Friends of Belmont Shore
March 2018 Newsletter
April 5 meeting time is 6:30 pm

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RENT CONTROL?

Don’t miss our April 5 meeting

Dear Neighbors:

RENT CONTROL is a hot topic in Long Beach. A group in favor of rent control is circulating petitions to have a rent control ordinance enacted in Long Beach. Howard Homan, one of our board members, has put together a wonderful program for our April 5 meeting. We will hear the pros and cons and there will be time for questions. Don’t miss the meeting and remember we begin at 6:30 pm.

Our March 1 meeting was a huge success. Councilwoman Suzie Price did an excellent job of covering numerous issues and took a number of questions. I think we all felt better informed after her presentation.

Following our April meeting we have two other great programs planned:

May 3 – City Auditor Laura Doud

June 7 – City Prosecutor Doug Haubert on the new District (Belmont Shore) Prosecutor

If you are not a member you can join by going to our website: http://www.shorefriends.org and click on JOIN. Dues are $15 a year. Friends of Belmont Shore is a membership organization dedicated to the quality of life in our unique beachside community.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening, April 5, at 6:30 pm at St. Bartholomew’s Church Hall, 5100 East Broadway at Granada Avenue.

Cordially,

Dick Gaylord
President
Friends of Belmont Shore

Mark Your Calendar

Thursday, April 5, at 6:30 PM

Rent Control

Hear the pros and cons of rent control
as well as have the
opportunity to ask questions.

Friends of Belmont Shore meets on the
first Thursday of each month at
St. Bartholomew Church Meeting Hall.
Enter at 5100 East Broadway at Granada

Friends of Belmont Shore is a membership organization consisting of individuals - residents, business owners and property owners - who are dedicated to the Quality of Life in this unique Beachside Community.

BOARD MEMBERS
Officers
President: Richard (Dick) Gaylord
Vice Presidents: Kristina Duggan / Kurt Schneiter
Treasurer: Michael Crosby
Secretary: Barbara (BJ) Newell

Directors

Alma (Casey) Allen
Bobby Bluehouse
Howard Homan
William (Bill) Lorbeer
David (Coach) Newell
Sandy Riddle
Elizabeth (Bitta) Sharma
David Witzling

Membership Chair: Maria Molak

BECOME A MEMBER
Membership is $15 per person per year. Become a member by sending a check to:

Friends of Belmont Shore
P.O. Box 14553,
Long Beach, CA 90803-4553.

Bring your check or cash to any of our monthly meetings or sign up through our website at Friends of Belmont Shore.

For more information or to become a member go to Friends of Belmont Shore.

Alamitos Bay Update

The City of Long Beach is investing historic amounts of resources to fix our city’s aging infrastructure. One of these exciting improvements is happening in Alamitos Bay in the Bayshore area.

The replacement of the aging Leeway Pier and dock system along with the attached gondola shed are currently under construction. The new concrete pier is complete and the shell of the gondola shed is taking shape. The replacement will improve overall access to the water and recreational amenities.

Construction of the swim dock replacement will create an interactive play area, promoting livability elements on the water. This includes dock-mounted water toys as well as a floating water playground providing fun for children and adults.

The Bayshore lifeguard station will also start construction in the next couple of months. The facility itself will be larger than the existing structure, allowing for removal of a storage container that currently resides on the beach as well as providing an area to assist the public. Finally, elements such as swim lockers and wayfinding signage will round out the improvements providing a much more friendly user experience.

Councilwoman Suzie Price and our community have all been incredibly engaged in these important projects. As summer approaches, Bayshore will be ready for residents and visitors.

Free Bike Registration Passes City Council

Dear Neighbors,

City Council took another major step in addressing bike thefts. I brought an initial item before the City Council asking staff to provide a report on the feasibility of developing a free, online, voluntary bicycle registration program. Staff returned with a report on March 8, 2018, and the City Council voted to support my initiative to establish bike registration in Long Beach.

This is a huge step toward making sure bikes are returned to their owners, and discouraging theft.

If a bicycle is registered the Police Department can proactively return stolen bikes to their owners when they are found, as well as prosecute those committing bike thefts. The Police Department currently has a large number of recovered bicycles that are unregistered with no way of contacting the owners.

A free and voluntary online bike registration program for residents will give the Police Department a better chance at returning stolen bikes and confronting the bike theft problem head-on. Addressing bike theft has become a big focus for me because every day we see bikes stolen, and there is little the Police can do to address this if they cannot prove ownership of a bike, and they are not reported stolen.

I have also recently led my Council colleagues on issues of bike theft by proposing and passing the development of a new ordinance prohibiting bike chop shops in public space. This means police would have the ability to stop someone from dismantling, reassembling, and sellingmultiple bikes in public spaces like beaches, parks, and sidewalks.

Stolen bikes are chronically used as currency for drug purchases, primarily heroin and methamphetamine. So, bike registration gives police an important tool to fight a number of issues, while also improving our ability to return bikes to their owners.

Finally, with this vote passing the City Council, I want to encourage everyone to come out to a Free Bike Registration Event this Saturday the 24th from 11:30-1:30 that I am hosting at the Colorado Lagoon Parking Lot on Appian Way.

Please come enjoy a great event that helps protect your bike. We have a number of events occurring in the district this Saturday, so I look forward to seeing you.

What the Long Beach Values Act Is and Is Not

Dear Neighbors,

City Council passed a new policy, but I want residents to be clear what this policy does, and what it does not do.

Many of my residents reached out to me after the Press-Telegram article about whether the City Council would be voting to make Long Beach a "Sanctuary City" at the Council meeting. The answer is complex because there is no set definition of the term "Sanctuary City" and there is a lot of misinformation about what the term and this item in particular means.

Generally speaking, being a sanctuary city has meant that there is limited information sharing between local authorities and federal authorities in regards to Immigration status ONLY.

On January 1, 2018, the State of California began implementing SB 54, which was signed into law by the Governor after major amendments from law enforcement leaders and public safety associations who worked to eliminate potential negative impacts to public safety. The legislation is now the law of the land. Every City in California has to follow the law.

What Does SB 54 Do: Continue with the full article.

Signature Gathering for Reducing Crime and
Keeping California Safe Act of 2018

Dear Neighbors,

After the state of California has seen property crime increasing over the past few years I will be working hard to help support the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018.
This initiative seeks to address shortcomings of recently enacted Propositions 47 (2014) and 57 (2016), which allow for early release of dangerous criminals and redefined crimes such as child sex trafficking, rapeof an unconscious person, domestic violence, drive-by shootings, exploding an incendiary device with intent to injure, and assault of a police officer as "NON-VIOLENT" crimes.
These initiatives have largely been cited as major contributing factors to the rise in crime statewide. California has seen the second highest increase in theft and property crimes nationwide, with most other states having seen a decline in these crimes.
While the goal of incarcerating fewer individuals and giving people an expanded opportunity for rehabilitation is positive, there have been significant changes to our judicial system which, in fact, work against those goals and endanger public safety.
Every day I hear from angry residents who are shocked and confused to hear that law enforcement's tools to fight crime and promote public safety are severely restricted due to the consequences of the passages of Propositions 47 and 57. As a result we are seeing an increase in thefts and violence in our neighborhoods. Addressing the glaring problems in these propositions will keep our communities safer and enhance the quality of life in our wonderful City.
So, I will be hosting petition signature opportunities to support the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018 at the Third District Community Concert at Marina Vista Park on Sunday, March 25 as well as on Wednesday, April 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Farmer's Market near Marine Stadium.

To Learn More:
https://keepcalsafe.org/
Please feel free to contact my office anytime at (562)570-6300 or by email at district3@longbeach.gov.

Sincerely,
Suzie Price
Councilwoman, Third District

Dates & Events to put on your calendar Belmont Shore and Belmont Park

March 22 - Community conversation around hate incidents & hate speech in our neighborhood

March 24 - Bike Registration

March 25 - Spring into Summer 2018

Long Beach Small
Business Development Center (SBDC)

Monthly small business workshops

FREE of charge and are open to all members of the community.
It's that time of year again, Spring Cleaning! Let the Long Beach City College's Small Business Center get your business in tip-top shape! Dust off those spider webs and shake out that welcome mat with our no-cost workshops this month! In March, we are offering workshops that will help your business start, grow, and succeed just in time for Spring!

Thursday, March 22nd
Creating An Effective Business Plan
6 pm to 8:30 pm FREE!
Covers all aspects of creating a business plan

Wednesday, March 28th
Network Outreach Strategies for Small Business
3 pm to 5 pm FREE! [Given at the Paramount Chamber of Commerce]
Provides guidance on how to understand network planning and how to develop your pitch, collect data, follow-up, and develop long-term relationships

For more information, please call (562) 938-5100 or visit us at
www.longbeachsbdc.org/calendar

April 11 - Roar in the Shore

Wednesday, April 11, 2018, from 5 pm to 8 pm

FREE event

Presented by the Belmont Shore Business Association and in partnership with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the event will feature race cars and other exotic cars on display on Corona & Covina avenues & 2nd Street. Meet Grand Prix of Long Beach Racecar Drivers and get an autograph. Feel the power of racing with two Racing Simulators located on Covina & 2nd St.

Back by popular demand is Tony Carbajail motorcycle stunt driver. He will perform on Corona & 2nd Street at 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm and & 7:30 pm. The show will follow up with a meet and greet and autograph signing.

For more information on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, visit www.gplb.com.

Get out to vote on April 10

Visit the City of Long Beach O ffice of the City Clerk for more voter information.

Friends of Belmont Shore
P.O. Box 14553 - Long Beach, CA 90853
info@shorefriends.org

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Friends of Belmont Shore · PO Box 14553 · Long Beach, California 90853-4453 · USA