Walnut Street Cleam Up: Recap

Sorry, no there are pictures this time. So north of 15th Street, I was able to clean Walnut with room to spare. I actually filled 75% of the bag with trash from the alley behind the U-Haul Station. Had I had a little room left over, I would have done an unscheduled clean up on the north side of Gaviota today. Unfortunately, south of 15th Walnut is pretty bad. South of 14th, next to the three large apartment complexes bordering the industrial businesses on Anaheim, on the east end of the street, I was able to fill a bag. Usually one bag can do half a street. One bag should have handled all of Walnut from 15th to Anaheim; it handled half of that. 

In other words, Walnut took four bags, and I still haven't finished the east end of 15th to 14th Street; I may finish that later in the week, but no promises. I did meet some neighbors who said they would like to be involved in future clean ups. Hopefully, they will follow through and we soon meet a lot more. Also, don't forget to take the pledge to keep your part of the MacArthur Park Neighborhood clean. It is your neighborhood after all. Next week, I have a clean up on Junipero scheduled. It may get rescheduled due to the Ready Long Beach Event, planned by CERT as I am on a list of potential volunteers.

Sunday Safety Update: 09/06/2015 to 09/12/2015

Disclaimer: Please note these maps are meant to show which direction crime is trending, areas to keep an extra eye on and places to remain vigilant in order for Central Long Beach residents to remain safe. That said, previous trends don't guarantee future trends will repeat in the same direction and patterns. Also, an absence of crime in one area, does not guarantee an absence in that same area later on. as well. 

09/02/2015 - 09/12/2015: This update shows a very scattered pattern. The only big pattern, which isn't clear above, is a lot was going on Wednesday 09/09/2015; this is the same day as the fatal shooting at 2100 Pasadena listed below. 

Starting with the map itself there is a robbery on the Whittier Elementary Campus, the next day there is a theft in the same area. This would have been at 17th and Walnut where kids and adults cross to the school. These incidents happened between 7:43am, when school starts and noon, likely when kindergarten lets out. Just remain very observant in the area. 

Beginning at Cherry and Anaheim there is a robbery leading up into assaults at either end of Cherry and the Spaulding alley as well as Cherry and 17th. The first is likely a dark alley at night, the second is where the smog check/ and a somewhat less than uninviting hotel is situated at the corner of PCH and Cherry. I would be very careful in either of those areas, at all times. That hotel does not screen their guests, and that alley is a little dark and claustrophobic for my tastes.

There is a single theft from a car by Rotary Centennial Park, I expected a lot more; maybe the How To Prevent Car Thefts post is helping. There also looks like there might be some more car thefts converging around MacArthur Park. I think they're probably trending from the AOC7 towards MacArthur Park, but there isn't quite enough information to predict a trend yet. 

There was an officer involved shooting on Thursday. Neither the officer nor the suspect was hurt. No additional information has been released since I first reported what happened. Oddly, that shooting does not even appear on the Crime Reports map. Everyone I know, is simply grateful that neither the suspect nor the officer were hurt. It would be nice to see a few more stories end that way.

There were two fatal shootings outside our neighborhood:

2100 Block of Pasadena Avenue. 09/09/2015: Officers responded to a shooting call around 12:41 a.m. in the 2100 block of Pasadena Avenue, police said. They found an adult man on a sidewalk suffering at least one gunshot wound to the upper body. An officer began life saving measures until Long Beach Fire Department personnel arrived. Paramedics transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later, police said.

400 Block of 5th Street: Officers were called around 9:51 p.m. to a shooting in the 400 block of West Fifth Street, according to information the Long Beach Police Department provided.
Officers found a male adult victim suffering gunshot wounds in the upper body, police said. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and took the victim, in critical condition, to a hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

There was also a nonfatal shooting in the Wrigley area on Friday. A fatal shooting in the St. Mary's area, has resulted in an arrest. 

I am going to create a solved/ unsolved homicide page very soon. The goal is to keep the victims as names instead of statistics, I think that will make us a little more likely to keep perusing justice in their names. 

Walnut Street Clean Up: 09/12/2015 10am

This cleanup will be starting from the south side of the intersection, moving south towards Anaheim this time. Volunteers are always welcome. All clean up materials will be provided. The clean up schedule is here: 

http://macarthurparklbc.blogspot.com/p/events.html

District 6,7 Budget Summit Summary & Central Long Beach

According to a budget summit held for Long Beach's District Six and Seven on 08/10/2015, Long Beach currently faces the last of three years of budget peace. The surplus we currently have is expected to turn into a $7.5 million deficit over the next two years. The reason the city cited for less revenue was a decrease in revenue from utility taxes and parking citations. The parking citations will probably become significantly less as the city is planning to narrow the no parking times for street sweeping. Another reason for the deficit will be the pensions as city workers retire.

Most information was broad and about Mayor Garcia's budget overall. Of all available funds, only the destination of the general fund is being debated. That general fund is $412 million out of Long Beach's entire $2.7 million budget. Almost two thirds of those funds are going to fund the police and fire departments. Despite those numbers, there is an overall reduction in the amount of policemen and firemen currently on staff. About 9 percent has been allocated for Public Works and 8 percent to parks and recreation. The city has also prioritized some capital improvement projects including transportation, public facilities, storm drains, beaches, the marina and the airport.

---

Want to make your own budget: The Long Beach City Budget Challenge

---

While it does not appear in the budget, the City did recently approve the creation of the Cambodia Town Business Improvement District. The City Council approved a resolution to turn the business corridor into a business improvement district this Tuesday night after 79.53-percent of property owners voted in favor of the proposal. This move came after three town hall meetings convened to help the community give those business owners some feedback about how those improvements should be implemented; one of the biggest challenges was incorporating everyone's suggestions in a neighborhood that is incredibly diverse. Those meetings, dubbed the Anaheim Corridor Re-visioning Project, concluded on July 25th, 2015.

Marry Simmons from AOC7 asked Parks and Rec if there would be money left over to repair the bathrooms at MacArthur Park after the playground, library and community center were done. While a spokesperson from Parks and Recreation did say yes, there have been different answers in the past. Also the amount being staked on MacArthur Park is entirely being put up by the state, so far the City has pledged no support. Also that repair of the bathroom will not be ground up and will not involve changing any plumbing. Though it was not discussed at the meeting, according to Sixth District City Councilman Dee Andrews the Night Market will commence early next year after the construction at MacArthur Park has been completed. I received this email from Tonya Martin, the Legislative Analyst for the office of Dee Andrews, "After careful consideration, it has been rescheduled due to the construction at MacArthur Park that will start in August and lead into the fall." Later emails implied a target date of around March, 2016.

A vast majority of the budget is going to build a new two tower Civic Center that will house City Hall. It will also go to building a new world class library in North Long Beach. Sometime afterwards, the City also plans to either replace or renovate the main branch on Pacific. While there is no plan to resurrect the Field Anti-Gang Unit, $2.2 million has been set aside for crime prevention. That Crime Prevention does include detectives focused on gang activity who use officers on patrol in place of the former field Anti-Gang Unit. Commander Robert Luna said making that $2.2 million flexible allows the police department to more easily direct the funds where they are needed most. We also apparently only have the funds for two park rangers, and they tend to focus exclusively on El Dorado Park, due to its size. Mayor Garcia is also pushing to change all the old street lights into more energy efficient LED.

* Note, I have asked the office of Dee Andrews for the slide from the re-visioning project that shows how much the city has invested in each neighborhood. I want to share it because it will show the incredible lack of attention that Central Long Beach has received over the years. I will publish that slide as soon as I find it buried in my old emails. In a nut shell, it says that if you own any house in Central Long Beach, you've invested more in your neighborhood than the City of Long Beach has. Also, as several people have pointed out, it's ridiculous that MacArthur Park would have to fight to upgrade to a safe/ crime free bathroom in a single park, when the city somehow finds $1 billion for a pool in Belmont Plaza.

The Cleaning of Grundy Street Moved to Sunday 07/12/2015: 10am

The cleaning of Grundy will be moved to Sunday 07/12 at 10am, as I have just secured a job as a test proctor for the CBEST that Saturday.

Unannounced Clean Up: the Rest of 14th; 17th Sherman to Cherry

There was an unannounced clean up to finish off 14th Street. I will give residents some credit, a lot more have clean up the intense amount of fireworks than have done so in the past. We will be back to finish 17th Street very soon. Remember there is an announced cleaning of Grundy this coming Saturday in preparation for the Joint AOC7/ MacArthur Park Clean Up the following week. Additionally, the first neighborhood that asks MacArthur Park to bring their cleaning supplies to this Thursday, can have a street cleaned on us.

UPDATE 07/07/15: There was an unannounced clean up of Peterson from 15th Street to Anaheim this morning on 07/07/2015. Also if anyone is missing a child-sized clown suit, one was found at the intersection of 14th and Peterson. Also if anyone is missing a child-sized clown suit, one was found at the intersection of 14th and Peterson

UPDATE 07/09/15: There was an unannounced clean up of 17th Street from Sherman to Junipero. Additionally, the first neighborhood that asks MacArthur Park to bring their cleaning supplies to this Thursday, can have a street cleaned on us. If nobody asks, we'll be tackling Warren Street that Thursday.

Long Beach police involved in shooting after responding to report of trespassers

An officer-involved shooting took place today in the Cambodia Town neighborhood of Long Beach after police responded to a report of several trespassers tagging a vacant apartment.

The shooting resulted in a 19-year-old man being hit by gunfire. He was taken to a hospital and was in critical condition as of about 7 tonight, according to Long Beach Police Sgt. Megan Zabel.

Read the whole story at the Press Telegram.

* The MacArthur Park Neighborhood extends our thanks to both those who reported the tagging and the Long Beach PD. As much as this is bad news, the lat two incidents of violence in our neighborhood resulted in the perpetrators being led away in handcuffs. That's what happens when neighbors keep their eye open and watch out for each other..

Recent Update/ With Suspect Names

Both the below LB resources will eliminate any tagging free of charge. And they work quickly.

You can quickly rid yourself of any graffiti by using the Go Long Beach App.

Or just call the Graffiti Abatement Hotline.

(562) 570-2773

Guest Review: Stem Reap Cambodia Town by Jeff Leon

Siem Reap Cambodian Restaurant 1810 East Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 562-591-7414 Cambodian cuisine has elements of Vietnamese and Thai food, yet from overlapping palettes of flavors and ingredients comes distinct mélanges of tastes, textures, and aromas. 

The menu may look a bit unfamiliar but the staff are used to serving first timers and they are always ready to describe a dish or make a recommendation. The Cambodian national dish, “amok trey” is a gingery, delicate tasting coconut fish curry served in a coconut. The fish melts in your mouth. 

Cambodian hot and sour soup is a different beast from the Chinese soup of the same name. The taste is a bit lighter, a bit more sour, and less peppery. I’ve had this dish in Cambodia and the house hot and sour soup here did not disappoint. A boba drink for dessert tops off the meal. The prices at Siem Reap are reasonable and the service is good. For me, Siem Reap Restaurant was the first place I tried Cambodian food. It’s a good place for anyone to try Cambodian food.

Jeff Leon: Jeff is a musician and comedian who has appeared in New York, California and on Last Comic Standing. You can check out Jeff's comedy at his website by clicking on his name.

Annual Cambodian New Years Parade And Festival 2015

The morning started with my suspension giving out. So I walked to the festival. Fortunately, I live less than a mile away; so it wasn't that bad. 

The parade began at about 11:00am with the Cambodian Coordinating Council. What followed was a mash up of flags, entertainers, dancers, police, politicians, local businesses, religious organizations and youth groups. The parade itself spanned from Cherry to Warren and then rounded MacArthur Park. 

Afterwards many of the performers in the parade took to the stage.

The Festival featured authentic Cambodian food, entertainment and cultural vendors. The event was co-hosted by  sixth-district city council member Dee Andrews. In addition to Andrews, mayor Robert Garcia and Congresswoman Janice Hahn. According to local residents the turn out was at least twice the turn out last year. 

The festival is the largest concentration of Cambodians outside of Cambodia, showcasing the community’s cultural heritage and thriving community businesses and non-profit organizations. It kicked off the celebration of Cambodian New Year 2559.

Okay, now I feel old. 

More Festival Pictures Here

14 Street Clean Up Cherry to Orange Is Done

It took a little longer than I wanted, but 14th street is litter free. At least for now. I still have enough supplies for more neighbors to get involved. Every clean up participants will be provided with gloves, rolling cans, iron claws, bottled water and soda if you request request it. Next week I will be getting Peterson and Warren. The starting location will be Peterson and 15th at 10am on Saturday 04/18/2015. 

I also encourage all my neighbors to partner with the AOC7 for their cleanup on 11th street which is happening the same day at 8:30am. There are no before and after pictures because 14th street was clean enough, even by MacArthur Park there was no place to get a great shot. In other words, the neighborhood is starting to clean itself up a little.

Spring Cleaning Begins On Grundy

There was an unannounced street cleaning on Grundy from PCH to Anaheim this morning. Ester was also covered from Grundy to Orange. As per the recommendation of a previous neighborhood clean up volunteer, before and after pictures were taken, just so that it's clear this is making a difference.

Tomorrow, 04/04/2015 at 10am, there is an announced cleaning of Rose Street from Anaheim to PCH. Meet at Anaheim and Rose if you want to participate in building a nicer neighborhood. All cleaning supplies including gloves will be provided. Since I am off for Spring Break this week there will probably be a few additional unannounced neighborhood cleanups. I won't post about the unannounced cleanings again until next Saturday.

Check for announced Saturday upcoming neighborhood clean ups here.

To the right, is the amount of trash removed from Grundy and Ester. That's about 64 gallons, or the amount that was taken from 17th street last week.

There will also be a big clean up on 14th street in two weeks, 14th street is arguably the street that needs this the most. Hopefully, there will be a few volunteers, or it may take me all day.

17th Street Clean Up Orange to Gardenia

Today there was an announced clean up on 17th street. The clean up began on 17th and Orange. It ended where 17th Street ends at Gardenia almost exactly two hours later. Because there were volunteers, the clean up went much quicker.

Next week's clean up will take place on Rose Street on 04/04/2015 at 10am. I will be starting at the south end of the neighborhood where Rose meets Anaheim. The clean up will finish at PCH. Any person who wants to see a cleaner MacArthur Park Neighborhood is encourage to attend.

Below is how much more you can get off the street if you have help.