🌱 Measure M In Court + Counterfeit Gucci + Dines, Kerr For CD 5?

Hey, neighbors! Sylvia here with the latest Long Beach Daily.

Remember Measure M? Also, that Gucci you’re buying might just be a knock-off. Finally, meet the contestants for CD 5.

First, today's weather:

Fog, then sun. High: 64 Low: 51.

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Here are the top stories today in Long Beach:

1. In 2018, voters approved Measure M, which is the City’s practice of transferring revenues it received for water and sewer fees to the general fund. However, residents sued when the City increased utility rates and alleged “a form of illegal taxation on residents.” The courts have found in favor of the plaintiffs, explaining that “voter approval . . . does not rescue the City from an independent constitutional violation.” On Wednesday, the CA Courts of Appeal agreed. Now, the City plans to take the case to the state’s Supreme Court. (LB Post)
2. That designer item you bought for a song online may be counterfeit. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Thursday that officers intercepted a cargo shipment from China consisting of 13,586 fake products with labels such as Gucci, Fendi, and others. If you want to have the real deal, it always makes the most sense to buy “directly from the trademark holder.” (KTLA)
3. Council Member Mungo announced Thursday afternoon in her regular email update that she won't run again for office. After the uproar over the slicing and dicing during redistricting that wrote out the incumbent as well as the declared challengers, council district 5 (CD 5) now has a new crop of contestants, we learned Wednesday. One is Rich Dines, who tried out for the job in 2018 but couldn’t beat Mungo in the runoff. The other is Megan Kerr, a member of the LBUSD Board of Education and personal friend of Mayor Robert Garcia. (LB Post)
4. Remember when we talked about the 18-month pilot program that offers “free-fare rides for eligible students enrolled in K-12 school districts and community colleges in L.A. County?” Because it is a four-year school, CSULB didn’t qualify. Right now, students can receive passes through Go Beach! that are cheaper but not free. A spokesperson for Metro justified the exclusion by noting Wednesday that “while we know there are low-income students at four-year universities as well, the percentage of low-income community college students is much higher.” (Daily 49er)
5. The SEIU 2015 advocated Wednesday for a “liveable wage floor” for caregivers. Explaining that 53% of home care workers have to rely on public assistance, the union urges residents to sign the petition for $20 an hour. (@MoveLBForward)

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Today in Long Beach:

• DTGApp GRAND OPENING! Giveaways - Music - and Custom Apparel! East Village Arts District, 406 East 1st Street (3:00 PM)
• Dan Delgado Sextet with Natalie Gonzalez, 434 West 6th Street in San Pedro (7:00 PM)
• Winter Choral Concert - Renaissance High School for the Arts, 235 East 8th Street (7:00 PM)
• LBCS Messiah with Musica Angelica - Long Beach Camarata Singers, Beverly O'Neill Center Theater, 300 East Ocean Boulevard (7:30 PM)

Long Beach Patch Notebook

• Long Beach State Athletics: Big congratulations to Kashauna Williams and Katie Kennedy of on being selected to Big West All-First Team!!! (Instagram)
• Long Beach Police Department (CA): One of the best parts of being a police officer has to be receiving letters like these. Officers are grateful to the students at Stevenson Elementary for creating these amazing "Thank You" cards for South Division officers! (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Free Biz Owners/SideGig/Startup Automate your Website-Increase Profits - Live Q@A 3 PM Friday (December 3)
• Autopia 2099 - Presented by Nissan! (December 4)
• Holiday Bazaar (December 5)
• Winterfest Christmas Concert and Sparkling Reception | Tix just $70 per person (December 5)
• Intellectual Virtues Academy High School Information Session (December 8)
• Vistamar School Admissions Open House (December 11)
• Taxes In Retirement Webinar (December 14)
• Taxes In Retirement Webinar (December 16)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow for another update! If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors along for the ride. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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.

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