Bits 'n' Pieces

Cashless Park Entry

The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is following the practice of the National Park System and moving to cashless park entry for El Dorado East Regional Park, El Dorado Nature Center and Belmont Plaza Pool. Cashless entry reduces transaction times at park entry stations, improves accountability and consistency and reduces chances of errors.

Effective immediately, entry booths at these locations will only accept cashless payment options including debit, credit, prepaid credit cards and smart pay. Park patrons who do not have access to cashless payment options may purchase day tickets at the El Dorado East Regional Park Office or El Dorado Nature Center Visitors Center located directly inside the parks’ entries.

Day tickets and annual passes must be displayed in all vehicles while visiting the parks. Patrons wishing to purchase annual passes may also do so at the park office locations.

Also now in effect, Belmont Pool patrons should expect to pay for swimming programs with a credit or debit card at the pool entry booth. The alternative cash payment option will still be available for those who need it at the pool office, located just behind the entry booth.

To increase the public’s awareness of this operational change, signage has been added to the facility entries and PRM staff have collaborated with their vendors and user groups to aide in the communication of this information through their networks.

The transition at El Dorado East Regional Park and Nature Center is the first step the city is taking to enhance park efficiency, accessibility and safety measures. The Department of Public Works is in the process of developing additional enhancements as part of the El Dorado Park Paving, Wayfinding and Parking Improvements project.

It will create a safer, more accessible and enjoyable experience for visitors by resurfacing roadways and parking lots, improved wayfinding signage and redesigned entry points and circulation improvements to help alleviate long vehicle queues and enhance traffic flow, particularly during peak visitation times.

Cashless parking is already being used at city beaches and other paid parking facilities and locations.

For more information about El Dorado East Regional Park and Nature Center, park patrons may call (562) 570-1745 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information about Belmont Plaza Pool, people may call (562) 570-1806.

City Prosecutor Names Impact Award Winners

The Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office announced the winners of its 11th Annual IMPACT Awards. “There is no way we could effectively serve the city without a team supporting us. These are people who go above and beyond, who help us make a positive difference in the community,” said City Prosecutor Doug Haubert. “Our city is better and our justice system is better because of them.”

The complete list of 2025 IMPACT awardees includes:

• Long Beach Police Department’s Sex Crimes Detail, including: Sgt. Ricardo Solorio and Detectives Darlene Wigmore, Elizabeth Barba, William Neal, Monica Moore and Reza Jahangiri, for their excellence and thoroughness in the investigation of sex offense cases.
• California Fish & Wildlife Warden Kyle Brandt, for protecting marine wildlife through the investigation of a notorious offender who was caught and prosecuted, resulting in a fine of $20,500 and confiscation of equipment.
• Nancy Toun, Long Beach Health Department’s Homeless Court Specialist, for her work with Homeless Court participants, courthouse outreach and her commitment to breaking down legal barriers for people experiencing homelessness.
• Alma Family Services, a nonprofit organization that provides intensive case management and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness as part of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program.
• Long Beach City Hall Security Team, including Martin Arroyo, Sedonia Davidson, Hector Moreno, Alex Rodriguez, Kimberly Krpan and Doric Butardo, for their dedicated and compassionate service to public.
• California State Senator Lena Gonzalez, for her community leadership, exemplified by her support for re-entry programming and inspiration to future Long Beach leaders.
• Long Beach Police Sergeant Benjamin Hearst and Detective Holden Deaton for their investigation and apprehension of a man who threatened to sexually assault a minor.
• Community members who assisted with the City Prosecutor’s Restorative Justice Panel “Pilot” Program, including Pastor Kyle Blake, Carolyn Bell, Carlos Colorado, Johnathan Coleman, Maleka Long, Michael Eames, Bridgette Hall, Maria Huerta, Maleka Lassiter, Jordynn Lassiter, Chris Tann, Leif Taylor, James Marks, Amy Love and Aneisa Bolton.
• Long Beach Police Department’s Domestic Violence Detail, including: Sgt. John Jacobs and Detectives Eduardo Saldana, Dean Pimentel, Arthur Vega, Rodolfo Rodriguez, Emily Garcia, Vincent Nguyenlieu and Michael Johnson and administrative staff Martin Murillo, for their continuous effort to support, protect and empower victims of domestic violence.
• There will be two awards with special significance presented in addition to the regular IMPACT Awards. The Kim Maddox Impact Award will be presented to Detective William Neal for his investigative work on sex crimes cases, including a high-profile sexual assault that occurred in Downtown Long Beach. The Christopher Zamora Impact Award will be presented to Rodolfo “Rudy” Rodriguez for his work as an expert witness and member of LBPD’s Domestic Violence Detail.

Each year, City Prosecutor Doug Haubert and his staff recognize individuals and groups who, working with the City Prosecutor’s Office, have made “a positive, significant impact in the City of Long Beach in the past year,” said Haubert.

This is the 11th year of IMPACT awards, which were presented at a private reception on Feb. 5. Additional information about IMPACT Awards can be found here: https://cityprosecutordoughaubert.com/past-impact-awards/.

Revised Money Orders

The U.S. Postal Service is introducing a new, redesigned money order. The new design will enhance already strong security features to further deter counterfeiting and other fraudulent activities. It will be released this month.

The current, or “legacy,” postal money order will be sold until stock is depleted. The newly designed money order features a new bank routing number and is red, white and blue in color. It will be phased into public circulation and will eventually be available at all Post Office locations. Both designs will continue to be accepted at postal retail units and financial institutions as trusted forms of payment.

Additional information is available on the Sending Money Orders page at www.usps.com.

Honor in Pediatric Infectious Disease Received

Tempe K. Chen, M.D., a distinguished pediatric infectious disease specialist from Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., has been recognized as a Fellow by both the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). Fellowship in IDSA and PIDS is one of the highest honors awarded in the field of infectious diseases, recognizing physicians and scientists from across the globe who have demonstrated professional excellence and contributed significantly to the profession.

“Advancing to Fellow of IDSA and PIDS is a tremendous honor and I’m humbled by the opportunity to join such incredible thought leaders and ‘giants’ in the field of infectious disease,” says Dr. Chen. “With this recognition, I will continue to highlight the importance of pediatric infectious disease specialty care and to do what is needed to keep our communities healthy and safe.”

Dr. Chen’s recognition reflects her impactful work and dedication to advancing infectious disease research, patient care and community health. As a new Fellow, she joins an elite group of only 27 professionals selected for the PIDS fellowship, as well as 128 distinguished experts recognized by IDSA in 2024 – a testament to her expertise and influence within the specialized field of infectious disease. In addition to her clinical expertise, Chen has made meaningful contributions to infectious disease education and advocacy, supporting Miller Children’s & Women’s mission to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to children and families.

“The 128 individuals chosen to receive the Fellow IDSA designation have demonstrated a commitment to advancing ID and we are proud to honor their work and dedication,” says Steven K. Schmitt, M.D., FIDSA, president of IDSA.

New Hub Features Racial, Health Equity Data

The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has launched a Racial and Health Equity Data Hub, which provides a holistic look at the health of Long Beach residents by race and ethnicity. The new interactive data hub will utilize health data and priority areas to address community challenges and advance health equity in Long Beach.

The Racial and Health Equity Data Hub provides tools for Long Beach community members to see how social determinants of health and health outcomes vary across Long Beach’s diverse population.

Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow and live that influence their health, functioning and quality of life. Examples of social determinants of health include safe neighborhoods, racism, education, housing and access to nutritious foods, among others. The goal of the new data hub is to advance equity by improving these conditions in communities throughout the city.

The hub presents an easy-to-understand look at data related to chronic diseases, communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and mental health in Long Beach as well as some of the social determinants of health such as safe spaces (public safety), economic equity and housing and homelessness.

The interactive site allows users to view indicators by race/ethnicity, gender, geography and year. The hub also centralizes other city dashboards that offer additional health-related data, including the Long Beach Recovery Act, Community Health Assessment, HIV Data, Homelessness and Community Crisis Response.

The hub will eventually incorporate data collected through the forthcoming Cambodian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Black and LGBTQIA2S+ Community Needs Assessment projects, which are currently underway.

“When we talk about improving the health of Long Beach residents, we need to look at the whole picture,” said Health and Human Services Director Alison King. “This new data hub allows us to analyze trends over time, which, in turn, helps inform policy so we can improve outcomes.