🌱 North LB Apartment Fire Update + Assault With A Gun On Magnolia St.

Hey, everybody; today is National Yucatán Shrimp Day, which was founded in 2020 by Florida’s Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. It's Tuesday in Long Beach, and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening locally. Without further ado...

The initial scuttlebutt about the fire jumping from a car to the apartment complex has been debunked. Also, have you noticed how similar so many of the shooting stories are? Finally, will the Port get its labor discussions finished on time?

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and nice. High: 72 Low: 59.

Poll! Who Should Be The Next Long Beach Mayor?

Please let me know your thoughts! (As of today, Suzie Price leads the pack with 42.6% of your votes, but Rex Richardson is second with 24.9%.)

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Where’s The Cheapest Gallon Of Regular Gasoline In Long Beach?
G & M Food Mart at 701 Redondo Ave., $5.69
Speedway at 907 E 7Th St., $5.75
G & M Food Mart at 805 E Ocean Blvd, $5.79
Arco at 1945 E Pacific Coast Hwy., $5.79

Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

1. Apartment fire update: On May 12, we talked about the apartment fire in North LB. We learned on Sunday that the 65-unit complex fire displaced 30 people and damaged an estimated 12 units. Initial assertion of a fire jumping from a car to the complex have been refuted. As the investigation continues, one resident wonders if her malfunctioning laptop is to blame. While the Red Cross initially helped residents, those who are displaced now appear to be on their own. (Patch, LB Post)
2. The LBPD reports an assault with a deadly weapon took place on Sunday evening at a little after 6 p.m. Officers arrived in the 1100 block of Magnolia Avenue, where they talked to the victim. The man “stated he was in the area when he entered into an argument with a male adult suspect that escalated to a physical altercation. During the altercation, the suspect produced and discharged a firearm, and the victim fled the area on foot.” (LBPD Blotter)
3. Did you know that labor negotiations affecting 22,000 dockworkers at the LB Port have been ongoing since May 10? Did you also know that there’s a July 1 deadline? In a good news/bad news approach, the port’s executive director noted on Monday that the parties “will resolve their differences within a reasonable time. It’s not going to be before July 1. But I think we may be looking to a couple of months thereafter.” If you remember the 2014 debacle, these words may not inspire confidence. (gCaptain)
4. Another good news/bad news story talks about the downtown LB economic recovery. We learned on Monday, downtown offices have a 21% vacancy rate. Residential units have a 6% vacancy rate. Also, “2021 retail sales for the downtown footprint were down 35% compared to 2019, and only 2% higher than 2020.” (Press-Telegram)
5. Mark your calendars! The Long Beach Ballet will be performing Don Quixote on June 4 and 5. However, this is not the usual rendition. The artistic director did some “trimming down and rearranging some scenes and condensing the three-act production into two acts,” which results in an “easy-to-follow rendition—still with elaborate elements, such as a functioning windmill and a real horse.” Head to the Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St; you’ll be in for a treat! (The HiLo)

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Today in Long Beach:

• CITT State of the Trade and Transportation Town Hall at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach (7:30 a.m.)
• FREE In-Person Story Time at the Rancho Los Cerritos (10 a.m.)
• Bixby Park Farmers' Market (3 p.m.)
• 5 Costly Mistakes First-Time Authors Make For Book Publishing Webinar (4 p.m.)
• Game Night at Trademark Brewing (4:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Juaron Watts-Brown of the LB Dirtbags is the school's Player of the Week! Watts-Brown led the way with 11 strikeouts in his start as the Dirtbags took the series with the Titans! (Instagram)
• Attention, Long Beach local artists 👩🏻‍🎨 and community organizations! In partnership with Arts Council of Long Beach, the City will be providing grants to support local arts, culture and history nonprofits and professional artists. (Facebook)
• The City is now accepting applications for the Office of Youth Development’s first-ever Youth Advisory Council through Friday, May 27. The Youth Advisory Council will consist of a body of 11 young people 16 to 26 years old. (Facebook)
• A generous Belmont Heights South area neighbor has a few bags of women’s clothes that they need to get rid of. They are in good condition. (Nextdoor)
• Our Lakewood Village neighbor is wondering if anyone is selling old aquariums? (Nextdoor)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning 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 Daily? Contact me at LongBeach-CA@Patch.com