🌱 16-Year-Old Arrested For Spring St Murder + Huge Tree Branch Breaks

Morning, everybody; today is National Sea Serpent Day, which commemorates an 1848 sighting of a 60-foot creature off the HMS Daedalus. I'm back in your inbox this warm morning with all the most important things happening these days in town. Here goes.

A 16-year-old boy is a suspect in the shooting death of a 19-year-old man. Also, how healthy are the trees in front of your home? Finally, the proposed co-ed Wilson HS locker rooms are making news again.

📣 Our readers love to celebrate good news! You can now shout out your big announcement at the top of the Long Beach Daily newsletter. Whether it's a grand opening, new product for sale, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or new baby, let everyone celebrate alongside you! Submit your announcement here.

Now, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 86 Low: 68.

FYI: Long Beach Cooling Centers are open daily from noon to 6 p.m. You find them at the Houghton, McBride, and Admiral Kidd community centers as well as the Senior Center and El Dorado Park West.

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🚗 Three Of The Cheapest Gas Stations In Long Beach 🚗

• VP Racing Fuels at 3605 E 7th St., $4.79
• Del Amo Petroleum at 4990 Long Beach Blvd., $4.89
• Arco at 6001 Long Beach Blvd., $4.95

💻 Back To School Poll!
The kids are going back to school soon. Should schools still take COVID precautions? Please let me know your thoughts! As of right now, 42.4% say the kids should just go back to school, 21.6% say that kids should wear masks, 33.1% want there to be distancing and sanitizing, while 2.9% prefer distance learning for the kids.

Here are the top five stories today in Long Beach:

1. On Friday afternoon, a 19-year-old man was fatally shot in the 3100 block of West Spring Street. Because the LBPD believed a shooting suspect to still be in the area, they directed residents to shelter in place. After SWAT rolled, officers learned “that the subject involved in the shooting was outside the perimeter and was going to turn himself in at the police station.” A 16-year-old boy surrendered after 6 p.m. and “was subsequently booked into the Long Beach City Jail for one count of murder and bail was set at no-bail.” (LBPD)
2. Last year, we talked about a 2021 report that said “nearly half or 14,000 of the city’s 29,000 park trees are dead, diseased or dying.” On Friday, we learned that “a 50-foot tree branch broke off a pine tree” in the 3500 block of Canehill Avenue. There were no injuries, but residents question the city’s tree maintenance efforts. (Long Beach News)
3. The Long Beach Unified School District is doubling down on the proposed Wilson High School gender-neutral locker rooms. Officials tweaked the original plans to “now include specific shower-and-changing areas for both boys and girls while still having a larger gender-neutral area.” This co-ed area measures “1,300 square feet and has 19 shower/changing stalls.” A new point of contention is the fact that there are coaches offices with windows looking into the co-ed area. However, the LBUSD isn’t “planning additional community engagement sessions on this project” and “planning for Wilson’s aquatics center has resumed and construction will begin in summer 2023.” (Press-Telegram)
4. The city intends to put four proposed charter amendments on the November ballot. They “relate to the consolidation of the city’s existing water, sewer and gas utilities into a single publicly-owned utility; establishment of a Police Oversight Commission; realignment of city election dates with the state; and realignment of Long Beach Board of Education election dates with the state.” Starting on August 10, the city will accept interest forms from those wanting to write arguments in favor of the measures. (City of LB)
5. Mark your calendars! The Long Beach Public Library has scheduled an exciting Author Talks series for August. On August 9, the Author Talk features Liz Moore (Long Bright River). On August 22, listen to Michele Harper (The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir). Finally, on August 25, there will be Liz Wiseman (Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact). (Long Beach City)

Today in Long Beach:

• Family Mini Photo Sessions at the Shoreline Marina (9 a.m.)
• "How We Write Stories To Say How The Land Was A Gift" at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach (10 a.m.)
• LB Burger Week & Dining Deals kick off (noon)
• Catfish & The Hollywood Hound Dogs play the Blues at Shoreline Village (1 p.m.)
• Club Real Ones Day Party at Grey LB (3 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• This past week, LBPD West Division bike officers spent some quality time playing basketball with this great group of kids! If you see our officers out riding 🚲 , stop and say hello! 👋 (Long Beach Police Department (CA) via Facebook)
• Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach is named one of 11 Best Beaches in California by PureWow. 🐶 (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• Beginning Sept. 19, the city of Long Beach will offer a nine-month Teen Academy for 100 teens ages 13 to 18. The Teen Academy program is offered through Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine. (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• Our Cliff May Ranchos neighbor is battling ANTS!!!!! They are crazy right now. Does anyone have any hot tips? (Nextdoor)
• A Coolidge Triangle neighbor is missing a yellow-bellied turtle on Neece Street. (Nextdoor)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Long Beach Daily? Contact me at LongBeach-CA@Patch.com