🌱 Gerald Desmond Bridge Demolition + Local Mass Shooting Prevented?

Morning, Long Beach; today is National Kitten Day, which is the brainchild of author Colleen Paige! I'm back with your new copy of the Long Beach Daily. Here's all the community news you need to know right now...

As you are reading this, work is underway to dismantle the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Also, did the LBPD prevent a shooting spree by acting on a resident’s social media posts? Finally, should the LBPD stop using facial recognition technology?

First, today's weather:

Fog, then sun. High: 81 Low: 64.

FYI: Long Beach Cooling Centers are open daily from noon to 6 p.m. You find them at the Houghton, McBride, and Admiral Kidd community centers as well as the Senior Center and El Dorado Park West.

🏡 Looking for more real estate leads in Long Beach? Let us help you reach prospective home buyers and stand out from the competition. Click here to learn more.

🚗 Three Of The Cheapest Gas Stations In Long Beach 🚗

• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $5.39
• Arco at 4385 Atlantic Ave., $5.67
• Mobil at 76 Termino Ave., $5.77

💧 Water Crisis Poll! 💧
Residents are limited to watering their landscapes two days per week, before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. What else should the City do to deal with the water crisis? Please let me know your thoughts! So far, 21.1% want to mandate drought-resistant landscaping, 19.7% want to recycle wastewater for irrigation, another 40.8% want to build a desalination plant at the coast, and 18.4% don’t believe residential water use contributes to the water crisis.

Here are the top five stories today in Long Beach:

1. Demolition of the Gerald Desmond Bridge began officially on Saturday morning. The LB Port’s back channel closed at 6 a.m. and will remain closed until Monday morning. Demolition is expected to be complete by “late 2023.” (Spectrum News 1)
2. Did the LBPD prevent a mass shooting? We learned on Friday that officers, a “temporary gun violence restraining order” in hand, took possession of a resident’s “legally owned a .44 caliber Smith + Wesson revolver and an AR-15.” The man had been making social media posts about wanting “to harm, injure or kill African Americans, people affected by homelessness, women and people associated with Judaism.” He went so far as to cut and paste his likeness in a picture with the caption, "Chilling new image of suspect behind shooting spree." (ABC)
3. We talked earlier this year about the city’s Technology and Innovation Commission and its opposition to the LBPD’s use of facial recognition. We found out on Friday that the commission formally called “for a complete ban on the police use of facial recognition, at least until law enforcement can prove that the technology can be used in a non-discriminatory manner and in a way that respects the civil rights of the Long Beach public.” The ball is now in the City Council’s court. (Find Biometrics)
4. Right now, you pay around $28.99 each month for trash collection services. We learned on Friday that these rates could go up to $40.87 by January. “City staff understands the proposed rate increase may seem significant, but it is necessary to meet operational cost increases,” the Public Works Director explained. There will be a “separate cost estimate for what rates will look like for residents” once the organics recycling program is up and running. (LB Post)
5. What do you need to know about the monkeypox virus? The city released information on Friday that there are “no confirmed cases of MPV in Long Beach currently, and the risk of MPV remains low.” While there is a vaccine, the supply is limited and therefore reserved for the highest risk groups. “Symptoms of MPV include fever, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on parts of the body like the face, hands, feet or genitals.” (City of LB)

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Today in Long Beach:

• Long Beach Southeast Farmers Market at 6602 East Marina Drive (9 a.m.)
• LB Pride Parade & Festival at Ocean Boulevard between Lindero and Alamitos (10:30 a.m.)
• Pride Brunch & World’s First LGBTQ+ Mariachi Band at Fuego, Hotel Maya (noon)
• Afrohouse Long Beach with DJ Lancia at 250 N Tribune Ct (2 p.m.)
• Stephen Sondheim's Company at the Long Beach Playhouse (2 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A Rose Park neighbor needs a vet recommendation for possible foxtail in a dog's nose! (Nextdoor)
• A new Bluff Heights neighbor is looking for a tasty Chinese food place. Any suggestions? (Nextdoor)
• In the Country Club Manor area, a neighbor reports seeing a coyote in front of their apartment on Elm Street and San Antonio. Please be cautious when you walk your dogs and keep cats inside. (Nextdoor)
• Our neighbor in the Upper Westside area wants to know if anyone else is having trouble with roaches? Terminix said they were coming in via the pipelines. They've sprayed and set up traps. So far, nothing seems to work. (Nextdoor)
• Our Alamitos Beach neighbor explains why birds fly in a V (or half V) formation. It helps conserve their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of them to reduce wind resistance. (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Sunday. See you all Tuesday 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Long Beach Daily? Contact me at LongBeach-CA@Patch.com