🌱 Black Restaurant Week Places To Try + McDonald’s On 4th Robbed

Up and at 'em, Long Beach, and happy National Blueberry Pancake Day! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note.

If you haven’t tried The Boujie Crab, Roscoe's House of Chicken N' Waffles, and Devi's Donuts, have you even participated in Black Restaurant Week? Also, there was a robbery at a McDonald’s and a shooting in the Harbor Gateway area. Finally, Cal State offers FREE tax help!

First, today's weather:

Pleasant with variable clouds. High: 74 Low: 47.

Here are the top five stories today in Long Beach:

1. We are right in the middle of the City’s first Black Restaurant Week! The last day to check out featured Black restaurants, chefs, and bartenders is Sunday. If you aren’t sure where to visit, check out The Boujie Crab, Roscoe's House of Chicken N' Waffles, and Devi's Donuts. Each place has its own philosophy. For example, did you know that Eva Ognibene, co-owner of Devi’s, learned to “make donuts at an ashram, or Hindu monastery, in Pennsylvania?” (ABC)
2. There was a robbery at McDonald’s on the 1000 block of East 4th Street on Tuesday. A little before 2 p.m., a man entered the restaurant, pulled a gun, and demanded cash. He then fled “southbound on Bonito Avenue.” (LB Local News)
3. A 30-year-old woman was shot and killed a little after 11 a.m. on January 18. The murder happened as she was driving “in the area of Ainsworth Street and Redondo Beach Boulevard.” One round was fired by someone who got out of an oncoming black Honda Accord. If you have any information, please call LAPD detectives at 323-786-5140 or 323-786-5138. (KTLA)
4. Do you need help doing your taxes? Business students at Cal State Long Beach want to help you – for FREE. They offer assistance to those “who make $58,000 or less, low-income students, elders, non-residents and individuals whose English is limited.” If you’re not sure that these students can help, consider that “last year, student volunteers filed state and federal tax returns during virtual interviews that resulted in more than $700,000 in refunds.” The service started Thursday and will run through April 9. Get more details by calling coordinator Nguyet Ngo at 562-726-2331 or emailing vita.csulb@gmail.com. (Press Telegram)
5. There is a place that serves coffee AND wine. Opening six months ago at 3853 Atlantic Avenue, Sala Coffee & Wine took over the space previously occupied by Mixx Kitchen. We learned Saturday that the venue hired a chef and is “planning the menus this week, starting with brunch, followed by afternoon “wine bites,” and then rolling into a dinner menu down the line.” (The HiLo)

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Today in Long Beach:

• The Columbia Memorial Space Center presents the Columbia Shuttle 40th Anniversary (online) (all day)
• Cider & Sounds: DEISSMARIE at Ficklewood Ciderworks (7 PM)
• Long Beach Playhouse presents Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express (8 PM)
• Knyght Ryder performs at The Gaslamp (9 PM)
• Mezcalero Dance Party with DJ Nativity (Dank Radio/De La Playa/Hasi La Pheeque) (9:30PM)

From my notebook:

• A kind DeForest Park-South neighbor found a pet rabbit. If you can describe it, they'll happily hand him over. (Nextdoor)
• A Wrigley-Memorial Park neighbor has a tankless water heater that needs to be flushed out. Is there someone who can do this? (Nextdoor)
• A Country Club Manor neighbor needs recommendations for a Star Smog Check and Repair shop. Their car failed the Smog test. (Nextdoor)
• Our Cal Heights neighbor wants to know if there is a place locally to recycle printer ink cartridges. (Nextdoor)
• A Los Cerritos neighbor recommends Willie's Auto Detail & Car Wash. They had Willie fully detail a Ford Escape SUV, and he did an amazing job. (Nextdoor)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. 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.