Press Telegram • 31st December 2025

Long Beach health department cuts another program after federal funding loss

Another Long Beach health department program has ended after additional federal funding cuts, the city recently announced.
Funding for the program, dubbed Healthy Active Long Beach, was historically supported by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (otherwise known as SNAP-Ed) — which was recently eliminated after Congress approved the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Healthy Active Long Beach operated for more than two decades, the city said, offering...

Press Telegram • 30th December 2025

Here are some big stories to keep an eye on in Long Beach in 2026

Happy New Year, readers.
With the difficult year that was 2025 nearly behind us, it’s officially time to look ahead at the major stories expected to fill Long Beach’s calendar over the next year.
Things aren’t likely to slow down in 2026, with ongoing concerns about federal immigration action in the city, continuing budgetary challenges, and other difficulties on the road ahead.
But it’s not all bad — this year could also bring changes to local government leadership with elections on the horizon...

Press Telegram • 26th December 2025

Here’s how to give your input on Long Beach’s next city budget

Long Beach residents will have several opportunities to get involved in the city’s process for building its 2027 fiscal year budget starting in late January.
The community meetings will offer residents a chance to share their service priorities and other feedback about how Long Beach’s funds should be allocated as the city works to put together the next budget book.
Long Beach approved its budget for the 2026 fiscal year in September. While the city is facing several long-term financial challeng...

Press Telegram • 24th December 2025

Long Beach offers sand bags, other resources as strong storm begins

Long Beach is offering sand bags and other resources to residents as a powerful atmospheric river makes its way through Southern California during Christmas week.
The storm, which swept into the region on Tuesday evening, Dec. 23, is expected to bring significant rain and strong winds to Long Beach through Saturday night, Dec. 27 — alongside elevated surf along the coast.
The National Weather Service has issued several weather warnings for the Los Angeles/Long Beach area, including a flood watch...

Press Telegram • 20th December 2025

Council votes to move 2026 Armed Forces Day Parade back to Torrance Boulevard after public outcry

The Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade & Celebration will once again take place at its traditional location on Torrance Boulevard in 2026 — after the City Council voted to reverse its decision to move the event’s location during a special meeting on Friday, Dec. 19.
The City Council narrowly approved a relocation of the annual celebration to the Torrance Municipal Airport on Tuesday, Dec. 2, citing concerns about declining attendance rates and rising costs to host the parade and accompanying celeb...

Press Telegram • 18th December 2025

Long Beach open swimming areas temporarily closed after 18,000 gallon sewage spill

All of Long Beach’s open coastal swimming areas are temporarily closed after 18,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the San Gabriel River.
Long Beach’s Department of Health and Human Services ordered the temporary closure of coastal swimming areas on Wednesday, Dec. 17. The sewage spill took place the day prior.
“State law requires temporary closure and posting at beaches in these situations, out of an abundance of caution, until the water quality meets state requirements,” the health department...

Press Telegram • 17th December 2025

LBCC to offer first bachelor’s degree starting in 2027

Long Beach City College will soon offer a bachelor’s degree — the first program of its kind for the local institution.
The college recently got approval for the new degree offering from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, according a Tuesday, Dec. 16, news release. The effort too more than a year of research and academic planning, and a 16-part application to the Chancellor’s Office.
The program will offer LBCC students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in library...

Press Telegram • 15th December 2025

Long Beach to build new translation booths in City Hall’s Civic Chambers

Long Beach will soon start construction on new translation booths in the Civic Chambers — to help improve access to public meetings for non-English speakers.
As it stands, Long Beach provides various services aimed at improving language access, including interpretation services for City Council meetings, which are provided remotely from various locations within City Hall, according to a Thursday, Dec. 11, city memo.
“Interpreters are not stationed inside the chambers because of space constraints...

Press Telegram • 12th December 2025

Hanukkah will light up the South Bay, Long Beach areas

Sundown on Sunday, Dec. 14, marks the first night of Hanukkah.
And the South Bay and Long Beach areas will celebrate the Jewish holiday — which is also known as the festival of lights, and lasts eight days and nights — throughout the next week with menorah lightings, latkes, gelt and even the building of a giant Lego menorah.
The Jewish Community Center in the South Bay, in particular, will trek from Hermosa Beach to Torrance — lighting up menorahs.
Here is a roundup of Hanukkah celebrations hap...

Press Telegram • 11th December 2025

Long Beach Transit suspends pilot program after ICE recruitment ad ran on 7 buses

Long Beach Transit has suspended a pilot program featuring digital advertisements on their buses after U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement recruitment ads ran on several of their vehicles over the weekend.
A photo of an ICE recruitment ad, which showed a federal agent and the slogan, “Defend the homeland, join ICE today,” was posted to social media on Saturday, Dec. 6, and quickly gained traction online.
Long Beach Transit, the same day, posted a statement on its Instagram apologizing and p...

Press Telegram • 11th December 2025

Long Beach exploring new emergency alert system after Alert LB taken offline due to cyberattack

Alert Long Beach, the city’s emergency alert system used to let residents know about severe weather and other emergency incidents, will remain offline indefinitely as officials explore a new platform after a recent cyberattack.
Until November, Alert Long Beach was operated on a platform via a third-party notification service called OnSolve CodeRED, according to a Tuesday, Dec. 9, city news release. OnSolve CodeRed was recently acquired by risk management company Crisis24, and rebranded as just C...

Press Telegram • 10th December 2025

Gift Card Drive: Time is running out to help domestic violence survivors this holiday season

The deadline to donate to the Grunion Gazette’s 2025 Gift Card Drive — an annual campaign that helps people who have survived domestic violence enjoy the holidays and rebuild their lives — is nearly here.
This year’s donation drive, the 22nd year running, launched on Nov. 20 and is scheduled to end on Sunday, Dec. 21. Since its establishment by former Grunion Gazette Executive Editor (and current columnist) Harry Saltzgaver in 2004, the campaign has raised more than $350,000 for WomenShelter of...

Press Telegram • 10th December 2025

Long Beach Transit apologizes, promises to change policy after ICE recruitment ad seen on bus

Long Beach Transit has issued an apology — and promised to revamp its policies — after community members discovered recruitment advertisements for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on their buses.
The city’s transportation agency, which serves more than 18 million people in both Southeast Los Angeles County and northwest Orange County each year, according to its website, posted a statement addressing the situation to its Instagram page on Saturday, Dec. 6, after a photo of an ICE recruitm...

Press Telegram • 9th December 2025

Long Beach commission asks City Council to consider human, civil rights when investing its money

A proposed policy that would implement stricter rules around how Long Beach invests its money has been approved by a city commission — in an effort to ensure the town doesn’t support companies that violate human, labor, environmental and other rights — though it remains to be seen whether the council will take up the item for further consideration.
The policy, dubbed the Civil and Human Rights Investment Screening, was originally brought to the city’s Equity and Human Relations Commission in Sep...

Press Telegram • 5th December 2025

Long Beach winter, bad weather shelters open for the season

Two shelters designed to provide refuge for people who are homeless during Long Beach’s colder months have been activated for the season.
Long Beach’s winter shelter, 702 W. Anaheim St., normally operates as the city’s emergency shelter, offering 85 beds to people in need every night. But as of Nov. 17, according to a recent news release, the facility has transitioned to winter shelter operations — offering 125 beds each night.
The winter shelter will also have 24/7 services, including thee dail...

Press Telegram • 5th December 2025

Interested in Long Beach crime stats? New LBPD dashboard can help

The Long Beach Police Department has launched a new interactive crime dashboard to help community members interested in learning more about public safety in the city access statistics.
The dashboard, according to a Friday, Dec. 5, LBPD news release, includes information about crime statistics and reporting citywide and will replace the department’s current method of sharing crime data through PDFs published each month on its website.
“In support of our ongoing commitment to transparency, account...

Press Telegram • 4th December 2025

Long Beach selects new department directors for parks, public works

Two Long Beach city departments will soon have new leaders at their helms.
The city announced the new directos for the Public Works, and Parks, Recreation and Marine departments this week. Joshua Hickman, a city employee since 2017, will helm the Public Works Department,  while Stephen Scott, who has been with the city since 1999, will take over the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department.
The appointments come a little more than four months after Long Beach announced in late July that the previ...

Press Telegram • 3rd December 2025

Here’s how to recycle your Christmas tree in Long Beach

With Christmas around the corner, Long Beach is once again offering a free way to recycle your holiday tree.
Long Beach launches its Holiday Treecycling program in late December through early January each year to help residents dispose of their trees properly and safely — while benefiting the environment.
Each year, according to a Tuesday, Dec. 2, news release, Long Beach recycles around 155 tons of trees into mulch for city landscaping. Besides helping the environment, the Treecycling program a...

Press Telegram • 21st November 2025

ICE detains at least 9 people in Long Beach; ramps up activity in Harbor Area

Several community members, local watchdog groups, and government representatives reported an uptick in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in both Long Beach and San Pedro on Thursday, Nov. 20.
In Long Beach, Órale — a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for immigrants’ rights and justice, which has served as a rapid response organization for those impacted by ICE raids since they began in June — confirmed that ICE conducted operations at at least six different locations around the c...

Press Telegram • 20th November 2025

Grunion Gazette Gift Card drive, supporting victims of domestic violence, returns for 22nd year

As the holiday season quickly approaches, the Grunion Gazette and Long Beach Press-Telegram are once again teaming up with WomenShelter of Long Beach to help make the season bright for victims of domestic violence and their families.
This year marks the 22nd iteration of the Grunion Gazette Gift Card Drive, which was launched by the Grunion’s longtime former editor — and current “Pinch of Salt” columnist, Harry Saltzgaver. Since its establishment in 2004, Saltzgaver has carried on the community...

Press Telegram • 19th November 2025

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...

Press Telegram • 14th November 2025

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...

Press Telegram • 14th November 2025

$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...

Press Telegram • 13th November 2025

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...