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. Get this in your inbox every Monday by signing up at lbpost.com/newsletters.

City meetings

There are only a few government meetings planned this week, and they don’t include the Long Beach City Council. 

Across the Civic Center courtyard, the Long Beach Harbor Commission will have its 1:30 p.m. meeting Monday and hear updates for the massive Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility project. Commissioners will also approve contracts for demolition of a transmission tower and a resolution to withdraw from the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Gateway Region Integrated Regional Water Management Joint Powers Authority. 

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hear an after-action report on evacuation policies used in the recent Palisades and Eaton fires. Other reports will be shared on the county’s capacity for mental health and substance abuse beds, annual water rates and more. 

The meeting will start at the regular 9 a.m. time.

And later in the day, the Signal Hill City Council will hear a presentation on the importance of Black History Month and consider allowing Crimson California Pipeline to lay pipes under and along city streets for local oil production. The meeting, held at the Signal Hill Council Chamber, will start at 7 p.m.

Business events and information

  • The Long Beach Police Department is offering free enrollment in its No Trespassing Program. Business owners and landlords who enroll can post a sign that gives city police the authority to warn, cite or arrest trespassers even if the owner is not present. The two-hour enrollment event will take place Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. in the community room at the LBPD’s headquarters at 400 W. Broadway. For more information, visit here.
  • A major update on the forthcoming Long Beach Bowl is expected in March, city officials announced last week. The temporary amphitheater, unveiled during Mayor Rex Richardson’s State of the City address, will encompass six acres next to the Queen Mary and host 40 events annually with seating up to 12,000 people. In a Jan. 21 press release, officials said they will ask the Long Beach City Council for formal approval of the project’s budget and proposed operators, ASM Global and Legends, on March 11. Expectations remain that the project will finish construction by this fall.
  • The Long Beach Towne Center is seeking retailers, local and national alike. Whether you’re a budding chef looking to finally open your first brick-and-mortar or an established brand looking to expand, the center says it has the space for you. For more information, contact Tonya Szerdahelyi at 562-257-1507 or email [email protected].
  • Is your business trying to help others impacted by the wildfires? Visit Long Beach wants to know. In light of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the organization wants to create a resource page of local businesses offering fire relief discounts or services. If your business is providing any form of support, such as discounts, free services, or donations, please reach out directly so you can be included on the page. For more information or to be included, email [email protected]
  • If you’re like most people, you probably think the government can spend your tax dollars better. Well, the city is inviting you to share your ideas. The city of Long Beach is fielding public input this month into the next as it begins to establish its newest budget. Approved each year in the early fall, the city’s roughly $3 billion spending plan is a yearly affair and draws heavily on input from community stakeholders and everyday residents who best understand the needs of their neighborhoods. Three public meetings remain, on Jan. 27, 29 and Feb. 3. The first meeting will be virtual and will require advanced registration while the other two will be in-person. The city also launched a budget priority survey, where residents can do their civic duty and exercise a little micromanagement. For more information on the city’s upcoming budget process, visit here.

ICYMI — California and national news

  • With Los Angeles in need of housing, downtown’s empty office towers have appeal (L.A. Times)
  • A year after seeing historic gains, Long Beach last week surveyed its homeless population (Long Beach Post)
  • California almost legalized psychedelics. Now, supporters are looking for a good test case (CalMatters)