Serving Bixby Knolls, California Heights, Los Cerritos, Wrigley and Signal Hill with 30,000 issues every Friday
VOL. XLI NO. 9
In this issue NEWS
Work on Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project to prompt weekend closures
Residents planning to travel on I-710 must use alternative routes. Page 3
Your Weekly Community Newspaper
The ride of way
Denny Cristales Managing Editor
Long Beach residents can expect more e-scooters throughout this year after the Long Beach City Council’s decision Tuesday during its meeting at City Hall to expand the pilot program for six months. The current e-scooter population– 1,800– will increase to 4,000 during the next six months. After the extended version of the program is concluded, City staff will evaluate further findings, assess a proposed permanent version of the program and potentially increase the number of e-scooters to 6,000. The increase in scooters will happen gradually, officials said.
Chris Parker was found dead in his home Feb. 8. Page 5
Revenues and recreation
SH Council candidates discussed City’s coffers and residents’ welfare at forum. Page 5
CA governor tours CVC, meets with residents to discuss homeless, housing issues Newsom was joined by Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia in this week’s visit to the housing site. Page 9
After recent announcement that local fixture had entered escrow, club president addresses members about future of club’s property. Daniel Green Production Manager Wikimedia Commons
E-scooters, such as ones pictured here by vendor Bird, will be more prevalent citywide throughout this year after the Long Beach City Council voted to expand the City’s pilot program during its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Long Beach City Hall.
CSULB Shark Lab hosts ‘jawsome’ workshop for first responders Lifeguards, public learned about facility’s different shark-tracking methods, monitoring devices. Joy Rowden Editorial Intern
Chris Lowe, the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Shark Lab director, along with other organizers, hosted the 2019 Southern California Shark Workshop on Friday, Feb. 15, at the facility to discuss topics to help educate and prepare first responders who have jurisdiction along the California coastline for shark season. The Shark Lab gives its research and information about sharks to the first responders, such as lifeguards, so that they can keep people safe when using the beach. “The one thing we keep telling people is there are potentially millions of people in the water all summer long between San Diego and Santa Barbara amongst these sharks all the time, and yet these events are super rare [shark attacks],” Lowe said. “I think those data [...] are kind of anecdotal, but, to me, are the best evidence that we are not on their menu. But, occasionally, accidents happen.” Larry Giles, marine-safety captain for the City of Encinitas, said to the Signal Tribune, “It is basically a collaboration [the workshop]. We are here to get better educated [and to] come up with a good, sound scientific-background type response to these incidents and interactions [with sharks].” He also mentioned that, because Southern California beaches are becoming more populated with human activity in the water– such as paddling, surfing and swimming– the more interaction humans will have with white sharks whose population has
February 22, 2019
LB Petroleum Club announces final day and sale of property
LB City Council opts to expand e-scooter pilot program at its meeting.
see SCOOTERS page 14
LBFD honors fallen firefighter
www.signaltribune.com
Lissette Mendoza | Signal Tribune
Maricela de Rivera, with the Long Beach Transit board of directors, at the innaugural Latina Empowerment Day on Friday, Feb. 15, at the Hotel Maya
‘We want more Latinas to serve,’ say public at local empowerment day
Community organization aims to put ‘at least one Latina on every commission.’ Lissette Mendoza Editorial Intern
Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), an executive leadership program, hosted the inaugural Latina Empowerment Day at the Hotel Maya on Friday, Feb. 15, when attendees discussed the topics of energy and environmental issues and personal skill-building, among others, at various workshops. “Part of HOPE’s mission is to bring strong women together,” said Meagan Elizondo, programs and policy manager of HOPE, during her introductory remarks. “This is our first time here in Long Beach, and
see SHARKS page 15
see LATINAS page 11
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fter 61 years, the Long Beach Petroleum Club announced Tuesday, Feb. 19, the sale of the group’s real-estate property at 3636 Linden Ave., along with the ceasing of operations at the end of March. Once one of the most exclusive social clubs for the oilmen of Long Beach, the club suffered from a decline in membership in recent years. At the beginning of February, the club announced that it had entered escrow. The confirmation of the Petroleum Club’s closing comes from two statements e-mailed to members of the club from the president of the board of directors, Peter Allen, and general manager, Angela Roman. In the statement, Allen, owner of the Long Beach oil company, Allenco, explains that the decision was reached at a member’s equity meeting on Dec. 12, when a majority of equity members voted to approve the sale. “After careful consideration from the finances of the club, the board of directors has determined that it is not financially feasible for the club to remain in operation,” Allen wrote. “Therefore, with great regret, I am writing to inform you that the board of directors has made the decision to cease operations effective March 31, 2019.” In a separate statement, Roman confirmed that all accounts will be active until March 31, but that the club’s office will remain open to finish any business with equity owners or anyone who donated any personal artifacts to the club. After March 31, the club will be closed to the public and will cease its food, drink and pool services. Allen ended his statement to the club’s members by thanking them for their contributions to the club’s legacy. “After 61 years in operation, it is hard to say goodbye to an era in which the industry was booming and the club business even bigger,” Allen wrote. “Thank you for being a big part [of] our club’s history.” ✦
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