🌱 600 Career Victories For Coach Morgan + LB Animé Cosplayers

Morning, Long Beach, and happy National Apricot Day! Here's everything you need to know to get this Sunday started off right.

Millikan’s coach has a great run. Also, downtown LB is host to animé cosplayers. Finally, one in four residents tests positive for COVID.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 68 Low: 49.

Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

1. A shoutout to Lorene Morgan! She has coached the Millikan girls’ basketball team for 33 seasons! After Friday’s win over Compton, Morgan clocked her 600th career victory! “She becomes just the 19th girls’ basketball coach in California history to reach that mark, and only the sixth woman.” (The562.org)
2. Folks are having fun at the Animé Los Angeles 17. Taking place Saturday and Sunday at the LB Convention Center, there are plenty of cosplayers. Luke Skyhopper, a bunny, is in attendance along with Resident Evil cosplayers and a host of other animé characters. (The HiLo)
3. Friday’s COVID-19 numbers are high. The City had 6,274 cases this week, which is high when you compare that in all of December there were “only” 8,309. The positivity rate is now 24.6%, or one in four, as opposed to 3% a couple of weeks ago or 17.8% in January 2021. (LB Post)
4. The LBUSD is getting a dedicated COVID-19 testing clinic for staff members and students. This clinic opens on Monday at Cabrillo High School. Officials anticipate serving capacities of 5,000 people each week. In order to take advantage of this LBUSD-only testing facility, clients need to be “LBUSD employees or students who are symptomatic or who need a clear test to return to school following a COVID-19 infection or post-quarantine.” You don’t need appointments. However, the facility will not test parents or asymptomatic student-athletes. (Spectrum News 1)
5. LB neighbors are sharing the excess fruits their trees are producing. Good examples are the friendly folks at 3829 Linden, who put out grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and rosemary! Plenty of other neighbors are following their example. (FB)

Today in Long Beach:

• Brunch at Waters Edge Winery (12 PM)
• Kazha at the LB Convention Center (12 PM)
• First Connection Luncheon at Cornerstone Church (12:30 PM)
• Alex’s Bar presents Guest DJs Davie the Kidd & Ms. Queen of Hearts (2 PM)
• Songs and Stories of Hope at the Beverly O'Neill Theater (3 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Sutter neighbor needs someone to recommend a reliable gardener for a mowing and edging job. (Nextdoor)
• A Cal Heights neighbor wants to know where they can donate clean, good condition used socks. (Nextdoor)
• Another Cal Heights neighbor recently lost their pet bunny. He is a young male rabbit with white fur, and a brown spot around his nose. (Nextdoor)
• A Bluff Park neighbor wants to know where to find an Espresso Martini. (Nextdoor)
• Our Historic Zaferia Village-SW neighbor needs to surrender some cats. Can you help? (Nextdoor)
• Our neighbor Adreana Langston wants to invite you to church! "If you could use a little uplift this Sunday, the YouTube stream of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach 10 am worship service will include a hand puppet vignette. This special Time For Children segment will be all about Epiphany.(Patch)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday. See you all tomorrow morning for 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.