June 2, 2021 | Vol. XLIII No. 27 by Signal Tribune

Signal Tribune Your Weekly Community Newspaper

VOL. XLIII NO. 27 COVID-19

INSIDE: On the Record: Twelves Record Store keeps spinning through the pandemic see page 2

Serving Bixby Knolls, California Heights, Los Cerritos, Wrigley and Signal Hill

Friday, July 2, 2021

COMMUNITY

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Highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 found in Long Beach Staff Report Signal Tribune

The Long Beach Health Department discovered the first instance of the more transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 on Monday, June 28. The Delta variant is believed to be more transmissible and more likely to cause severe disease. The variant is “of grave concern,” a Long Beach Health Department statement said. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health strongly recommends that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places as a precautionary measure. In the week ending June 12, Delta variants comprised nearly half of all variants sequenced in Los Angeles County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that Delta variants are now responsible for about one in every five new infections across the country, up from approximately one in every ten the week before. The Delta variant is expected to become the dominant variant in the United States within weeks, the Long Beach Health Department said. Both departments are urging residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves against severe illness. In a release, LA County said that fully vaccinated people appear to be well-protected from infections with Delta variants, but people with only one dose of Pfizer or Moderna are not as well protected. “While COVID-19 vaccine provides very effective protection preventing hospitalizations and deaths against the Delta variant, the strain is proving to be more transmissible and is expected to become more prevalent,” LA County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said, urging residents to wear masks. Residents can find information about vaccines and vaccination sites at longbeach.gov/vaxlb.

La Fuente: The two doulas breaking the myth of the ‘right way’ of childbirth Richard H. Grant| Signal Tribune

La Fuente founders Marisol Garcia (left) and Danellia Arechiga (right) sit for a picture in their office on June 29, 2021. Both founders are also doulas and childbirth educators who opened the space for birthing people and co-working spaces.

Kristen Farrah Naeem Staff Writer

riends Marisol Garcia and Danellia Arechiga were both working as doulas out of their homes when they decided to go into business together in 2018. And so La Fuente: Birth, Postpartum y Mas was born—a space where expectant parents could receive personalized guidance through pregnancy, birth and beyond. “La Fuente means the fountain, and so we wanted people to come in, take the knowledge, the education, the support, the love, the guidance—whatever it is that they are receiving from us—and to take that back into their homes, into their communities,” Arechiga said. While doulas are not medical professionals, they help to support and inform parents through the complex process of having a child. “We are more based on education, so really working with the clients to teach them the mechanics of labor, how it works, ways to stay comfortable, nutrition, ways to stay healthy throughout their pregnancy and things like that, ways to take care of themselves after birth,” Arechiga said. Garcia and Arechiga assist in births that take place in homes, hospitals and birthing centers—helping parents follow the birthing plan that suits them best.

Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

Marisol Garcia shows one way to use a rebozo. It can be tied to help relieve the physical strain that pregnant people have while carrying a child on June 29, 2021. The rebozo is similar to a shawl that is often worn by Indigenous Americans and has various uses to help expecting and current mothers.

Doulas act as advocates for expecting mothers, during and before labor When assisting with hospital births, they often act as advocates for the mother’s best interest when medical staff try to prioritize what is conve-

see LA FUENTE page 11

WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • COMMUNITY • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

LOCAL BUSINESS

Twelves owner, Hector Waluyo, stands behind his turntables in the shop with a rare copy of “Cookin’” by Miles Davis on June 29, 2021.

Richard H. Grant| Signal Tribune

On the Record: Twelves Record Store keeps spinning through the pandemic

Karla M. Enriquez Digital Editor

pproximately 73 years after the first long play (LP) record was introduced at the swanky Waldorf Astoria, vinyl

keeps on spinning. The Fabulous Cha-Cha and Mambo Beat of the Martinez-Cheda Orchestra record spun in the early morning as Twelves record store owner Hector Waluyo opened up. For records like this, he travels to places like Detroit and Mexico to painstakingly look through crates and bring home rare and irresistible records for the shop. The vibrant sound of Latin percussion glides through the 7th Street store, filled with a trove of records carefully curated by Waluyo—awaiting in crates like treasures for music aficionados to find. “For me records and record shops are a little different than most retail places,” Waluyo said. “[I] think it’s more of an experience being there and browsing and finding something that you weren’t sure you were going to buy in the first place.” Although Twelves officially opened in October of 2019, Waluyo is no stranger to the music scene. He has been doing pop-ups and DJing for about seven years and collecting records for another five. “When I started selling records, it kind of made me realize that it’s not so different [from DJing],” Waluyo said. “It’s really just choosing good music for people and good music will always sell.” Waluyo wants Twelves to be an experience for customers. Walk through the store’s aisles and a copy of the Eagle’s sophomore release—1976’s “Desperado”—sticks out from a wooden crate. While it’s not the band’s most

famous album, the title track is one of the band’s signature songs. Patiently sitting behind other records, like a secret, sits the iconic black and white photo grazing John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Double Fantasy.” Turn a corner and Gil Scott-Heron’s first studio album “Pieces of a Man” greets its audience. Waluyo credits his over a decade-long experience in the music scene for Twelve’s success at a time where record shops are closing nationwide. Legendary record store Other Music closed its doors in New York City after it became too expensive to sustain, Amoeba Music started a GoFundMe in May 2020 to bridge costs while it closed during lockdown. Twelves however, persists. “I have two other people that help me out at the shop, and they’re both amazing. We’re all DJs so we’re all very knowledgeable on vinyl,” Waluyo said. And although Waluyo is not certain of what the future holds, the pandemic made him realize it didn’t matter. “Even if you have a regular job, that’s not promised, either,” he said. “You just have to go for it. I’m still just lucky that I can work 10 hours a day and be dealing with records.” Officially opening its doors months before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, music aficionados kept Twelves running through mail orders via Instagram and later their webshop. “It kind of made music more important, music can get you out of a dark place easily,” the store owner said. “I think a lot of people turned to music and simplified their hobbies. People that used to go buy records, go to the bar and catch a concert, now are only just buying records.” The shop’s Instagram timeline was updated with records for sale almost daily as eager fans commented trying to stake a claim. “I think it definitely transformed the

shop, we didn’t know what it was going to turn out,” Waluyo said. “It accelerated everything to almost like a community place.” As Twelves resumes in-person operations, 95% of sales come from people visiting the store. The in-person visits are an experience for both customers and Waluyo, who sometimes discovers treasures of his own. “Based off somebody’s selections I’ll grab something, I’ll put it on, and even me I’ll be like, ‘Damn, that’s a good record. I’ve never heard that before,’” the store owner said. “Actually just discovering something on the spot and owning the record, that hits your heart [instead] of playlists made by algorithms.” People seemingly felt the same in 2020. The Recording Industry Association of America released its annual yearend revenue report showing that vinyl sales rose almost 30% in 2020. Something else to come out of 2020: Waluyo’s exposure to Juneteenth, prompting him to make a donation via record sales. This year, Waluyo donated a portion of every soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop and dance-related 7”, 12” and LPs sold on June 19 to the National Black Child Development Institute. “We’re aware that without Black music and the contribution of Black musicians, this shop would be close to empty,” the shop owner said in an Instagram post. Despite the setbacks, 2020 also brought Waluyo the opportunity to foster a community that shares his love of the classic medium. “I think it’s so important that people support small businesses because the people behind them are part of the community,” Waluyo said. “It keeps something going in the city […] I’m still thankful for the opportunity to own a record shop.”

Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

(Above) Stacks of records sit near the front window of Twelves record store in Long Beach on June 29, 2021. (Below) Twelves owner, Hector Waluyo, holds out a 45 record from behind his turntables in the shop on June 29, 2021.

WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • OPINION • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

FROM OUR ONLINE READERS: LETTERS, EMAILS, COMMENTS AND STATEMENTS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OPINION:

‘Fireworks of any kind are NOT safe nor sane!’

In response to: “‘The double-edged sword of substantial rehabilitation:”

Dear Editor, Fireworks of any kind are NOT safe nor sane! Cities where fireworks are allowed on July 4 end up looking like war zones. Their air is suffocating and the trash in the streets is reminiscent of a third-world country. Frightened dogs bark relentlessly, cower in a corner, or even worse, they may run away. Veterans with PTSD suffer flashbacks contributing to the thousands that commit suicide each year. Our resources are already stretched to the max according to public safety sources. How many fires will be started; how many homes destroyed? How many injuries will require paramedics? How many asthmatics will experience life-threatening breathing problems because of the gross air pollution? How many pets will be frightened or harmed? How many animals will be lost? How many irresponsible people will cause damage to their neighbors’ property? Who will be available to handle these situations? Who will pay for these extra services and casualties? Are the groups that would profit from the sale of fireworks going to pay for the extra expenses of the city for public safety? Will they pay for damages to property? How do they plan to atone for the loss of a child’s eye, for the heartbreak of losing a pet or even the loss of someone’s life in a fire? Will they be cleaning up all of the trash left behind? Are they willing to shoulder the responsibility?

“

Stop the loopholes and let families stay!

In response to: “$2.5 million approved for operation and design plans for Queen Mary, which needs nearly $400 million in longterm repairs:”

“

Help the homeless in Long Beach instead.

To report this illegal activity call 562-435-6711. It’s the only safe and sane thing to do.

”

– @afewburnthairs via Instagram

In response to: ‘City of Long Beach seeks community input on delivery-only cannabis businesses:’

“

Sales are booming. If there are tax dollars to be had, any City who misses the boat will be throwing money away. Signal Hill and Lakewood have made that mistake.

This state is experiencing one of the worst droughts in history—a powder keg for wild fires. A single burning ember can travel a distance of a mile. Setting off fireworks in this volatile environment is both unsafe and insane. The Long Beach City Council has spoken. Use fireworks and you will pay up to a $1000 fine and spend 6 months in jail. Additionally, you may be responsible for $20,000 for response calls and any damage to other’s property. Even as a “host” or property owner for such activities, you can be held liable.

”

– @lizardmasterwizard via Instagram

”

– Rick Kott via Facebook

In response to: ‘‘I had years of this creativity that I just needed to let out.’ Looking through Jose Cordon’s lens:’

“

—Diana Lejins

Jose is the best! He reps hard for our city and captures the best moments.

”

– @loveyoulongbeach via Instagram

Signal Tribune MANAGING EDITOR

Emma DiMaggio

DIGITAL EDITOR

Karla M. Enriquez

PHOTO EDITOR

Richard H. Grant

LEGALS COORDINATOR

Katherine Green

SENIOR WRITER

Anita W. Harris

STAFF WRITER

Kristen Farrah Naeem

COLUMNIST

Claudine Burnett

The Signal Tribune welcomes letters to the editor, which should be signed, dated and include a phone number to verify authenticity. Letters are due by noon on the Wednesday before desired publication date. The Signal Tribune reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, language and space requirements. Letters must be 500 words or fewer. The Signal Tribune will publish no more than one “pro” letter and one “con” letter on a particular topic in a single issue. The Signal Tribune does not print letters that refer substantially to articles in other publications and might not print those that have recently been printed in other publications or otherwise presented in a public forum. Letters to the editor and commentaries are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Signal Tribune or its staff. Although the editorial staff will attempt to verify and/or correct i nformation when possible, letters to the editor and commentaries are opinions, and readers should not assume that they are statements of fact. Letter-writers will be identified by their professional titles or affiliations when, and only when, the editorial staff deems it relevant and/or to provide context to the letter. We do not run letters to the editor submitted by individuals who have declared their candidacies for public office in upcoming races. This policy was put in place because, to be fair, if we publish one, we would have to publish all letters submitted by all candidates. The volume would no doubt eliminate space for letters submitted by other readers. Instead, we agree to interview candidates and print stories about political races in an objective manner and offer very reasonable advertising rates for those candidates who wish to purchase ads. The Signal Tribune is published each Friday. Yearly subscriptions are available for $100.

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WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • ARTS • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021 THEATRE REVIEW

Photo Courtesy Michael Elias Thomas

Raviv Ullman (Ion) in Long Beach Opera and Boston Lyric Opera’s “Desert In.”

Long Beach Opera offers binge-worthy art in ‘Desert In,’ a collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera

Anita W. Harris Senior Writer

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ou’ll find Long Beach Opera’s (LBO) latest production neither on stage nor in a parking garage (like its recent Philip Glass production). Instead, LBO’s “Desert In”—produced jointly with Boston Lyric Opera (BLO)—is a spellbinding operatic mini-series streaming on OperaBox.TV, starting at $5 per episode. Co-created by new LBO Artistic Director James Darrah, along with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ellen Reid and acclaimed playwright and screenwriter christopher oscar peña [sic], “Desert In” weaves hypnotic visuals with haunting music to tell its imaginative story of love, loss and memory. “James has harnessed a creative team from the worlds of opera and television,” Jennifer Rivera, LBO executive director and CEO, said in a statement describing the production. “Eight composers, eight writers and several directors along with himself […] creating something that has literally never been seen or heard before.” Rivera describes the genre as “cinema-music-theater.” Set at the neon-signed Desert Inn—where you can check out anytime you like but you may never want to—the series captures the campy cool of Palm Springs circa 1950s and 60s, mixed with the edgy mystery of “Twin Peaks,” a strong dose of gynocentric shamanism and a sprinkling of effects recalling the original Star Trek series, all underscored by operatic music and singing. “LBO is proud to have had a chance to co-produce this LGBTQ-positive story, featuring a very diverse group of collaborators spanning multiple disciplines,” Rivera notes. “It feels like exactly the right thing to be making at this moment.” Unlike many operas, “Desert In” has some speech along with sung dialogue. The first 20-minute episode, “This House is Now,” opens with the young man Ion (a highly emotive Raviv Ullman) making a heartfelt video message to his missing partner Rufus (Alexander Jon Flores). We then move to the enigmatic Desert Inn, run by two women—Cass

Photo Courtesy Michael Elias Thomas

Justin Vivian Bond (Lounge Singer) in Long Beach Opera and Boston Lyric Opera’s “Desert In.” and Sunny (sopranos Isabel Leonard and Talise Trevigne)—who croon like hummingbirds of being in love for 20 years. All singing is in English, but viewers can click on closed captioning to see lyrics. Directed by Darrah, the episode is

cinematographically stunning—focusing on character movement and detail, enhanced by slow-motion, colored lighting and other effects—and goes hand-in-hand with music by Reid, creating an air of mystery around the hotel with its center pool and one-legged

caretaker Federico (Anthony Michael Lopez). There, Ion and Rufus tenderly share a bed, Ion wearing a wedding ring. But we also see the two young men at the beach, with some tension between them, until Rufus seems to disappear in the waves. In Episode 2, “Love is Like the Sea,” Rufus is with Ion during a party around the hotel pool but seems disturbed— asking Ion to remember something— and won’t enter the water with the rest of the revelers. We hear their thoughts through overlayed singing by baritone Edward Nelson and tenor Jesus Garcia. The party in Episode 2 is not only carnivalesque but like a 15-minute commercial for the Desert Inn itself, phone number 5 INN LUV. A husky-voiced, 1960s-style diva lounge-singer (Justin Vivian Bond) invites the heartbroken to be reunited with past loves at the inn, “where all your dreams can come true for eternity—or until your credit runs out.” Darrah’s images work astonishingly well with the music and voices, flowing and blending hypnotically. The Vapors, the collective name of women who hang around the hotel and pool, provide supplemental vocals that complement the intricate music. The next six 10- to 20-minute episodes develop Ion’s story at the inn, its occupants in a seemingly perpetual hallucinatory dream-memory. Each episode employs a different mix of writer, director and composer— including Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Vijay Iyer—whose “My Boy” is showcased in Episode 3, sung by Bond with violin, flute and jazzy percussion. David Angus directs all the music, performed by the BLO Orchestra. “Desert In” is ultimately a beautiful meditation—both visually and musically—on love and loss. Experiencing it as a series allows viewers to come up for air periodically before diving back into the heady pool-sized concoction of emotion, filmic effect, hypnotic music and voice. Like the inn’s guests, you won’t want to leave, but you’ll have been enriched when it’s time to go. The eight episodes of Long Beach Opera’s “Desert In” are available to stream through Sept. 6 via Boston Lyric Opera’s OperaBox.TV. Each episode can be rented for $5 each or all eight for $30.

WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • NEWS• FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021 IMMIGRATION

Emergency migrant facility at Long Beach Convention Center to close in August, immigration policy that contributes to surge of minors remains

Kristen Farrah Naeem Staff Writer

he U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to shut down an emergency migrant facility set up at the Long Beach Convention Center to house migrant children by August. Temporary migrant facilities were set up at various locations in California and beyond for children who arrived unaccompanied at the U.S.-Mexico border. The children were taken to the so-called intake centers until they could be reunited with family or placed with sponsors. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia wrote on Twitter that nearly 1,000 children who were housed at the Long Beach Convention Center have been reunited with relatives and sponsors in the United States, and officials are expected to close the intake center within two months. Though the emergency migrant facility at the Convention Center is set to close, Title 42—the root cause of the increase in unaccompanied minors at the border—remains. Immigrant children are more likely to gain entry to the U.S. if they cross the border alone Title 42 was enacted in 1944, and was used for the first time during the presidency of Donald Trump. The policy gives immigration officials, including border patrol agents, the authority to immediately expel anyone who’d normally be taken into custody and kept in a group setting while their case is processed, purportedly to avoid the spread of infectious diseases. This includes the vast majority of asylum seekers, who are usually taken to crowded facilities run by Customs and Border Patrol once they’re discovered at the border. As reported by U.S. News, over 50 public health officials have asked the Center for Disease Control to rescind Title 42, writing in a letter that the order did not protect public health. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees followed suit, calling upon the Biden administration to lift Title 42 in a statement last month. “We should be looking at rescinding Title 42 and fully restoring access to asylum at our borders,” Mayor Robert Garcia said during a congressional subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, April 27. The law forces refugee families to make an impossible choice: stay together and risk losing their lives, or send their children across the U.S. border to reach safety alone. “The Trump-era policy of turning away families at the border is still in effect, and the only way that these young people were allowed to come in, is if they came by themselves,” Jeffrey Hoku of By Any Means Necessary Los Angeles said during a protest outside the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, May 8. If these children had attempted to enter with their parents or other adult family members, they would have been immediately turned away under Title 42. “Our top priority should be to address the underlying reasons why these temporary facilities were needed in the first place. With additional resources and immigration reform efforts, we can prevent the need for these types of

shelters, period,” Garcia told the subcommittee. Asylum seeking families are routinely blocked from legal ports of entry under Title 42, and if they then decide to cross into the U.S. together without permission and are caught they are sent back to Mexico or their countries of origin. From Oct. 2020 to May 2021, 80,325 unaccompanied minors were apprehended. After entering the country by themselves, these children are eventually sent to emergency intake sites, like the one at the Long Beach Convention Center. There are currently 690 children at the center. “These sites should not replace immigration reforms,” Garcia said at the congressional subcommittee hearing. A DHHS official said during a court hearing about custody conditions for migrant children Tuesday that four of the country’s emergency shelters will be closing by August, including two in California. A center at the San Diego Convention Center is expected to close in mid-July.

Enforcement Encounters of Unaccompanied Minors at the Southwest Border by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol from October 2019 to May 2020

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WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

Movies begin at dusk. Remember to bring a lawn chair, blanket, picnic style dinner, family and friends!

Frozen II El Dorado 6/21 Grace 6/23

Chavez 6/25

Secret Life of Pets 2 Bixby 6/28 Veterans 6/30 Silverado 7/2

Abominable Orizaba 7/7 Signal Hill 7/9

The Croods: A New Age Ramona 7/12 Davenport 7/14 Wardlow 7/16

Toy Story 4 Stearns 7/19 Admiral Kidd 7/21 King 7/23

Sonic the Hedgehog Signal Hill 7/26

MacArthur 7/28 Coolidge 7/30

Trolls World Tour Seaside 8/2 De Forest 8/4 Somerset 8/6

Dolittle McBride 8/9 Heartwell 8/11

Scherer 8/13 Signal Hill 8/14

The Lion King Cherry 8/16 College Estates 8/18 Houghton 8/20

Onward Pan Am 8/23 Drake 8/25 Whaley 8/27

WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

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WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • COMMUNITY • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

PRIDE MONTH

On 52nd anniversary of Stonewall Uprising, Long Beach march honors origins of Pride Month 1 Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

(1) Organizer Xodiac dances at the halfway mark of the march at the Queer Liberation Now event at Bixby Park in Long Beach on June 28, 2021. (2) An altar of Marsha P. Johnson stands among flowers to be placed on other memorials. Johnson was a trans woman who helped prompt the Stonewall uprising in 1969, leading to the larger gay rights movement in the United States.

Kristen Farrah Naeem Staff Writer

round 200 people marched through downtown Long Beach carrying signs and waving rainbow flags during the 52nd anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising on Sunday, June 27. “That night on June [28], 1969, those folks were experiencing something that was very common—that was raids by the police on their lives,” Audrena Redmond of the Long Beach chapter of Black Lives Matter said during a speech at Bixby Park following the march. The Stonewall Uprising began when patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York, violently resisted a police raid on the business on June 28, 1969, which led to five days of civil unrest. At the time it was common for police to regularly raid gay bars and brutalize those inside. According to a popular—but unverified—version of the story, the uprising began once someone in attendance threw a brick at the police officers during the raid. Over the following days, riot police attempted to quell the demonstrations

through force, but members of the LGBTQ+ community would quickly regroup, often in larger numbers than before, to continue resisting the police. “People felt the courage to throw that brick, and to throw those punches that were more than necessary,” Redmond said. Redmond noted in a speech to the crowd that the Stonewall Uprising was a turning point in the LGBTQ+ community’s struggle. “Stonewall was not the first time that folks stood up. It was not the first time. What it was was the time that led to something more,” Redmond said. According to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights— in the two years after Stonewall— gay rights groups were formed in major cities across the country. The first gay pride parades in the United States were held on the oneyear anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Redmond compared the Stonewall Uprising to the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020, since both occurred in response to police violence. “Let us never forget that the police are the brutal arm of the money class and the religious class. They are the front line inhibitors of our freedom, that is how they’re used, that is what

they do, they continually organize in that way,” Redmond said. Off to the side of the stage where the speakers stood, an altar was erected in honor of the transgender and gender nonconforming individuals who had been killed during 2021. Roses covered the ground in front of the altar, with photos of 29 victims lining five wooden tiers. “It is one of the most violent years against trans people,” Noah Reich, who created the altar with his partner David Maldonado, said. 2020 was the most deadly year on record for transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the United States, with 44 individuals killed, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Already in 2021, 29 transgender and gender nonconforming people have been killed. Besides the violent murders of trans people that have occurred, over the past year multiple states have also passed laws restricting transgender youth from competing in team sports. “We continue to see trans youth being attacked on a federal level,” Byron Adams of Queers Obliterating White Supremacy said. “We have to continue the momentum and continue fighting and standing with our queer people, with the future, with the young folks, with Gen Z, who are coming out.”

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WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • NEWS • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021 HOUSING

More than three times as many market-rate units were created in the same period, 3,504 total. Still, the city faces a shortage. “We’re tired of losing our families to these notices. We’re tired of losing people to these notices,” Norberto Lopez said. “Tenants are put in these situations every day.”

Landlords worry that, without the substantial rehabilitation provision, units will fall into disrepair

The double-edged sword of substantial rehabilitation Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

Tenant organizer Maria Lopez makes a speech outside of the Aqua Victory apartment Complex during a car caravan calling for substantial rehabilitation to be removed as a just cause for eviction in Long Beach on May 22, 2021.

Emma DiMaggio Managing Editor

enant rights groups have fought for years to strengthen housing security for some of Long Beach’s most vulnerable residents—renters. Now, they’ve set their focus on a provision in the Tenant Protection Act of 2019—one that allows landlords to issue no-fault eviction notices for the “substantial rehabilitation” of their unit. “Substantial rehabilitation” is a provision in the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 that allows landlords to evict their tenants for upgrades meant to constitute quality-of-life improvements for dilapidated units. But some landlords have leveraged the law to remove their tenants for full remodels. Under the Costa Hawkins Act, vacancies give landlords the opportunity to hike up rents to increase their earnings, all the while displacing longtime Long Beach residents. On May 22, 2019, an apartment complex on Grand Avenue was sold to a new owner. Just months later, they would raise rents by nearly 30% and, in December, serve a flurry of eviction notices to longtime residents. David Blake, an at-home caregiver for a 65-year-old woman with dementia, received one of those notices. His client had lived in the building for a decade. He saw homeless residents on the street and worried whether she would find the same fate. “There’s nowhere else for these people to go. We have neighbors here, families with a newborn child. We don’t make a lot of money, that’s why we live in this place in the first place,” he said. “There’s very few affordable places in Long Beach.” Just months later, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (TPA) would come into effect and retroactively lower her rent and nullify the eviction, preventing her from losing her apartment. But the law that once saved her from displacement would rear its head again, just 13 days after Los Angeles County identified its first case of COVID-19. On Feb. 10, 2020, Blake’s client received another eviction notice. Her affordably-priced unit, and those of her remaining neighbors, were slated for “substantial rehabilitation,” a valid reason for a no-fault eviction under the TPA.

The building owners had not pulled permits to justify the eviction, as required by Long Beach’s local housing ordinance, but plenty of residents in the building left out of fear, “disappeared without a trace,” Blake said. Blake, on the other hand, had no other option but to fight—for himself and for his client. “I’m a caregiver for a lady that is not self-directed. She has dementia,” Blake said. “If I wasn’t here, and if I wasn’t fighting, I don’t know what she’d be in right now. But it wouldn’t be a good spot.” The company that manages Blake’s apartment complex did not respond for comment.

An overview of valid reasons for substantial rehabilitation

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 came with a sigh of relief for many tenants. The bill includes limits on rent hikes and outlines valid reasons for no-fault evictions, among other protections. But for tenant advocates Norberto Lopez, Andrew Mandujano and Maria Lopez there is still much work to be done. The three are members of Long Beach’s most prominent tenant rights organizations: Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE) and the Long Beach Tenants Union. Long before the pandemic began and eviction became a potential reality for hundreds of Long Beach residents, they’ve worked to close the “loophole” that has been used and, at times,

Some are using the “substantial rehabilitation” provision to evict their tenants and increase rents.

abused, to displace tenants. Substantial rehabilitation runs the gamut of quality-of-life improvements. A unit may have asbestos, have mold, need infrastructural improvements or require the removal of hazardous materials. Any kind of substantial modification—structural, electrical, plumbing or mechanical—that requires a permit falls under the provision. When rehabilitation is needed, ten-

ants must relocate so renovations can be completed. Any rehabilitation that takes at least 30 days falls under the provision. The TPA requires landlords to provide direct payment of one month’s worth of rent or allow the tenant to remain in the unit for one month without payment under these circumstances. If they don’t provide this assistance, the eviction is void. Since the TPA went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, tenant organizers have found that some landlords interpreted “substantial rehabilitation” as an opportunity—not to improve the living conditions of their units—but to evict their tenants and increase rents. Cue a surge of illegal eviction notices. Painting exteriors of buildings, changing cabinets, installing new tiles, removing floorboards—all illegal reasons for eviction under the TPA. In February 2020, advocates won an amendment to Long Beach’s local ordinance. Now, Long Beach landlords must attach building permits and plans to all eviction notices for substantial rehabilitation to prevent owners from using false pretenses to maneuver around the law. But illegal evictions persist. To alleviate these illegal evictions, some of which may cause landlords to be sued for both illegal eviction and tenant harassment, tenant organizers want to nip the issue in the bud. Organizers are asking the City of Long Beach to establish a program to oversee the rehabilitation of rental properties and establish an extended eviction moratorium until such a program is in place.

Is one month’s worth of rent enough for low-income residents to relocate? Maybe, if they can find another affordable unit.

The legally required one-month rental assistance may seem alluring to some. If a resident lives in a market-rate apartment, it’s fairly easy to find another unit to move into. This isn’t true for very low and low-income residents in Long Beach, a city that faces what officials have deemed a “housing crisis.” There’s just not enough housing to keep up with demand. “We were not going to find another place for this rent price. So what do we do? I honestly don’t know, what do we

do in this situation? Where do we go? Where does she go? Where do I go?,” Blake said of the stresses of finding another apartment in Long Beach. The State has moved to alleviate this crisis. Each year, California regions undergo a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) to evaluate the

demand for very-low, low and moderate-income housing. Per the most recent RHNA analysis, which will be approved in October of this year, Long Beach is required to create an additional 26,440 units by 2029 to meet its housing obligations. Of these, 42% will be market-rate. From 2014 to 2020, 665 units of very-low, low and moderate-income housing were created in Long Beach, according to data from the Development Services Department Planning Bureau.

Fred Sutton represents the California Apartment Association (CAA) as senior vice president of public affairs for Los Angeles County. The CCA website states that the association is “the nation’s largest statewide organization representing the rental housing industry.” According to Sutton, the substantial rehabilitation provision is not a loophole at all. “It was a design in AB1482 [TPA] to encourage the rehabilitation of aging housing stock,” he said. “Long Beach has incredibly old housing stock, some of which was built back in the ‘30s and ‘40s, and these buildings were not built to last like the pyramids.” If landlords can’t remove their tenants to update their units to meet building codes, he said, Long Beach’s housing stock will “continue to be dilapidated and become nonfunctional.” Organizers agree that landlords should be able to update their units. But, unlike Sutton, they believe that eviction isn’t a necessary component of that process. Instead, they’re calling for more oversight of the permitting process to stop illegal evictions in their tracks. “They’re the ones looking to make an investment, make a profit,” Lopez said. “And then have those tenants come back to live in dignified housing.” Both groups insist that they don’t want illegal evictions to take place, but advocates are increasingly concerned with the displacement that comes along with evictions—especially nofault evictions under the substantial remodel provision. Neither can agree with who should foot the bill to relocate tenants beyond the required one month of rental assistance. Greater oversight of the permitting process may stop illegal evictions in their tracks, but no program exists in Long Beach. On Tuesday, July 6, the Long Beach City Council will consider drafting an urgency ordinance to prohibit substantial remodel lease terminations and evictions. Read the full story online at www. signaltribune.com

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WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • LEGAL NOTICES • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021

EYE ON CRIME CRIMES REPORTED BY THE SIGNAL HILL POLICE Thursday, June 24

5:17 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, 3200 block Lemon Ave. 6:08 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, E. 32nd St./Orange Ave. 6:57 a.m., Elder abuse, 1800 block Junipero Ave. 4:16 p.m., Grand theft, 2100 block Crescent Dr. 11:12 p.m., Fight, 1900 block Raymond Ave.

Friday, June 25

7:13 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, 700 block E. Spring St. 3:00 p.m., Identity theft, 1400 block E. Willow St. 5:40 p.m., Stolen vehicle – recovered; Grand theft – motor vehicle, E. 28th St./Gardena Ave. (suspect arrested) 7:32 p.m., Felony warrant; misdemeanor warrant, 900 block E. 33rd St. (suspect arrested) 11:32 p.m., DUI, Orange Ave./E. Willow St. (suspect arrested)

Saturday, June 26

8:19 a.m., Stolen vehicle – recovered, 1800 block St. Louis Ave. 9:39 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, 700 block E. Spring St. 3:07 p.m., Stolen vehicle – recovered, E. 20th St./Alamitos Ave.

Sunday, June 27

5:09 p.m., Injury hit and run, E. Willow St./Junipero Ave. 5:36 p.m., Indecent exposure, Skyline Dr./Stanley Ave.

Monday, June 28

5:46 a.m., Burglary, 3200 block E. 19th St. 8:34 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, Temple Ave./E. 20th St. 9:35 a.m., Grand theft, 3100 block E. PCH 11:39 a.m., Auto burglary, 2800 block Gardena Ave. 3:50 p.m., Burglary, 1900 block St. Louis Ave.

Tuesday, June 29

4:51 a.m., Stolen vehicle – recovered, Lemon Ave. north of E. 23rd St. 9:59 a.m., Burglary, 2700 block E. 20th St. 10:37 a.m., Grand theft – motor vehicle, 1600 block E. 29th St. 12:12 p.m., Auto burglary, 2400 block Cherry Ave. 3:25 p.m., Identity theft, 2300 block Walnut Ave.

Wednesday, June 30

6:21 a.m., Burglary, 1900 block Molino Ave. 10:13 a.m., Rape, 2600 block Walnut Ave. 3:57 p.m., Indecent exposure, 2100 block E. Willow St. 8:49 p.m., Possessing paraphernalia, 3300 block Falcon Ave. (suspect arrested) 9:16 p.m., Assault with a deadly weapon, 2200 block Rose Ave.

LBPD reporting area is too extensive to report here.

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TST6459 / 2021 124857 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: WONDERBRETT, 314 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036. Mailing address: 3030 Walnut Ave., Suite 160, Long Beach, CA 90807. Registrant: 314 LA BREA, LLC, 314 N La Brea Ave., 314, Los Angeles, CA 90036. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: David Judaken, President. The registrant has not begun to use this fictitious business name. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on June 3, 2021. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: June 11, 18, 25 & July 2, 2021

TST6460 / 2021 109181 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: MONE’S DAYCARE, 4142 Mendez Ave. Unit 429, Long Beach, CA 90815. Registrant: BEVERLY NELSON, 4142 E. Mendez Ave., Unit 429, Long Beach, CA 90815. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Beverly M. Nelson. The registrant has begun to use this fictitious business name. The registrant began using this fictitious business name in April, 2021. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on May 12, 2021. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: June 11, 18, 25 & July 2, 2021

TST6471/Order No: 9986 Auto Lien Sale

TST6461 Case No. 21CMCP00077 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT, 200 W. COMPTON BLVD., COMPTON, CA 90220 PETITION OF: CORRINA INEZ GONZALES TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioners: CORRINA INEZ GONZALES has filed a petition with this court for a decree changing her name as follows: Present Name: CORRINA INEZ GONZALES to Proposed Name: LILITH GONZALES. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: August 19, 2021; Time: 8:30a.m., Dept. A, Room 904. The address of the court is the same as above. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, THE SIGNAL TRIBUNE, 1860 Obispo Ave., Ste. F, Signal Hill, CA 90755, June 18, 25 & July 2, 9, 2021 __________ Kristin S. Escalante, Judge of the Superior Court Dated: June 9, 2021 TST6464 / 2021 132045 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: EVERYDAY DELIGHTS, 1267 Willis St. Ste 200, Redding, CA 96001. Mailing address: 2644 E. 4th St., Apt 3, Long Beach, CA 90814. Registrant: ACCELER WIRELESS LLC, 1267 Willis St., Ste 200, Redding, CA 96001. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Sean Westfall, Owner-member. The registrant has begun to use this fictitious business name. The registrant began using this fictitious business name in May, 2021. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on June 11, 2021. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: June 25 & July 2, 9, 16, 2021 TST6470 Case No. 21TRCP00204 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, 825 Maple Ave., Torrance, CA 90503 PETITION OF: David Garcia JR TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioners: David Garcia JR has filed a petition with this court for a decree changing his name as follows: Present Name: David Garcia JR to Proposed Name: David Garza 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: August 20, 2021; Time: 8:30a.m., Dept. B. The address of the court is the same as above. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, THE SIGNAL TRIBUNE, 1860 Obispo Ave., Ste. F, Signal Hill, CA 90755, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 2021 _________ Gary Y. Tanaka, Judge of the Superior Court Dated June 23, 2021

On 07/12/2021 at 1412 W 96TH ST LOS ANGELES,CA a Lien Sale will be held on a 2014 MASERATI VIN: ZAM57XSA2E1096629 STATE: CA LIC: 8NYN481 at 10 AM

CRIME

24-year-old man shot in Signal Hill after declining to give his cell phone to suspect Staff Report Signal Tribune

NEED TO POST A LEGAL NOTICE? Send an email to legalnotices@ signaltribune.com

A 24-year-old Long Beach man was shot on the night of June 30 in Signal Hill after declining to give his cell phone to the suspect. The shooting occurred at the 1900 block of Creston Avenue, Signal Hill police said. Officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of Rose Avenue at 9:16 p.m., where they found the victim with a single gunshot in their lower body. The subject was transported to a local hospital in stable condition, police said. A preliminary investigation revealed the victim was walking on Cherry Avenue and Skyline Drive when he was approached by a man in his late 20’s who wanted to borrow his cellphone. When the victim declined, another man in his late 20’s wearing dark clothing walked up and demanded the victim’s cell phone. The victim began running in fear towards the 1900 block of Creston Avenue, where the second man shot the victim, police said. The investigation is ongoing. Witnesses may contact Signal Hill Detective Brandon Moutlon at 562989-7219.

CITY OF SIGNAL HILL TST6469 NOTICE OF A WORKSHOP July 13, 2021 7:00 P.M. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on July 13, 2021, the City Council of the City of Signal Hill, California, will conduct a public workshop at 7:00 p.m. via video/ teleconference to review the 2017 Manual of Procedural Guidelines for the conduct of City Council and Constituent Body/Commission meetings. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-20 to “stay at home” to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, you are encouraged to participate and provide comments during the public workshop in one of the following ways: • You may participate via teleconference: call (408) 638-0968 (audio only) and enter meeting ID: 881-4793-6648, press # when prompted to provide participant ID and enter passcode: 374778; • You may participate via www.zoom.com. To join the meeting via Zoom, enter the following meeting ID: 881-4793-6648 and passcode: 374778; or • You may submit comments by email to the City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofsignalhill. org no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13 and your comment will be read into the record.

For further information, contact the Office of the City Clerk at (562) 989-7305. All interested persons are hereby invited to attend. __________________________ Carmen R. Brooks City Clerk Published in the Signal Tribune newspaper: Posted in accordance with S.H.M.C. Section 1.08.010 on or before:

July 2, 2021 July 2, 2021

WWW.SIGNALTRIBUNE.COM • COMMUNITY • FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021 LA FUENTE,

continued from page 1 nient for the doctor. Even the position laboring mothers are placed in is for the benefit of the doctor. A 2014 study in The Journal of Perinatal Education found that 68% of women in the United States give birth while on their backs, despite evidence that this is not the best position for them or their babies. According to the study, positions like standing, kneeling and squatting were far more common up until the 17th century. These intuitive positions benefited mothers during the labor process. “Standing, kneeling, and squatting take advantage of gravity to help the baby move down into the pelvis. In addition, squatting increases the size of the pelvis,” according to The Journal of Perinatal Education study. The reason women are now placed on their backs, in what is called the supine position, to give birth is because it makes it easier for the doctor to see what’s happening. “More than three decades of research confirms that giving birth in a supine position has distinct disadvantages with no demonstrable benefits to either mother or infant,” according to the journal. Garcia described a hospital birth she participated in where the mother was in so much pain the only comfortable position for her to be in was on her hands and knees. “Like squatting and standing, the dimensions of the pelvis can be maximized by the hands-and-knees position, which is often used to relieve the back pain that may occur,” the 2014 study said. While one nurse was accommodating to the mother’s needs and would examine her in that position, another later tried to insist that she sit down for a vaginal exam. “She was like ‘I can’t, I can’t, like I can’t sit on my bottom’ like she couldn’t sit on her butt because it was so painful for her, and [the nurse is] like ‘Well I need to. I need to,’” Garcia said Garcia stood her ground—her client was not going to be moved. She also factually noted that her client’s vagina was still accessible from that position. “There was kind of like a little slight commotion because I kind of jumped in there and I was telling [the nurse] like ‘You can do it. There’s nothing obstructing your way of getting in there to check her,’ and apparently we got a little loud,” Garcia said. The noise brought the other nurse running in, who then insisted that her colleague could still exam the mother from her hands and knees, settling the issue. “I just kind of embed it in their brain—you’re pregnant, you’re the birthing person and nobody can make you do anything that you don’t want to do,” Garcia said. “So if you’re on hands and knees and your doctor comes in and wants to check you then they’re going to have to figure it out because that’s not your problem. If you’re in the shower and they’re like ‘oh you have to, you know, come to the bed,’ they’re gonna have to figure it out because that’s not your problem.” Although she did add that she only gives this advice “if mom is healthy and baby’s doing great and, you know, all of those things. Obviously I’m not telling this to somebody who is high risk or anything like that.”

views each person’s body as unique. “Someone who’s dealing with a really traumatic birth—we’re going to use a lot of herbs that are meant to cleanse, and to restore, because there’s a lot of releasing that needs to happen from that trauma of that birth. And so it’s very customized care, it’s very customized to that specific person,” Arechiga said. Both Garcia and Arechiga are skilled in using the Mexican rebozo, a long strip of cloth, to massage, bind and support their clients’ bellies. They also use the rebozo to provide Closing of the Hips (La Cerrada de Caderas) ceremonies to clients from Latino backgrounds. “We call it closing of the hips but it’s really closing of the bones—it’s the whole body,” Arechiga said. Closing of the Hips ceremonies are practiced in Latin American communities to help new mothers recover from the vulnerable state they were in during pregnancy and labor. “Because we believe in this practice that the birth is a spiritual experience where your portal, your womb portal, has opened between worlds, because you’re letting in this spirit, this baby spirit from the spirit world, into our human world, into our physical world,” Arechiga said. “And so when that portal is open, you’re exposed, your essence, your spirit is exposed.” Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

Marisol Garcia holds a jar of the belly paste on June 29, 2021. The paste is made specific to the client and can be a mixture of herbs, spices, and flowers that are used to help alleviate postpartum ailments.

Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune

Marisol Garcia shows some of the ways parents can use a rebozo for stretching on June 29, 2021. The rebozo is similar to a shawl that is often worn by indigenous Americans and has various uses to help expecting and current mothers.

Garcia and Arechiga said that hospitals don’t always present parents with the full range of options they have when giving birth. For instance, many women do not know that a birthing bar can be added to most hospital labor beds so that they can squat while giving birth.

“As I say ‘they don’t tell you the secret menu items,’” Arechiga said.

Use of Indigenous practices in birthing

La Fuente’s personalized approach to care is rooted in traditional Indigenous practices from Mexico, which

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La Fuente counters pregnancy myths, focuses on individual needs Medical settings can often try to standardize pregnancies and what parents should expect, while La Fuente reminds them that each pregnant person and each pregnancy is different. It is common for parents to receive an approximate due date for when they should expect their baby to be born. However, doctors are unable to determine the exact date when a pregnancy was conceived, and are only able to estimate a time period based on the date the mother last started menstruating. This makes due dates an estimate at best since the doctor can’t tell the date someone became pregnant. “There’s like a five-week time frame technically when you can have your baby. You can have your baby two weeks before your due date, you can have your baby the week of your due date, or you can have your baby two weeks after your due date. And so there’s a window, or sometimes more or earlier,” Garcia said. However, many parents are unaware of this, and become concerned when they pass their supposed due date, sometimes opting to induce labor even when they may not actually be past due. According to a 2013 report funded by the National Institutes of Health, “the inability of medical science to predict exact due dates may be a cause of early term and preterm birth.” “We’re just so conditioned to [think] like, ‘No, this is normal. This is when you have to have your baby. This is what you have to do. This is what it needs to feel like. This is what the process looks like,’” Garcia said. “And then we’re left with people who doubt their bodies or their capabilities, but it’s not because of anything with them—it’s the expectation that is set forth by this institution, our medical system.”

Pet of the week:

Kona

We can’t remember seeing such a hangdog look in ages. Kona is one of three American bulldog mixes who came to our shelter a couple of days ago because of housing problems for their owners. Kona was shy and scared when this picture was taken, but it turns out that she loves going for walks with our volunteers and all the attention she gets from them. Can you turn the rest of her smile rightside up? Our shelter’s adoptions are conducted through appointment only, so call 562-570-PETS or email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to meet Kona. Ask for ID#A567243.

(This rescue is encouraged by the usual suspects.)