Press Telegram • 24th October 2024

Panama Joe’s withdraws application for permanent parklet after community pushback

Panama Joe’s, a popular restaurant and sports bar on Belmont Shore’s busy Second Street, has officially withdrawn its application for a permanent outdoor dining parklet after pushback from residents in the area.The bar’s application was set to go before the Long Beach City Council for a vote during its Tuesday, Oct. 22, meeting, but was stricken from the record after Panama Joe’s formally withdrew on Friday, Oct. 18.Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan, whose district includes Belmont Sh...

Press Telegram • 16th October 2024

Phillips 66 closing its LA Harbor-area refinery; more than 600 jobs at stake

Phillips 66 announced Wednesday it will close its Los Angeles-area refinery next year, idling 600 employees and 300 contractors who work at two sprawling facilities that straddle Wilmington and Carson in the port region.A statement cited uncertainty about the “sustainability” of the facility going forward.“We understand this decision has an impact on our employees, contractors and the broader community,” Mark Lashier, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, said in a statement. “We will work to help an...

Press Telegram • 19th September 2024

Big Bang on the Bay gets another victory as federal court slaps down environmental appeal

Big Bang on the Bay has come under fire in recent years as concerns about fireworks impact on the environment have grown.

Big Bang on the Bay has come under fire in recent years as concerns about fireworks impact on the environment have grown.

Press Telegram • 10th August 2024

Southern California fans share excitement as U.S. women’s soccer clinches gold

Anticipation. Covered eyes. Murmurs of frustration.Those were the feelings of hundreds of U.S. Women’s Soccer supporters at two Long Beach sports bars in the early morning on Saturday, Aug. 10 as they watched — with bated breath — as the USWNT played out a shaky first half against the Brazilian Women’s National Team in pursuit of Olympic gold at Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris.The gold-medal match, an especially tense one for both national teams who had much to prove on the international stage...

Press Telegram • 5th August 2024

The Long Beach Recovery Act kept the city afloat during COVID — but things are changing

Long Beach has faced its fair share of fiscal challenges over the years — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.But the city is facing a slew of new challenges during this year’s budget cycle, and well into the fiscal future, as some of its key funding sources begin to shift.City leaders unveiled Long Beach’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year last week, a $3.6 billion beast with new investments in housing, homelessness, public safety, 2028 Summer Olympics planning, education and more....

Press Telegram • 27th July 2024

What next for homeless? Long Beach, South Bay officials assess Newsom’s unexpected encampment order

Local officials along Los Angeles County’s Coast striving to ease the plight of the homeless are working to assess last week’s unexpected edict from the governor’s office urging that communities clear their streets of “problematic encampments.”The executive order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom — imploring cities across the massive state to take more action to resolve homeless encampments within their borders — has been met with some criticism from local government leaders and advocates, who cited c...

Press Telegram • 18th July 2024

What does SpaceX’s move to Texas really mean for the South Bay?

The news that SpaceX, the massive aerospace company with an equally vast headquarters in Hawthorne, is apparently departing the South Bay for a new kind of south, caused an immediate stir among other local aerospace startups looking to hire — but also left locals with more questions than answers about how the move will impact the local economy.Mercurial billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced the company’s move from Hawthorne to Texas on Tuesday, July 16, in a post on X, formerly Twit...

Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG • 15th July 2024

SCNG sites win many top honors at 2023 California Journalism Awards

Southern California News Group publications earned numerous awards at the 2023 California Journalism Awards.

Press Telegram • 29th June 2024

SoCal’s relationship with 4th of July fireworks might be changing. Here’s why

SoCal’s relationship with 4th of July fireworks might be changing. Here’s why

Press Telegram • 30th May 2024

Long Beach’s arts industries are crucial to the local economy — but still recovering from pandemic

There are few things as integral to Long Beach’s cultural fabric than the arts.

From museums to music history, the arts have held special meaning for decades in the city. That significance, over time, has grown into a vibrant scene for residents and visitors alike to indulge in.

And despite some economic setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic — which many local artists, museums, galleries, and other institutions are still recovering from — the arts in Long Beach remain a powerful force.

In

Press Telegram • 23rd May 2024

From axolotls to poison dart frogs, new Aquarium of the Pacific exhibit features amphibians for all

Long Beach residents and visitors alike will soon have a chance to dive into the wild world of amphibians, thanks to a new exhibit at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

The new exhibit, dubbed “FROGS: Facing a Changing World,” features more than 20 unique amphibians, from Mexican axolotls to blue poison dart frogs — and plenty of information about what threats these creatures are currently facing.

“Guests will be able to discover a newly reimagined section of the Tropical Pacific Gallery featuring f

Press Telegram • 17th May 2024

Carson, Long Beach officially sign on as venue cities for 2028 Olympic Games

Carson and Long Beach have officially signed on as venue cities for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games — which will be hosted by Los Angeles — bringing the region’s plans for the quadrennial event further into focus.

Each town’s city councils have approved initial “Games Agreements” with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympics, also referred to as LA28. Those agreements lay out the ways in which both Carson and Long Beach — separately — intend to deliver city servic

Press Telegram • 23rd January 2024

CSU, union reach tentative deal — ending planned weeklong strike after one day

Leaders of the California Faculty Association — the union representing 29,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors, and coaches across the 23-campus California State University system — said Monday evening they have accepted a tentative labor deal with the university system, ending eight months of tense negotiations and a planned five-day statewide strike.

CSU officials confirmed the tentative deal on Monday in a news release.

“I am extremely pleased and deeply appreciative that we ha

Press Telegram • 6th January 2024

Southern California dealing with a trio of viruses this winter — and yes, one of them is COVID

Now would be a good time to stock up on cough medicine, tissues and tea – as a trio of viruses is making the winter season miserable for Southern California residents and health care professionals.

Coronavirus transmission, just like every winter since 2020, has once again increased as temperatures have declined, though not quite to the level of last year’s surge. Then there’s influenza and respiratory syncytial virus – or RSV – which, health care professionals said this week, have returned wit

Press Telegram • 9th December 2023

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest outside Biden’s star-studded LA fundraiser

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered Friday at Holmby Park — across the street from a star-studded fundraiser supporting President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign — for a loud, spirited and mostly peaceful demonstration against the U.S. government’s support of Israel amid the Jewish state’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

The president traveled to Los Angeles after making a stop in Las Vegas to attend fundraising events in support of his bid for a second term.

The Biden event in

Press Telegram • 1st December 2023

Long Beach’s Rep. Garcia talks leading charge to expel Santos from Congress

Now former Rep. George Santos, D-New York, was expelled from the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority of his colleagues on Friday, Dec. 1, on the heels of a blistering House Ethics Committee report that accused the now-former lawmaker of breaking federal law.

Related: House expels New York Rep. George Santos in just the sixth expulsion in the chamber’s history

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, a freshman in the House, was one of the key leaders in the effort to expel Santos fro

Press Telegram • 30th October 2023

Death threats, gag orders and outrage: Israel-Hamas war sparks conflict in Manhattan Beach

As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, people across the globe are being caught in a crossfire of misinformation, hurt feelings and vitriol – including children.

Such a saga has played out in Manhattan Beach over the last two weeks, with a dispute among middle schoolers roiling the community. The details are murky. Hearsay outweighs facts. The Jewish community and those who support Israel’s response to Hamas’ recent attacks have been pitted against those advocating for the rights of Pal

presstelegram • 22nd September 2023

Southern Los Cerritos Wetlands, in Seal Beach, set for restoration with $31 million grant

A portion of the Los Cerritos Wetlands, a 500-acre complex of critical habitat for native wild and plant life, is set for restoration with help from a State Coastal Conservancy grant — after decades of work by local advocates to preserve the area.

presstelegram • 15th June 2023

Longshore union, employers reach labor deal, ending 13 months of West Coast tensions

The West Coast longshore union and its employers have agreed to a tentative six-year contract, ending 13 months of negotiations that saw tensions rise in recent weeks, as well as accusations and recriminations about bad-faith actions, and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach fretting about lost business.

presstelegram • 3rd April 2023

Long Beach animal shelter still needs community’s help as capacity remains high

Last year marked the highest adoption rate ever recorded at the Long Beach Animal Shelter, officials say, but capacity there remains limited — and nearly reached a point of no return in mid-March.

The dire situation began to unfold in February as the shelter, in the heart of El Dorado East Regional Park, reached a critical capacity limit — forcing staffers to keep dogs in the lobby, offices and makeshift kennels. At that point, the shelter was home to 233 cats and dogs – as well as smaller anim

Press Telegram • 1st April 2023

Virgin Orbit was the start of ‘Space Beach.’ Now, it’s laying off 85% of workforce

Long Beach's elected and economic leaders reacted to news this week that the aerospace company will wind down operations.

presstelegram • 14th March 2023

CSULB graduates won’t walk the stage at commencement for the 3rd year in a row

For the third consecutive year, Cal State Long Beach graduates won’t walk the stage or have their names read aloud during the university’s 2023 commencement ceremonies at Angel Stadium — a pandemic-era change that appears to be permanent.

presstelegram • 3rd March 2023

Catholics say final farewell to their friend, Bishop David O’Connell

The final goodbye for Bishop David O’Connell was grievous and joyous. It had poignancy and humor. It was solemn – yet emotionally riotous.

presstelegram • 25th February 2023

As storm pummels region, homeless folks often left to weather cold outside

Frigid temperatures, heavy rain and snow — and even hail — brought by a severe winter storm that will continue into the weekend has forced Southland residents to bunker in their homes.