🌱 RIP Kurtis Colamonico + LB Carbon-Neutral By 2045 + Queen Mary News

Good morning, friends; today is World Rock Paper Scissors Day! It's Saturday in Long Beach, and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening locally. We’re looking at:

• 🛹 The death of a skateboarding legend
• 🌳 A plan to become carbon-neutral by 2045
• 🚢 A call for a Los Angeles County Grand Jury to look at the Queen Mary situation

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🌤️ First, today's weather:

Fog to sun. High: 80 Low: 67.

🌡️ FYI: Long Beach Cooling Centers are open daily from noon to 6 p.m. You find them at the Houghton, McBride, and Admiral Kidd community centers as well as the Senior Center and El Dorado Park West.

🏡 Looking for more real estate leads in Long Beach? Let us help you reach prospective home buyers and stand out from the competition. Click here to learn more.

⛽ Three Of The Cheapest Gas Stations In Long Beach

• Sinclair at 5588 Long Beach Blvd., $4.69
• Arco at 3401 Long Beach Blvd., $4.75
• Food 4 Less at 1001 Redondo Ave., $4.75

🤔 Homelessness Poll!
CNN reports that Los Angeles County has a homeless population of “more than 66,400 people.” The numbers are increasing. Do you think that city governments are doing enough? Are there better solutions? Please let me know your thoughts! So far, 27.5% favor more infrastructure investment, 16.5% want federal involvement, 1.8% say faith-based groups need to step up, 5% want the military to open its bases, and 47.7% ask for justice system involvement.

📰 Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1) We lost “former professional skateboarder,” the founder of Skate Kids (“a skateboarding tutoring business”), and family man Kurtis Colamonico. He was 38. “Skateboarding taught me to live through that struggle in order to succeed. It’s been a lot of learning, working, and focusing, but I get to see hundreds of kids smiling and skateboarding now because of it,” he said in 2018. If you or your kids are fans, there will be a “celebration of life gathering at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at El Dorado Skate Park.” (The HiLo)

2) The City announced on Thursday that it has adopted a “comprehensive plan to combat climate change.” Its primary goal is for Long Beach to achieve “complete carbon neutrality by 2045.” One benchmark is greenhouse gas emissions reduction “to 40% by 2030.” To make this happen, there will be a “new Office of Climate Action with four new positions in addition to a planner position.” Residents are encouraged to upgrade to “energy-efficient lighting and appliances,” “take public transit,” and “commit to more meatless meals.” (City of LB)

3) Assembly Member Patrick O’Donnell (D–Long Beach) wants the Los Angeles County Grand Jury to review the Queen Mary “situation.” Picking up his pen on Friday, he opined that the ship “has been both a failure as an attraction and as a public policy.” Rather than seeing more tax dollars spent on the “decrepit” vessel, he wants to see the money invested in the community. Insinuating that the city might not be able to commit to an open “engineering and commercial review,” O’Donnell calls for “independent, third-party review and guidance.” (Press-Telegram)

4) Long Beach is getting a Dave's Hot Chicken! The plan is to open it by January at 5242 East 2nd St. There are already 30 locations in the state, and LB will finally be among them. The fan-favorite features “chicken (that) is ordered at one of seven spice levels, ranging from No Spice to Reaper.” (The latter apparently requires the guest to sign a waiver.) This restaurant will take over the spot formerly inhabited by Chipotle on East 2nd Street. (Patch)

5) Mark your calendars! The Free Music Fest is Sunday in the Zaferia District! Running from around noon to 10 p.m., there will be acts performing at 12 venues. See Vox Humana at Alex’s Bar, Nadu at the Port City Tavern, She Wears Black at Tennessee Jack’s and much, much more! Best of all, it’s free! (Happy Sundays Fest)

📆 Today in Long Beach:

• 2nd Annual Stepping 4 Sobriety 5k at Houghton Park (10 a.m.)
• Family Storytime at the Bay Shore Library (10:30 a.m.)
• Cuentos y Cantos Bilingual Storytime at the Billie Jean King Main Library (11 a.m.)
• Tom Norman performs at The Boathouse on the Bay (1:30 p.m.)
• Bon Odori Festival Event at the Long Beach Buddhist Church (3 p.m.)

📓 From my notebook:

• Attention students!! 🚨🚨🚨 Long Beach State Athletics is currently looking for a student to become a bullpen catcher! 🥎 Reach out to Coach Kim Sowder if you are interested! (Long Beach State Athletics via Instagram)
• An Alamitos Beach neighbor is wondering if you have seen Curtis? He’s very timid, and an indoor only cat! Missing from 3rd & Molino. (Nextdoor)
• Our Belmont Heights South neighbor wants to know why two Princess cruise ships have been off the coast of Belmont Shore, undocked and simultaneously rotating for five days? (Nextdoor)
• Another Belmont Heights South neighbor is excited that Trader Joe's is carrying "shampoo" for women and men in a bar. (It is packaged in a box instead of plastic or glass bottle.) (Nextdoor)
• Our Belmont Heights Central neighbor is wondering if anyone knows Kolleen Symmes? They have mail for her that came to their address. (Nextdoor)

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Events:

• Torrance Antique Street Faire (August 28)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with another 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