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Sean Baker, Oscar-winning director of ‘Anora,’ to visit Art Theatre of Long Beach

Long Beach cinephiles are in for a treat this weekend, when Sean Baker — the Oscar-winning writer and director of 2024 Best Picture winner “Anora” — visits the Art Theater for a Q&A about a new project.
The new film “Left-Handed Girl,” directed by Tsou Shih-Ching and co-written, produced and edited by Baker chronicles the life of a single mother and her two daughters after they relocate to Taipei and open a night market stall, according to the Art.
A single mother and her two daughters relocate...
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Schedule for 2028 Olympic events in Long Beach is finally out

The 2028 Olympic Games are just around the corner — and the schedule of events set to get underway in Long Beach is finally out.
The city will host a total of 11 sporting events throughout the duration of the 2028 games, and 161 ticked events scheduled for 17 of the 19 days the Olympics will take place, the city said in a Thursday, Nov. 14 press release.
The Olympic Games will get underway from July 14 to July 30, 2028 with the Paralympic Games set to run Aug. 15 through Aug. 27 that year.
Sever...
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$37 million worth of upgrades coming to Long Beach Airport’s passenger concourse

A slew of infrastructure upgrades will soon come to the Long Beach Airport.
The $37 million modernization, which will include various projects, aims to enhance the airport’s passenger experience, according to a Friday, Nov. 7, news release, ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Dubbed the Passenger Concourse Enhancement Project, improvements will include updates to queuing and seating configurations, upgraded seating with electrical chargers and a new open-air garden on the outside of the north conco...
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Marina Pacifica Barnes & Noble set for reopening next week after major remodel

After months of waiting, local book lovers will finally be able to return to the Barnes & Noble at Long Beach’s Marina Pacifica Shopping Center — when it celebrates its grand reopening next week.
The store, 6326 E. Pacific Coast Highway, closed in May to undergo extensive remodeling.
“Here at Barnes & Noble, Marina Pacifica, we’d like to thank you, community, friends and customers alike for all these wonderful years,” the store wrote on social media when it shut down earlier this year. “It has b...
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Long Beach sales tax increase on hold until 2027 after court ruling

A tax-related controversy involving Long Beach, California and a local watchdog organization has finally been resolved — after a Superior Court judge denied the city’s request to implement an extra quarter-percent sales levy.
The issue stems from a nearly decade-old sales tax that caused controversy when the City Council voted to amend its municipal code related to Measure A in 2024. The 1% sales and use tax, which voters initially approved as Measure A in 2016, was originally scheduled to stay...
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Long Beach to look into public safety plan for Belmont Shore, analyze violent crime citywide

Long Beach will study a proposed late-night public safety plan for Belmont Shore after councilmembers and residents expressed concerns about the popular nightlife area being unruly — while also researching ways to bring additional safety measures to the rest of the city.
The City Council and community members shared their perspectives and opinions about how to best address public safety concerns, such as gun violence and homicides on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
The spotlight on the need for a late-night p...
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Aquarium of the Pacific opening sea turtle rehab area in 2026; joins zebra shark conservation effort

The Aquarium of the Pacific had a busy Monday.
Alongside announcing the arrival of its new president and CEO, Jeffrey Flocken, the Long Beach aquarium also unveiled two new additions to its programming and conservation efforts on Monday, Nov. 10.
The first will see the creation of a new sea turtle rehabilitation area next to the aquarium’s Molina Animal Care Center, which will play a crucial role in supporting existing turtle rescue and rehabilitation efforts that have been ongoing there since 2...
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Jeffrey Flocken joins Aquarium of the Pacific as new president and CEO

The Aquarium of the Pacific is ushering a new era of animal conservation, education, and national and international leadership as it welcomes its new president and CEO — Jeffrey Flocken.
Flocken has taken over leadership of the aquarium from its previous president and CEO, Peter Kareiva, who held the position since 2020. Kareiva was under a five-year contract in the position, and opted to end his tenure as the institution’s leader to focus on other personal and professional endeavors, according...
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2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach tickets on sale Monday morning

Race fans, your time is coming.
The 2026 edition of the Grand Prix of Long Beach is just around the corner, with next year’s racing extravaganza set to take place from April 17 to 19.
And tickets for the event will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, according to the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, the event’s organizers.
The 2025 Grand Prix was a milestone in many ways. The “200 mph beach party,” as its dubbed, not only broke its own attendance record for the third year running — with...
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With federal benefits on hold, local groups step up to put food on the table

With food benefits continuing to hang in the balance amid the ongoing federal government shutdown — leaving millions of Californians unsure how much assistance they’ll get this month and moving forward — local cities, organizations, businesses and more are working to collect and distribute food to those in need.
The federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass a budget for the 2026 fiscal year — with Republicans clashing with Democrats over the latter’s demands to ad...
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Dodgers celebrate 2025 World Series with parade, rally — and look forward to possible three-peat

It’s dynasty day in Los Angeles.
Fresh off their second World Series win in a row — and their third in the past six years — the Los Angeles Dodgers were gearing up to celebrate their latest championship with thousands from around Southern California, who descended on Downtown L.A. and Dodger Stadium on Monday, Nov. 3.
Here’s what’s going on downtown and at Dodger Stadium.
The World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium has officially ended, with players and their families mingling on the stage as...
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Children treated to Halloween spectacular at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital

Dozens of children at MemorialCare’s Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach were treated to a thrilling event to celebrate Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31.
Donning costumes ranging from princess to superheroes, the children were escorted by the Long Beach Fire Department through the hospital’s event hall — which had been transformed into a frighteningly fun Halloween haunt — to trick-or-treat, meet their favorite characters, get face paintings, and more.
“Around this time of year, many...
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Long Beach considers changes to City Council policies to boost public participation

Some changes to how the City Council operates may be on the horizon, as Long Beach considers ways to make its meetings more engaging and accessible to the general public.
The Government Operations and Efficiency Committee recently forwarded several recommendations on how to make public meetings more accessible to the City Council for consideration — while asking for additional research and city input on some other proposals intended to achieve the same thing.
“Frankly, we’ve heard from residents...
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Food Finders to expand grocery distribution in Long Beach program as CalFresh delays loom

Food Finders, a nonprofit serving four counties across Southern California, will expand its grocery distribution program in Long Beach as the ongoing federal government shutdown threatens to delay CalFresh food assistance benefits for millions in Los Angeles County.
The federal government has been shut down for nearly an entire month, starting on Oct. 1, after Congress failed to pass a budget for the 2026 fiscal year — with Republicans clashing with Democrats over their demands to address the af...
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Costumed pups take over Long Beach for annual Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade

A beloved local event, the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade, returned to Long Beach for its 24th year on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Each year, pets and their owners take to the streets in costumes to celebrate Halloween at the event, which is organized by Justin Rudd’s Community Action Team.
This year’s Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade saw a wide variety of creative costumes and references — from alien dogs to Elvis pups. There was even a reference to the recent robbery of crown jewels at The Louvre.
The Community...
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Teenage passenger dies after crash in San Pedro; driver arrested

A minor driving a speeding Ford Mustang that crashed and killed his passenger in San Pedro on Saturday night has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, police said Sunday.
At around 11 p.m., the car was traveling eastbound on 22nd Street and made a left onto Harbor Boulevard when it struck a power pole, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A male passenger in the car, 17- or 18-years-old, according to police, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver sustained minor...
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Man and woman arrested in Belmont Shore shooting death

A man and a woman have been arrested in the shooting death early Saturday of a man in Belmont Shore, Long Beach police said Sunday.
Officers responded around 1:40 a.m. on Oct. 25 to reports of a shooting in the 100 block of La Verne Avenue. When police arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite receiving medical aid, the man was pronounced dead.
Detectives believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute that began at a nearby bar in Belmont Shore. The confrontation continued ou...
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Plan for 440-acre Wilmington project, Five Points Union, submitted to replace Phillips 66 site

By the end of 2025, a key part of the South Bay’s legacy and historic relationship with the oil industry will shutter.
The Phillips 66 refinery, a massive complex with two sites in Carson and Wilmington, announced its closure earlier this year.
And the news that Phillips 66 would cease operations at its Los Angeles County refinery complex drew mixed reactions, primarily concerns about the closure’s impact on the local and national economy, as the refinery is among the largest fuel providers and...
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Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson visits CSUDH for lecture series

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson paid a special visit to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday, Oct. 23 — as part of the university’s longstanding Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series.
The lecture series was established by CSUDH President Thomas Parham, who is set to retire at the end of this year, in 2018. Since its establishment, CSUDH has hosted several prominent voices across multiple industries, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, saxophonist Kenny G, Olympian Tommie Smi...
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Want to help name Long Beach’s new baseball club? Your time’s almost up

After an initial round of voting, nearly 5,000 people have helped narrow the choices for the Long Beach Baseball Club’s official name — and the final round of voting has kicked off.
The club launched its community-oriented team-naming contest in September. After receiving more than 1,300 name suggestions, the team narrowed it down to six semifinalist options for the community to vote on.
About 4,860 people cast their votes during that round, according to organizers, including 974 in-person votes...
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Paramount bids farewell to Gus’s Deli — but it’s not goodbye forever

Paramount residents, business leaders and city representatives alike all converged on Gus’s Deli BBQ and Grill — a beloved local establishment that’s operated in the city for the past 50 years — to bid farewell to the business.
The eatery, located on Alondra Boulevard and owned by namesake Gus Exiga, has become an integral part of the Paramount community fabric over the past five decades. Whether offering a place for charities and community groups to meet or simply providing a comforting meal, G...
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Long Beach health department reports first case of clade I mpox

Long Beach’s Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the city’s first case of clade I mpox — a different strain of the disease that typically causes more severe illness.
The case was confirmed in a Long Beach resident with no recent travel history, the health department said in a Tuesday, Oct. 14, news release. While the infected person required hospitalization, they’re now recovering at home.
“The risk to the public remains low and the health department is conducting a thorough pu...
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USWNT legends Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach create community for women’s sports at Long Beach bar

Two titans of women’s soccer, Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach, recently made a trip to Long Beach — to celebrate the launch of their new podcast, which will also feature frequent appearances from another hometown legend — at a recently opened, one-of-a-kind local sports bar.
The pair visited Watch Me! Sports Bar, located on Pacific Coast Highway across the street from the 2nd & PCH shopping center, on Friday, Oct. 11. The sports bar celebrated its grand opening — and the start of a new kind of spor...
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Potential World War II-era explosive removed from Port of Long Beach

Cargo operations at one Port of Long Beach terminal were temporarily halted on Wednesday evening, Oct. 8, after a potential World War II-era explosive was discovered in the ground.
The explosive device was discovered at Pier G early Wednesday evening during construction work, according to a port spokesperson. By 9 p.m., the device had been removed and operations at the terminal had returned to normal.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad, alongside a U.S. Marine Corps unit, responded...
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