Drayage Brokersin Long Beach, CA

The city of Long Beach has temporarily closed its beaches heading into a warm weekend after a sewage spill dumped 250,000 gallons of waste into the Los Angeles River, officials said.

An equipment malfunction caused a blockage in the sewage treatment system about 9:40 a.m. Thursday as Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts maintenance crews were working in Downey, according to the sanitation department.

The wastewater overflowed into the street, covering Burns and Rives avenues and prompting the department to close off the area for cleaning, officials said.

The blockage was cleared after more than an hour and a half, but not before massive amounts of waste had spilled into the river, which flows into the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, officials said.

CLOSURE UPDATE! Rives Avenue between Burns Avenue and Adwen Street is now open.Rives Avenue between Adwen Street and Stewart & Gray Road continues to be CLOSED. Closure is due to a sewage spill that occurred earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/51sq4w25CY

— City of Downey - Government (@CityofDowney) April 20, 2023

While it is not clear how the spill will affect the water off Long Beach, state law requires the city to close beaches for public use until the water quality has been tested and deemed safe, according to the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services.

“Water from the Los Angeles River connects to the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, which means pollution anywhere upriver can affect the coastal waters of the City. Long Beach has approximately seven miles of public beach,” the city said in a press release. “The City of Long Beach Health Department’s Recreational Water Quality health inspection team is monitoring water quality along the affected beach sites. Water monitoring will continue until results comply with State water quality standards.”

The closure of the beaches comes as Southern California is set to experience the warmest weekend of the year, with temperatures at beaches heading up to 80 degrees on Friday and remaining in the 60s and 70s on Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Sewage spills are nothing new to the area.

In 2022, local beaches were closed due to a 30,000- to 40,000-gallon sewage spill that flowed into the Los Angeles River.

A much bigger spill at the end of 2021 sent 6 million to 7 million gallons of waste into the river, closing beaches in Los Angeles and Orange counties for days.

If the threat of the Lampson Project is not enough to concern residents of the College Park East and West communities in Seal Beach, a change in landing patterns at the Long Beach municipal airport has residents calling the FAA this week complaining of low-flying commercial jets.

“I called the Federal Aviation Administration complaining about the low-flying planes,” said Kristina Aurang, a resident of the College Park East told the Sun this week. “This is different pattern and I am just wondering if it is permanent,” she said.

The Sun reached out to Long Beach Airport and determined that electrical problems with its main runways have indeed prompted a change in the approach and landing patterns which could prolong the change through most of the summer.

“Major electrical upgrades designed to improve the safety of the primary runway at Long Beach Airport (LGB) are being installed from late March through July, necessitating some temporary runway closures,” said a statement issued by Kimberly McMahon, an airport public affairs spokesperson.

In the statement, she said major improvements are being made to Runway 12, one of the key airport runways, causing a three- or four-month temporary closure. During Runway 12-30 closures, operations will occur on Runway 8L-26R, which she acknowledged could bring lower-than-normal traffic flowing over neighborhoods like College Park that generally do not see lower flying landing traffic.

McMahon said the $9.5 million Rehabilitate Runway 12-30 project, primarily funded by an Airport Improvement Program grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will bring the Airport’s largest runway in line with the latest FAA standards and add to the Airport’s sustainability efforts, she said.

As part of the project, more than 500 new LED lights will be installed as part of the electrical project. In addition to the safety benefits of brighter lighting, the LED bulbs use between 75 percent and 90 percent less energy and have a longer life expectancy than incandescent or quartz lights.

In addition, according to McMahon’s statement said major improvements to Runway 12-30 infrastructure, which has reached the end of its designed service life, will include: • Replacement of all electrical cable powering runway lights and navigational aids (more than 37 miles of airfield cable and grounding wires). • Replacement of all the runway edge lights, centerline lights, and runway end lights (128 total light fixtures and transformers). • Replacement of the runway touchdown zone lights that allow aircraft to safely land in low visibility conditions (180 total base cans, fixtures and transformers). • Restoration of the runway with new asphalt concrete, grooving, and striping (enough to pave a two-lane road almost 1.5 miles long).

Due to the safety setback requirements of the construction work, there will be temporary runway closures between March 29 and mid-July: Runway 12-30 will be CLOSED NIGHTLY, Sundays through Thursdays, from March 29 to mid-July. In addition, Runway 12-30 will be CLOSED DAILY, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from April 18 to May 24, she said.

Exact dates are subject to change, and details are available on the Airport’s Current Noise Advisories webpage, said the statement.

Both commercial air carriers and general aviation operators are cooperating to ensure the safe and timely completion of this critical project. As with last year’s nighttime closures related to reconstruction of Taxiway L, the Long Beach Airport Association (LBAA) is encouraging LGB-based flight schools to voluntarily reduce their nighttime training maneuvers and fly quieter. LBAA is a nonprofit organization representing LGB tenant members. LBAA’s voluntary program asks flight schools to cease pattern work, which consists of low-altitude practice circuits close to the airport, after 9:59 p.m. on evenings when there is nighttime construction work that closes Runway 12-30, the primary runway.

The FAA requires night training in order to earn and maintain a pilot’s license. In addition to the guidance about ceasing pattern work after 9:59 p.m., LBAA also provided “How to Fly a Friendly Pattern at LGB” best practices to LGB-based flight schools, master tenants and operators. Recommendations include using the full length of the runway, full power on departure and techniques for achieving maximum altitude.

Long Beach Airport, which has one of the strictest noise control ordinances in the nation, requires that all commercial flights be scheduled between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Operations between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. are allowed if the delays are caused by weather, air traffic or mechanical issues.

McMahon’s statement acknowledged curiosity among residents. She said residents with questions or desiring more information may visit www.lgb.org/noise or contact the Noise Office at lgbnoise@longbeach.gov or 562.570.2665.

Ever wanted to step through the screen and into your beloved FRIENDS™ episodes?

You’ll get to do just that at ‘The FRIENDS™ Experience’ coming to Long Beach in June. The hilarious journey through your favorite sitcom comes from OGX, Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Group, the producers behind the actual show — so you know you’re in for a treat.

Realistic rooms bring the universe of FRIENDS™ to life, with all its iconic sets, costumes and hilarious references. Unique merch, quirky photo-ops and plenty of memorabilia… bring your lobster because ‘The FRIENDS™ Experience’ has lots in store!

Join the waitlist to get exclusive access to tickets once they’re released on May 25!

It’s no surprise Long Beach would get their own dedicated FRIENDS™ Experience: the legendary show has tirelessly influenced pop culture. Whether it be through memes, TV references or real-life interactions, FRIENDS™ is a true part of our daily lives — and we won’t be the ones to complain.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the series, OGX and Warner Bros. created this adventure for fans of the show and curious attendees alike to enjoy. What can you expect? A world where ‘unagi’ reigns, full of FRIENDS™ trivia, set replicas and themed activities.

If, like us, you’ve always wanted to peer through the iconic purple apartment door, now’s your chance to do so (be careful not to step on that cheesecake on the floor, though). Take in hilarious show references and fun facts while you navigate through various rooms, including the well-known fountain, Rachel and Monica’s kitchen, Central Perk — and don’t forget to snap souvenirs at the various photo-ops of the experience!

‘The FRIENDS™ Experience’ has toured cities throughout the U.S. in places like D.C., NYC, San Francisco, Denver and Seattle before finally stopping by Long Beach this summer. The experience was ranked fourth best attraction of 2021, and in every city it’s visited, attendees have raved about the full immersion into their favorite series.

Anna Kate Mohler says she comes from the world of improvisation. For Andy Zacharias, his background is in music composition. Together, the two have bridged their experiences for the Jewel Box Children’s Theater Company—a space for children to improvise, play games and create.

Unlike other theater programs that typically produce Broadway musicals, at Jewel Box, children create their own performances, which can be anything from fun, to wacky, to just out-of-the-box, said Mohler and Zacharias.

While every culture has its traditions of storytelling—which include music, dance, movement and theatrics, all passed down over generations, allowing everyone to be part of it—theater, on the other hand, can typically have a greater barrier to entry. There is generally an understanding that extensive training is required and that everything must be perfect, said Mohler, the nonprofit’s executive and artistic director.

But at Jewel Box, the priority is to show kids that there’s more than one way to do theater, and it’s not about striving for perfection, Mohler said.

“Just having a space where people feel invited to do things that sometimes are seen as exclusive is important,” Mohler said.

Youth involved in a Jewel Box Children’s Theater Company program are able to fully embrace their own creativity, said Zacharias, operations and music director.

“I love writing music with the kids because they think of things that I would never think about,” Zacharias said. “As adults, we tell ourselves that we have to do certain things in a certain way. … But kids—there’s no box, they just come up with ideas.”

While Zacharias helps to guide the technical aspects of the songwriting process, such as arranging and coming up with chords, youth take the lead, he said.

“It’s such a blast,” Zacharias said.

At Jewel Box, it’s not uncommon to see kids go from, “‘I can’t sing,” to singing, or sometimes just sitting and observing for weeks until they are empowered to participate, Mohler said. “It’s all about permission and being there, being accessible.”

Mohler in particular understands how kids can have unique needs—her mom put her in theater as a child in response to an anxiety disorder.

“It really did … change my life. I don’t think I’d be able to do as much as I do today,” Mohler said. “When I see kids that are dealing with the same thing … and when they have a breakthrough moment of joy, where they’re just in it, and they’re enjoying themselves, those moments for me are just like, ‘OK, yeah, this is why we do what we do.’”

“That’s the best, when you see kids, just in community, you know, giggling and laughing and enjoying life instead of being scared of everything, because this is a scary world,” Mohler added. “It’s a very different world kids need—they need more light. They need more permission to have fun.”

On any given week, Jewel Box can be found at an after-school program with the Long Beach Unified School District, teaching a community class at the Signal Hill Library, or sometimes putting on a workshop with the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, TCC Family Health, Young Horizons, the Long Beach Symphony or the Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, just to name a few of the organization’s community collaborations.

​”This is kind of something we pride ourselves in, is always being there,” Zacharias said.

Part of the nonprofit’s mission is to build bridges in the community, and since its 2016 founding, it has grown to become an accessible space for young creatives with an emphasis on equity.

While, like most organizations, Jewel Box switched to virtual programming at the start of the pandemic, it did not return to its in-person offerings until this past December. But since then, it has continued to offer online classes.

“There will always be kids that cannot come and take a class in person,” Mohler said. “If we’re talking about being accessible, we need to be available to kids online.”

The bulk of Jewel Box’s programming is free and grant-supported, apart from its conservatory program, which is offered each summer at the Long Beach Playhouse. However, no student has ever been turned away from the conservatory due to not being able to pay, Mohler said.

Now, Jewel Box Children’s Theater Company is stepping into its next growth opportunity—a home of its own, which Mohler and Zacharias recently secured in West Long Beach.

The new location is located in the heart of where much of Jewel Box’s work has taken place. It is in close proximity to Cabrillo High School, Hudson and Garfield elementary schools, and Admiral Kidd Park.

“We know that it’s the right place to be,” Mohler said. “I’m super excited to see what we’re able to pull off now.”

Since signing their lease last month, work has been underway to get the space ready for rehearsals and workshops. Mohler and Zacharias are hoping to have a soft opening this summer.

Eventually, the plan will be to leave the organization to one of its students—in the meantime, the focus is on building up an organization that would be “awesome to inherit,” Mohler said.

Having a safe space to commune and create is not only healthy and “good for the soul,” but is an essential community resource, Mohler and Zacharias said.

“You leave your stuff at the door, you know? It’s a good place to find common ground and to be artistic at the same time,” Mohler said.

“To see kids together, making discoveries—that, to me is just everything,” Mohler said.

Follow the Jewel Box Children’s Theater Company on Instagram for more information. To volunteer, fill out this form.

The Long Beach Utilities Department is planning to reinstate utility shutoffs in August for residents who are behind on their payments, according to a recent memo, citing the city’s financial inability to continue the coronavirus-era relief policy.

Long Beach terminated its own local state of emergency relating to COVID-19 in February. Los Angeles County and the state of California followed shortly after, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declaring the nationwide emergency over last week.

As a result, a bulk of the temporary financial relief programs — along with additional federal and state funding — aimed at supporting people and businesses hit hardest by the pandemic, have come to an end.

The Long Beach Utilities Department, meanwhile, said in a memo this week that it would be financially “unsustainable” to continue the temporary utility shutoff suspension, which went into effect in 2020.

“Substantial bill payment assistance has been provided to support families and small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic,” the memo said. “However, with the emergency now over, accruals carried by local governments on behalf of private account holders have become unsustainable.”

There is currently a debt of about $6.3 million in unpaid natural gas bills, $2.1 million in unpaid water bills, $3.8 million in unpaid trash and sewer services; and another $283,000 in sewer services in Long Beach, the memo said.

“The city has carried these utility balances for nearly three years,” the memo said. “In total, $12.7 million in overdue water, natural gas, refuse, and sewer utility bills exists in (Long Beach) – with the city, and ultimately other utility customers, bearing the full cost of nonpayment.”

The Utilities Department is planning to resume utility shutoffs on Aug. 15, the Monday, May 15, memo said, in an effort to recoup some of those costs.

But before doing so, officials are planning to conduct an outreach campaign over the next few months in an effort to give past-due rate payers a chance to catch up, or at least, to prepare. The department will also send out multiple notifications before they shut off anyone’s utilities.

The department still has several payment assistance plans, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides eligible low-income households with a one-time direct utility bill payment a year.

There are also payment plans and discount programs available for low-income residents, seniors and people with disabilities. More information about those is available on the Utility Department’s website, or by calling 562-570-5700.

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