Due to the weather forecast, we have decided to reschedule the Creative Corridor Challenge Project Launch event. We'd like to apologize for the cancellation, especially to those of you that were as excited as myself to see these past months of hard work finally unfold.

Join us instead this Saturday, Feb. 20th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as we celebrate the implementation of the first Creative Corridor Challenge mural and beautification project at the Golden State Humane Society (555 E. Artesia Blvd., 90805). We hope to see you there.

We did it!

This past Tuesday night, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to name the new North Long Beach Neighborhood Library, the "Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library!"

This is a historic day for Long Beach. By honoring First Lady Michelle Obama, we have our first library named after a person of color and demonstrated that we are a forward thinking city that values the opinions of our youth, acknowledges contemporary heroes, and embraces diversity.

Thanks to all who participated in the process. View more pictures from the council meeting here.

Also, view the Presstelegram story here.

The Growing Experience Urban Farm is currently researching the feasibility of developing a food hub for the greater North, Central and West Long Beach area, and needs your help to get a pulse of the communities District 9 serves.

The goal of this survey is to gain community-based insight on designing a food hub that would best serve the public.
Below are links to the online survey. Simply stating your preferences through the survey can bring about a food economy change in North Long Beach, ultimately for the better.

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BYPTSLP

Español: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B7VXLLG

This past Tuesday, February 1st, 2016, Black History Month was celebrated in style alongside other council districts, with council district 8 at the forefront of organizing.

After loosening our limbs together to the tune of African drums, we enjoyed some wonderful live singing and powerful words from our leadership. I had the pleasure of delivering a resonating message to those in attendance, highlighting the collective council efforts such as the My Brother's Keeper Program, which benefits young men of color.

Check out some more amazing photos from the memorable day, here.

On the evening of Thursday, February 4th, 2016, our office hosted our fourth Houghton Park Community Center discussion.

The meeting presented four options for the Community Center re-design. Click here or visit imaginehoughton to view the different options from Thursday's meeting and learn more about the new Houghton Park Master Plan.

The Long Beach City Council committee that has a say in naming public facilities voted Tuesday to support the proposed naming of a branch city library in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama.

The city’s Housing and Neighborhoods Committee voted unanimously to send the proposal on to the full City Council for final approval. The committee includes council members Dee Andrews, Al Austin and Daryl Supernaw. The library in question is the new North Branch Library, which is expected to open in summer.

Councilman Rex Richardson, who represents North Long Beach, initially put forth the proposal to name the library in honor of the First Lady and he has cited support from Jordan High School youth as being among his reasons to favor the idea.

- Gazettes Editorial Board

What do you do when your roof is leaking?

You fix it. The alternative is to watch your ceiling deteriorate, then your walls mold and pretty soon you’re living in a tear-down.

But you have to pay those roofers, don’t you?

What do you do when you find yourself in a legal bind?

You go to your attorney, the one who has protected your rights and well-being before. If the case is complex, he or she might have to have some additional help. But you come out of the situation whole, or your assets are protected.

You don’t expect to have the attorney take care of the costs, do you?

That’s pretty much the situation we, the city of Long Beach, finds ourselves in. Our fair city’s figurative (and literal) roofs are leaking. Our streets are deteriorating, our sidewalks are buckling and parts of our infrastructure are nearing tear-down level due to deferred maintenance.

On Sunday, January 24th, 2016, I visited the 2 Urban Girls show to talk about My Brothers Keeper, the strong work we are doing with our City Prosecutor, the Michelle Obama Library Proposal, the Uptown Renaissance, and more...

Check out the video interview here.

First Lady Michelle Obama is a winner.

At least she was Thursday evening in north Long Beach, when a majority of those attending a community meeting agreed that naming a new library there after her was a good idea.

More than 150 people gathered Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Houghton Park Community Center to figure out what to name the library at Atlantic Avenue and 59th Street, which is currently under construction.

Ninth District Councilman Rex Richardson has spearheaded the campaign to name the library for Obama, and he kicked off Thursday’s meeting by showing the same slideshow and video presentation he’d previously shown the City Council. The council has voted — twice — to support reviewing the name. But others have opposed it.

“There are questions about whether certain things are legal or not legal,” he said. “What’s before you has been endorsed by the city attorney. The argument that someone must be deceased is not true… The next argument: it has to be a local figure. Like I’ve mentioned before, 63% of all public buildings in North Long Beach are not named for local people. Can you select a local figure? Absolutely. Is it a rule? No it is not.”

He then announced that those gathered would work in four “focus groups” to talk through the Obama proposal and consider alternatives.

“Because we would be here all night by having one person on the mic (microphone) talk to me and I respond and talk to me and I respond, we put forth a process,” he said.

In addition to considering library names, Richardson asked each group to give feedback on how to improve the naming process for public buildings.

“There are a number of park clubhouses that are in the process of being rehabilitated, which local neighborhood associations have expressed interest in naming,” he said. “So I want you to understand, this is the beginning of a long conversation, guys.”

The Ocean-Friendly Rain and Community Garden Project is a collaborative sustainability effort organized by Grant Neighborhood Association, Hamilton Neighborhood Association, Leadership Long Beach, Long Beach Surf rider Chapter, Council District 9, and the Office of Sustainability in the City of Long Beach. Completion of the project will provide the 9th District field office and community with numerous environmental and human health benefits.

Volunteers are needed for the final day of project implementation. Please call (562) 570-6137 or email [email protected] in order to lend a hand towards the effort.

"Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service" - Monday, January 18th, 2016
Shift I: 4 hours (8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Shift II: 3 hours (12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

"Demo Day" served as preparation for the "MLK Day of Service", focusing on the removal of dirt, grassroots, and other debris from areas within the field office landscape. Preparation for a potential community garden was also made, clearing the designated area (rear of District 9 field office) of operation, removal of a tree stump, weeds, and other unwanted fauna.

Sign-up online now to take part in an historical opportunity.