🌱 Queen Mary To Turn Profit? + Speed Queen Opens On 4th Street

Hello again, neighbors; today is World Croc Day, which was started in 2017 by the Belize Zoo and the Crocodile Research Council! It's Friday in Long Beach, and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in the community today.

An insider expects Queen Mary hotel operations to net the City $1 million. Also, there’s a new franchise in California, and it’s on 4th Street! Finally, the mural near Alex’s Bar is getting a makeover.

First, today's weather:

Low clouds, then some sun. High: 73 Low: 61.

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• Rocket Oil at 1701 W Anaheim St., $5.89
• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $5.89
• Arco at 1785 Bellflower Blvd., $5.99

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📢 Fireworks Poll!
Fireworks are illegal in Long Beach. If the police are called, you may have to pay as much as $20,000 in response costs plus citation fines of $1,000. How do you feel about that? Please let me know your thoughts! (As of today, 11.4% don’t want fireworks, 78.1% want “safe and sane fireworks,” and 0.6% don’t care one way or the other while another 10% want to buy what they choose.)

Here are the top five stories in Long Beach today:

1. What’s next for the Queen Mary? We learned Tuesday that the city is considering spending $2.87 million to facilitate an October reopening. Officials are thinking of giving Evolution Hospitality the nod in a five-year hotel management contract that lets the company “plan for reopening and operating the ship’s hotel, attractions, parking, retail and food and beverage services.” Evolution “anticipates the ship’s operations can offset expenses for fiscal year 2023, with an expected net revenue of $1 million for Long Beach.” The long-term fate of the Queen Mary is still up in the air. (LB Post)
2. Mayor Robert Garcia was on hand Wednesday for the grand opening of the state’s first Speed Queen Laundry franchise. Located at 1526 East 4th Street, the franchise changes “perceptions of what laundromats can be.” City officials are excited about adding a “truly exceptional customer-focused business to the neighborhood as well as adding job opportunities to residents.” (PR Newswire)
3. Who defaced Dave Van Patten’s mural next to Alex’s Bar? The PD explained that “a group of unidentifiable male taggers spray-painted over the mural with graffiti at about 4:30 a.m. Friday, May 27” after the artwork had been in place for five years. However, the community is pulling together with donations for the expense for paint and supplies. Volunteers also offered to assist with the restoration, which is currently scheduled for June 25 and 26. (The HiLo)
4. There are two neighborhood cleanups going on Saturday. One runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Redondo Avenue and 2nd Street. It is run by the Bluff Park Neighborhood Association. The second runs from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at 1175 East 11th Street. This one is facilitated by the AOC7 Neighborhood Group. (LB Public Works)
5. Mark your calendars! There will be an Independence Day Dog Parade on July 2 at 10 a.m. The inaugural event takes place at Lincoln Park and welcomes residents to “celebrate the 4th of July without fireworks and by honoring our Vets and Pets.” (Patch)

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See important Reg A Disclosures

Today in Long Beach:

• Meals on Wheels Volunteer Event at 317 Termino Ave. (7:30 AM)
• Out Of Step/Out Of Line at the LBMA Downtown (11 AM)
• Shawn Wayans performs at the Brea Improv (7:30 PM)
• Hooliganz, Ms. B Royal, Shakamon, Dread Kennedy, The Floaters perform at DiPiazza's (8 PM)
• The Legend Of Georgia McBride at the Beverly O'Neill Theater (8 PM)

From my notebook:

• Get rid of hazardous e-waste at the June 25 FREE household e-waste collection event. ⤵️ (Long Beach City via Facebook)
• A Historic Zaferia Village-NW mom is grateful for her son's fellow 5th graders. (Nextdoor)
• Our neighbor in the Belmont Heights South area is looking for a great internist or primary care physician, preferably female, preferably in Long Beach, though Seal Beach would be good too. (Nextdoor)
• An Old Lakewood City neighbor needs recommendations for a great surgical vet. (Nextdoor)
• A Los Altos-Abbeyfield neighbor announces their garage sale, Saturday, June 18 starting at 6:30 a.m. They have some very nice furniture, wall art, houseware items, clothes, lots of Thomas the Train items, Far Infrared Sauna, a brand-new gasoline compressor and more! (Nextdoor)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you around!

— 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