🌱 Norovirus Closes Carver + Photo Contest + Ramona Playground Update

Morning, everybody! Today’s National Sloppy Joe Day; did you know the dish may have roots in Cuba's Havana of the 1930s? It's Sylvia, your host of the Long Beach Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community. Including news on:

• 🧑‍⚖️ A not-guilty plea
• 🤔 A city survey
• 🤢 Norovirus at an elementary school

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🌤️ But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 74 Low: 56.

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

• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $4.09
• Noil USA, Inc. at 1234 W Cowles St., $4.24
• Vons at 1818 Ximeno Ave., $4.39

😋 Fair Food Poll!
Fair food is the ultimate cheat meal. Although we all know it’s unhealthy, everyone has a guilty pleasure. Which is your favorite?

• 28.3% Funnel cake
• 22.6% Candy apples
• 15.1% Corndogs
• 5.7% Guacamole
• 3.8% Cotton candy, Cheesecake, Tri-Tip sandwiches
• 1.9% Turkey legs, Guacamole with cheese, Pork chop on a stick. Deep-friend bacon-wrapped pickle, Cinnamon rolls, Spicy sausage link on a French roll, Fried cheese curds

The rest have the willpower to stay away from fair food.

📰 Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1. Follow me on this one. Earlier, we discussed a former city employee who visited the Long Beach Police Department on March 6. At that time, he met with homicide detectives and “told them that he gave narcotics to the 36-year-old woman he had been dating and was responsible for her death.” This statement referred to a case from July 2020, when a death in the 1700 block of Cedar Avenue was ruled an "accidental overdose of methamphetamine and alcohol." Well, this city employee pleaded not guilty to murder on Thursday. (Patch)
2. George Washington Carver Elementary School at 5335 East Pavo Street will reopen on Wednesday to prevent the ongoing spread of norovirus. An outbreak led to the closure of the school on Friday. Reportedly, the virus spread since February 22 and sickened about 130 children and faculty members. You won’t have any virtual instruction. “A health screening process will be implemented Wednesday morning when students return.” (Patch, KTLA)
3. Construction of Ramona Park’s playground at 3301 East 65th Street could begin as soon as the fall, with a projected 2024 opening date. Designed for kids between the ages of 2 and 12 with different ability levels, it offers “exciting, inspiring, and inclusive play equipment.” Being mindful of the blazing summer sun, the city intends to plant trees and install shade structures along with fog misters. Neighbors had a chance to look at the plans on Thursday. (City of Long Beach)
4. What do you know about homelessness in Long Beach? How do you think the city is doing in addressing the issue? Weigh in by filling out an online survey. “To meet the challenge of homelessness, it’s important to listen and understand the needs of our residents as we measure our community’s progress,” Mayor Rex Richardson explained. The results of the anonymous survey will be shared with members of the City Council. (Long Beach Post)
5. The Aquarium of the Pacific is preparing for its 25th anniversary! To celebrate, it's hosting a public photo contest. Each contestant may enter one photograph by April 10 at 5 p.m. The theme is “highlighting your connections to nature in Southern California.” The entries of the top 10 contestants will go on display at the aquarium. In addition to bragging rights, the top three winners will receive cash. (Aquarium of the Pacific)

📆 Today in Long Beach:

• The Aquarium of the Pacific hosts its 18th Annual International Children's Festival (9 AM)
• Lazy Acres holds its 10-Year Community Celebration (11 AM)
• New In Town hosts Mardi Gras at Shoreline Village (1 PM)
• The 2nd Annual Craft Beer LB Homebrew Invitational takes place at the Rancho Los Cerritos (1 PM)
• Secret Sessions brings a House & Techno Party to the Belmont Memorial Pier (2 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Keeping our community safe and clean is a team effort! Yesterday, our North Division Officers were joined by teams from the Health Department, Code/Parking Enforcement, & Public Works to address quality of life issues in the Coolidge Triangle and Longwood Neighborhoods Together, we removed over 8 tons of trash from the area!" (Long Beach Police Department (CA) via Facebook)
• "🚨🚨 Interested in becoming an Ambulance Operator and have questions? 🚑🚑 Individuals can register for a question-and-answer session on Eventbrite.com. Participants must register to receive the zoom link. https://www.eventbrite.com/.../lbfd-ambulance-operator..." (Long Beach Fire Department via Facebook)
• "📢 Volunteers needed for our open-streets event, Beach Streets, happening in May! Sign up.⤵️" (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• "🗣 We are seeking partnerships with community organizations and local companies interested in collaborating with the City of Long Beach's homelessness emergency response. Learn more and sign up today! ℹ️ https://bit.ly/3JL8ZSJ" (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• "Join us on Wednesday, 3/29/23 at 6:00 p.m., via Zoom, for an online community meeting to discuss the latest efforts to address stormwater quality. The Skylinks Regional Stormwater Capture Project serves to address stormwater quality. To register, visit https://bit.ly/skylinkspcm2" (Long Beach Public Works)

🏡 What are homes selling for these days in Long Beach?

• Median Listing Home Price $750K
• Median Listing Home Price/Square Foot $610
• Median Sold Home Price $695K

Check out more Long Beach real estate information!

🐶 Check out cats, dogs, and other Pets Available For Adoption at Long Beach Area Shelters!

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Featured events:

• Artful Rhythms: Silent Disco & Craft Fundraiser for MS Warriors & Friends (March 18)
• 2023 Los Angeles International Flamenco Festival (April 1)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at LongBeach-CA@Patch.com