🌱 Did A Drug Lab Explode? + Hydrant Sheared Off At Anaheim & Alamitos

Happy Tuesday, Long Beach; today is National Audubon Day! Here's everything you need to know to get this day started.

What may have been an illegal drug lab exploded on 69th Street. Also, some drivers got a free car wash when an accident led to a sheared-off hydrant. Finally, there was a die-in at the Target on Bellflower Boulevard.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and not as warm. High: 74 Low: 57.

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Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

1. The LBFD headed to the 2200 block of 69th Street on Friday just after 4:13 p.m. The blaze turned into a two-alarm fire when “two compressed-gas cylinders inside the structure exploded, and heavy flames appeared to erupt from within.” A spokesperson for the LBFD explained that the fire “appeared to be caused by an illegal THC extraction lab.” (LB Post)
2. On Sunday, at around 8:19 p.m., the FD headed to a two-car collision on East Anaheim Street and Alamitos Avenue. The accident led to a sheared-off fire hydrant that soaked everyone and everything. However, two parties “were evaluated and released on scene” and the FD “cleared the scene at 8:40 pm.” (LBFD)
3. Fifty-or-so people observed Earth Day on Friday by marching from Whaley Park to the Target on Bellflower. There, they held a “die-in” for eight minutes, “which signifies the roughly eight years of lower life expectancy for Long Beach residents living near the port and other sources of air pollution in West and North Long Beach.” (LB Post)
4. Mayor Robert Garcia, tweeting from his personal account, explained that “Long Beach will continue to require masks on public transit and at our airport for the next few weeks.” He made the announcement on Friday and said that “we need to protect folks who are immunocompromised and seniors and workers who have no options other than public transit.” (Robert Garcia)
5. The LGBTQ Center Long Beach wants to expand. Currently located at 2017 East Fourth Street on Retro Row, we learned on Monday that they “no longer have enough space to house employees and clients” and need a second building. Working with a $2 million annual budget, the organization plans to double it. (Press-Telegram)

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Today in Long Beach:

• Sculpt Yoga at SteelCraft Long Beach (8:30 AM)
• Small Business Resiliency Webinar Series: CalSavers & The Multiple Employer Plan - What You Need to Know as a Business Owner (10 AM)
• FREE In-person Storytime at the Rancho Los Cerritos (10 AM)
• Have A Magical Tuesday at The Hangar (10:30 AM)
• Bixby Park Farmers' Market (3 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Belmont Heights South neighbor is wondering if anyone in Belmont Heights has a pool they can use to practice using an underwater camera? It needs to be heated and salt water, preferably. They can pay $100. For a few hours. (Nextdoor)
• A neighbor in The Plaza area is wondering if anybody has an electrician they can recommend? (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• A Spectacular Night of Theater! (April 29)
• FightersRep 13 (April 30)
• Hire A Pro To Tackle Mom's To-Do List (May 8)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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.