🌱 Ubuntu Café On Nieto Burglarized + Portuguese Bend Closes Kitchen

Hello, friends! Today, we use National Kite Flying Day as another excuse to enjoy the outdoors. It's Sylvia, your host of the Long Beach Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in our community. Including:

• ⚠️ The deadly car crash on Palo Verde
• 💛 An opportunity to spread the love
• 🧹 A DIY non-toxic cleaner workshop

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

🌤️ But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 75 Low: 47.

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

• ARCO at 1785 Bellflower Blvd., $3.99
• Del Amo Petroleum at 4990 Long Beach Blvd., $3.99
• Noil USA 1234 W Cowles St., $4.04

⏰ Daylight Saving Time Poll! 🤔
Daylight saving time begins on March 12. According to history, we can thank entomologist George Hudson for coming up with the idea in 1895. Implementation took place in 1918 to save resources and extend the work day during wartime. In 1966, daylight saving time became the law of the land, but states could opt out. So far, only Hawaii and Arizona have done so. Now, dueling studies point to the successes and failures of the practice. Where do you stand on the issue? So far, 65% don’t like daylight saving time, while 34.1% do. Only 0.8% don’t care one way or the other.

📰 Here are the top stories in Long Beach today:

1. A 90-year-old woman died after a catastrophic car crash on Saturday afternoon. It began when her 2007 Lincoln Continental raced through a parking lot in the 6400 block of East Spring Street. At that time, it hit four parked vehicles. Two of these struck two pedestrians. The Lincoln then continued across the street and hit a tree in the 2900 block of Palo Verde Avenue. (Patch)
2. Another Long Beach business deals with a break-in. This time it happened to the Ubuntu Café at 335 Nieto Avenue. Security cameras caught two people, who looked an awful lot like the folks that hit some other places, breaking in on Saturday at 4 a.m. The thieves found no cash, and smashing the $2,000 custom door only netted them “a bottle of fruit soda.” The owner’s soured on police department efforts, saying, “They still can't get it together. It's frustrating.” (CBS)
3. Portuguese Bend opened at 300 The Promenade North in April 2019 as the city’s first distillery. On January 30, it closed its kitchen. We learned on Monday that the company, which survived the pandemic by selling drinks-to-go and making hand sanitizer, is mired in litigation “between its owners that allege fraud, a toxic work environment, poor quality alcohol” and more. Reportedly, the problems began almost as soon as the venue opened. (Long Beach Post)
4. Spread the love by helping Christian Outreach in Action (COA) at 515 East Third Street with its Heart Project for Valentine’s Day. Stop by between Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to pick up paper hearts. Share a personal message of love and encouragement. Return the hearts by February 13. COA will include these hearts in the care bundles it will give out. (Press-Telegram)
5. Learn how to make your own non-toxic cleaners at the Michelle Obama Library. The March 4 event is a free workshop sponsored by Long Beach Recycles. Spend an hour and find out how to save money with these effective, safe, and green cleaning supplies! (Long Beach Recycles)

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📆 Today in Long Beach:

• Online PreK - K Crafty Critters Workshop by the Aquarium of the Pacific (9 AM)
• Marine Stadium Farmers Market at Appian Way & Nieto (3 PM)
• Teen D&D at the Michelle Obama Library (3:30 PM)
• Trivia Night at the Long Beach Beer Lab (7 PM)
• The Piano Guys perform at the Terrace Theater (8 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "So maybe you didn't meet your perfect match in 2022. Dry your tears, because 'Blind Date with a Book' is back for 2023! Throughout February, drop by the Los Altos and Harte Neighborhood Libraries to pick up a mystery book to take home." (Long Beach Public Library via Facebook)
• "I am a very Happy Spoiled Dracula Kitty and my Mama will give $500 dollar reward for my safe return to my Mama! - 734-260-4552" (Nextdoor)

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

• Median Listing Home Price $737.5K
• Median Listing Home Price/Square Foot $600
• Median Sold Home Price $724.5K

Check out more Long Beach real estate information!

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you back 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