🌱 2 New COVID Test Sites Open + Local YA Author Has A New Book

Good morning, Long Beach, and happy Inspire Your Heart With Art Day! Here's everything you need to know to get this Monday started off right.

The City is adding two more COVID testing sites. Also, Elana Arnold is releasing a new book! Finally, the City will tackle a stormwater infrastructure project with a FEMA grant.

First, today's weather:

Times of sun and clouds. High: 66 Low: 48.

Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

1. The City will open two new non-appointment COVID-19 testing sites. Starting on Monday, you can visit the walk-up clinics at the Civic Center (open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and on the Pacific Coast Campus of LBCC (open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.). The City intends to “meet the continued demand for accessible testing amid the Omicron variant surge.” (LB Department of Health & Human Services)
2. Long Beach author Elana Arnold will release her new children’s novel, “Just Harriet,” on Tuesday. If the name rings a bell, it has probably to do with the fact that she’s already published 13 books over the last ten years. In 2018, she received the Global Read Aloud and One Book One School award for her series “A Boy Called Bat,” which features a third-grade autistic boy who nurtures a baby skunk. “'Just Harriet' is a novel that peers into the mind of third-soon-to-be fourth-grader, Harriet Wermer, a spontaneous, spunky girl who, admittedly, doesn’t have the greatest track record with being truthful.” (The HiLo)
3. We learned Saturday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending $702,823 as a grant to the City “to support a stormwater infrastructure project intended to mitigate or prevent flooding events.” “The proposed project would install standby generators with automatic switches at stormwater sites vulnerable to floods.” While it might seem odd for a city in a drought to install flood prevention measures, consider that “six pump stations were damaged by flooding in 2017.” (Press-Telegram)
4. On Saturday afternoon, there was a shooting in the 1400 block of LB Boulevard. A 30-year-old man experiencing homelessness was found dead inside a vacant building that has been converted into an encampment. If you have any information, please contact Homicide Detectives Sean Magee or Juan Carlos Reyes at (562) 570-7244. (LBPD)
5. Do you agree that walking is good for you? Would you love to walk more but have a difficult time motivating yourself? Did you know that walking a dog can be a fantastic motivation? And, if you don’t have a dog, you can join Heart of Ida, which is a volunteer organization that serves “low-income older adults.” By serving as an unpaid dog walker, you allow an older adult to keep their beloved dog healthy and happy. "If you want to walk a doggie for someone who no longer can, visit Ida’s Walkers website, call 562-570-3548 or email msheartofida@gmail.com. Tails will wag!" (LB Post)

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Today in Long Beach:

• Long Beach Salvation Army offers FREE Food Bag Pick-Up (9 AM to 12 PM)
• How To Improve Your Memory (online) (11 AM)
• Scherer Park After School Program (3 PM to Friday, 6 PM)
• Lunar New Year 'Year Of Tiger' Ferris Wheel Lighting 2022 at Pacific Park (5:30 PM)
• Virtual Speed Dating for Professional Singles (online) (6 PM)

From my notebook:

• Did you know? In Long Beach City, if you see an e-scooter blocking the sidewalk or road, use the new and improved Go Long Beach App to report parking and riding violations! The e-scooter option can be found under the "Other" category on the main menu. (Facebook)
• A Grant neighbor is interested in getting a photo booth for a party and wants some recommendations on people for the job. (Nextdoor)
• A Houghton Park-NLB neighbor found a dog wearing a red Spider-Man hoodie and a blue rope/leash. No microchip. He’s at LB Animal Shelter. (Nextdoor)
• Our The Circle Web neighbor is looking for a good place to find formal ball gowns. (Nextdoor)
• A Bixby Knolls-N of Cal Heights neighbor is looking for Girl Scout cookies, particularly the Adventurefuls. Are you selling any? (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!

— 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.