🌱 Man Shot On 7th St + City Addresses Erosion At Peninsula Beach

Hi there, Long Beach! Today, we enjoy a hot cup of tea as we celebrate the First Day of Winter! I'm here in your inbox this morning to tell you everything you need to know that's going on in town, including news on:

• ⚠️ Mpox cases in the city
• 📖 The Literary Women Festival of Authors
• 👟 The562’s athletes of the week

💗 Please help us grow! Send a friend or neighbor this link, so they can be in the know, like you!

☀️ But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 72 Low: 47.

⚡️ Attention, local business owners and marketers in Long Beach! I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to secure your spot now. Click here to learn more.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations in the City of Long Beach

• Sam’s Club at 7480 Carson St., $3.68
• ARCO at 1001 Redondo Ave., $3.77
• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $3.79

⏰ New Year’s Resolutions Poll! 🎶
According to Forbes, only 8% of people making New Year’s resolutions actually achieve them. Even so, the experts suggest making resolutions because they encourage intentionality, optimism, and a positive effect on others. So, what are your resolutions for 2023? So far, 23.5% intend to meet new people or interact more with current friends. Letting go of negativity is the goal for 17.6%, and 11.8% want to travel or experience something new. Another 17.6% want to live healthier, and the final 29.4% plan to embrace change.

📰 Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1. Residents reported shots fired in the 2800 block of East 7th Street. The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) responded at about 1:06 a.m. and found a male adult gunshot victim. He told police that "a male adult suspect shot" him and ran away. Officers are investigating. (LBPD)
2. A bane of surfers, the breakwaters have protected south-facing beaches from erosion. However, they don’t do anything for Peninsula Beach, which is on the eastern edge near the gap. We learned on Monday that the city typically moves “sand from the broad beach near Belmont Plaza and Belmont Pier down to the Peninsula” to construct berms. “Our sand moves from east to west, and we move it back,” said the beach maintenance superintendent. To fix it permanently, we would need to restore the ecosystem to the tune of $262.4 million. However, for the time being, the city will continue moving sand with trucks for around $300,000 a year. (Press-Telegram/paywall)
3. How are we doing with Mpox? Formerly known as monkeypox, the Long Beach Health Department announced on Monday that “vaccination, community outreach and other public health response efforts have contributed to a significant decline in new cases.” As of Monday, the city's confirmed 126 cases. During the week of December 17, no cases were reported. The city has given out 9,250 mpox vaccine doses, and if you believe you need one, you can still get yours at the Pacific Coast Campus of the Long Beach City College on the corner of Orange Avenue and PCH. (City of Long Beach)
4. The Literary Women Festival of Authors is scheduled for February 1 at the Convention Center. Confirmed authors in attendance will be Aamina Ahmad, Nina De Gramont, Laurie Frankel, Xochitl Gonzalez, Nana Nkweti, Nita Prose, and Mary Roach. Tickets went on sale last Saturday. (Press Telegram/paywall)
5. On Monday, The562 revealed its athletes of the week. At the high school level, they are Nyemah King (Lakewood Basketball), Mason Pacheco (Lakewood Basketball), Emmalee Ekblad (Millikan Soccer), David Villanueva (Millikan Soccer), Jade Green (Wilson Basketball), Austin Unegbu (Long Beach Poly Basketball), and Martin Robles Ruiz (Cabrillo Soccer). At the college level, Kristyna Jeskeova (Long Beach State Basketball) was named. (The562.org)

Patch deals of the day:

If you need a last-minute gift and don't want to brave the crowds, here's something to consider. These limited-time offers — hand-selected by the Patch Deals team — can be purchased instantly. You can then let the recipient know what's headed their way and skip the whole wrapping presents fiasco altogether.

* $100 Restaurant.com eGift Card (89% off) — Pay just $11 and get $100 to spend at participating local restaurants.

* Sam's Club 1-Year Membership (50% off) — Save on groceries, kitchen supplies, electronics and more — plus save up to 60 percent on hotel accommodations around the world.

* Skoove Premium Piano Lessons (87% off) — Get a lifetime subscription on interactive piano and keyboard lessons for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.

(Patch may earn a commission on purchases. All deals are as of publication and could change.)

📆 Today in Long Beach:

• Free Educational Seminar on Estate Planning at the Courtyard by Marriott (10:30 AM)
  
• Barbara Alpert Singing Circle at the Alpert Jewish Community Center (10:30 AM)
• Traditional Holiday Concert at Millikan High School (7 PM)
• Free Trivia at Beachwood Brewing (7 PM)
• Karaoke at DiPiazza's (9 PM)

📓 From my notebook:

• "The Long Beach City Council recently approved a contract with PAO Design to advance their submitted memorial concept design, 'Twin Arches,' and conduct further technical studies for the development of Long Beach’s COVID-19 Memorial." (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• "In observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, some of the City of Long Beach facilities will be closed and services may be impacted. Get the full list of closures here. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3VbVP3V" (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• "It was Mayor Robert Garcia’s last day as Mayor, and the Office of the City Clerk wanted to thank him for all he’s done for Long Beach and wish him well on his next adventure in Congress." (Long Beach City Clerk via Facebook)
• "Please note that all LBPL locations will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 24 and will reopen on Tuesday, Dec. 27 🎄 For a full list of our hours + holiday closures, visit https://longbeach.gov/library/visit/hours-holidays/" (Long Beach Public Library via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Frosty's Winter Wonderland In Corona — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Announcements:

• New Business -Vending Machines (Details)
• Add your announcement

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! 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.

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