🌱 Junipero Beach Concession To Serve Alcohol + Abortion Meds At CSU

Hello, neighbors; today is Gorgeous Grandma Day, which Alice Solomon started in 1984! It's Saturday in Long Beach, and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in our community today. Follow along for the latest...

The Saltwater Deck will start serving alcohol. Also, CSU’s health center will offer students access to abortion medications starting in January. Finally, are officials getting ready for more people setting their cars on fire?

First, today's weather:

Clouds giving way to sun. High: 79 Low: 65.

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 🚗

• Arco at 1945 E Pacific Coast Hwy., $5.09
• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $5.19
• G&M at 805 E Ocean Blvd., $5.19

💻 Back To School Poll!
The kids are going back to school soon. Should schools still take COVID precautions? Please let me know your thoughts! As of right now, 24% say the kids should just go back to school, 48% say that kids should wear masks, 24% want there to be distancing and sanitizing, while 4% prefer distance learning for the kids.

Here are the top five stories today in Long Beach:

1. The Saltwater Deck at Junipero Beach will begin selling “beer, wine, champagne and wine-based cocktails.” On Thursday, the Long Beach Planning Commission decided to issue a conditional permit to add alcoholic drinks to its “burgers, wraps and frozen yogurt.” However, you can only buy booze “between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and customers will have to stay inside the roped-off areas near the concession stand.” Critics point out that the Saltwater Deck is situated next to a children’s playground. (LB Post)
2. Beginning on January 1, health centers at CSU Long Beach and other California State campuses will “offer abortion by medication.” This requirement dates back to SB24, which was signed in 2019. “Senate Bill 24 is anticipated to let the UC and Cal State system minimize the negative impact on students’ studies’ and mental health.” (LB Local News)
3. If you noticed a lot of smoke around 2249 Argonne Avenue on Thursday morning, you can rest assured that it was planned. There was a car fire seminar at the Long Beach Fire Department Captain David Rosa Regional Training Center. Authorities apparently expect more situations when a car is “purposefully set ablaze.” To make the training realistic, “LBFD personnel used road flares and a flamethrower to set two cars on fire.” (The HiLo)
4. Long Beach is 89th out of the 150 most/least educated cities. The Monday listing showed that Ann Arbor, MI is #1. It does well with educational attainment and quality of education. At number 2, there is the San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara area. Coming in at number 150 is Visalia. (WalletHub)
5. Mark your calendars! If you are already planning your travel arrangement for Mardi Gras 2023, consider travel with Southwest Airlines. The company announced on Thursday that “starting in January, new seasonal service will give customers the ability to travel nonstop between Long Beach and New Orleans.” (Southwest)

Today in Long Beach:

• Love Long Beach Festival at 200 Aquarium Way (11 a.m.)
• Long Beach Camerata Singers Front Porch Concert Series at Shoreline Village (4:30 p.m.)
• The Art Of Flamenco Dinner Show at Café Sevilla (6:30 p.m.)
• The Cripple Of Inishmaan opens at the LB Playhouse (8 p.m.)
• DJs Spinning Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Merengue, Dembow, and Cumbia at Caliz Sports Bar and Grill (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• *SERVICE UPDATE* Beginning August 2, Alamitos, Brewitt, and Dana libraries will temporarily shift to LBPL To-Go (item pick up only) service. All other LBPL locations will continue to offer full services. (Long Beach Public Library via Facebook)
• Our Alamitos Beach neighbor needs a divorce lawyer recommendation. (Nextdoor)
• A North East Village neighbor has a gorgeous Maine-coon mix that needs a home! (Nextdoor)
• A neighbor South of Conant wants to know when there will be an event to drop off old medications or a place that accepts them? (Nextdoor)
• Our Belmont Shore-Ocean neighbor wants to know if anyone heard gun shots or small explosions (not fireworks) in Naples or the Marina area. (Nextdoor)

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• Torrance Antique Street Faire (July 24)
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That's it for today! See you all tomorrow for your next 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