Good morning, Long Beach. It’s Monday, July 21. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. Get this in your inbox every Monday by signing up at lbpost.com/newsletters.

City meetings

Ahead of a 2026 budget season that kicks off this week, the city has important decisions to make. Few times in the year are there such vivid examples of the city’s aspirations and ailments as what’s on the agenda this week. Here’s a quick sprint through what to expect.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson announced Friday he will unveil a legislative package in his proposed version of the new budget that affords direct cash assistance to families affected by the recent immigration raids and a legal defense fund through the Long Beach Justice Fund. More details are expected to come later this week. 

Gas rates are rising, as are charges for water and sewer bills, although at marginal amounts. 

Pacific Avenue is expected to receive a $34 million makeover, propelled by a $25 million federal grant. Fixes will include new medians, pedestrian crossings, larger bus stops and train stations, among other changes. Another $1 million is needed for critical roadwork along Atlantic Avenue and Luray Street, specifically along a 700-foot wall the city says is at risk of collapse. 

New ordinances will have their first reading. These, the city hopes, will remedy the alarms sounded by workers who say they’re understaffed at the self-checkout lanes of grocery and drug stores (read our prior coverage here), and underpaid at the airport or convention center. 

The city and the mayor will pitch the idea of a minor league baseball team to share Blair Field with Cal State Long Beach. And the nonprofit group that supports preservation aboard the Queen Mary is ready to ramp up fundraising, prompting the need for a new agreement between the city and a namesake heritage foundation. 

ASM Global, which manages the city-owned convention center and the adjoining terrace theater, is set to receive $25 million in public money for planned renovations at the two facilities, largely centered around their roofing, electrical systems, elevators, escalators and ventilation. The company will use $600,000 in city funds for more improvements to the already renovated Long Beach Arena. 

Several council members are reviving discussions, one on public safety and another on child care. Councilmember Kristina Duggan is asking the city to examine how its law enforcement and outreach teams handle service calls to people “displaying threatening or unsafe behavior.”

And Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie is asking the city to look at whether it’s feasible to create a childcare service for parents who want to attend City Council meetings. The item first came up in 2019, with the plan to leave children in the care of contracted caretakers in the city media room. The program was paused following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. 

During a Monday meeting by the Board of Examiners, Appeals and Condemnation, members are expected to order the demolition of two buildings at 6020 and 6090 Long Beach Boulevard it deems a public nuisance. On Wednesday, the Commission for Women and Girls will discuss more about their interest in working with a local task force to compile a report on the status of human trafficking in Long Beach. And the city’s Utilities Commission on Thursday will look at several rehabilitation projects, including one to relocate a 12-inch water main that runs under Cal State Long Beach. 

Business events and information

  • Long Beach Heritage is hosting a lecture on July 23 titled Summer of Architecture: The New Deal Era: Building a Better Long Beach. The lecture, given by historian John Thomas, will look at how a federal deal made during one of America’s toughest eras has shaped Long Beach’s civic landscape. Our libraries, parks and other public spaces were all the outcome of a pen and paper decades ago. Tickets for the two-hour event start at $33; for more information, including where to find free parking, click here. 
  • The Nonprofit Partnership is hosting a workshop on digital production titled “Canva 2.0 — Superpower Your Project: Crafty Production Tools & Creative Lab” on July 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, click here. And on July 22, TNP is also running the second session of a workshop on storytelling techniques through the use of data. Tickets for that start at $90; click here for more info. 
  • The next Willmore City Community Association meeting will take place on July 23 at 7 p.m. Click here for more information. 

ICYMI — California and national news

  • In race to replace the International Space Station, Vast unveils Long Beach headquarters (Long Beach Post)
  • Musk says he will seek shareholder approval for Tesla investment in xAI (Los Angeles Times)
  • A new invader threatens California water supplies. Can the state stop its spread? (CalMatters)
  • LA sues Airbnb, accusing rental platform of price gouging after January fires (LAist)
  • LAHSA moved hundreds out of LA city homeless count without informing elected officials (LAist)