Fear, Feds and Flying

ICE Activity

On Jan. 25, 2025, the Long Beach City Council passed the Values Act that “affirms that immigration enforcement is not a responsibility of the city. As a matter of policy, the city does not use its resources to enforce federal immigration law but remains fully compliant with all applicable federal laws and does not interfere with lawful federal enforcement activities.”

Signs of local immigration enforcement began on about June 2, when ten Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol vehicles were seen at the Marriott Residence Inn leaving to Terminal Island before conducting area raids.

On June 25, during a protest against ICE, public school teacher and Long Beach resident Carmen Valdes, 66, was arrested outside the Lakewood Boulevard Holiday Inn.

On July 7, armed Border Patrol agent, Isaiah Hodgson, 29, approached a woman in the women’s room at the Yard House on Shoreline Village. Police found him intoxicated “and unwilling to cooperate with their commands as they tried to detain him.” An officer was injured as police subdued him with a stun gun. He was booked and released on the condition of not carrying a firearm, which had been issued by his employer. On Aug. 22, Hodgson died from “cocaine toxicity” in his family’s Hemet home. His passing was not noted in the DHS website, “Honoring Our Fallen ICE Officers 1915-2025.”

On Aug. 17, ICE raided two car washes, detaining nine people; on September 1, agents raided another car wash, taking two workers; on Sept. 13 seven people were detained.

On Nov. 20, ICE arrested three people at Cherry Donuts on Cherry Avenue near 15th Street. Then at Polly’s Pies on Atlantic Avenue in Bixby Knolls, agents tackled a gardener in the waiting area in front of two Long Beach police officers. In a police statement, officers “quickly realized it was an immigration enforcement activity and did not intervene or engage in the activity.”

Port of Long Beach

On March 4, President Trump’s 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico kicked in, with a limit of 10% on Canadian energy; he also doubled the tariff on all Chinese imports to 20%.

On Sept. 9, 75 40,000-pound shipping containers marked “The Factor” dumped into the drink at the Port of Long Beach. A week in, container recovery continued.

On Nov. 12, the trade source, Supply Chain Dive, reported “Cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach have remained robust in 2025, despite tariff uncertainty, although the outlook is muted for the remainder of the year, port executives said during a Friday media briefing.”

Notables

On June 24, one-time Long Beach mayor, Congressman Robert Garcia, became the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. In that role, Garcia has weighed in on MSNBC and CNN against the administration on a variety of issues including the successful expulsion of Congressman George Santos, release of the Epstein files and introducing “The Stop Ballroom Bribery Act.” Garcia has deemed the Trump administration to be the “most corrupt in history.” In contrast, Garcia’s predecessor Alan Lowenthal kept a low media profile, concentrating on port issues during his four terms. With new gerrymandering, Garcia in 2026 will run in a district that includes the more conservative Huntington Beach.

On Aug. 12, securities and maritime lawyer Samuel “Skip” Keesal, Jr. who founded the city’s foremost law firm Keesal, Young & Logan died of cancer at age 86 at his Rolling Hills home.

On Aug. 30, Belmont Shore resident, Sylvia Nuchow Manheim, OLLI supporter and social and political advocate and mother of actress Camryn Manheim died two days after her 100th birthday at Skamania, WA.

On Nov. 20, one-time LAPD Deputy Chief and outspoken Beachcomber columnist Stephen Downing passed away at age 87. Most recently, Downing was a critic of ICE detentions in Long Beach and a recent spate of crimes in Belmont Shore, where he resided.

On Nov. 30, one-time Edison Company executive and two-term Long Beach Mayor Robert “Bob” Foster died following an accidental fall at his La Quinta home. He was 78.

Accidents

On Oct. 21 at Heartwell Park, 42-year-old Tiffany Harrison, while walking a dog was struck and was badly injured by an “experimental” two-seater aircraft either crashing or making an emergency landing, or both. The still unidentified pilot of the Rutan VariEze homebuilt aircraft in his 60s from Palos Verdes told NTSB investigators that the flight was uneventful, but he later realized the fuel flow was dropping, although the plane’s engine was continuing to run smoothly.

On Nov. 2, Grace Edwards, 19, of Long Beach was run over by a driver in the parking lot at 2200 block of Bellflower Blvd. Responding to the screams, proprietors of several businesses in the mall told customers to not go outside, fearing additional untoward activity, or the case of a small child, to not view the aftermath. On Nov. 6, Grace died from her injuries in a hospital.

Belmont Shore Crime

On Saturday, Oct. 25, two separate barroom shootings occurred within roughly an hour, the second, a hit shooting near La Verne Avenue near Second Street in Belmont Shore. Jeremy Anthony Spears, 32, of Long Beach was pronounced dead at the scene. Homicide detectives made two arrests for the city’s third murder of the month.

On Dec. 4, the U.K. Daily Mail led with the headline, “Once-gorgeous coastal enclave becomes hellhole known for murder and mayhem. A once-stunning California neighborhood has turned from an oasis to a cesspool filled with murder, homelessness and overall chaos, according to locals.” Mentioned was a Nov. 11 City Council meeting that passed on a midnight closing for the four bars on the shore, in favor of a 30-day midnight cooling off period. At the end of that period, Shannon’s and Panama Joe’s sent out fliers celebrating the end of the midnight curfew, business as usual.

Business News

On Nov. 11, the 61-year-old Golden Sails Hotel on PCH permanently ceased operations “as a result of building and infrastructure issues that made the property unsafe.”

On Nov. 13, the popular Sonoran-style Mexican food outlet Casa Sanchez on Anaheim Street suffered significant fire damage, which forced its closure. It will re-open following repairs..

On Dec. 7, Howard’s closed all locations including the store on PCH and took down its website. On April 7, Howard’s new owner, S5 Equity said, “Howard’s Appliances is a strong, well-established brand with a deep connection to its customers and business partners. We are confident in Howard’s potential.” Until they weren’t.

Municipal Actions

On Nov. 25, the Long Beach City Council introduced “donut control,” making it illegal to encourage or advertise street takeovers, naming them an outstanding danger to the public and a nuisance to neighborhoods. Promoting illegal car sideshows and street races in Long Beach, be it through social media, print, or group chats, could cost up to $1,000 and six months in jail.

A Dec. 1 homeless encampment clearing along the Los Angeles River near Artesia Boulevard crossing of the 91 and 710 freeways forced about 25 people and eight pets out to rooms at the city’s Project Homekey site, the former Luxury Inn in North Long Beach. The cleanup collected 150 tons of rubbish. tents, lean-to’s and makeshift homes.

The City of Long Beach counted 3,376 people experiencing homelessness in the city in 2024, a 2.1% decrease from 2023. As of Jan. 23, 2025. 3,595 unhoused people occupied the streets of Long Beach, 219 more, a 6.5%, increase.