April 2010 Archives

Mobile data computer and dashboard video systems have been installed in Seal Beach's fleet of 10 "black & white" patrol cars.

The mobile data computers are integrated, digital, video and audio systems that will serve many purposes, according to City Manager David Carmany.

The systems will provide, Carmany said, remote access to local, state, federal and international criminal and law enforcement related databases.

A video system also records all contacts near the patrol cars, including field sobriety tests, pursuits, car stops, officer interactions with citizenry, etc., the city manager said.

The audio component will record an officer's conversations outside the police car as well as arrestee conversations within the police car.

The newly installed equipment also:

-- Reduces 'on-air' radio time since officers can receive direction and messaging via the computer screen

-- Reduces Records Bureau workload since officers develop their own information while in the field

-- And rReduces Detective Bureau workload since officers can run down more leads from the field, rather than waiting for detectives to do it

-- Video evidence will help keep officers in the field, instead of courts

--  Video/audio evidence should deflate citizen complaints of rudeness, inappropriate behaviors, etc. Evidence exonerates or helps prove citizen complaints against officers

For nore details, call Police Chief Jeff Kirkpatrick, 562.799-4100.

Long Beach officials have released the first Draft Historic Preservation Element for public review.

The new section of the city's General Plan provides an outline for future historic preservation efforts in the community, and lists the actions that will be taken to achieve that vision.

To view the document, visit http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3313

A community meeting to discuss the coyote season will be held at Edison Park in College Park West on Saturday.

The free session, scheduled from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., will outline how not to attract coyotes and what to do if a coyote is spotted in the neighborhood.

Representatives from the Long Beach Animal Care and Services Department, the state Department of Fish &  Game, and the Seal Beach Police Department will field questions.

Animal owners will be able to get microchips for their cats and dogs for only $10 -- including registration -- on Saturday.

The Friends of Long Beach Animals are partnering with Long Beach to provide the low-cost microchip clinic center for families and youth, at Houghten Park, 6301 Myrtle Ave., Long Beach, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The effort is part of the National Be Kind to Animals Week.

 "A microchip is the best gift you can give your animal this year," John Keisler, manager of Animal Care Services, said in a prepared statement.

"Everyday we are able to reunite pets with their owners because they have microchips, which last a lifetime," Keisler added.

The special offer is made possible by a donation of the Friends of Long Beach Animals, a local non-profit that is paying half of the cost of the microchip for one day only. Residents may also get their pets licensed. Costs include:  $10 AVID Microchip, includes registration; · $20 dog licenses for altered animals; and· $90 dog licenses for unaltered animals.

Animal Care Services is open Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Village is closed on Monday, Tuesday and all holidays.

For more details,  call 562. 570-PETS (7387) or visit www.longbeach.gov/acs.

About 30 Long Beach residents listened to Cambodian-American Samkhann Khoeun recite poetry from "O! Maha Mount Dangrek" a book of narrative poems he translated and edited. The poems were originally written in Khmer by late monk Ly Van.

The two poems, presented in the book side-by-side in Khmer and English, tell tales of hardship under the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge. The monk, who died in Lowell at the age of 90, told a personal tale of survival during the genocide and another tragic love story about a friend. The poems, written by hand in Khmer calligraphy, were among the few possessions the money left behind.

The first poem tells of the  horrors faced by refugees fleeing over the mountain for the border with Thailand and being forced at gunpoint by Thai soldiers to return to their homeland strewn with land mines where "we walked, ate and slept amid corpses."

In addition to the poetry reading,, two young musicians from Cambodia: Srey Peov Phoeun, a singer, and Sinat Nhok, who played several traditional instruments, peformed. Among their selections were traditional smot song, or funereal pieces to help departed souls reach the next world. Something Khoeun said was denied during the Khmer Rouge reign when upwards of 2 million Cambodians who died "innocently, violently and inhumanely."

Khoeun says he hoped the bilingual book will be able to reach both young and old Cambodians, to help surivivors heal and the young understand what their parents and grandparents endured to reach the United States and create better lives for their families.

The Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance will play host to its third annual guided tour of the Dominguez Gap Wetlands Restoration Project Sunday, April 25 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. A tax deductible donation of $5 per person or $7.50 per couple is requested with all proceeds benefiting  the volunteer-led expansion of Cressa Park, a native plant habitat in Wrigley next to the LA River, north of the PCH Bridge.

Registration will begin at 4:45 p.m. at southern entrance across from 4062 Del Mar Ave.

Information is available by calling Joan Greenwood at 562-355-8679

The director of Health and Human Services has issued a warning that a majority of household dogs "present a public health and safety threat to our neighborhoods."

Animal Care Services renewed its warning this week, adding residents should help put the bite on the problem by helping to identify unlicensed or unvaccinated animals by submitting anonymous reports of unregistered animals.

"We encourage responsible pet ownership," said Ron Arias, the director, in a prepared statement. "compliance with state laws is about being a good neighbor and keeping our neighborhoods safe."

Licensing is also city law and violators face $50 and $100 citations.

Recent outbreaks of canine distemper and a confirmed case of rabies nearby have highlighted the importance of licensing and vaccinating pets, Arias emphasized in the announcement.

 Last week, the City began distributing 170,000 fliers through utility bills in both English and Spanish, encouraging dog owners to get pets registered.

John Keisler, manager of Animal Care Services, said the tips should be easy.

 "All we need is the address (and unit), and the number of animals at the property," he added. "We will scan the history of the address and follow-up."

Residents can make anonymous reports of unlicensed or unvaccinated dogs, or find more information about licensing their pets in the following ways: Phone 562.570-PETS (7387); email: animalcare@longbeach.gov; or licensing online at http://www.longbeach.gov/acs/pet_license/default.asp

Police Chief Jim McDonnell will  be introduced to 6th District residents at a Town Hall meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The introduction session is set for 6 to 7 p.m. at Veterans Park's community center, 101 E. 28th St.

McDonnell is the 25th chief of the Long Beach Police Department. For most of the decade, he has served as one of former Chief William J. Bratton's top assistants in the Los Angeles Police Department.

"I hope that you can join me as we get to know our new police chief, and see his vision for keeping crime down in Long Beach", said Councilman Dee Andrews, who is hosting the Town Hall meeting.

This event is free and open to the public. Free parking is available and light refreshments will be served.

For more details, call Andrews' office at 562. 570-6816 or visit his website at www.longbeach.gov.

Councilmembers Tonia Reyes Uranga and Robert Garcia will head a delegation of city officials at the unveiling Wednesday of a memorial bus shelter in West Long Beach.

The new shelter pays tribute to the late Robert "Bob" Lee, a Long Beach business owner activist in the West and Central Redevelopment Project Area Committees. Lee passed away in March 2008.
 
 The council members and the West Project Area Committee and the Redevelopment Agency are scheduled to pay tribute to Lee at 11:30 a.m., at 1670 W. Pacific Coast Highway, southeast corner of PCH at Santa Fe Avenue.

Fifth District Coucilwoman Gerrie Schipske is telling residents in her district to continue to be alert for wild coyotes after one was discovered, captured and euthanized in the El Dorado Park area.

On her website Schipske said number of household pets had been reported missing or killed by wildlife. In addition to the normal nighttime coyote activity, there had been reports of sightings between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

In 2008, residents in East Long Beach began initiating a Wildlife Watch program and in June 2009 the Bixby Knolls area the Bixby Knolls area was designated a Wildlife Watch area, as is El Dorado Park now.

Residents are encouraged to remove anything that might attract the coyotes, such as food and water and to make sure trash cans are tightly sealed.

Information is available at www.longbeach.gov/acs .

The Anaheim Street Community Police Center invites residents to learn about domestic violence at its monthly meeting April 20.

The free workshop is scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Mark Twain Neighborhood Library community room, 1401 E. Anaheim St.

Retired LBPD Det. Fred Bloh will explain the procedures for reporting domestic violence, filing a crime report, and how to obtain and enforce restraining orders.

Interval House representatives Elvia Hurtado and Lorena Ponce will outline resources available to domestic violence victims and their families, including emergency shelter and legal services. Interval House (www.intervalhouse.org) provides crisis intervention and assistance to domestic violence victims, as well as individuals at risk for abuse. It also promotes violence prevention education through its many bilingual programs and services.

This free workshop will be presented in English with Spanish and Khmer translation. Free parking is available in the library parking lot.

On the eve of this year's filing deadline, the state issued details of a new state law allowing taxpayers to immediately exclude from their income the amount of mortgage debt on their home loan that has been forgiven by their lender.

The law brings state statutes into conformity with federal law, according to the Franchise Tax Board.

"This is a critical tax change that will help people in our state who already are suffering the loss of their homes," said State Controller and FTB Chair John Chiang.

The new law, SB 401 (Wolk), allows most taxpayers to exclude canceled mortgage debt income of up to $500,000 on their principal residence. The limit is $250,000 for married/registered domestic partner (RDP) individuals filing separately. It applies to debt forgiveness in 2009 through 2012, resulting from a foreclosure, "short sale," or loan modification of a taxpayer?s qualified personal residence.

Qualifying taxpayers who have already filed their 2009 tax returns should file Form 540X, Amended Individual Income Tax Return, to subtract the amount of debt relief from income. To expedite processing, write "Mortgage Debt Relief" in red across the top of the amended tax return. Taxpayers must attach a copy of their federal return, including Form 982, Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness (and Section 1082 Basis Adjustment), with their state tax return.

Like federal law, the new state law allows individuals and businesses to exempt energy grants that are provided in lieu of federal energy credits from their gross income and alternative minimum taxable income.

 For more details, visit www.ftb.ca.gov.

Orange County Fire Aurhority firefighters will be conducting a small fire drill on the Seal Beach pier on April 27.

The firefighters will use local fire boats and the 1:30 p.m. exercise will be coordinated through the Police Department and lifeguards.

To limit impacts on the visitors to the pier, the OCFA firefighters will not be evacuating the pier as they would do on real incidents. Also, the hose lays on top of the pier will be dry, according to officials.

 It is basically a "dry" drill to assure everyone knows where to report and their function during the early portion of a pier fire.

A workshop on "Neighborhood Problem Solving" -- drugs, gangs, noise, trash and graffiti -- is set for  Wednesday at the Neighborhood Resource Center.

The free workshop is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at 425 Atlantic Ave. It's co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Resource Center and Neighborhood Leadership Program.

Panelists include: Rita Hooker, Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Program; Kym Cloughesy, Long Beach Police Department; Nelson Kerr, Department of Health and Human Services; and Dewahn Brooks, Environmental Services Bureau.

Residents are invited to bring canned food to donate to Food Finders to assist our Long Beach neighbors during the current economic crisis.

This workshop will be presented in English with Spanish and Khmer translation available. Free parking is available behind the building and on the street. To RSVP or for more information, call 562.570.1010.

Long Beach animal control officials warn that new litters of wildlife should soon begin emerging in search of food -- and that could be your pet.

Common wildlife in the area includes coyote, raccoon, opossum and skunk, among other wild animals and can pose potential health and safety risks to people and their pets, especially small dogs and cats.

"Recent rains have made food, water and shelter more available than in past years, resulting in larger litters of wild animals," John Keisler, Animal Care Services manager, said in a prepared statement. "This is the season--beginning April each year--for residents to take preventative measures to reduce attractants."

 Preventative measures have been proven to reduce the presence of urban wildlife. Residents should:

-- Remove food, shelter and water and keep pet food and water bowls indoors;
-- Never allow pets to roam and never leave small children unattended;
-- Create an inhospitable environment for wildlife;
-- Keep trash cans covered and secured at all times;
-- Clear brush, repair screens, cover holes, and pickup fallen fruit from around the house.

Any incidents involving aggressive, sick, or injured wildlife should be reported immediately to Animal Care Services at 562.570-PETS (7387). For all other wildlife-related inquiries, or strategies for protecting your property and pets, contact Animal Care Services by email animalcare@longbeach.gov, or online: http://www.longbeach.gov/acs/urban_wildlife/default.asp

Animal Care Services is open to the public Wednesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Village is closed on Monday, Tuesday and all holidays.

 A full listing of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers is posted online. For further information regarding Animal Care Services or to receive tips on responsible pet ownership, call 570-PETS (7387) or visit www.longbeach.gov/acs.

"Give a Day, Get a Day"  translated into a free day at Disneyland for more than 50 youths from the Sixth District.

Councilman Dee Andrews registered Long Beach's' Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace & Unity Parade and Celebration event so that volunteers would have the opportunity to receive a free tickets.

"I am very grateful to Disney and its partners for allowing our youth this opportunity," Andrewss said in a prepared statement. "It has taught our children the very important feeling that volunteering gives to the human spirit and reminds them of the awards that one can reap from volunteering."

The youth volunteered throughout Peace Week, a celebration of events leading up to the Martin Luther King celebration which included the groundbreaking for the Community Peace Garden, where the youth from the local community will receive green job training and jobs related to the upkeep and growth of the garden.

 The young volunteers also worked at the annual celebration in Dreamland, the youth and teen area of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, where they assisted in the Arts & Crafts tent.

The trip to Disneyland was completed with transportation provided by Supervisor Don Knabe's Office and Councilman Dee Andrews provided lunch.

The Long Beach Weed and Seed Strategy aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in Central Long Beach. The Weed and Seed Strategy is a community-based, comprehensive, multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention and neighborhood restoration.

For more information, call Andrews at 562.570-6816 or visit www.longbeach.gov/district 6.

The Los Alamitos Rossmoor Library will be closed for upgrades until May 24.

The library, at 12700 Montecito Road, will have automatic doors installed on the north side of the building.

The lighting also will be refurbished and wireless internet access will be added in the community room.

The Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance ( WANA ) plays host to its monthly meeting Monday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at Veterans Park Community Center, 101 East 28th St.

Residents are invited to join in an Earth Day Potluck. WANA will provide desert and beverages. Guest speakers are Trent Rosenlieb, president of Oil Operators, who will talk about a site investigation on a 20-acre property in Wrigley Heights. Jennifer Van de Fluit will give a short presentation on "Square Foot Gardening" and new Police Chief Jim McDonnell is tentatively scheduled at 7:30 p.m. to meet residents and say a few words. 
Information is available from Joan Greenwood 562-599-0812 or by e-mail at wrigleyalliance@msn.com

Changes, changes and more changes will give Willmore City Historic District a spruced up look this year.

New historic signs have been designed and will be added to seven initial locations around the Willmore City Historic District this year.

The signs will be used to welcome guests into the neighborhood and direct residents and visitors to historic locations.

The signs will be located at Fourth Street and  Magnolia Avenue, 10th Street and Park Court, Sixth Street and Chestnut Avenue, Seventh Street and Cedar Avenue, 10th and Magnolia, Chester Place and Loma Vista Drive, and Chestnut and Loma Vista, and Virginia Court from 11th Street connecting to Moro Court & Loma Vista.

The Willmore business district has had upgrades between Ninth & 10th streets, including the Willmore Five and Dime, which will debut on the northeast corner of 10th and Daisy Avenue.

All curbs in the corridor will be repainted with the possibility of new parking opportunities created.

Nine new trees and three new bike racks will be added around the Daisy Avenue business corridor.\

Tree lighting and banners will be added, and new trash cans will be installed at Sixth and Magnolia, Fifth and Daisy, Sixth and Cedar, 10th and Pacific Avenue, Third Street and Magnolia.

Community Development purchased the run down property at 1054 Maine Avenue, with plans to convert it to senior housing. The two story development will be restored and downsized to improve parking and beautify the neighborhood.

Community Development also has purchased the home at 922 Magnolia, and will be restoring it with the help of the Willmore City Heritage Association.

There also are plans to green Daisy Avenue, from Third to Anaheim Street.

The expansion of a new Drake Park is moving along. Almost all of the funding for an environmental impact report has been secured.

Learn about "Event Planning and Time Management" during a workshop scheduled for Monday.

The free workshop is set for 6 to 7:30 p.m., at 425 Atlantic Ave. It's co-presented by the Neighborhood Resource Center and Neighborhood Leadership Program.

Lysa Gamboa-Levy, Neighborhood Leadership Program Facilitator, will discuss how to develop personal organizational skills and strategies, and how to find resources that assist with effective event planning.

The workshop will be presented in English with Spanish and Khmer translations available.

To RSVP or for more information, call the Neighborhood Resource Center at 562.570.1010.

The Seal Beach City Council will meet in a special session Monday to review the DWP property and three other cases.

The special meeting is set for 5:30 p.m.

The Department of Water and Power property, generally known as the "DWP site," is located west of First Street and east of the San Gabriel River.

City negotiators -- the city manager and city attorney -- have been in discussion with the property owners, Bay City Partners, LLC.

Also, the council will be updated on three other cases.

According to the public notice of the meeting, a point has been reached where there is a "significant exposure to litigation against the city," according to the city attorney. In addition, the City Council is deciding whether to initiate litigation, the notice added.

Members of the public will be provided an opportunity to address the City Council concerning the special-meeting items before the City Council goes into a closed session. No other business will be considered.

The recent discovery of a bat testing positive for rabies has prompted health officials to issue warnings to the public.

Acting Long Beach City Health Officer Dr. Anne Anglim is advising residents to avoid contact with any bats they might come across.

 "Children are especially vulnerable as they may see a bat on the ground and think it is a toy," she said.

Rabies is a highly contagious disease that could be fatal in humans, Anglim noted.

She said the bat entered a bedroom through a sliding door which had been left open.

 Animal Care Services  officials from the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services  -- more commonly known as the Health Department -- were contacted to remove and the bat.

Public Health officials have been working with the family to ensure that family members receive necessary medical treatment to prevent infection from rabies.

No Long Beach residents were exposed.

Rabies is a virus that causes a severe brain infection in mammals and humans that is nearly 100 percent fatal once symptoms appear. However, infection can be effectively prevented with prompt medical treatment.

Signs of rabies in bats include: activity during the daytime; being in a place where they're not usually seen such as a home, playground, or anywhere on the ground; and an inability to fly.

Bat bites can go undetected because their teeth are very small and do not leave easily recognizable wounds.
If you wake up with a bat in your bedroom, seek medical attention. Unless the bat is captured and tested, health officials find that physicians recommend post exposure vaccinations.

Direct contact with any bat should be avoided, and if a bat displaying the above behavior is found; notify Animal Care Services at 562.570.7387 to retrieve the animal for testing.

 If a bat is physically present and you cannot reasonably rule out having been bitten or exposed, seek medical attention immediately.

Additional Health Department tips to prevent risk of exposure to rabies:

1. Teach children to never touch unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly;

2. Wash any wound from an animal thoroughly with soap and water; seek medical attention immediately;

3. Request to have all bats tested for rabies if exposure to people or pets occurs (contact Animal Care Services);

4. Prevent bats from entering homes, schools, or areas where they might contact people and pets by keeping doors and windows closed or covered with screens.

5. Be a responsible pet owner by keeping rabies vaccinations current for all pets; and

6. Contact Animal Care Services about any sick or injured stray animal or for information on controlling nuisance wildlife.

For more information on bats and rabies, call the Animal Care Services Bureau at 562.570.7387 or visit www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies.

This just in from the NLB Central site.

Artist Gregory Navarro Pickens is inviting community members to come on over and help him in the painting of a new mural at 4800 Long Beach Blvd. on Saturday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to Pickens, all you need to do is show up and grab a brush.