🌱 Belmont Heights House Fire + Fleeing Black Sedan Sought

Get on up, Long Beach, and happy National Thank A Mail Carrier Day! It's Friday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on in Long Beach today.

There was a home on fire on the 500 block of Grand Avenue. Also, a 13-year-old boy on a bike survived a hit-and-run. Finally, a 31-year-old man was shot near Poly.

First, today's weather:

Pleasant with plenty of sun. High: 71 Low: 43.

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Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1. On Wednesday afternoon, the LBFD was called to Belmont Heights at the 500 block of Grand Avenue (near Fremont Elementary School) to fight a residential structure fire. Officials say it was “an exterior fire (that) extended into the attic of the residence.” The fire is now under investigation. (@LBFD)
2. Last Friday, a 13-year-old boy was the victim of a hit-and-run near Conant Street and Faculty Avenue. He was riding his bike a little after 6 p.m., when “a black sedan driving erratically struck him from behind, hurtling him over the hood.” The teen’s family explains that the driver pulled into the “parking lot of a Mercedes-Benz dealership on Lakewood Boulevard to try and dislodge the bicycle from underneath.” If you have any information, please call the LBPD Collision Investigations Detail at 562-570-7355. (LB Post)
3. A 31-year-old Signal Hill resident was shot Wednesday evening around 6:30 p.m. at East Esther Street and Atlantic Avenue (near Poly). Multiple suspects approached the man who was sitting in his car. Someone took out a gun and fired. The suspects were believed to have fled to a nearby apartment building, SWAT rolled, and officers searched the residence. “They found firearms evidence but no suspects.” Please reach out with information to Detectives Donald Collier or Leticia Gamboa at 562-570-7244. (LB Post)
4. Did you know that the Mayor’s Fund for Education distributes “diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and formula” to LB families? This supply distribution takes place every Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The locations where families in need can go are Cesar E. Chavez Park (401 Golden Ave.), El Dorado Park West (2800 N. Studebaker Rd.), Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.), McBride Park & Cal Rec Community Center (1550 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.), and Silverado Park (1545 W. 31st St.). (Mayor's Fund for Education)
5. Is whiskey your poison of choice? Then you owe it to yourself to visit The Social List at 2105 East Fourth Street (Retro Row). We learned Wednesday that the venue has a limited time availability of “Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year, Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year, and Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year” pours. (The HiLo)

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Today in Long Beach:

• Long Beach DiversityX Job Fair (online) (11 AM to 2 PM)
• Cali Vibes Fest at Marina Green Park (12 PM)
• 80's With Knyght Ryder at the Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar (9 PM)
• Cali Vibes Afterparty Featuring KBong And Johnny Cosmic at Harvelle's (9:30 PM)
• Robert Incelli Latin Jazz Band at Café Sevilla (10 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Long Beach Public Library wants you to know that on Monday, February 7, the catalog and digital library will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance. They expect regular services to resume later that day. (Facebook)
• An East Village neighbor is wondering if someone can recommend an affordable ring sizer service that would enlarge a man's tungsten ring. (Nextdoor)
• A Willmore City-South neighbor needs a recommendation for a handyman to help to replace a tub surround in a small bathroom. (Nextdoor)
• A kind Alamitos Beach neighbor found a dog (intact, no collar, no chip ) close to Maria Goretti Church/school. Is it yours? (Nextdoor)
• Our Historic Zaferia Village-SW neighbor wants to start a Scrabble game! We could meet at one of the many lovely parks in our city, spell some words, enjoy the weather, and socialize - who’s in? (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right. I'll see you around!

— 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.