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The Downtown Long Beach Associates' Downtown App and Retail Visioning projects recently earned top honors by two leadership organizations.

The California Downtown Association honored the DLBA with the Crystal Eagle Achievement Award for its Downtown App for mobile devices.

International Downtown Association also praised the app at its annual conference in Forth Worth, Texas. The DLBA receieved the association's Merit Awards for the Downtown App and the Retail Visioning project.

"It's an incredible honor to have two of our recent projects recognized by industry leaders such as the International and California Downtown Associations," DLBA President and CEO Kraig Kojian said in a statement. "We constantly strive to help build connections between the Downtown business community and its consumers who are so important to their success. Both of these projects have accomplished this objective in very impactful ways."

Employers can meet a pool of potential employees at the Cerritos College's annual Job Fair on Oct. 19.

Employers must register by Oct. 5 if they are interested in taking part in an event that attracts more than 300 attendees. Registration is $60.

Employers can access registration information on www.cerritos.edu/job-placement.
The free fair on Oct. 19 allows attendees to talk to recruiters, learn about the companies, explore job opportunities, network with recruiters and receive suggestions from employers on resumes and interviewing skills. Attendees are encouraged to dress in business attire and bring copies of resumes.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to noon in the Library/Falcon Square Sidewalk, 11110 Alondra Blvd. in Norwalk. A campus map is available at www.cerritos.edu/guide. Parking for the event is free in lot C-10 in white stalls ONLY.

Contact Student Placement Specialist Christina The at the@cerritos.edu or 562-860-2451, Ext. 2367, or the Job Placement staff at Ext. 2366 for more.

Harvey Z. Warren, the author of Drop Debt, Surviving Credit Card Hell Without Bankruptcy, will be signing his new book on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Borders bookstore in downtown Long Beach.

Warren will be there from 3 to 5 p.m. at 101 S. Pine Ave.

Click here for more.

Diners on Sept. 22 can support the arts by eating at George's Greek Café.

Ten percent of that day's sales benefit We Love Long Beach Arts, a new charity supporting music and art programs in Long Beach and local schools.

Present an Arts Council coupon when you dine, take out or order catering to make it count. Download a coupon at www.artslb.org.

"To keep music and art in our schools and community, we need everyone's support," said Craig Watson, executive director of the Arts Council for Long Beach. "We thank George's Greek Café for its immense generosity during this time of need."

Visit www.georgesgreekcafe.com to order online, make a reservation or get directions to any of George's three locations.

Long Beach Fire Chief Alan Patalano will be the guest speaker at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce's Good Afternoon Long Beach event on Sept. 7 at Buster's Beach House.

A department veteran of more than 20 years, Patalano was named fire chief in May, replacing former Fire Chief Dave Ellis, who retired last year.

Admission is $25 for non-members and $15 for members. RSVP is required. Payment at the door is accepted.

The event will be at 11:30 a.m. at 198 Marina Drive in Long Beach. For more information, contact Joel Perler at 562-590-9234 or JPerler@LBchamber.com.

Marri's Pizza on Monday, Aug. 23, will host Hugh's Bite Nite benefitting the family of Hugh Boyle, who was on his motorcycle June 21 traveling south on Palo Verde Avenue and making a left unto Stearns Street when he was broadsided by a pickup. The accident was not too far from the pizzeria.

The 50-year-old was rushed to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, where he continues to recover from a series of injuries, including a dislocated shoulder, broken pelvis, contusions to his lungs, organs and kidneys and numerous broken ribs and bones. Luckily, Boyle did not suffer damage to his spine and brain, thanks to the full-face helmet he wore. Boyle remains in the hospital.

The event will be at 6436 Stearns St. Just tell the server you're there for Hugh's Big Bite or print out the flyer below. Call 562-596-5771. Keep up with Hugh's condition at www.sweetcherryvintagelingerie.blogspot.com.

Long Beach-based Walter Thomas & Associates has received a $2.1 million contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District to remove  sediment from Carbon Canyon.

A fire in the Carbon Canyon a few years ago burned portions of the watershed and the effects of the heavy rainy season caused sediment in the basin to increase.

The project includes construction of a riprap and grouted stone channel to stabilize the creek along the park. Riprap consists of rock and other material used to armor the bank from erosion into the creek.

"The project will remove sediment from the Carbon Canyon Dam flood control basin to ensure safe operation of the dam's flood risk management project," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Project Manager Tomas Beauchamp-Hernandez. "Sediment removal from the flood control basin is a routine operations and maintenance activity."

Walter Thomas & Associates have about six months to complete the work at Carbon Canyon Dam. The project is scheduled to begin next week, and completed within 180 days.

Stimulus contracts, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law Feb. 17, 2009, appropriated nearly $184 million for project construction, operations and maintenance activities, and completion of studies for Corps projects in Southern California, Arizona and portions of Nevada.

For additional information about the Corps' nationwide projects funded by the Recovery Act, visit http://www.usace.army.mil/recovery. For details, visit http://www.recovery.gov/.

Shop 'til you drop at Retro Row's annual 4th Street Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, Aug. 14.

There's some bargain shopping to be done at the one-day sale, which stretches from Cherry to Junipero avenues.


The event's from noon to 6 p.m.

For a full listing of all the shops, services and restaurants along 4th Street, go to www.4thstreetlongbeach.com.

After months of construction, downtown's gourmet market has officially opened.

Kress Market owners Javier and Hilda Ortiz opened for business today, serving organic produce and products at 443 Pine Ave.

The market, which took over the 2,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Executive Fitness, will feature organic products, beer and wine, signature sandwiches and a smoothie bar.

A grand opening for the market is expected to take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 12.