Good morning, Long Beach. It’s Monday, March 30. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. Get this in your inbox each week by signing up at LBPost.com/newsletters.

City meetings

We’re months away from the June primaries, but two races have already been decided.

City Attorney Dawn McIntosh and City Prosecutor Doug Haubert, both of whom were on the ballot seeking re-election, have been appointed to office. They will forgo a June primary or November general election as no challenger has entered the race to compete for their seats. Their terms had been set to end in December and now will extend another four years.

Local law allows a candidate to be appointed to a position if no other candidates have filed to run ahead of the nomination period deadline on March 6. Haubert won the 2022 election with 56.3% of the vote, or about 39,800 ballots; McIntosh won her seat the same year with 54.8% of the vote, or about 38,600 ballots. 

Outside of those two races, Long Beach voters can expect a stacked lineup of local, state and federal elections in June. 

The five odd-numbered City Council district seats, the mayor’s race, and the city auditor race are all up for grabs. You can read through our summary coverage of local contests here and see the most up-to-date list of candidates here. We have much more to come. Questionnaires were just sent to candidates, and we’ll have some helpful guides coming about their stances and the powers of their offices.

Some notable state and federal races: State Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal will square off with fellow Democrat Carolyn Essex; Incumbent Congresswoman Nanette Barragan will face Genevieve Angel, a Republican; and two-term Rep. Robert Garcia will face three Republicans and one no-party preference challenger in June within his newly drawn 42nd District. 

To view candidate races across California, click here. 

In each race, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in June, the top two finishers will compete in a November runoff.

Those interested in voting: Ballots will be mailed for the race no later than May 4, though the last day to register to vote is May 18. Ballot drop-off locations will be announced here. 

Unsure of your City Council district? Here’s a map.

Other things to watch for this week:

  • On Wednesday, the Homeless Services Advisory Committee will review updates on the city’s emergency housing voucher program. It’s an important item: Funding for the city’s emergency vouchers has been in limbo since the fall, leaving nearly 500 people on the verge of losing their homes. 
  • Some dollars-and-cents discussions for Thursday: the Transactions and Use Tax Citizens’ Advisory Committee will hear presentations on Long Beach Measure A performance, bond servicing and the schedule of passing the city’s budget. 

Business events and information

  • On Tuesday, the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Space Beach luncheon at the Hotel Maya (700 Queensway Dr.). For more information, visit here. 
  • The city is hosting a “Doing Business with the City Expo” on April 2, starting at 1 p.m. at Wardlow Park Social Hall (3457 Stanbridge Ave.). The event will focus on businesses and vendors interested in selling their products and services to Long Beach, as well as getting their businesses involved in planning ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games. For more information, RSVP here. 
  • Later in the evening on April 2, there will be a town hall meeting on the city’s large-scale remodel of Pacific Avenue. The meeting will go over updates on the project, which will add a mix of safety and accessibility features to a 1.5-mile stretch of Pacific from Ocean Boulevard to Pacific Coast Highway. Construction will start in the fall. 

ICYMI — California and national news

  • Kaiser made $9.3 billion last year. Critics say it has strayed from its charitable mission (L.A. Times)
  • Millikan High School is mourning Canelo, a Long Beach cat whose secret life endeared him to thousands of students (Long Beach Post)
  • A Pacific Palisades on the rebound gets its century-old newspaper back (LAist)
  • Beloved Eagle Rock bookstore must find a new home after rent more than doubles. It’s not alone (LAist)