Good morning and welcome to Monday Morning Coffee! Grab your cup and let’s get to your weekly briefing of what’s on the agenda for local government and business leaders. Want to stay ahead of the pack? Get us in your inbox every Monday morning.

City meetings

  • A Monday afternoon meeting of the Board of Examiners Appeals and Condemnation will begin the week for local government. Board members will review a presentation on code enforcement. The meeting (Sept. 16) will take place at 1:30 p.m. inside the Queen Mary Conference Room at 411 W. Ocean Blvd., situated on the fourth floor.
  • Three meetings will take place Tuesday in quick succession, starting with the city’s committee on Government Operations and Efficiency at 3:45 p.m. Following a closed session expected to start around 4:15 p.m., the Long Beach City Council will convene at 5 p.m. inside the Civic Chambers.

    Expect a packed agenda, from potentially raising fines on illegal dumping to authorizing the City Attorney to respond to an L.A. Grand Jury report that found the use of e-bikes and e-scooters in Long Beach to be unruly. 

    Council members will also vote on whether Long Beach will lend its official support for Proposition 36, a consequential initiative that would toughen penalties for repeat theft and drug possession.
  • On Wednesday, two evening meetings make up the day, starting with the Long Beach Community Investment Company at 4 p.m. and then the city’s Commission on Youth and Families at 6 p.m. LBCIC will consider a $5 million loan for a property at 1401 Long Beach Blvd., while the youth commission will review its standard reports.
  • The following evening, the city’s Airport Advisory Commission at 4 p.m. Thursday will go over sustainability efforts and receive presentations on historical displays and the LGB Business Partner Spotlight.
  • At Kenneth Hahn Hall on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors will convene its 9:30 a.m. meeting to review a report on bed space at mental health and drug addiction treatment facilities, as well as another report on the countywide implementation of Proposition 1. Supervisors also look to ratify a local emergency for the recent Bridge Fire, among other items.

Business events and information

  • Coffee. Monday Morning wouldn’t be complete without it. For almost any way you take it — with cream, on a bike or from an over-generous coworker — Long Beach has several networking functions centered around java. These include the Mug-to-Mug business exchange, held at 10 a.m. at Zuzu’s Petals (801 E. 3rd St.), and Bike to Work Day at 8:30 a.m., breakfast provided to go. Both are held on the third Tuesday of each month. 
  • Have thoughts on your experience? The city’s health department, in conjunction with Walk & Roll Long Beach, is accepting surveys Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.) on biking conditions on Pine and Pacific avenues. Participants will be asked to ride down Broadway to Pine Avenue, along a project area. They will then be asked to fill out a survey and provide feedback. For more information, follow this link.
  • In an attempt to prove not all sequels are bad, the Braven Agency is hosting the next of its four-part webinar series Wednesday going over the integration of artificial intelligence into your small business. The first two iterations, held Sept. 4, went over introductory methods on AI and what is currently available to business owners. This coming webinar, held at 10 a.m., will focus on how to use AI to create marketing graphics for your business’ website and social media.
  • Far from February, love may not be in the air but groove certainly can be. The Long Beach Arts Council announced its revival of the State of the Arts: A Night of Art, Music and Celebration on Sept. 20 at Altar Society Brewing in Downtown Long Beach. The event will highlight local artists in concert with live music, guest speakers and refreshments. Doors open to VIPs at 5 p.m.; general admission starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free to the general public, though donations are encouraged.

ICYMI — California and national news

  • Walmart is officially going on tour, with two stops in Los Angeles, as a literal fashion statement. (LAT)
  • Fast-fashion retailers Temu and Shein have long enjoyed a tax loophole to ship goods to the U.S. That may soon change, with their prices following suit. (NPR)
  • Online schooling is more popular than ever. But is it as effective as in-person instruction (CalMatters)