🌱 No Firm Date To Re-Open Queen Mary + $40 Vets' El Dorado Park Pass

Hi, all! Today, we pay attention to National Personal Space Day! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your fresh copy of the Long Beach Daily, hot off the presses. Here's everything you need to know that's happening these days in town. In this issue, you'll find news about...

• 🤔 Projected rent increases in Long Beach
• 🎅 The 38th annual Belmont Shore Christmas Parade
• 🎄 The 68th Annual Daisy Lane Parade

❤️ Loving the Long Beach Daily? Tell a friend and send them this link, so they can subscribe!

🌥️ But first, today's weather:

Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 64 Low: 52.

🏘️ Gain a competitive edge in the real estate market by sponsoring the Long Beach Patch newsletter. Our exclusive sponsorship opportunity combines our local audience reach with your real estate expertise to attract new clients in Long Beach. Click here to learn more.

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

• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $4.49
• G&M at 805 E Ocean Blvd., $4.59
• ARCO at 2601 Santa Fe Ave., $4.63

🎄 The Worst Christmas Songs?
Christmas is around the corner. Songs of the season are everywhere. However, some tunes are better than others. We asked which song is the one that is the worst in your book. You responded. NewSong, ‘The Christmas Shoes’ and The Jackson 5, ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ tied at 33.3% each. Next came Seth MacFarlane and Sara Bareilles, ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ with 16.7%. Band Aid, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ had 11.13% of your votes, and The Pussycat Dolls, ‘Santa Baby’ got 5.6% of votes. Thank you for participating!

Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1) Queen Mary update: Officials said on Monday that the ship is “on track for a public re-opening in the next few months.” You may remember that the initial projected opening day was sometime in October. However, added repairs were needed, and the city became more cautious with an expected reopening date. With the Queen Mary’s structural integrity having been the focus of past repairs, the next months will focus on “installing an emergency generator — which is capable of generating enough power to operate the bilge pump system — interior and exterior lighting, other safety equipment, and two boilers which will allow for hot water on-board.” (Press-Telegram)

2) Did you know that 60% of Long Beach residents rent? We learned on Monday that the city is likely to see ongoing rent increases “over the next couple of years.” So far, rents in West Long Beach have increased the most. Other ZIP codes saw average increases of about 5%. Insiders say that “we’re looking at 5 or 6% in Long Beach per year over the next couple of years.” To put it in perspective, the median rental price in the city increased by $200 over the last year, to reach $2,195. According to the law, landlords have the right to increase rents up to 5% each year “plus a percentage change in the cost of living, with a total maximum of a 10% hike.” (Long Beach Business Journal)

3) The city announced on Monday that veterans now qualify for an El Dorado East Regional Park parking pass at the reduced annual fee of $40. Reduced pass fees are also available for older adults and residents with disabilities. Buy the pass at the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine at 2760 North Studebaker Road or the El Dorado Nature Center Museum, at 7550 East Spring Street. “Proof of service must be presented upon purchase, such as a Department of Defense Identification Card or Proof of Military Service Form (DD 214).” (City of Long Beach)

4) The 38th annual Belmont Shore Christmas Parade kicks off this Saturday at 6 p.m. at Livingston Drive! The theme this year is “Christmas at the Movies,” and organizers are looking forward to more than 100 entries. “All the area high schools will be marching, along with other youth entries. City officials, elected and appointed, will be in the march, and Santa Claus will be riding his fire engine to complete the parade.” Because some 50,000 spectators might attend, “shoreside streets will be closed at 2 p.m. up to the alleys behind businesses, and Second Street will be closed to traffic at 4 p.m.” Do not leave your car parked there! It will be towed. (Press-Telegram)

5) Next up will be the 68th Annual Daisy Lane Parade on Saturday, December 10 at 5 p.m. It starts on “Daisy Avenue at West Burnett Street and travels south down the east side of Daisy Avenue to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), where it will make its way around the median and back up the west side of Daisy Avenue to conclude at West Hill Street.” On Sunday, a festive entertainment night will be on Daisy Avenue and 20th Street from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (City of Long Beach)

From our sponsor:

Today's Long Beach Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by Vint, a first-of-its-kind investment platform that makes it possible for investors of all sizes to invest in fine wine and rare spirits.

Why wine? Low correlation with traditional markets, average returns of 8.5% annually over a 121-year study.* There’s a reason the rich have been turning to it for centuries.

Diversify your portfolio — start investing with Vint today.

*The Price of Wine. Journal of Financial Economics.

Today in Long Beach:

• Farmers Market at the CSU Long Beach Campus Student Union (10 AM)
• FREE Social Security Workshop at the Alpert Jewish Community Center (11 AM)
• Festival of Trees at The Pike Outlets (3 PM)
• America's Pub Quiz at the Long Beach Brewing Lab (7 PM)
• Karaoke Wednesday at DiPiazza's (9 PM)

From my notebook:

• "Over the weekend, we celebrated 99 years as the oldest municipal airport in California! What better way to celebrate than with this iconic Airport photo from 1950? We are excited to kick off our 100th anniversary in 2023!" (Long Beach Airport via Instagram)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

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

Events:

• Sandpipers Holiday Homes Tour (December 2)
• Preparing for Divorce in 2023 – Vesta, Irvine, CA Hub (December 2)
• 25th Annual Palos Verdes Peninsula Parade of Lights (December 3)
• Add your event

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