Good morning, Long Beach. It’s Monday, Dec. 8. Here’s what you need to know to start your day. Sign up at LBPost.com/newsletters to get this in you inbox every week.
City meetings
Cal State Long Beach and the Long Beach City Council are in the final stages of an agreement that, if approved, will pave the way for major improvements to Blair Field ahead of the Long Beach Baseball Club’s inaugural season.
The agreement, which will go before the council Tuesday, would amend the college’s 55-year lease — signed in 2009 — to increase base rent from $338,000 to $494,700.
The college’s revenue breakpoint will also rise, meaning it can earn a higher revenue threshold before having to pay more in rent. And all sporting exhibitions or special events put on by college or approved groups will have to supply at least 10 free tickets to the city.
Paul Freedman, founder of the newly formed Long Beach Baseball Club, an independent league team, said Sunday the club’s owners have compiled a list of preferred improvements, including its irrigation system to the guest team locker room and batter’s eye.
They hope to have the fixes completed ahead of the club’s regular season in June, and likely work around the university team’s season, which runs February to May.
“It will be noticeable, we hope,” Freedman said, saying it will focus on the player’s experience on the field. “We hope that this will be a different level of baseball that’s ever been played at Blair before, and the environment and the ballpark will be upgraded to hopefully match that.”
Elsewhere in the city:
The Long Beach City Council is set to approve the sale of the former Long Beach Armory (854 E. 7th St.) for the construction of a 64-unit affordable housing project.
On Thursday, the city’s Climate Resilient and Sustainable Commission will hear a presentation on ways to introduce more carbon-free transportation into the Long Beach public sector.
Updates on the new city senior center will come before the city Advisory Commission on Aging’s meeting on Wednesday. And the argument will be made at Monday’s commission for Women and Girls that ranked choice voting in future elections will encourage more civic involvement among women.
On Wednesday, the Ethics Commission is expected to discuss changes to the city’s lobbying ordinance, proposed last month following years of study.
The recommended changes would enshrine dozens of new rules: It would require more types of lobbyists to report their contact with city officials; reduce the expenditure threshold — from $5,000 to $2,500 — needed to trigger a reporting; and require that lobbyists include a description of their request, whether it be a question, administrative action or contact subject, and include their position on their matter.
Officials, including department bosses, the mayor, council and their chiefs of staff, would have to upload their calendars to a public website by the 10th of every month. And the City Clerk would be tasked with improving the website where much of this information is stored, to make it easier to access.
Business events and information
- The Long Beach Chamber of Commerce will host its annual holiday membership mixer on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 5 p.m. at Altar Society (230 Pine Ave.). Attendees will enjoy a night of networking, food, drinks, ticket raffle and a performance by cover band, Knyght Ryder. Tickets start at $20; $40 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit here.
- The city will host a community town hall on Thursday, Dec. 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) to go over its systemized response to Long Beach’s homeless crisis. Residents can see “interactive poster boards, ask questions, learn how to get involved in the 2026 Homeless Count” and help make hygiene kits. Click here to sign up for the forum.
ICYMI — California and national news
- Long Beach must claim a larger share of sports market, mayor says (Long Beach Post)
- Plans to raise Vincent Thomas Bridge rejected (Los Angeles Times)
- On CalFresh? How to get $60 of free fruits and vegetables each month (LAist)
- California is about to have a massive fight over taxes. Here’s why Los Angeles is the frontline (CalMatters)