Signal For information on this artist, see page 10.
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Celebrating Women’s History Month Serving BixBy KnollS, California HeigHtS, loS CerritoS, Wrigley and tHe City of Signal Hill Vol. 33 No. 40
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March 9, 2012
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hope to birth new Massive rock rolls into Bixby Knolls Activists group for positive change
and new development in NLB
Nick Diamantides Staff Writer
Matt Sun/Signal Tribune
Stephanie Raygoza Staff Writer
Hundreds of Southern California residents lined up on Atlantic Avenue on March 7 to “rock out” with a now famous 340-ton boulder as it made a stop in Bixby Knolls during its journey to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The rock received a grand welcome from Long Beach that featured “rock”-themed music, live artists painting their interpretations of the rock, river rock decorating and plenty of photo opportunities. While some visitors came to see the rock after
following its much buzzed-about journey, others like Bixby Knolls resident Glenda Jackson simply walked down the street to take a curious peek at the spectacle that drew crowds well through the evening. “It’s hard to believe that a rock could draw so much attention, but I must admit, it’s not that often that you see a boulder roll into town of this magnitude,” she said. “It’s quite the show.” The granite rock will continue its nightly trips on a specially built trailer until it reaches LACMA, where it will be incorporated into artist Michael Heizer’s work “Levitated Mass.”
Former 7th District councilmember addresses LB’s economic disparities with first-ever People’s State of the City event Nick Diamantides Staff Writer
Community activists concerned with what they perceive are economic disparities among Long Beach residents attended the first-ever People’s State of the City on the night of Feb. 29. The event at Antioch Church, 1535 Gundry Ave., began with a video featuring residents in various parts of the city describing the hardships they face due to lack of employment, low wages, high tuition costs, and what some called the city government’s indifference to the needs of the people. Former 7th District Long Beach City Councilmember Tonia ReyesUranga addressed the audience of about 300 immediately after the video presentation. “Many have said that Long Beach is a tale of two cities,” she said. “In many ways that statement is very true.” Reyes-Uranga noted that some Long Beach residents are so financially
Vacant lots, abandoned plans and millions of promised dollars gone but not forgotten have brought together a group of activists who refuse to give up their dreams of making North Long Beach a better place to live. The group, composed primarily of former members of the now extinct North Project Area Committee (NPAC), held their first meeting two weeks ago at the Long Beach Police Department’s North Division Substation. The group talked about coming up with a name and filing for nonprofit status. Many of the 30 people who attended the meeting said they were still reeling from the shock of helplessly watching the State of California dismantle all redevelopment agencies and take much of the money they had planned to spend on redevelopment project areas. In fact, according to Long Beach development manager Tony Foster, the no-longer existent Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA) had earmarked $43.5 million for the North Long Beach Redevelopment Project Area for the 2012 fiscal year. The agency’s plans included– among other things– construction of a new library, a retail center, new parks and housing affordable to working families. The RDA also funded the construction of the new North Long Beach Fire Station, which is still in the works. As per state law, the RDA helped establish NPAC in 1996 and began acquiring properties upon which to build a better, brighter future for North Long Beach. The demise of the RDA and NPAC has left behind vacant lots in various parts of the community and people
Courtesy Laurie Angel
Laurie Angel, the last person to serve as chair of the now defunct North Project Area Committee, is working with a group of community activists to form a nonprofit organization that will represent the interests of North Long Beach residents. groping for ways to finance the RDA’s now abandoned plans. Laurie Angel, who was NPAC’s most recent chairperson, presided over the recent meeting at the substation. Angel, who has lived in North Long Beach with her husband since 1989, told the group that since NPAC no longer exists, uptown Long Beach residents need a new organization to represent their interests to the City of Long Beach. She stressed that she was only acting as facilitator until the group is officially formed, chooses a leader, creates a board and decides on what direction to take. “Right now, we don’t even know if see NPAC page 14
Nick Diamantides/Signal Tribune
Tonia Reyes-Uranga, former Long Beach 7th District councilmember, addresses the audience who attended the People’s State of the City address at Antioch Church on the evening of Feb. 29.
strapped that they must decide between buying gas to get to work or buying food to feed their children, while others constantly worry about how they will pay their rent or mortgage payment.
“Some in this great city will never have to work two jobs to make ends meet or worry about filing bankruptcy or going on public subsidy just to get health see STATE OF THE CITY page 14
Stephanie Raygoza/Signal Tribune
Long Beach Fire Station 12, located at Orange Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, was one of the projects developed by the RDA that is still under construction.