancholosalamitos.org.

Refurbishing Play Yard

Local Cadette Girl Scouts, Troop 403, are putting leadership and service into action through a heartwarming partnership with Seal Beach Animal Care Center (SBACC), working to refurbish the shelter’s aging outdoor play yard used by rescue dogs awaiting their forever homes. SBACC was founded in 1986 by a group of kind and concerned citizens who wanted a local no-kill shelter for dogs and cats. It is operated by over 150 volunteers and 20 staff and has saved more than 21,000 animals over the past 40 years.

During the past year Troop 403, consisting of 8th grade girls from various community middle schools, has planned and launched a hands-on community project to restore the space, which had become worn down from years of use. The Girl Scout Cadettes designed and repainted fencing structures, as well as repaired agility equipment to re-vitalize the enrichment zones designed to help the dogs exercise, socialize and de-stress.

Gwen Dang, a Cadette Girl Scout stated “This project helps create a difference by making the play yard more colorful and welcoming for potential adopters. We repainted and fixed the structures making everything new, fresh and beautiful. It allows the dogs to have a happy place where they can meet families and hopefully find forever homes.”

The effort also supports the troop’s pursuit of the Silver Award, the highest honor a Cadette Girl Scout can earn. To achieve it, Girl Scouts must identify a community need, create a sustainable plan and carry out a long-term solution. “Our troop took a leadership role by organizing and planning out this project. We researched how to do woodwork and paint all with weather resistant materials. We created a project plan that we reviewed and got approved by the Seal Beach Animal Care Center, and we even submitted a project proposal to Lowe’s Hardware to receive discounted materials for our project” said Evalynn Stubbs, one of the Girl Scouts.

The shelter Board of Directors expressed gratitude for the troop’s initiative, stating “The scope of your project – the proposal, the planning, the fundraising, the skill development, the teamwork, the physical labor and time commitment – was so impressive! We know this was a huge undertaking and the spirit you showed us throughout the process was an outstanding example of community service at its best.”

“This project is about more than fixing up a yard,” said one of the Cadette Girl Scouts Chloe Dang. “We, as Girl Scouts, are learning what it means to serve our community with compassion and purpose. We’re excited to know that our work will directly improve the lives of animals who need care and comfort.” With teamwork, creativity and a shared love for animals, the Cadette Scouts of Troop 403 are proving that even small acts of service can have an enormous impact.

If you’d like more information to make donations or adopt an animal, please contact the Seal Beach Animal Care Center at sbacc.org. SBACC is a California non-profit 501(c)3 Corporation.

Hearing Loss Meeting

Members and guests of the Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America will meet Thursday, Feb. 12, 4-5 p.m. at the Weingart Center, 5200 Oliva Ave., Lakewood. Bring your questions and issues for discussion to assist people with hearing loss.

 All meetings are captioned, free and open to the public and a friendly place to share questions, find solutions and learn about technology that makes living with hearing loss easier. For more information text (213) 705-3629.