Community News

Ballot Pros and Cons

The League of Women Voters of Long Beach Area invites the community to learn about the pros and cons Nov. 3 election ballot measures in order to make an educated decision when voting. The Zoom Virtual Event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Register in advance for this meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuceyupz4vHt2J2HlZiAy0VD_KyIN.... After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

More information available at www.lwvlongbeach.org.

Parade Cancelled

The Belmont Shore Business Association (BSBA) has announced the cancellation of their Christmas Parade on Dec. 5. Already cancelled this year were Stroll and Savor and the annual car show. Also cancelled are the Oct. 17 Art Walk & Chalk Contest and the Oct. 31 Trick or Treat on 2nd St.

BSBA’s announcement states “All this will not stop us from giving you an experience when you come to Belmont Shore. Some of us may not all be able to open at this time or some only partially, but we are here. Our outdoor seating and parklets will be serving up until the end of 2020.

“Small Business Saturday is on Nov. 28th. Another great day to support small business. 2nd Street will be alive with holiday decorations and lights. You will see more giveaways and promotions from our merchants. No matter what occasion and holiday you are celebrating, we in Belmont Shore will be waiting and working for you.”

Take-Out Tuesday

Join the members of St. Bartholomew’s Church for Take Out Tuesday at Naples Rib Company on Oct. 6. Proceeds go to local charities supported by the Women’s Council of St. Bartholomew. Take-out available from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 5800 E. 2nd St. in Naples. Call orders to (562) 439 7427 and mention that you support St. Bartholomew.

Nourishing Neighbors

Food Finders has been selected as a charity partner for Albertsons, Pavilions and Vons to receive donations from its annual Nourishing Neighbors campaign to ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast. All donations made at select local Albertsons, Pavilions and Vons stores will be used to support feeding people in need, particularly children, in conjunction with the nonprofit’s ongoing Food Rescue Program.

Nourishing Neighbors, a charitable program of the Albertsons, Pavilions and Vons Foundation, is working to eradicate childhood hunger in America. With one in seven children in America not knowing where their next meal will come from, the funds raised in September will be dedicated to local efforts that ensure every child has access to a healthy breakfast.

Anyone wishing to support Food Finders through this program can simply go to the Albertsons in Wrigley Marketplace, Pavilions on Spring Street or the Vons on East Broadway in Long Beach and make a donation to the Nourishing Neighbors program at checkout Sept. 1-30.

Children’s Choir Resumes

Founded in Long Beach in 1987, the International Peace Choir’s mission is to promote world peace with the theme song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin with Me.” Each 5 through 17-year-old child represents the country of his or her own ethnic, cultural or national background.

Their costumes introduce audiences to the dress and cultures of distant lands. Through song and dance, the children share the message of peace, music and cultural diversity both locally and beyond.

New members are welcome who love to sing and dance. For more information visit www.internationalpeacechoir.com. Rehearsals will resume the first Monday of October, observing all COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing measures.

Nature Center Camp

Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is offering an after-school camp program, called Nature Detectives, at El Dorado Nature Center (7550 E. Spring St.) beginning in October. The program, for children ages 5 to 10, will adhere to lower staff-to-camper ratios and other enhanced safety protocols.

Designed to ignite an interest in nature through hands-on activities, Nature Detectives will follow a curriculum that corresponds to grade-level content standards for elementary-aged students. Through observational skills and guided research, campers will make new discoveries while exploring the trails to answer some of nature’s most curious questions. 

The four-week camps cost $80 per participant and begin the week of Oct. 6. Starting Sept. 22, people were able to register for the camps online or in person from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the El Dorado Nature Center. Registration will continue until camps fill or Oct. 6, whichever comes first. Enrollment must correspond with the participant’s current grade level, and their birthday must be before Sept. 2, 2015.

All sessions will take place at El Dorado Nature Center from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For additional information about Nature Detectives and other after school programs, residents may call (562) 570-3150 or visit longbeach.gov/park/.

LBCC Spring Instruction to Remain Mostly Online

Long Beach City College officials have announced that Spring 2021 semester classes will be conducted mostly online. Spring semester will take place Feb. 8 – June 9, 2021.

The college has kept both campuses closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, holding the remainder of spring, summer intersession and the current Fall 2020 semester primarily online.

Selected essential laboratory classes for fall are currently being held on campus under strict social distance and safety guidelines. It is expected that the Spring 2021 semester, Feb. 8 – June 9, 2021, will be the same with some labs in-person, but a full class schedule of online offerings.

The spring class schedule is scheduled to be released Sept. 28 and open registration will begin Nov. 16, after currently enrolled students register. Details on class offerings and registration will be available on the college’s website at www.LBCC.edu.

Plans for the 2021 Commencement Ceremony will be announced during the Spring 2021 semester.

Hispanic Heritage Month

The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) will host a variety of virtual events between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 as part of Hispanic Heritage month. The LBPL event series, called ‘Vida Latina,’ is now in its second year. This year’s series will stream every Tuesday and Saturday on the library’s Facebook page.

The virtual events will cover an array of topics, including Latinx folk art, food demonstrations featuring cookbooks from the library’s collection, bilingual story time for toddlers and preschoolers, family crafts, a storytelling workshop for teens and retellings of popular myths and

To see the full schedule of programs celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, visit lbpl.org or call the library on Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (562) 570-7500.

African American Scholar Program

The Aquarium of the Pacific is now accepting applications for a new scholarship program that will award $50,000 each year to support African American students who demonstrate a commitment to studies related to careers in the aquarium field. Participants will pursue studies in the areas of ocean education, animal husbandry, water quality, building maintenance or facilities, microbiology and business management.

Through this program, the aquarium hopes to bring meaningful opportunities in the marine sciences to African American students and to bring diverse minds to the domain of solving the issues facing our planet.

The scholarship is available to residents of California with African American heritage of any age as long as they provide proof of acceptance or enrollment in an accredited university, community college or trade school with field of study related to aquarium fields listed above.

Award recipients will be selected by a committee of Aquarium staff members and members of the community. Recipients will be notified by December 31, 2020.

Applicants must submit the application and required materials no later than midnight on Oct. 15, 2020. Applications may be submitted online at pacific.to/africanamericanscholar or received via mail by the deadline at African American Scholar Program, Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.

This scholarship is funded through donor support. Those interested in supporting this program can make a donation online or contact the aquarium development department by calling Ryan Ashton at (562) 951-1701 or sending an email to rashton@lbaop.org.